La Bicyclette [English translation]

When we would leave in early morning

When we would leave for the trails

By bicycle

We were great friends

There was Fernand, there was Firmin

There was Francis and Sebastien

And then Paulette

We were all in love with her

We felt ourselves grow wings

By bicycle

On the little dirt trails

We often went through hell

To not put our foot down

In front of Paulette

You have to say she put her heart into it

She was the postman's daughter

By bicycle

And when she turned eight

She followed him around

On all the surrounding trails

By bicycle

When we approached the river

We left in the ferns

Our bicycles

And rolled around in the fields

Giving rise to a changing bouquet

Of grasshoppers, butterflies

And frogs

When the sun on the horizon

Cast onto all the shrubbery

Our shadows

We went back exhausted and happy

Though our heart a bit sad

To not have had a minute alone

With Paulette

To furtively take her hand

And forget the others for a while

And the bicycle

We'd say it's for tomorrow

I'll dare, I'll dare try tomorrow

When we take to the trails

By bicycle