=?iso-8859-1?Q?Coul=E9e?= Verte in Ile de France - Rather Disappointing

Elisa Francesca Roselli

This route is famous. When the railway line became disaffected, a
community movement undertook to have it converted into a green pathway,
for pedestrians, cyclists, rollerbladers and kick scooterists, along its
whole distance from the 15th Arrondissment in Paris at Vanves-Malakofff
to Massy in Essonne. So, in theory, I can ride this pathway right into
the heart of Paree.

In yesterday's gorgeous weather I thought, as I left work a little
early, to check out the Essonnian end, up to the town of Antony.

What's up with the asphalt? Did they not calculate for the tree-roots?
At the very first segment I met these - bumps doesn't describe it. It's
like the pavement is being overturned by some sort of underground
veinous system, tree roots is the only explaination I can come up with.
There are sharp ridges up to ten inches high criss-crossing the path in
every direction. The asphalt at the top is cracking open.

I thought this was a momentary glitch but I kept encountering the same
phenomenon all the way to Antony - these bone-rattling, bicycle-killing
ridges. At one point there was even a ledge, about 20 inches high. And
then there are bubble-bumps that look like something was boiling
underneath the pavement.

In addition there are barriers everywhere. OK, so they don't want people
to got too fast (how could they anyway?). But every 200 meters you come
across a gated crossing which requires, for uncoordinated me, a dismount
and a careful twisting of Behemoth round the double barriers. This takes
enough time and attention that I cannot even check if there is traffic
coming as I find myself in the intersection.

I met groups of cyclists, joggers, trottineurs, promenaders but on
considerable stretches of path I was quite alone. Walls were graffitied
with evidence of local "fauna". Alone is fine, but I don't much like the
idea of some of the types who might get the idea to share my solitude.
Slow, vulnerable mover on a luxury bike with steering problems ... I
passed a few gangs of yoofs (thanks Helen, good term) who were harmless.
On this occasion. And all the joggers were fine and decent too, but I
suspect that when one of them gets the idea to expose himself there
won't be strolling crowds around. At one point, at a bendy section that
passed under a much graffitied, pissed-on railway arch, I met a young
woman cycling very slowly, all on her brakes, in the opposite direction.
I could see she was just as scared as I was, and for the same reasons.

In its favor, I will say that the weather was lovely and that there were
some pretty, green parkland sections. I only went a fraction of the
route. Perhaps if one is accustomed to the paths one learns how to steer
around the bumps, and how to plan getting on and off. Or perhaps MTBers
and BMXers actually like it that way. I saw several just whizzing along.
I guess I understand now why some bikes need full suspension.

But I was so much on my brakes and handlebars that I developed spasms in
my right arm. My fingers are still twitching this morning.

Cheers all,
EFR
Ile de France

Jacques Moser

I do sympathize and share your feelings. Here too, in Switzerland,
planners tend to define and advertise bike paths and routes whose sole
virtue is to be car free but which are extremely difficult and frustrating
to ride on anything else than a suspended mountain bike.

I suspect that these planners consider cycling a good exercise to practice
twice a year on a sunny Sunday afternoon, with the kids and the dog, on no
more than 10 km. They probably consider "normal" riding (I mean on roads,
even small) far too dangerous; the males in the family will have mountain
bikes but won't dare use them in mountains (hey, there are climbs !). The
females will use clonking 3-speeds because everybody knows that women
can't master derailleurs (OK, here I am becoming slightly archetypal).

Such paths are, indeed, crowded in summer week-ends.

This way, Offical Authorities, Automobile Associations and even Green
Transportation Advocates are satisfied that cycling is actively promoted.
While cyclists who don't ride mountain bikes and want to go somewhere
learn _not_ to follow these red signposts with a bike on it.

Jacques