The 17 bizarre objects found in the waters of a Paris canal
Apart from the abundance of beer and wine bottles, which isn’t surprising considering the droves of hipsters that come to party on the quays in the summertime, the cleaning of Paris's Canal Saint Martin has uncovered some seriously bizarre finds.
The picturesque canal that runs through the trendy tenth arrondissement in Paris is being cleaned for the first time since 2001.
And apart from the 100 Velib bikes that have been pulled out and cleaned down the murky waters of the canal have unearthed some pretty bizarre and worrying treasures.
Guns
On the first day of cleaning, The Local spotted a pistol in the canal near the Jaures metro stop. It was promptly seized by police. A rifle was found later, the Paris Canal Service told us.
Yes, that's a gun. The first interesting find as they drain the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris. https://t.co/tG5HBN3VDW pic.twitter.com/m6S67nABLX
— Oliver Gee (@olivergee23) January 4, 2016
A drone
Photo: Flickr/Don McCullough
Yes, a drone apparently crash-landed into the canal. It's unknown what kind.
Scooters
Photo: AFP
Along with nearly 100 Vélib bicycles, several scooters and motorcycles have turned up.
Sewing mannequin
Photo: Flickr/SewingMachine-0288
Who doesn’t like to do a bit of sewing on the banks of the canal?
Wheelchair
Photo: Flickr/Pink Sherbet Photography
Someone is probably missing it.
Vintage camera
Qui a perdu son #rolleiflex dans le #canalsaintmartin ? https://t.co/BJCJdk8iJI pic.twitter.com/98NiVDhWGQ
— macinside (@macinside) January 6, 2016
The camera appears to be a Rolleiflex, made by a German company in the 1930s.
Computers
Photo: The Local
As well as countless cell phones, cleaners have discovered several computers.
Road roller
Photo: Le Bon Coin
This vehicle is used in construction to compact gravel, concrete, or asphalt.
Mattress
14 ans d'histoires ressurgissent du canal Saint-Martin. Ca a quelque chose de fascinant pic.twitter.com/R1CtesAiH2
— Jeanne Bulant (@Jannsface) January 10, 2016
Anyone fancy some sunbathing?
Knife
Photo: The Local
If you look carefully in the center of the photo, you’ll see a large, rusty kitchen knife.
Giant cuddly toys
Spotted this morning at the bottom of the #canalsaintmartin in #Paris, a nice white #tiger pic.twitter.com/ZynZj9vngk
— Benoit vallet (@bnpix) January 6, 2016
Some poor child was undoubtedly devastated when the canal claimed this lovely white tiger.
A toilet
Photo: AFP
This toilet could use a clean...
Push-chairs
Une balade en poussette au bord du #canalsaintmartin ? pic.twitter.com/KKhm75UVZ3
— Jane Roussel (@janehatestarzan) January 5, 2016
Cleaners found ten push-chairs and fortunately zero babies.
One ski boot
Photo: Flickr/Hamish
A single, lonely ski boot was found.
Shopping trolleys
Photo: AFP
The cleaners have found more than a couple grimey shopping trolleys.
Bathtub
Photo: Flickr/Kris Schroeder
It doesn't seem like an easy feat, but someone apparently chucked a bathtub into the canal.
Washing machine
Photo: Flickr/Daniel Horacio Agostini
Last but certainly not least, yet another heavy household appliance was recovered from the canal's cloudy waters.
These aren’t even the strangest things ever found in the canal.
In 1886, cleaners found an antique chest containing a gold coin. They found a bomb in 1916. 1925 was a morbid year, turning up a cat enclosed in a basket and a human skull.
For more details on how the cleaning is being done, check out our article here: So what's beneath the waters of a Paris canal?
Cleaning is scheduled to be done by April 4th. Once the canal reopens, keep in mind that if you’re caught tossing your garbage into it, it’ll cost you €68.
By Katie Warren
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The picturesque canal that runs through the trendy tenth arrondissement in Paris is being cleaned for the first time since 2001.
And apart from the 100 Velib bikes that have been pulled out and cleaned down the murky waters of the canal have unearthed some pretty bizarre and worrying treasures.
Guns
On the first day of cleaning, The Local spotted a pistol in the canal near the Jaures metro stop. It was promptly seized by police. A rifle was found later, the Paris Canal Service told us.
Yes, that's a gun. The first interesting find as they drain the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris. https://t.co/tG5HBN3VDW pic.twitter.com/m6S67nABLX
— Oliver Gee (@olivergee23) January 4, 2016
A drone
Photo: Flickr/Don McCullough
Yes, a drone apparently crash-landed into the canal. It's unknown what kind.
Scooters
Photo: AFP
Along with nearly 100 Vélib bicycles, several scooters and motorcycles have turned up.
Sewing mannequin
Photo: Flickr/SewingMachine-0288
Who doesn’t like to do a bit of sewing on the banks of the canal?
Wheelchair
Photo: Flickr/Pink Sherbet Photography
Someone is probably missing it.
Vintage camera
Qui a perdu son #rolleiflex dans le #canalsaintmartin ? https://t.co/BJCJdk8iJI pic.twitter.com/98NiVDhWGQ
— macinside (@macinside) January 6, 2016
The camera appears to be a Rolleiflex, made by a German company in the 1930s.
Computers
Photo: The Local
As well as countless cell phones, cleaners have discovered several computers.
Road roller
Photo: Le Bon Coin
This vehicle is used in construction to compact gravel, concrete, or asphalt.
Mattress
14 ans d'histoires ressurgissent du canal Saint-Martin. Ca a quelque chose de fascinant pic.twitter.com/R1CtesAiH2
— Jeanne Bulant (@Jannsface) January 10, 2016
Anyone fancy some sunbathing?
Knife
Photo: The Local
If you look carefully in the center of the photo, you’ll see a large, rusty kitchen knife.
Giant cuddly toys
Spotted this morning at the bottom of the #canalsaintmartin in #Paris, a nice white #tiger pic.twitter.com/ZynZj9vngk
— Benoit vallet (@bnpix) January 6, 2016
Some poor child was undoubtedly devastated when the canal claimed this lovely white tiger.
A toilet
Photo: AFP
This toilet could use a clean...
Push-chairs
Une balade en poussette au bord du #canalsaintmartin ? pic.twitter.com/KKhm75UVZ3
— Jane Roussel (@janehatestarzan) January 5, 2016
Cleaners found ten push-chairs and fortunately zero babies.
One ski boot
Photo: Flickr/Hamish
A single, lonely ski boot was found.
Shopping trolleys
Photo: AFP
The cleaners have found more than a couple grimey shopping trolleys.
Bathtub
Photo: Flickr/Kris Schroeder
It doesn't seem like an easy feat, but someone apparently chucked a bathtub into the canal.
Washing machine
Photo: Flickr/Daniel Horacio Agostini
Last but certainly not least, yet another heavy household appliance was recovered from the canal's cloudy waters.
These aren’t even the strangest things ever found in the canal.
In 1886, cleaners found an antique chest containing a gold coin. They found a bomb in 1916. 1925 was a morbid year, turning up a cat enclosed in a basket and a human skull.
For more details on how the cleaning is being done, check out our article here: So what's beneath the waters of a Paris canal?
Cleaning is scheduled to be done by April 4th. Once the canal reopens, keep in mind that if you’re caught tossing your garbage into it, it’ll cost you €68.
By Katie Warren
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