It was during a press conference held on May 26 that the City Hall of Paris announced the exciting news. Following the inauguration of the first urban forest of Paris in the 14th arrondissement, the public opening of a section of the Petite Ceinture, the development of the Aretha Franklin garden, and the expansion of the already massive La Villette park, a new green lung is set to be officially inaugurated. And that's happening on June 21, right in the heart of the capital!
A Busy Day
Definitely, considering the number of events planned, we recommend that you mark June 21 in your calendar right away. And for good reason! The first must-attend event of that day: the ...
Music Festival. 2nd: the grand return of the 2024 Olympic flame at the Tuileries Garden. 3rd: the summer solstice, aka the longest day of the year. And 4th, and certainly not least, the inauguration of the brand new urban forest at the City Hall forecourt.A défaut de "sortir de terre", la fameuse "forêt urbaine" de l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris tente d'y entrer...
— GNSA 🌳 Paris 17 (@GnsaParis17) May 10, 2025
Si les 2 extrémités du parvis semblent profiter d'un peu de pleine terre, que penser des 2 ajouts récents plus au centre sur seulement qq dizaines de cm de terre sur dalle ? https://t.co/W3BrczQx1J pic.twitter.com/heTqNXRW76
Today is a date to remember – and it's happening before the projected completion date announced last year – the square at the foot of Anne Hidalgo's office will be accessible again, much to the delight of all passersby. June 21 will officially mark the opening of the 3rd urban forest in Paris, following the plaza de Catalogne and the Bois de Charonne. A fourth forest is expected to take shape in 2026, near the Colonel Fabien Square, at the border between the 10th and 19th arrondissements.
Plenty of greenery
You'll soon be able to explore a brand new space, defined by a single guiding principle: green, green, and more green!
Green. On the agenda for these transformations, 55 new trees, already quite big, we’re told, planted on each side, along with some clusters of plants. The two fountains will also reveal a new look, as one is set to be renovated and greenery will be added, while the other will be capped and will host plants.Une forêt urbaine sur la place de l’Hotel de ville bientôt à Paris. https://t.co/jN3QjoQCmH pic.twitter.com/38t0x7MdwZ
— Arnaud Tousch (@nanotousch) June 13, 2019
In total, nearly 1000 m² of greenery is expected to emerge within 2 weeks. To meet certain urban planning criteria, especially regarding the view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral nearby, the southern side of the square will open up to a large clearing, allowing everyone to still see the building. In any case, if with all this, we don't lose a few degrees this summer, we really won’t understand anything…
