From canoes to coal barges, Parisians are sentimental about anything that floats on the oily Seine. But best-loved of all their chowchow river traffic were the slim little green-and-white bateaux mouches (fly boats), which took to the water during the 1900 exposition, have since ferried some 42,000,000 beer-bibbing, brioche-munching joyriders downriver to suburban Suresnes and back. Three francs (about 8ยข) bought pleasant conveyance for travelers with business at in-between stops, all-day outings for romancing youngsters, tourists bargain-shopping for local color. Tremulous were the moonlit nights with the sighing of accordion bands from...
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