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But where do all the poor little dead leaves collected in Paris end up?

undefined undefined 23 novembre 2024 undefined 08h30

The Editor

As soon as autumn arrives, the Parisian ground gets covered in a lovely golden carpet. Sure, it’s great for taking artsy photos for Instagram, but it can be a bit annoying too, especially for the many cycling enthusiasts in Paris, who watch the bike lanes turn into giant ice rinks. Luckily, for a few years now, the City has been doing a tremendous job of collecting these little leaves and giving them a second life that's more than acceptable.


Tons and tons of leaves collected

For the past 5 years, the agents from the Paris cleanliness department (DPE) have been working hard to deliver somewhat respectable sidewalks. For days, they gather bag after bag of leaves, which are then transported out of the capital thanks to an innovative system, which is great for the environment.

planet: the water transport.

A project called « Feuilles en Seine » is underway, aiming to transport everything that lingers around the ports of Bercy (in the 12th district) and Tolbiac, before the leaves are taken to a sorting center located in Gennevilliers, thanks to a barge with a capacity of over 200 m³. Since this type of boat is typically used to clear debris from construction work, you can imagine that there's quite a bit to do.


Back to the Earth

During the months of collecting leaves (from September to the end of November generally), the barge makes several trips to Gennevilliers. Everything is then transported to Ermenonville, in the Oise, where these plant waste materials are dropped off at a center for ...composting. They are transformed into secondary materials, which will be used for market gardening or for creating green spaces.

According to the Paris City Hall, not only is this system necessary due to the slipping hazards posed by leaves, but it also helps to drastically reduce costs and CO2 emissions each year, thanks to the use of river transport. In fact, there are fewer than 10 boats each year on the Seine, compared to hundreds of trucks on the roads. There you have it, now the curtain is lifted, and fallen leaves will hold no more secrets for you!