6th borough - The hot chestnut pedlar of Saint Germain boulevard

Mostly imported from Italy, delicious warm chestnuts are offered during cold months by pedlars in the streets. A quick incision with a pocket knife, and off they go into a circular pan fixed on an improvised coal stove. For small change, you can get them in a newspaper cone to warm up your hands and your heart. These days, many pedlars have reduced their equipment to bear essentials : a supermarket caddy, an old tin barril transformed into stove and pan and a bike lock to store away the entire shop on the next best traffic post. The sympathic vendor on this picture even has his very own lamp, shop sign, umbrella and traditional apron.


(translation by Marion Hoffmann)



picture © gérard Lavalette