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The 17 bizarre objects found in the waters of a Paris canal

The Local France
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The 17 bizarre objects found in the waters of a Paris canal
Photo: AFP

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.

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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. 

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

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

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

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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