The Case of the Missing Citroens
Posted Thursday, July 24, 2008, 11:26 PM by Lonely Planet
It's funny, the impressions a city will leave on you after you've gone. Take Paris. On my first visit in 2000, I fell madly in love with its abundant and much-feted charms, just like millions of tourists before me: the sublime architecture, the art, the Seine, the men (ooh la la!), le vin rouge, and the romantic glamour of it all. But one of my most enduring memories of that trip is something I'd never heard mentioned nor seen featured in any guidebook - and that was all the cool old Citroens everywhere.
The proud owner of a canary-yellow 2CV at the time, I went nuts, taking photos of my car's continental cousins with the snap-happy abandon that seizes other travellers when they see the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. Vintage DSs, 2CVs, CXs - even this ancient van that looked uncannily like a corrugated-iron elephant (which I've since found out must've been an H Van) - gleaming against a picturesque Parisian backdrop...
But was it all a dream? Do we embellish our travel memories as the years pass? Because when I went back to Paris a few weeks ago, all I saw was one crappy, shabby 2CV!!
Believe me, I was on Citroen alert, having just bought my first digital camera and itching to immortalise the local four-wheeled population. But it seems that Minis (old and new) are the latest vehicle of choice on Paris streets these days. So I have to wonder: where did all those gorgeous old Citroens go? Have they gone to the great scrapheap in the sky, or has my unreliable travel memory simply exaggerated the true extent of their Parisian presence?
Hmph. At least the men were as handsome as I remembered them to be...
- Suzy Watusi
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6 Comments:
you just never know do you!!
http://mycheckedbaggage.blogspot.com/
Who goes to Paris to look at the cars? Funnily enough I just got back from Tasmania and I saw two lovely DS Citroens in 3 days - the men were not that handsome though...
The photographic memories of my trip to New Zealand many years ago are dominated by pictures of Humbers. Few photos exist of the snow, the houses built into the hills or the state of our apartment after a minor earthquake. Rather, page after page of the photo album are filled with photos of me (and others) posing in front of unique, stately and beautiful Humbers. There seemed to be a plethora of them and New Zealanders appeared to be particularly partial to the bottle green variety. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately if the Humber in New Zealand has gone the way of the Citroens of Paris) I haven't been back so do not know the present day status of this Humber beast (perhaps someone can offer an update?). But your comments, Suzi, brought back to me the wonderful Humberscape that once was NZ.
I’ve been to Paris twice in the last 10 years, both times, I too noticed the lack of cool vintage cars...but I must say I was probably distracted by the abundant eye-candy!
It's no myth…Parisian men are tall, dark & handsome…and oh so confident!
A lot can be said too about that romantic French language…I’m sure even if they are yelling abuse at you…it would still sound like poetry!
Parisian men have inspired me to learn French before my next European vacation. It’s definitely worth enduring that gruelling 20hr flight from Australia to Paris.
My favourite areas for rubber necking are: the Marais area and Latin Quarter.
Oh, how disappointing to hear that the classic vintage Citroen is slowly becoming extinct in it's own homeland. Thank goodness for the news of the saucy Frenchmen! Let's hope that never changes!
For an eyeful of pretty Parisian Citroens, get hold of the 1970 thriller, 'Le Cercle Rouge'. It's a classic heist movie which takes place in Paris, against a streetscape of endless Citroens, Peugeots and other nice old cars... They're everywhere, almost like supporting actors! It's like some kinky continental form of car porn (or is that just me?)
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