Before my parents had a kid (me!) and before they had a car, they owned a Vespa. As newlyweds, they first lived in Choisy-le-Roi near Paris, in a little bungalow at the back of my maternal grandparents’ garden. They drove to Cannes for their honeymoon, on the Vespa. I’m sure it sounds very romantic but imagine yourself riding un deux-roues for some twelve hours. Even if you make one overnight stop on the way.
Besides taking the train, the Vespa was their only vehicle for the first six years of their marriage. During their last jaunt to Gourdon, Mom declared that her butt was too sore and that she had had enough of this tape-cul. She did not complete the trip: my uncle René had to come and rescue her by car in Souillac, a mere 15 miles away from their destination. Obviously, the female derrière has a mind of its own. Dad rode alone for the rest of the way. A few months later, he bought a 2 CV.
Legal car-driving age in France is 18. Needless to say, most teenagers want to get their own wheels –and acquire some automotive independence– before they’re “mature enough” to borrow their parents’ car. Hence the high number of mopeds and small motorcycles on French roads. In another post, I’ll share my own adventures on the two-wheelers I rode before I got my permis de conduire.
When I noticed that pink Vespa on rue au Maire in the 3rd arrondissement a couple of years ago, I immediately thought about my parents. I see them walking on La Croisette: young, in love, carefree. Giving their sore butts a rest… Mom keeps a picture of that moment in her portefeuille.
Vocabulary
Le deux-roues: two-wheeler (bicycle or motorized)
Le tape-cul: lit. butt slapper, a vehicle with poor suspension
Le derrière: no, no, no, you don’t need a translation for this one
Le permis de conduire: driver’s license
La Croisette: the boulevard that stretches along the Mediterranean sea in Cannes
Le portefeuille: wallet
a french life, one perfect moment at a time