Berges de Seine.
Urban locales sometimes have trouble staying clean, and green, and fresh, and flowery. Paris has the advantage of having large avenues lined with majestic old trees, courtyards full of blooms, lovely gardens all around, and an incredible amount of flower box windows.
Still, there is always more to be desired. In the summer months, the French capital has sandy river banks to evoke beaches, complete with sun umbrellas and lounging chairs - a project called Paris-plages that has sprouted every summer for a few years now.
One certainly cannot swim in the river Seine, but wearing a bathing suit and building sand castles in the middle of a metropolis is something exotic enough to draw thousands each hot season.
The Mayor’s child.
A new project has finally come to completion, thanks to Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The recuperation of certain parts of the expressways alongside the river has now become oasis of green spaces and garden-like heavens.
Facing car pollution like many large cities, the measures from the City of Paris to take cars out of circulation can only be welcomed with mixed reviews and agreement, but at least it does help air quality, just like the alternate driving days already implemented when levels of critical pollution are reached.
As of April 2, the river banks (Berges de Seine) running from the Orsay Museum to the Pont de l’Alma (Alma Bridge) will definitely be closed to car traffic, to only welcome pedestrian strollers. Already offered from time to time since 2013, the 2.3 km area will now become a permanent feature in the city. Walking and other leisure activities on the banks will add a piece of country to the urban environment of the busy city.
Five “islands” created by sculptor Nikki de Saint-Phalle to provide floating gardens made of a variety of vegetation. Sports fans will have a 100-meter track for sprinting and several sets of gym equipment. Kids will be able to play in specially designed areas, such as a climbing wall and board games areas.
The Berges de Seine pedestrian area will be accessible to wheelchair users, but some areas will remain paved, and most likely more difficult in access.
Some views!
The new Berges will, of course, offer spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Orsay Museum, the majestic Grand Palais, and the historic buildings alongside one of the most famous riverbanks in the world.
Of course, this is Paris after all, and cuisine and food will always be at their best here, and several spots serve food and drinks, including, since 2013 as well, the flat boat-like surface Rosa Bonheur sur Seine or Faust, with its typical Paris bistro outdoor terrace, located under the magnificent Alexander III bridge.
It will still take a few years before the full greenery grows into a real garden along the river, but the premise and the project have received a warm welcome from the Parisians in general, despite the obvious adjustment needed when the car flow had to be redirected to other streets to make way for the car-free zone.
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