When bikes break, they get collected and stored by the side of the Seine. The river is punctuated with these cages of bikes waiting to take a little boat ride to be cared for by cute bike mechanics (all bike mechanics are cute!) in maroon and black uniforms.
Meet the Barge Manager. He lives on the boat 24/7 with his wife. (I heard their quarters are quite large and nice, but I didn't get to see them.) They alternate with another couple every 2 weeks, and keep another house in the suburbs as their primary residence. His only job is to drive and supervise the mechanics.
The barge drives to various spots along the Seine to collect the bikes, avoiding the congested streets, and the mechanics fix the bikes all the while. How perfectly Velo Vogue that they all wear black shirts and maroon pants at work.
The barge's pretty noticeable. Here, Thomas is explaining to some Italian tourists how to use Velib' after they approached the barge with questions.
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