Monday, April 25, 2011

Cleaning Paris


Paris is a big city, with plenty of - sometimes - careless people, pollution, dogs(!), etc. and it needs to be cleaned regularly. For this, the Paris town hall uses an army of  sweepers and cleaning vans, like this one that I photographed  at 8 o'clock at rue Doudeauville , while the sun was still low (hence the reflexion on the sidewalk...). About 1 500 km of streets are cleaned every week (2 400 km are swept everyday); a never ending story.

10 comments:

  1. And are they not cleaned TWiCE a day?? What a city,
    What a country. What a people!

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  2. I've always been impressed with Paris' cleaning corps in green jumpsuits. Gutters washed out and swept every morning, garbage always picked up, (shop keepers washing windows and sweeping their sidewalks), and pooper scooper scooters. Now if people would only pick up after their dogs!

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  3. Just another reason why Paris is a truly gorgeous city.

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  4. I tried so hard to capture the early-morning street cleaners below our windows on rue des Rosiers—without much luck. You've definitely succeeded here! The light is super.

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  5. I am so thankful for the vigilant cleaning crews in Paris. Bravo! If only more cities were so conscientious. Thank you, Eric.

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  6. As I walked past the "sleeping quarters" of a homeless man and his two dogs each day next to Église St Roch, I noticed that on certain days he moved his mattress and belongings to "higher ground."

    We realized that he was picking up for the scheduled street cleaning. I am amazed at how the streets can be washed clean and thought how difficult it must be during a strike.

    Beautiful shot, Eric.

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  7. Am I right in my impression that the poorer neighborhoods are not cleaned as often as the rich ones?

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  8. That is a lot of km to clean every day! Lovely light in the photo, Eric. I look forward to seeing this myself someday!

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  9. I wish we were more vigilant in cleaning our streets of rubbish, and dirt. I'm impressed!

    Kris

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  10. Hmm. Maybe I should stay up late and get a shot of our street cleaners! Pasadena, California may rival Paris at cleaning streets. (After all, our mayor once referred to Pasadena as "the Paris of the Pacific.") It's illegal to park on the street between 2 and 6am because of street cleaning. On New Year's Day, after the Tournament of Roses Parade, the trash is piled high as everyone trundles off to the Rose Bowl Game. The streets are pristine within hours.

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