The Madeleine square could not contain them all… This Wednesday evening, around 800 people joined the center of the capital to pay tribute to Paul Varry, this young cyclist who was deliberately crushed the day before, a few dozen meters away. In front of the gates which encircle the monument, cyclists come and leave candles or flowers. A young woman cannot hold back her tears. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the need to reflect is strong for bicycle users in the capital.
“We could all have been in Paul’s place,” summarizes Alexandre. In the assembly, everyone has their own little story, telling how two days, a week or a month ago, they, like Paul, had a heated argument with a motorist. “I pass by there every day, and it really touched me, I recognized myself in it,” explains Erwan, 29 years old. We have altercations like this every day. »
“I needed to be with other cyclists this evening,” Nicolas told us. At 30 years old, this resident of Malakoff (Hauts-de-Seine) takes the bike every day to go to work. “It could have been me. »
The crowd is so large that it is difficult to hear the tribute paid by the representatives of the Paris en Selle association, at the origin of this gathering. “Thank you for being there, thank you for Paul,” summarizes his spokesperson, immediately followed by a round of applause and ringing of bells.
The emotion is everywhere. And, for some, there is also an element of irritation. We talk about infrastructure that is not always up to par, the incivility of motorists, and the lack of commitment from public authorities too. “We are too often left to our own devices,” says Florian, 36 years old. “It’s hard to be a cyclist in Paris,” Jeanne believes. Of course, there are efforts that have been made, but we still too often feel in danger. »
Concerning the collision that occurred Tuesday evening on Boulevard Malesherbes, a murder investigation was opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office. This Wednesday, during the day, the driver of the vehicle in question was still in police custody.
