Paris – Mayor Anne Hidalgo has confirmed that ambitious plans to transform the Champs-Élysées in Paris, the iconic boulevard in the heart of the French capital, are still on the table. Her initiative will see the boulevard with fewer car lanes, more space for pedestrians and much more greenery.
Often called the “most beautiful boulevard in the world”, the Champs-Élysées has spent three decades without a major overhaul, and many Parisians think it looks tired and much less sophisticated than before.
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Once home to exhibitions of swish cars and top fashion houses, the boulevard is now lined with expensive cafes, large chain stores and lots of fast food restaurants. Locals complain about the noise and pollution caused by tireless traffic, as the 1.2-mile eight-lane boulevard remains a major artery through the city. Even the gardens at the end, near the Place de la Concorde, seem underused and uninvited.
The Champs-Élysées Committee, made up of local business leaders, has been pushing for a renovation for several years. In 2018, the Committee instructed PCA-Stream architects to come up with plans for the boulevard and surrounding areas, including the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, at each end. Hidalgo agreed to include plans in his re-election manifesto last year.
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She confirmed that a facelift for the boulevard was still very much in her planning for the next years in an extensive interview with the French newspaper, The Sunday newspaper, Sunday. The committee responded quickly, welcoming the news.
In a statement, the committee noted that the boulevard “has lost its splendor over the last 30 years … It has been gradually abandoned by Parisians and has suffered several crises: yellow vest [demonstrations], strikes, pandemic, economic crisis, etc. “
The budget for the total project is $ 305 million, but the dramatic change will not happen immediately. Hidalgo said the renovation of Place de la Concorde will continue in the next few years, but the change at the Champs-Élysées will have to wait until 2025.
This is partly due to the fact that Paris must first complete the ambitious program already underway to prepare the city to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
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While these plans will be reduced due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the city is already renovating, rebuilding and restructuring not only its sports facilities but also its roads and transportation systems, as well as its connections with the suburbs near La Défense to the west and Saint-Jean. Denis to the north, which will be the headquarters for all administrative operations of the Games.
“We will rebuild Concorde Place before the Olympics, then the entire length of the boulevard after that; will be [another] an extraordinary garden, “Hidalgo told the newspaper over the weekend.