September 23, 2009

Name that car.



I have this new job where I give tours to people on l'Île de la Cité - it is through this company and it is a pretty good gig because groups tend to be only 4 or 5 people (sometimes just one other person). We start in front of the Palais de Justice and talk about the origins of the island and who lived their first and who came through up to the French Revolution. Then I get to tell gruesome tales about the Revolution. For example, the one about Marie Antoinette's best friend (Princesse de Lamballe) who was ripped into pieces by the French mob and then beheaded. Her head was then fixed on a spike and paraded under the windows of Marie Antoinette's cell. And then her limbs were shot from canons (for emphasis). These people were angry.

Anyway, more about that later, but at the moment there is a splendid collection of little cars - police and firemen vehicles on l'Île de la Cité. If you are lucky (more likely than not), you'll get to see contemporary policemen posing with/in front of/on top of the vehicles. They were having a great time when I was there. I have no idea what these cars/motorcycles are, but I am pretty sure I know a guy who will be able to identify them without blinking (Xavier, that is you).









4 comments:

Xavier said...

As per my assignment, the very first Police Nationale car is a good old Renault 8, the second one, even older, is a "4 chevaux", a Renault 4CV (different from a more famous one called the "4L", the "Renault 4", which was very popular in France and I think that it was still used by our Dear 'Gendarmerie National' 10 years ago, notoriously known for using cars until they die). Trucks are older and not easy to name, probably from Saviem or Renault too.
The motocycle is most probably a "Motobécane", a brand bought by the Japanese Yamaha in the mid 80's after filling for bankrupcy...

D1Warbler said...

I love the fire engine (at least I assume that is what it is.) Only the French would have a "sexy" looking fire engine! Love, Chrys

D1Warbler said...

PS: Be sure to send our love to your parents! You weren't alone in being astonished that your Dad was having heart problems!

Love, Chrys

Chaoyi said...

I was eating a snack while reading your post, the vivid detail of the Revolution playing in my head...
you have such a talent for story telling, everything comes alive.

I still finished my food...hum...

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