This cold Sunday afternoon, as we walked to the entrance of Luxembourg Gardens, these two policemen approached the two ladies who were selling roasted chestnuts on the sidewalk. My first thought was that they were going to ask them to leave. Not at all. First came the lyrical "Bonjour Madame!", then smiles and bises all around. Only in Paris!
Une chanson française dit :
ReplyDelete"Les agents,
sont de braves gens
qui se promènent..."
A French song says:
' Policemen,
nice people are
which go for a walk... '
What a wonderful shot and so French! You captured the moment perfectly.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely...and brilliantly captured...I like the smiling policeman ;)
ReplyDeleteCatherine
xx
How charming. Looks its from an old movie. Where is Carey Grant when you need him.
ReplyDeleteV de B - did they give you a French kiss, too?!
ReplyDeleteBien sur charmant!
It's a timeless photo. I would have said circa 1940. It looks like Colette kissing a gendarme.
ReplyDeleteI love love love that he is looking right at you!
ReplyDeleteI love the way the gendarme's entire visage is smiling at you!
ReplyDeleteOnly in Paris indeed! Oh, those smile! Love the shot.
ReplyDeleteI love his smile and hat!!! Great photo!!
ReplyDeleteAlways good to be friend with the maréchaussée!
ReplyDeleteSweet shot! Love the Gendarme's wink!!!
ReplyDeleteOh la la, this is a fabulous shot! Le jeune flic on the right looks mighty pleased to have you capture this oh so Parisian scene.
ReplyDeleteYou have captured the moment beautifully. Love the expression on the face of the policeman in the foreground.
ReplyDeleteWarm regards
Oh I *love* the sly look on the face of that gendarme on the right!! This is a great - and very fun - shot.
ReplyDeleteLord, how did you get that exact right moment? Including the impish grin on Monsieur #2.
ReplyDeleteIt must be, if I can quote the new WV, utinv nielpsen.
Alain, I'd love to hear you sing this one!:)
ReplyDeleteHiker,
I waited of course. Then got very lucky. An UTINV NIEIPSEN is exactly what did it.
And for the record I've tried to photograph the Paris police before and they turned their backs and did not want to allow phtographs. Maybe having Luxembourg Garden duty makes them very happy and agreeable. I think so.
A fantastic shot!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, normally you are not supposed to take photos of policemen (or -women) "en face", when on duty. (Don't ask me why.) The "képis" these guys are wearing show however that they are not belonging to the "Police Nationale", but rather to the "Gendarmerie", (part of the army) or possibly to the "Garde Républicaine". That should not make much of a difference, they are all "the police". I guess you were just lucky to meet some real nice and friendly guys. (I wouldn't say that policemen in general are not nice people.) :-)
I think they were after her 'chestnuts' Virginia!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pic. Un petit verre de blanc pour tout le monde!
ReplyDeleteLove this!
ReplyDeletewhat a perfect Paris moment.
ReplyDeleteHa, this can be only in Paris for sure! Very well timed for the capture!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
Virginia,
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I enjoy scrolling through your photographs. They make me happy. I love this one, especially the look on the police who isn't in the act of greeting Madame. He loved being the subject of your lens.
Bisous,
Aidan