29 December 2020

Paree-by-night (2)

Three of these photos are looking downstream from the Île de la Cité toward the Eiffel Tower. One was taken when the tower was lit up with sparkling lights. The dome on the left in those photos is the Institut, where different French académies, including the Académie Française, meet and do their work. I took these phtos in April 2006, while we were spending a week in Paris. We were lucky — the weather was beautiful.






Have I already mentioned that both my cars passed their 2020 contrôle technique inspection? French cars that are more than four years old have to be inspected every other year. It's a rigorous test to detect safety and emissions issues and costs about $80 per vehicle. The inspection stations are government-licensed and don't do repairs, just inspection, so there is no conflict of interests.

My Peugeot 206 is 20 years old and has 190,000 kilometers (close to 120,000 miles) on its odometer. My Citroën C4 is 12 years old and has 100,000 kilometers (about 60,000 miles) on its compteur. We put about 3,000 miles (5,000 km) on the Citroën between December 2018 and now. The mileage was was really low in part because we had to cancel two week-long road trips in 2020 because of Covid-19 confinements. We didn't put many more miles than that on the Peugeot either. We just use it for running errands and doing grocery shopping within 20 miles of home. It would be almost impossible to live here without a car — just as it would be almost impossible to live in Paris with a car nowadays.

11 comments:

  1. I don't kmow what to say but the same thing I said two days ago, these photos are amazing!

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    1. I think what makes these photos so special is the water.

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    2. I think so too. The reflections. I'm glad I found them again after nearly 15 years. More tomorrow.

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  2. So beautiful, each one a stunner. The Tower looks like something Cartier would design.

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  3. Oh, more wonderful photos of night time in Paris!
    Judy

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  4. Wish we had government sanctioned inspection stations! Go to two different mechanics here, get two quite different diagnoses. Love Tour Eiffel in #3, as as everyone says, they're all beautiful.

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    1. In Wisconsin, I had to take my car in for state inspections each year, if I remember correctly. There was no charge, but I'm sure I paid for the service indirectly through my state taxes! I never had any trouble with my cars and I didn't do any quick reviews before the inspections with a mecanic.

      Mary in Oregon

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  5. #1 - *****
    #3 - the Eiffel Tower reminds me of the top of a champagne bottle with the foil!
    These night shots are superb with the lighting and the reflections!
    Merci, Ken! Paris...I miss you~!~~

    Mary in Oregon

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    1. As I said to CHM (not very clearly), I'm gad I found these nighttime Paris photos again, nearly 15 years later.

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  6. I like the last photo; it's probably not technically the best, but it incorporates all the things that make the city so special -- grand buildings, moving water, people, lights.
    I have to take my car for inspection next months before I get the year's new license tags. The rule of thumb here is to go to a place that has a vested interest in seeing you get an OK (thus, the dealer), so everything goes smoothly. Conflict of interest, you say??

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