Paris says ‘bonjour’ to the tuk-tuk

THE humble tuk-tuk, a fixture in Asian cities from Bangkok to Bangalore, is rapidly becoming a common sight in the touristy parts of Paris – and the bane of traffic police.

The three-wheeled auto rickshaws, as well as human-powered pedicabs, first appeared in the French capital in 2011, and their numbers have since risen to around 50, lining up at key landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or the Place de la Concorde.