La Bicyclette [English translation]

If you leave early in the morning

If you go on these roads

By bicycle

We were a bunch of good friends

There were Fernand and Firmin

There were Francis and Sébastian

And then there was Paulette

We were all in love with her

We were all growing wings

On our bicycle

On these small dirt roads

We often went through hell

To not make our feet touch the ground

In front of Paulette

One has to say that she really put her heart into it

She was the daughter of the postman

On a bicycle

And ever since she turned eight

She followed him around

On all the ways in the neighbourhood

By bicycle

When we came close to the river

We threw into the braken

Our bikes

Then we rolled around in the fields

Making a changing bouquet come to life

Of grasshoppers, butterflies and

Tree frogs

When the sun at the horizon

Began to cast our shapes

Over the shrubs

We returned exhausted and content

Yet the heart a bit vague

Because we never had a moment all alone

With Paulette

To take her hand all furtively

To forget a few of the friends

The bicycle

We tell ourselves we shall leave that for tomorrow

I will dare to, I will dare to tomorrow

When we will be on the roads

By bicycle