Les Citroën de couleur crème, a photo from Antananarivo, South

Photographer's Note

Downtown Antananarivo (the capital of Madagascar) has a definite French feel to it – which is not surprising given that the country was a French colony from 1896 to 1958.

French is one of the two official languages (Malagasy is the other), and you can see a considerable French influence in the architecture, but what really gives the capital a French feel is the presence of hundreds of cream-coloured Citroen CV2 and Renault 4L taxis on the roads.

Many of the older ones, as well as every second truck and bus on the road, belch black exhaust smoke onto the city streets, so the air is not always as clean as it looks in this picture.

Tana, as the city is known locally, has many fine French restaurants, and you can buy bottles of French wines in the local supermarkets for as little as 6,000 ariary (about US$3) and many other ‘produits gastronomiques’ imported from France at very reasonable prices.

So if you fancy a taste of France, but Paris is too expensive for you – Tana may be just the holiday destination for you!

fayeulle, stego, vbl, pboehringer, adores, riclopes, bakes888, orme, cuneyt-sb, AiresSantos, vagabondtravels, Didi heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

stego (24132) 2007-04-08 19:20

Hi David,
This one is full of the "TE spirit" and I like that a lot - it shows a not particularly beautiful street, but there is a lot of nice things to look at: technically is great (sharpness, light, colours, pov), full of life and it shows very well what you mentioned on the well written note - the strong French influence in a so remote location 50 years after they left. In fact, if one doesn't pay attention to the people and the chaos on the street, that place looks much European, not even too "colonial".
TFS, Regards, José.

fayeulle (27827) 2007-04-09 6:01

Hi David
I will be in this town in one month. I hope the weather will be good. It(s the first time I will go in Mada. I am really surprised to see a lots of 2CV Citroën and Renault R4L. Tanks for your effort for your french title but I thing you have to change to "Les Citroën de couleur crème" It's more understood...
Cheers
JP

delkoo (68) 2007-04-09 8:00

hi david
as JP, I am very surprised to see 2CV AND 4L, it's paradise for collectors, a small part of France in the indian ocean.

regards
didier

batalay (41261) 2007-04-09 11:39

Hello David,

In the best spirit of TrekEarth, we see Madagascar, thanks to you. The old Citroens are at home, much as the finned American cars from the 50s flourishing in Cuba. Typical engaging note from you, for which I am grateful.

Warm regards and best wishes for a pleasant, productive week -- devoid of surprises.

Bulent

vbl (1421) 2007-04-09 13:47

Hi David:
Nice photo with a curious composition.
Very successful colors. Excellently descriptive photo

regards vanessa

pboehringer (770) 2007-04-09 14:20

Amazing that just 62 years of colonialism were enough to give so much french character to this country. My grandfather had a CV2 and I love those cars. Now I know were I have to go to get one of those, although I guess that I will have a red one. Better contrast to take pictures. Nice city shot!
Regards, Peter

adores (46979) 2007-04-10 4:08

Hi David!
This is a really great city scene.Great pov, great colours and so many details that tell us to see.Besides, we don't see many photos of this city here. Well done!
Regards, Anabela

riclopes (35577) 2007-04-10 4:11

All right, Tana - here I go :))))
Olá David, you are the most travelled person I know and Madagascar is problably one of the most exotic places I dream of going. The first thing I checked here was the date of the photo, but then the quality is so good that this could not have 30 years old :D Nice busy atmosphere, beautiful lighting and blue sky, interesting colonial architecture, with a good sight of the buildings up the hill, all this make the photo attractive, but it's those old cream cars that really capture our attention.
Cheers,
Ricardo

vincent24 (9060) 2007-04-10 12:19

Hello David,
Yes it's funny it look like an old french picture...only french car (the 2parked on the right also)4L and 2cv are quite robust and easy to repair...less and less cheap in france because it begins to be rare cars...
vincent

donluicu (24741) 2007-04-11 9:01

Salut David
image tres interessante, en tant que ex-colonie francaise, Madagascar entretient de nombreuses relations avec la France, et recupèrnet meme un gros marché d ela voiture d'occasion...
Ici on note de nombreuses vieilles voitures 2cv, 2L...on se croirait revenu du temps de Jean Gabin..
belle prise

ciao

bakes888 (18499) 2007-04-12 3:57

Hi David. Great daily life photo, very different to my daily though. Excellent composition with great depth and good perspective. This is a “busy” photo with excellent detail also. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

orme (7219) 2007-04-13 9:58

Great composition, David.
I like the crowded street scene that you have captured here and yet, with the addition of the large blue sky, it has an open and relaxed atmosphere.
Very well framed.

cuneyt-sb (6576) 2007-04-19 4:03

Hi David
Great funny compo from Madagaskar which is i kill my self to see over there , You are very lucky to trip over there.
Nice colors and good compo which i like to see in TE.
TFS/Kind regards :) Later

Kenny10pin (19301) 2007-04-21 8:54

nice shot here, I like the way you took this sot, very nice indeed, really nice town

PixelTerror (0) 2007-04-21 9:04

Hi David,
A scene that looks so french a while ago considering the various models to be seen, of course the Citroen 2CV, but as well Renault 4, Cotroen AX and Peugeot 405, could be a scene from neighbouring french Reunion island at the beginning of the 80's, very surprising as well that they all have this creme color, I wonder if they are produced locally because they don't even look so old, you combine them with a good perspective leading to the background skyline, a good open air museum scene, I think I'm gonna start saving some ariary ;-)
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2007-04-24 7:34

Good perspective. Marvellous scene.
Best wishes,
Achim

vincz (19113) 2007-04-24 8:32

Looks like a french street many many years ago! Although the cars were not all "crème". Very nice daily life catch of this animated street. Just back from Vietnam where the only remain of cololianism it seems is the french baguette! there are more in tana it seems.

cyrrhus (2878) 2007-04-25 9:14

Hi DAvid,

Thanks for sharing this picture... which gives us a good flavour of what Madagascar looks like (in my mind). Like JY I am rather surprised by the good (apparent) state of these 2CV and 4L... after so many years of service! As you say the street also appears very clean and for having travelled quite a bit... I suppose it is not the case everywhere.
TFS
Eric /.

capthaddock (28790) 2007-04-25 15:46

Hi David - Paris it ain't, but I definitely see a southern european vibe, which is much stronger than the african vibe I'm seeing here, even the car registration plates look french.

AiresSantos (56155) 2007-04-26 4:19

Hi David,
Great composition from Madagascar with these lovely french cars. It's to remember these funny cars. I like it. Good POV and colours.
TFS and greetings
Aires

vagabondtravels (6511) 2007-05-04 8:06

Hi David

Great capture of daily life. Very sharp with good detial. Nice message and te image. What a view of a unique place. Well done.
Ben

Angshu (56760) 2007-05-11 1:14

Hello David
Though the street is not very beautiful, the rising slope in the BG & the church steeple towering over the houses, all against the blue sky makes this very attractive. A busy daily life shot, throbbing with life. Good work!
Regards
Angshu

Didi (61589) 2007-05-19 3:59

Hi David
I had an aunt who lived there until 1963
Very interesting picture of this town with a well framed animation.
We have not enough pictures of this country, I know that there is one Treker who spend his holidays there.
Well done.
Cheers.

Lee30 (78) 2007-09-01 20:28