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Unusual: 15,000 bees settle under the saddle of a bicycle in Paris

undefined undefined 28 avril 2026 undefined 12h00

The Editor

© ma_pauvre_lucette / instagram

It was a completely surreal scene that took place this Saturday, April 25th. In just a few minutes, a true swarm of bees formed on a bicycle parked just two steps away from the Louvre Museum. An unexpected, inexplicable phenomenon that, we won't lie to you, leaves us feeling both fascinated and a bit grossed out.

Clearly, animals and Parisian public transport make for a quirky duo that has lasted through the years. And after spotting a crab and a sheep in the metro, they've now decided to move on to gentler modes of transport, tackling this time the colonization of a bicycle. Well, while it's delightful that even the tiniest creatures care about the planet, we’re quite relieved it’s not our bicycle…


An Absolutely Unexpected Surprise

When he locks his bike to one of the metro entrances at Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre, Jérôme could never have imagined the state in which he would find it a few minutes later. Indeed, it took only half an hour for his bike…

Antique bike, inherited from his grandfather, is now overrun by a colony of pollinators. In total, there are between 10,000 and 15,000 bees that have clustered together under the bike seat, likely forming the most surprising lock ever seen in the capital.


A Quick Intervention

The Instagram account @ma_pauvre_lucette has shared the story, complete with a somewhat disturbing video, noting that the RATP agents, quickly alerted, had to close the subway entrance and set up a security perimeter to prevent any incidents. A professional beekeeper was eventually called for help to carefully remove all the little squatters and give them a second chance in a more suitable environment.

While some suggest that they may have come from the hives of the Comédie-Française, relocated during the renovations, there's no evidence to support this theory, and no reason can explain the choice of the bike. This crazy adventure is, however, a fun way to remind all cyclists in the capital that a metro entrance is not a bike rack, and that parking just a tiny bit further away could have perhaps helped avoid closing the station!