The Champs-Élysées will go green, since it is a major metamorphosis that will take place on the prettiest avenue in the world, by 2024, on the occasion of the Olympic Games.
The town hall of Paris, the elected officials of the arrondissement and the Champs-Élysées Committee bringing together traders and businesses on the avenue have thus promised real change through this project called “Re-enchanting the Champs-Élysées”.
However, it is divided into two stages, as noted by the Paris City Hall on its site. First of all, the first objective concerns “the works which aim to renovate and green the famous avenue by 2024”, for the Olympics therefore. The second phase will come after the sporting event, “which will run from 2024 to 2030” with the main mission of greening the avenue in depth.
On Twitter, the mayor of Paris, wanted to recall that “the Champs-Élysées is a long and beautiful history which merges with that of Paris”, before revealing its future aspects.
The Champs-Élysées is a long and beautiful history that merges with that of Paris. Here is their future face.
By 2024, we will beautify the most beautiful avenue in the world by adapting it to new challenges and returning it to Parisians and all those who love our city. pic.twitter.com/CS0P74XSAc
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) May 11, 2022
And if for the moment the contours between now and 2030 still remain vague, Anne Hidalgo preferred to remain focused on 2024 by advancing that within two years, “they will embellish the most beautiful avenue in the world by adapting it to new challenges and by giving it back to Parisians and all those who love their city”.
More green spaces
The 2 kilometer avenue will be modified mainly at its two ends. During a press conference given on May 11 at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, Anne Hidalgo put forward an overhaul of the gardens, particularly on the side of the Place de la Concorde, but also in the green spaces on either side of the “Fields” which have largely withered.
These first works, which should start this month, will be able to bring many visual improvements but also “comfort for pedestrians, walking routes in the renovated gardens, with new circuits of cultural and event discoveries”.
Through the planting of a hundred trees and the pedestrianized streets, the elected socialist wishes to “restore freshness”, in a spirit agreeing to the challenges of global warming.
Fewer cars
Another major change has also been put forward for 2024. This concerns the Arc de Triomphe, since the famous Place de l’Étoile, which welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors every year, will be enlarged to pedestrians. It is therefore the space for cars that will be reduced.
If Anne Hidalgo launched: “It is a shrinking of the place of the car, I prefer to be clear. Because that’s how we should consider the city of tomorrow”, you should still know that car traffic will be maintained around the ring but “with seven to eight lines”.
In addition, on the top and along the avenue, the sidewalks and street furniture will also have the right to renovation, and new pedestrian crossings will be created. More than 400 feet of trees will be planted, as can already be seen in certain Parisian districts.
For this first phase, it is 26 million euros for all the work that the town hall must undertake by 2024. 6 million euros will be added from the Olympic works delivery company (Solideo) , for the sites directly concerned by the Games, ie the Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais.