‘Parisians are trying to get on with their lives’

FRANCE will today remember the Paris terror atrocities 12 months after 130 were killed in the French capital.

The attacks – on the Bataclan theatre, bars and restaurants and at the Stade de France – appalled the world, with outpourings of sympathy from across the planet.

In Wales landmarks such as the Senedd and the Wales Millennium Centre were lit up in blue, white and red – the colours of France’s tricolore flag.

One Welshman who lives in Paris says the city was plunged into shock by the violence, perpetrated by terrorists acting on behalf of Islamic State.

Tomos Roberts, who has lived in Paris for a decade, said: “It was the next morning when I went out and there was hardly a soul on the street. I remember that quite clearly. Every conversation turned, quite naturally, to what had happened. There was just complete shock.”

Paris had already witnessed the brutal massacre of journalists from the satirical Charlie Hebdo newspaper in January that year.

The 46-year-old, who is originally from Bangor, added: “What people were surprised about this time was the scale, but also the fact the public were targeted. It was just a gratuitous killing and there was that fear that this could happen again.

“At the start of January I was at a rugby match and met a couple afterwards. She was in a wheelchair and he was standing.

“She had been at the Bataclan that night and he had been at the Stade de France [where France were playing Germany in football].”

Some football fans from across Europe who visited France during Euro 2016 – including tens of thousands from Wales – reported a nation still somewhat on edge.

Security had been ramped up for the tournament, which passed without incident. Days later, however, and on France’s national day, a devastating lorry attack in Nice killed almost 90.

“When Euro 2016 was on I went to a game at the Stade de France,” said Tomos. “Now I don’t remember the stadium for just the sport – I also remember that there had been an attack there. It was one of the big things being relayed in France – that we had done the right thing and kept [the tournament] going.

“We didn’t clamp down too much on the organisation and it all worked out. There was a big sense of satisfaction and relief. Then Nice happened shortly afterwards.”

As France prepares to mourn one year on, Tomos said: “This weekend will bring back all sorts of memories.

“People who live close to the bars or the Bataclan where it happened have a constant, daily reminder. It’s in their faces every day.

“For most Parisians we are slightly more detached and it has probably not had quite the same effect on us. The impact on tourism has been undeniable, though. There was a drop after November’s attacks and then Nice accentuated things. There had been a big fall-off in tourism in France and most notably in Paris.

“People are still apprehensive. But things move on – and people try to get on with their lives.”