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The Island of the City soon to be transformed

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The Editor

© Pascale Gueret / Shutterstock

For several years now, the Paris Center City Hall has been looking to transform the Île de la Cité. And since this Thursday, things are moving forward, as the first works have just wrapped up at the Quai aux Fleurs. So, what can we expect from this transformation?

For the past few years, if we had to sum up in a single word the policy being implemented by the city of Paris, it would be “greening.” Pedestrian streets here and urban forests there, the projects keep coming, all aimed at making the city greener, more ecological, and especially better equipped to handle the severe heat that might hit us in the years to come. The most recent neighborhood to undergo this transformation? The Île de la Cité, and more specifically the Quai aux Fleurs, where the construction is ongoing.

It took place on Thursday, May 15th.


A First Step for the City

Just a couple of steps from Notre-Dame, on Thursday, May 15th, 30 new trees were unveiled. Freshly planted along the Quai aux Fleurs, these plants, which currently stand 4 meters tall, are expected to triple in size over the next decade, creating new islands of coolness to help battle the summer heat. Selected for this lovely addition are Pennsylvania Ash and American Hackberry trees. And for good reason—these two hardy species are particularly well-suited to urban environments and are resistant to climate change and diseases.

In the same spirit, the sidewalk has been widened by 70%, thanks to the recovery of part of the roadway, making the area more pleasant for pedestrians and other strollers. Speaking of gentle mobility, cyclists also benefit from this story, as there are new bike lanes going the opposite way and 80 parking spots added for bikes. Unfortunately for cars, they will lose 67 spots, but we won’t shed any tears for them.


A project on the right track

These initial transformations, which also include the installation of new benches, are part of a bigger project to rejuvenate the island of the City. Therefore, planting trees and widening sidewalks should continue.

all along the Quai de Corse, which stretches all the way to the Palais de justice. The same goes for the development of cycling paths, which should extend further. According to the mayor of Paris Centre, Ariel Weil, this work is set to take place in 2026. Following that, a year later, there will be greening efforts around Notre-Dame, as part of a huge project to redesign the forecourt. And we're quite pleased about it, since considering the tourists flocking there every day, a little reorganization should do wonders.