These bikes are a part of the Paris "rent-a-bike" scheme (vélib). Unfortunately, they seem to be having a hard time financially and they might have to shut it down. Read about it here.
On a happier note, my appointment to pick up my visa is next Wednesday !
I guess I like these types of slides... Three years went by between these photos. The first was taken in winter 2005, in Inwood, Manhattan, when I just started taking photos. The second is from winter 2008, in Long Island City, Queens.