This Police station belongs to a country that claims to have the 7th largest GDP in the world: France! And I did not take this photo in the poorest area of Paris, I did at La Muette, a place known for belonging to one of the richest arrondissements in Paris: the 16th... FYI, this police station belongs to the Districts Police Unit (unité de Police de quartier) which, apparently, is different from a "normal" police station. (Much poorer maybe?)
As Bette Davis would say: "What a dump!" A wealthy district like that and a place so "shopworn". How would you like to enter that set of doors...depressing for the flics I am sure.
ReplyDeleteDepends on who is behind those doors johnny parsons ;-)
ReplyDeleteI like the "Access Inderdict" sign
ReplyDeleteOr maybe they think it wiser to spend taxpayer money on things that actually do matter?
ReplyDeletegosh it does look like it needs a lick of paint!
ReplyDeleteThey don't really need cops in this district anyway.
ReplyDeleteWonderful colour coordination, the subtle blues of the doors and the even more subtle scratches compliment the République Française sign. The Accès Interdit poster simply puts the icing on the cake.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that this Police station will now become a major tourist attraction !!
Michael, get my email address from Monica or Eric unless you have it already, and write me as I don't think I have your correct address.
ReplyDeleteSorry for taking up this space, everybody.
I recall that there is a multi-level heirarchy of police departments in Paris. Each arrondissement has its own department, and there is a citywide force, and so on. It's hard to know who holds the checkbood for a paint job. Mais, M. Benaut, vous etes vrai: now that it has been featured on PDP, surely it will become famous!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great setting for a scene in a film noir.
ReplyDelete"Please come with us. We have a few questions we would like to ask you"
"I can't go in there."
"And why not, mademoiselle?"
"I'm dreadfully allergic to filth and scum like you."
"It seems that you are not allergic to such things as heroin and murder. Come along."
"But wait. I must have a cigarette. Obviously lighting up in there would set the entire block ablaze."
"Please miss, you are wasting our time. It is not so bad inside. Your high heels will lift your feet high enough over the muck that you will hardly notice the rats. You have such lovely, well-turned ankles but you are not one to criticize our slovenliness with toenails like that. Come, the rats will nibble them down in no time at all."
I don't know. If the police station more appropriately conformed to its surroundings the "gendarmes" would hesitate to so much as lay a parking ticket on a windshield for fear of having a dust mote or two rub off from the auto onto their neatly pressed and hygienically cleaned uniforms, it seems to me.
Michael and Tomate: Thanks for the tip. I deleted the blogspots that were accidentally created when first trying to blog. Johnnysarc is now alive and well sans the empty places.
ReplyDeleteTall Gary: great idea. I love film noir. Our French department at University of Kentucky is creating a special 3hour course on Film Noir starting Fall, 2008. Can't wait.
Fenix: Appearances don't matter? Hmmm! Interesting!
Gosh - for once Rabaul has a building in better condition. Will have to post a photo of our police station.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that if you look in NYC or LA you might find similar situations. Glad you caught this one on "film" though.
ReplyDeleteTall Gary--that was really funny! I read it to my husband, playing both parts with a great French accent, and my husband gave both of us an "A". That's because he is a Shakespeare professor in the English dept. who taught Film Noir last semester.
ReplyDeleteWow PHX-CDG...sounds like Johnny would get along great with hubby and all that Film Noir stuff. Of course, Johnny knows so much about movies, maybe Mr Phx-CDG would be out of a job!
ReplyDeleteThat really looks like it would fit in our downtown neighborhood without anyone even noticing.
ReplyDeleteC'est vraiment étonnant de voir ça dans le 16e!
ReplyDeleteYeah, anonyme's right, that was my first reaction exactly! You gotta love the "access interdit" sticker way up on top, though! And these non-smoking stickers, I wonder how is that really working out in Paris? Do people really respect them?
ReplyDeleteThis picture reminded me of that school building I saw when I came out of visiting the Vatican museum. The Vatican is spotless, practically covered in gold. And then you walk across the street, and the little Roman kids' public school building looks real decrepit, with graffitis on the wall, paint flaking off...
fabulous for its irony. you wonder what it's like inside!
ReplyDeletePas la peine de sucer la queue aux américains, comme on disait quand j'étais gosse.
ReplyDeleteBonjour, j'aimerais bien savoir dans quelle rue ce trouve ce commissariat ?
ReplyDelete