The making of a modern day cobble stone street. Art work and precision!
Doors of Lyon
"Do not go on the grass"—in a park
Self-serve bike pump in Lyon
Doggy-do bags -- trying to keep the streets clean
The tram traveling over freshly cut grass.
Florist display on the sidewalk: "bruyère vivace": perennial heather; "promo/promotion" = bargain; "promotion soleil 9 euros la botte" = sunshine bargain, 9 euros / bunch
Striking in protest to changes to the retirement age.
The annual "Course des Garçons de Café"-Race for Café Waiters. How fast can you move while holding a tray with beer, juice, water and a coffee on a 1/2 km race course? This race was just for students in the food industry. Some walked quickly whereas others ran, with only one hand holding the tray. Not all drinks survived the trip. A fellow with a pail followed to clean up the spills.
French stop lights do not hang from the center of the street. The upper light is visible for when you are approaching the intersection, whereas the lower light is for when you are right at the stoplight.
"Tabac"--the corner store where you can buy cigarettes, newspapers, magazines, stamps, lottery tickets, gum, candy, and load more trips on your public transit pass.
A colorful recycle bin for glass. Many are now painted to limit graffiti.
A garden on the side of a street, planted and maintained by one the shop keepers. Passersby are asked to respect the garden (don't pick their herbs).
Many pastry shops also sell their own chocolates, or as is the case of "Bonnat", a shop just for chocolates. A box of chocolates is a common gift to offer the host when invited for dinner.
"Brocantes" or street flea markets are common in the fall. Since we live in the antiquarian district of the city, the majority of stands did have antiques, along with the bakery selling its freshly baked breads and pastries.
Another common fall occurrence happens on a Saturday in October when one celebrates the "Descente des Alpages", animals returning to the valley after spending the summer in alpine pastures.
The boy and the dog started the parade, followed by cows, sheep, and a single donkey. In the larger city of Annecy, the parade includes pigs, geese, horses, etc. Themed breads are sold, as well as the classic mountain dish called "tartiflette", made from onion, potatoes, bacon, cheese, and white wine. Super good but not very healthy! The alpine horns were a treat to hear.
You probably know about the locks on bridges in Paris. These are in Grenoble--nowhere near the amount of locks that still show up on bridges in Paris.
As you may have noticed, there is no shortage of a) things happening in the street and b) very random things that I find interesting. Since I do a lot of walking in the city, there will likely be more.
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