@tc_morekindness The water behind them is the Seine. I had trouble finding information about the men, but I found one site which calls them "les Forgerons-Riveteurs" which translates to "The Riveting Blacksmiths" or "The Blacksmiths and Riveters" or "The Ironsmith-Riveters." Another site says the R is "an emblem of République française."