Sorry... this is perhaps not a typical Paris subject, but at least the photos were taken in the Batignolles-Clichy Park, close to my home.
There were a lot of bees around and I wanted to get a nice photo of at least one. It seems today that insects have a better life in cities than on the countryside - less pesticides around and more and more of hives are being installed.
Basically I can put the name only on very few flowers – roses, tulips… -, so I’m quite proud that my Google research gave me the name of this one: Cynara Cardunculus (artichocke thistle, cardone, cardoni, carduni, cardi, cardon… - I hope I’m right). I found the flowers spectacular and there were bees around … , but they were always hiding, disappearing inside the big flower… Finally I almost got one, but it left rapidly and flew away.
(Surprising artichoke flower.)
So, to get my bee, I went to take some shots of some smaller neighbour flowers (not so sure about the name here, an Echinops Bannaticus, blue globe?) where the bees were much kinder and let me the time to take some photos, including the top one.
(I just use a compact Canon G11, so ...)
Addendum July 4th, afternoon:
I made some kind of research to find the names of the flowers (no comments or remarks so far), but the great mistake is obviously that at least the insect on the top and bottom pictures is not a bee, but a wasp. Abe suggested hornet, which obviously is some kind of wasp and Owen suggested yellowjacket. Thanks - you learn everyday! :-)
Addendum July 4th, afternoon:
I made some kind of research to find the names of the flowers (no comments or remarks so far), but the great mistake is obviously that at least the insect on the top and bottom pictures is not a bee, but a wasp. Abe suggested hornet, which obviously is some kind of wasp and Owen suggested yellowjacket. Thanks - you learn everyday! :-)
In “my” parks, as elsewhere in Paris, I noticed that more space has been given to wild flowers; a good idea in my mind. I could also notice that the bees are still busy. 
In the new park, a pond has just been opened and I could see that water lilies of four different colours have been planted. 
In the new park they have also installed what seem to be quite nice toilets. I was impressed to see that the instructions (“Maximum time of use: 15 minutes”) are written in four languages, including in “Braille” for the blind. (It seems that the basis for the system was created for Napoleon who wanted a means of silent communication during the night, without light. The idea was later, in 1821, developed by Louis Braille.)
In the new park, there was a competition in skateboarding between young kids. Some older kids excelled in roller skates. 
In the palm house (containing one lemon tree) in the old park, people were preparing a photo exhibition. The local clown (he’s everywhere and all the time) had decided to inaugurate an old (empty) pedestal to honour a regretted French humorist, Pierre Desproges. Maybe one day there will also be a statue on the pedestal. Some young did some authorised graffiti. 
Others (older generation) played petanques, others (younger generation) played basket ball. 
... an ordinary Saturday afternoon. 
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