Foreign Manufacturers - Volvo

 Despite being a major player in the world bus market, Volvo's sales in the French market have been relatively few and far between. Volvo B10M coaches may be found with some smaller fleets, however they are usually vastly outnumbered by the products of manufacturers such as Renault, Van Hool, Setra or Mercedes. In the 1990s, Volvo bought a large stake in Heuliez, which resulted in the appearance of the GX217/GX417 urban buses and the GX57/GX87 interurbans on Volvo underframes. However, the subsequent sale of the Heuliez stake ended the arrangement, and Volvo's sales returned to their previous low levels. However, some very unusual Volvo buses do operate with two firms in the French capital...

Volvo B10M / East Lancs
L'Open Tour nos. 08 (930 MSZ 75) and 03 (401 MJH 75) - October 2002
Paris sightseeing venture l'Open Tour started out as a joint venture involving UK sightseeing specialist Guide Friday, although they subsequently pulled out of the operation. For the start of the operation, a fleet of open-top double deckers were required and the firm turned to British bodybuilder East Lancashire Coachbuilders to produce double deck bodies on Volvo B10M chassis. L'Open Tour built up a fleet of a dozen of these buses, however subsequent deliveries have been three-axle low-floor Neoplan double deckers which have a greater seating capacity on the top deck.

Volvo B10M / East Lancs
Cars Rouges 673 MVA 75 - October 2002
The incumbent operator on Paris sightseeing tours was Les Cars Rouges, who started operation with a fleet of ex-Vienna MAN / Gräf & Stift double deckers. Following the attack on their territory by l'Open Tour, Cars Rouges also updated their fleet with Volvo / East Lancs buses. Here one of the Cars Rouges buses loads outside the Opéra. 

Volvo B10M / East Lancs
Cars Rouges 359 (697 NES 75) - October 2002
Another of the red buses, this time a slightly later delivery seen on the Champs-Elysées. Note the slightly different design of top deck.

Volvo B10M / East Lancs
L'Open Tour no. 03 (401 MJH 75) - October 2002
The rear and nearside of one of the Open Tour vehicles, showing the substantial number of top deck seats! This one makes good use of the windowless rear end to carry a large advert - some Open Tour double deckers take this one step further and carry overall advert schemes.