Champs-Elysees Transformed Into Giant Farm

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Paris’ most famous street has become a moo-ving thoroughfare.

In a stunning transformation of public space, nearly one mile of the Champs-Elysees has been converted into a urban farm with 8,000 green plots showcasing more than 150,000 plants, flowers and even fully-grown trees from across France. Cattle, sheep, goats and even the prized Lamousin pig were also in attendance.

The temporary farm was staged by the union representing young French farmers in an effort to draw attention to the growing agricultural crisis in France. Jolted by falling prices and the rising cost of production, the union is using the two-day event to raise awareness of the crisis as well as the importance of farming in general.

By shutting down the ten lane highway, the French are also sending a powerful message that streets are not just places for cars, but people (and plants and animals) too.

More photos

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  • http://olsonplanning.com John Olson

    This is fantastic news! Hopefully it catches on in the United States. As many cities are undergoing major budget cuts, which include the maintenance of their non-productive medians, this could be a guide to utilizing the otherwise high maintenance, zero yield spaces. Our interstate highway system should look at this as an opportunity with the vast amount of right-of-way that we have. Thank you for sharing this!

  • http://olsonplanning.com John Olson

    I apologize, I now understand that this is only temporary and in the actual street. I jumped to the conclusion that they were utilizing the medians for agricultural purposes. Still fantastic for the many reasons PPS pointed out in the write-up.

  • http://www.theurbanmapper.com/ Josh

    Anyone know if there were any traffic studies done? Major streets like this are rarely shut down – this is a great opportunity to see if the city could survive with a major street closed. Presumably, this was a weekend?

  • http://hosgor.wordpress.com Zerrin Hosgor

    Besides its main aim, this is a great event and the most stunning organization to show the people how they can survive their lives without a large avenue occupied by car as Josh mentioned. I heard about that this organisation will take place in New York and Istanbul. I’ll be glad when I see such kind of event in the large street passing through the heart of the Istanbul. I hope this event will create an awareness of living without cars, living in a green environment by stopping the car-usage. So,it may create a chance to find other transportation options to reach places while keeping alive the green spaces.

  • Bruce Liedstand

    Yes, several blocks of the Champs Elysee were closed to traffic and filled with temporary landscaping. And yes, the event drew hugh numbers of people. But in reality, the event was not as good a “place” as the normal Champs Elysee. As PPS well knows, just closing a street to traffic and bringing in large amounts of greenery is not necessarily good place-making. If they do it again next year, I hope someone takes the time to understand better how to make it a good place.

  • Paul Mason

    Sometimes you guys get way too hung up on your “principles.” Really,closing the Champs showed that “streets are not just places for cars…”? Mon dieu! The Champs is ALREADY one of the greatest people-places in the world. Its sidewalks are probably 40′ wide and filled with the greatest variety of activity and places for people to do all kinds of things. to close it off to traffic would probably kill it just like all those “urban designers” killed American downtowns during the 70s and 80s by “malling” them and cutting off the access of automobiles.

  • http://www.pps.org Craig Raphael

    Thanks for all the comments. I did not mean to imply that the street should be shut down permanently, or that this event made it a better “place” than usual–on the contrary, the sheer amount of people present and limited uses would suggest the opposite. Nevertheless, the closure serves as an important example that streets can be used for purposes beyond simply moving traffic.