One of my favourite things to do in Paris is to admire the parks. Whilst a glance through any guide book will give you a rather substantial list of parks to explore - the Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Jardin des Plantes to name just a few, there is one thing that these guide books forget to mention - the really interesting parks - those that people perform with their cars.
That's right - parking in Paris is somewhat of an art form (or perhaps chaotic mess would be more accurate) and it never ceases to amaze me to see the creativity engaged in by Parisians in order to fit their vehicle into a space that is significantly smaller than that of their car.
That's right - parking in Paris is somewhat of an art form (or perhaps chaotic mess would be more accurate) and it never ceases to amaze me to see the creativity engaged in by Parisians in order to fit their vehicle into a space that is significantly smaller than that of their car.
I remember vividly whilst holidaying in Paris in 2005 the shock I experienced as a passenger in a car being parked by a Parisian. As we slowed down next to a tiny space on the curb I was totally unaware that the driver was about to attempt a reverse park in this 'space'. As we reverse parked I remember being so worried that we were going to hit the cars behind and in front of us. As I heard a loud bang and then another, I realised that this was exactly what was happening. In my state of shock I let out a gasp to which the driver reassured me that in fact hitting other peoples' cars in Paris was completely normal, that it wasn't a problem, and that Parisians actually factor this in to their parking and leave their handbrake released so that their car moves slightly backwards or forwards when bumped and therefore doesn't incur as much damage from the offending vehicle. Lesson number one for a foreigner - leave handbrake released when parked in Paris...
For those of you not lucky enough to have witnessed these Parisian parks, I have included some photographic evidence for you to peruse. I would also like to point out that all of these photos were taken randomly on one particular night in my street in the 12th arrondisement - so this is just one night and one street!
For those of you not lucky enough to have witnessed these Parisian parks, I have included some photographic evidence for you to peruse. I would also like to point out that all of these photos were taken randomly on one particular night in my street in the 12th arrondisement - so this is just one night and one street!
Park #1 - The butt rub - ok butt sounds terribly American, but bum rub and backside rub just don't sound right...
Park #2 - The nose rub
Park #3 - Kiss on the lips!
Park #4 - Loving the curb
Park #5 - Anything goesAs you can see even the cars in the city of romance get in on the action, a nose rub here, kiss on the lips there....whoever said it was impossible to get a park in Paris just wasn't being creative enough.
