Mayor Nutter Takes Surprise Trip to Paris to Talk About Bicycles

Je viens de recevoir le Maire de Philadelphie, @Michael_Nutter qui a ouvert sa ville à l'innovation et au dev durable pic.twitter.com/YPE3jGAmOC

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) July 24, 2014

Mayor Michael Nutter got up this morning and went to Paris to meet with the mayor. There was no advance notice of this six-day trip.

Great conversation with Mayor @Anne_Hidalgo, discussing climate change, bike share, student exchanges and jobs pic.twitter.com/PK9gzkta2J

— Michael A. Nutter (@Michael_Nutter) July 24, 2014

According to the mayor’s Twitter feed, he’s there to discuss things like bike sharing with Paris’ mayor. The Philadelphia Business Journal notes taxpayers paid for his flight but aren’t paying for his lodging or expenses. His wife, Lisa, is with him.

Also with the mayor: Madeleine Dean, a Jenkintown state rep, and her husband Patrick Cunnane, president and CEO of Advanced Sports International (a Philly company that makes bicycles). The mayor is also with Richard Adler and Alan Morrison, who both promote the Philly Cycling Classic. Yes, this is a bicycle-heavy trip to Paris. Maybe the mayor just saw the ending of Breaking Away and is now infatuated with French cycling. It’s a good time for it: The Tour de France is going on!