Entre Les Murs

The French in the Streets

We seem to have missed most of the excitement over the CPE (the new law governing hiring under 25s). The week before we left I encountered in the sixth arrondissement some of the trash and broken glass that was the aftermath of one of the first demonstrations, but most of the brouhaha took place in our absence.


However last night we tripped over another demonstration of French contempt for authority. They really do park just anywhere they feel like it: on verges, at corners and around centre medians. Driveways often have to be lined with poles to prevent drivers from parking on the sidewalk. This fellow is not only parked across a crosswalk, which is quite commonplace, but has simply backed up to the curb as though he had a Smart car.

posted 13.4.06