5.11.10

Place de Clichy, new version

Place de Clichy (see previous post) is a point where four of the twenty Paris arrondissements meet.  

It’s also a place where a lot of traffic jams up. Something had to be done to clean up the place and to improve the circulation of cars, scooters, bikes … and pedestrians. This has now been done and last Wednesday was the official opening date.

Trees have been planted (have still to grow), there are new newspaper stands, a creperie, toilets, a Vélib station (bikes)… new pavements, a cleaned up statue of the Marshall Jeannot de Moncey (who fought against the Russians here in 1814 when this was the Paris barrier) … the whole traffic system has been revised.
The weather was November dull and grey (a possible excuse for the photos).

The Paris Mayor (Bertrand Delanoë) was there together with three arrondissement mayors and some other politicians. Not easy for an amateur photographer to approach.
Of course, the politicians had to greet the creperie and newspaper stand people.
Somehow I managed to get fairly close. Here you can see the faces of Bertrand Delanoë (the Paris Mayor), Françoise de Panafieu (his losing opponent in the last elections), Daniel Vaillant (mayor of the 18th arrondissement), Brigitte Kuster (mayor of the 17th arrondissement), Jacques Bravo (mayor of the 9th arrondissement) and Anne Hidalgo (Paris deputy mayor and probable candidate for the next elections).
Surprisingly, no police forces could be seen. In general, our leaders travel in black limousines surrounded by a number of motor bikes, but again surprisingly, Bertrand Delanoë, great opposant to cars in the city, when leaving, took place in the front seat of this little car.

I wish you a nice weekend!

29 comments:

Bagman and Butler said...

Great to see leaders picking small cars and pressing the flesh.

Liveaboard Cruise said...

Good news for motorists that they change the flow of the trafic so it can be benefiial to all types of vehicles.

Wholesale Designer said...

It goes to show the mayor is working hard to attend to the problems of the city. From a somewhat chaotic plan and executing it.

Wholesale Dresses said...

From a chaotic streets to a new and improved trafic routing, a more progressive city is emerging.

Wholesale Gold said...

Congrats on your feat. Having the chance to take a picture of a prominent figure is an achievement to your photography career.

Wholesale Manufactures said...

Hoping to see other politicians to be simple and just help the people in need for your city to be progressive.

Scheherazade said...

I love this website--the little slices of life. It's a very intimate and up close look at Paris. Thanks.

joanna said...

Peter:

A wonderful photographic editorial you took us on. Gray skies perhaps but it cast a nice dreamy glow over the city.

The second to the last photograph where there is a collage of pictures, the three man in a row and the two women --- a newspaper or political cartoonist would love those photo's to render drawings.

Have a lovely week end,

joanny

nice to see Montmartre cemetery, I just did a poem on the 'spirit of Montmartre..

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Ah, thats so different to a normal politician's lifestyle!

Alain said...

Les keufs sont occupés ailleurs en ce moment.

hpy said...

Les keufs se reposent.

Cezar and Léia said...

I really like those balloons in your first picture!
Great reportage Peter!
hugs
Léia

BLOGitse said...

That's how it should be - all politicians are as ordinary as us but we've given them mandate to work for us......
Have a good weekend!

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

Are the Vélibs much used? There seem to be a lot of them there.

Paris Paul said...

Seems like it's just as crowded as it's always been!

Adam said...

Excellent - you're now becoming an investigative reporter too!

Simony said...

That's awfully a lot of mayors!!!
You got great pictures for someone who is not a reporter, but then, you seem to be a tall person anyway. I would get squished in the middle of everything and would get no good pictures!
The place looks great for pedestrian.
Wishing you a great weekend Peter.

Rémy CADORET said...

Bravo. Très bon article. Vos photos en montrent beaucoup plus que ce j'ai pu moi-même voir sur place !!

Rosaria Williams said...

What a lovely upclose and personal look of Paris in the midst of changes.

louisebah said...

Such a pretty place! Looking forward to visiting one day!! Bon weekend!

Ruth said...

Wonderful! I love seeing Delanoë, whom I've admired since he became Mayor. Bon week-end, Peter.

greg urbano said...

just found your blog via the "networked blogs" app on facebook, great looking posts and photos, looking forward to discovering paris with you!

Starman said...

I noticed there is no license plate on the Mayor's car. Curious.

Cheri said...

I just found your blog on another blog. I'm from rural Oklahoma and always wanted to go to Paris. Finally happened and fell in love. Now I love to look at the pictures and blogs posted by others and yours was exceptional. Thanks, Cheri

Shammickite said...

I love the name Jaques Bravo, what a wonderful name for a French mayor!

Owen said...

I hope it is better than when I was there this past summer, while looking for a place to park in order to visit the Montmartre Cemetery... it was a mess. Lots of interesting side streets around there though.

Olivier said...

beau photo reportage, que du beau monde a cette inauguration.

Aitor Artaitz said...

Since I found your blog I want to come back to Paris...
Politicians among people... politicians who drive small cars... not in Spain... sure

Trotter said...

Another good reason to get back...
And the «Roi des Coquillages» is still there, I presume... ;)