The Paris it is one of the most visited cities in the world, with some of the most popular attractions such as the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe or the Notre-Dame Cathedral. But there’s another, less elegant aspect of the French capital that can’t be ignored: the busy boulevards, street noise and trash. These problems are leading to more and more initiatives such as zero-waste stores, vegetarian restaurants and recycling programs.

A station turned farm

In the northern 18th arrondissement, for example, since 2014 one can drink their coffee at the Recyclerie overlooking the abandoned railway tracks. “The building was a former station of the Petite Ceinture, the ancestor of the metro,” says Marie-Eseny Sanvillard, director of the Recyclerie eco-culture program, explaining that the aim is “to preserve the facilities and remind people of the station’s past”. .

The Petite Ceinture was a 32 km long railway line that ran around Paris. Since 2007, the railway lines have been gradually transformed into a vibrant urban nature. And so, the former railway station acquired a new purpose. Also, the goal is to raise awareness among visitors on the issue of sustainability. In the station there is a cafe, an outdoor market, urban gardens, while the old paths form a warm courtyard where nature has been reborn. A vegetable garden and a chicken coop complete the image of a farm in the center of the city.

The city is reviving

The railways play a special role in Paris, which is not surprising, since the main means of transport is the metro. Despite the traffic chaos on the streets, the French capital has an extensive transport network, which is constantly expanding and connects all the suburbs with the city center. Other Parisians still go to work by bicycle.

For the 2024 Olympics, Paris is also planning several environmental initiatives in central, busy squares, seeking to reduce traffic in tourist centers and give more space to pedestrians. So the area around the Eiffel Tower, for example, is going to be expanded and remodeled.

A break from the urban jungle

Things are already quieter in the south-east of Paris: Cité Fertile in the suburb of Padin, also an old transport train station, is now home to its own brewery, a greenhouse, a restaurant, workshops and around 250 species of plants. “On Sundays, many families come to Cité Fertile, as it is right next door, in the fresh air and a nice place to take a break,” says Hélène Fleurac, responsible for development and partnerships.

Both Recyclerie and Cité Fertile describe themselves as “tiers-lieux” – places where people can take a break from the city. They want to offer a balance in everyday life, but also meeting places for sustainable initiatives. In addition to festivals in the summer, Cité Fertile organizes various sports courses and is a platform for discussing (environmental) political issues in order to promote ideas about sustainability: “Ecologically designed events are a real issue for the city of the future,” says Flurak.

“Walks in sustainable Paris”

Sustainable alternatives to classic sightseeing are also offered digitally. The city has developed the application “Balades Paris durable” (Walks in sustainable Paris), which allows exploring the green areas of Paris comfortably on foot. The smartphone app includes 26 routes in almost all Paris districts, ranging in length from two to five kilometers.

Different stops are marked on each walk, and for each the app also provides photos and information about their sustainable features: from a drinking water well to a neighborhood community garden.

In this way, the smartphone becomes a tour guide in an environmentally conscious Paris. The routes lead curious city walkers to districts such as Klissi, with its energy-efficient buildings and green roofs. In other places, such as the Buttes Chaumont park or the famous Père Lachaise cemetery, one can use the app to learn more about the city’s flora and fauna. Some stations are located in well-known neighborhoods of the historic city center, but off the beaten track: With the help of the app, one can discover hidden green oases on the banks of the Seine, which, on a conventional sightseeing tour, one might never see .