We're going to be in Paris for Bastille Day, and I've made reservations for a boat cruise on the Seine to see the fireworks that night.

In their email to me (in French), the company said that we could bring a pique-nique and pull car. Would that be a cooler?

Thanks!

No. The opposite

It's a sweater. Actually I've always assumed it's a pull(over) - car(digan).

But the French residents might explain the etymology better

Thanks, flanneruk-- It wasn't listed in my dictionary, and I was stumped!

I'm betting it's one of those basket things on 2 wheels that (ususally older) folks use to bring home shopping.

Didn't look at flanneruk's post - I'm sure he's right.

Why would that boat company have to give you "permission" to bring a sweater on board..the picnic I can understand, but an article of clothing?

You know, the Brits have never ever been very good at "understanding" the French (as when they couldn't quite understand why the French were backing the upstart colonies back in that "recent unpleasantness" war they had with us) and some of them are even proud of the fact. This may be one of those times.

I've often seen "pull" used to mean pullover, NEVER seen/heard "car" for cardigan. And it doesn't make sense to me for a boat company to give permission to bring an article of clothing. I'm going to be it's a cooler of some kind.
And now I'm going to go ask one of my translators to get the scoop.

Top Man:

I don't claim to understand the French. But I can understand French.

Go to http://www.google.com/search?q=pull+...;output=search

and you'll find 47,100 examples of 'pull car' meaning sweater.

OK, I'll apologise first.

You'll find 47,100 examples of 'pull' being used followed by 'car', as in "prenez un pull car il fait froid"

Which is what, I bet, is happening with marcy's email.

Marcy, it might be easier for us to solve your riddle if you post exactly what the email said in French. Also, I suspect that they are not saying that you "could" bring a picnic and sweater but rather recommending that you "should" do so.

What was the exact sentence from the boat folks? I ask because "car" can mean "because;" so the message might have been to bring a sweater because it might be cold.

YOu had better list the complete phrase, because "car" is a conjunction, the same as "parce que". Searching by google for that phrase will just get you the word "pull", which is French slang for a pullover, followed by a phrase beginning with "car" as a conjunction.

It wouldn't make sense, anyway, because a pullover is not a cardigan.

A pull car is a small trolley of some kind, I believe, like you used to use for luggage before they invented them with wheels.

Christine, you're right! I was reading "car" as a noun instead of a conjunction.
Here it is:

"Il est utile de savoir aussi que vous pouvez amener votre pique-nique + pull car vous serez sur le bateau de 19h30 à 23h30."

I thought she had just left out the punctuation, and was translating it as:
It is useful to know that you can bring your picnic and "pull car". You will be on the boat from 7:30 to 11:30 PM.

But it really should be,
It is useful to know that you can bring your picnic and sweater because you will be on the boat...

Thanks for solving the mystery!

Sorry, that should be Christina, and also thanks to all the rest of you who helped.