Dirty Secrets of the Parisian Metro
The Metro’s dirty dirty secrets
Les sales secrets du métro parisien
Other than some of the obvious gross and dirty things one finds in the Parisian metro, I was suprised to learn that some Parisians were totally unaware of one of dirtiest secrets of the Parisian metro. I’m talking about the dirty spots.
dirty spot n. (m.)1 ['dɜrtispɒt]
area along the Parisian metro’s platform [usual painted white] which has become discolored as a result of passengers getting off and on at this location.
1 if used as an anglicism in French, (or michèlisme) I am assigning it the ‘genre masculin’. [almost 90% of French nouns borrowed from English (aka anglicisms) are considered masculin]
Line up correctly au quai, OK
Nowadays on a few lines of the metro, the spots where the doors will open along the platform have been painted with indications so people know where to line up. Even though a lot of passengers still just try to get right in without letting people off first, these new painted lines will show you were to line up. If you are on a line that doesn’t have the painted indications, look for the dirty spots! They may be difficult to notice when you are right on top of one (as the entire things looks pretty dirty in general), but look down the quai “platform”, and you should be able to see them. I took a picture to help you out:
- dirty spots - the dirty secrets Paris’ metro
Short & clever. Loves it
Hi Michele,
First of all, sorry for my bad english but I am just a poor little french, and as you know, us and langages make two (nous et les langues, ça fait deux ! in french)
I am discovering your website, and you drew a big smile on my face !
You have a very funny way to discuss french/englsih langage differences.
And for the dirty spots (bien vu !!) what s an awesome sense of observation, I take RER and metro all days and I never noticed that (maybe I should less considered the girls, and more the ground)
Have a good day mademoiselle, and je vous fait “les” bises !