Above: "World War II. Taxi-bike [velo-taxi] during the occupation. Paris" (detail).
Notwithstanding Juliette Clarens, bicycle taxis used a variety of apparently home-made trailers rather than sidecars. This tandem bicycle taxi, propelled by two riders, was faster than a single-rider taxi but the fare was twice as much. In this case the passenger would have to enter from the rear and probably sit facing backwards as well. See "Cycling under the German Occupation" posted by Jan Heine, Bicycle Quarterly, December 6, 2013 (via RenéHERSE Cycles).
Source: Roger Viollet Galerie (Reference: 2151-16).
Above: "On the Champs-Élysées, Rachel Dorange has found a client who values style over comfort: Raymond Cordy" (detail).
Raymond Cordy was a popular French movie actor who up to his death in 1956 appeared in more than 130 films.
Source: 7 Jours, "Rachel Dorange... est devenue cocher de fiacre" ("Rachel Dorange... has become a cab driver"), March 23, 1941, p. 11. National Library of France (via Gallica).
17. War years, 1939-45 (continued)
In her memoir of wartime Paris, Juliette Clarens recalled how bicycles suddenly became valuable assets and therefore targets for thieves. Clarens (1887-1978), a silent film star, singer and writer, also recalled an anecdote about Rachel and one of her well-to-do clients:
"The bicycle had another advantage: it required nothing more than the building's entryway for storage and its owner's legs for "fuel." However, it forced the owner to take numerous precautions to prevent it from being stolen; chains and padlocks, incidentally, proved to be of little use against the ingenuity of thieves.
"Some young unemployed workers... even came up with the idea of attaching lightweight sidecars to their bicycles, which were actually quite comfortable and often equipped with little canopies! The public took to these bicycle taxis just as they would have to horse-drawn carriages or cars. The Chinese coolies and their rickshaws seemed to have come to Paris!
"A famous textile merchant had gotten around the problem by befriending a female coachman, Rachel Dorange, who, before the war, had attracted attention by making several treks on horseback.... Now Colcombet, the textile merchant in question, arrived for dinner at a friendΓÇÖs house accompanied by Dorange, wearing boots and holding a whip: "IΓÇÖm bringing my coachman and my carriage," Johan told his somewhat surprised hosts. "That way IΓÇÖm sure IΓÇÖll be able to get home!" Johan Colcombet manufactured textiles for famous couturiers and he also manufactured cellophane. This earned him an odd place in fashion history when Elsa Schiaparelli and others incorporated cellophane in their 1934 clothing designs. As a result textiles woven with strips of glittering cellophane became – briefly – "the pinnacle of high fashion."
In 1942 Rachel started a new venture:
"The horse-drawn carriage of our forefathers is set to enjoy a resurgence in popularity. The famous horsewoman Rachel Dorange has, in fact, just founded a school for female coachmen. There, charming young women are learning to drive, harness, and care for their animals and carriages.
"Their first outings in the seat where our old gentlemen used to sit will certainly be very successful." The Swiss newspaper Berner Tagwacht provided more detail but diplomatically sidestepped the reasons for the shortage of labour and gasoline:
"A school for female coachmen has just been opened in Paris by a certain Mademoiselle Dorange. The shortage of gasoline has long since displaced taxis, and the horse-drawn carriage has regained its popularity. However, since there is currently a shortage of male labour, young women have had to be recruited as replacements, and since they have proven themselves capable, the newly founded school aims to train women to become expert coachwomen.
"They learn to handle horses from the ground up, must clean the carriages, learn to drive, handle the whip, and must finally take an exam to obtain a "driverΓÇÖs license" – just like female car drivers. The "students" – how could it be otherwise – want to wear a uniform, complete with a cap specially designed for them by a Parisian fashion house, and will soon add a new and original touch to the Parisian street scene. In any case, a film is already in the works: "The Horse-Driver of Paris," with a female coachman in the lead role." Rachel established her school at the Tattersall Français, an auction centre for the sale of horses at Neuilly-sur-Seine, eight kilometers west of Paris. However, despite the publicity, the school was not a success. As Rachel explained, "It wasnΓÇÖt that there was a shortage of students, but rather that they lacked dedication. They soon realized, in fact, that driving a horse-drawn carriage was no mere pastime." (Le Petit Parisien)