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Eight French roundabouts with bizarre statues
Cultural laws require funding for roadside art projects… but the art commissioned can be surprising
![shizumaru / lafleeeeeur / mairie6_8 / transjadada / Twitter](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636734.webp?imageId=636734&width=960&height=594&format=jpg)
If you are driving in France for an extended period, it is more than likely you will come across a roundabout or two.
France, unofficially, has the most roundabouts in the world with more than 60,000, and they are favoured as a low-cost measure to reduce accidents.
Read more: French roundabouts are also about revolution of a political kind
However, at the centre of many of these roundabouts is a piece of artwork, often contemporary, and sometimes completely bizarre.
A law known as the 1% artistique is responsible for these pieces.
First passed in 1951, this law required 1% of the expected budget of any public building work (schools, police stations, etc) to go towards purchasing or commissioning artwork.
This was later expanded to include road projects, leading to a flurry of art across the country, with local councils needing to comply with the law when constructing new roundabouts.
Read more: Make sense of... French motorway art
Some of these are related to local culture or industry, such as the lentil statues of Cussac-sur-Loire.
Others, however – including the infamous giant kiwi of Peyrehorade – seem completely out of place.
There is even a Facebook group called 'Neurchi de ronds-points moches' where users share photos of the ugliest roundabout art they have found.
Below are some of the most bizarre we have come across.
SAINT-AMAND-LES-EAUX: Water bottle
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636634.webp?imageId=636634&width=960&height=640&format=jpg)
Credit: @BMoon_bee / Twitter
SUSMIOU: Fisherman
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636648.webp?imageId=636648&width=960&height=1280&format=jpg)
Credit: @Epipapu / Twitter
MONTPELLIER: Donut and sausage
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636655.webp?imageId=636655&width=960&height=616&format=jpg)
Credit: @transjadada / Twitter
MARSEILLE: The thumb
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636665.webp?imageId=636665&width=960&height=720&format=jpg)
Credit: @mairie6_8 / Twitter
BEAUMONT-SUR-SARTHE: Traffic cone
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636679.webp?imageId=636679&width=960&height=540&format=jpg)
Credit: @TetsRenault / Twitter
LA HAYE-FOUASSIÈRE: Flying Saucer
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636691.webp?imageId=636691&width=960&height=692&format=jpg)
Credit: @Mac44482203 / Twitter
CUSSAC-SUR-LOIRE: Lentils
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636709.webp?imageId=636709&width=960&height=554&format=jpg)
Credit: @shizumaru / Twitter
PEYREHORADE: Kiwi
![](https://image.connexionfrance.com/636716.webp?imageId=636716&width=960&height=720&format=jpg)
Credit: @lafleeeeeur / Twitter
Are there any… interesting pieces of roundabout art near you? Let us know via news@connexionfrance.com.
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