In Paris, every resident will soon have access to an urban garden within 300 meters of their home. This is the outcome of a referendum promoted by Paris city Hall, which has set in motion a plan to transform 500 streets into rues-jardin, or “garden streets” — fully pedestrianized areas enriched with greenery, benches, flower beds, and spaces for social interaction.
The referendum will lead to the removal of 10,000 parking spaces across the city to make way for new pedestrian and cycling routes, adding to the 10,000 already eliminated since 2020. The plan also builds on the 300 rues-jardin that have been implemented since 2020. All two million city residents will be involved in the decision-making process to determine which streets will be transformed.
The work is expected to be completed within four years, with an estimated total investment of €250 million.
The goal of these new garden streets is radical: to reduce pollution, promote walking and cycling, especially for school commutes, mitigate the urban heat island effect by introducing cooling green spaces, and improve the city’s flood resistance by replacing asphalt with open soil that can better absorb rainfall.
This initiative is part of a broader urban transition already underway in Paris, which includes the 2023 ban on shared electric scooters and increased parking fees for large SUVs.
With these transformations, the French capital is positioning itself as a model for European cities seeking to rethink urban space through a sustainable lens.
