In the back alley of the Ambassadors' garden, which runs along the bottom of the Champs-Elysées (8th century), under a metal hall in 1900, a homeless person sleeps on the ground, in a sleeping bag.
Twenty meters further, four suitcases are stacked next to two tents and a few plastic chairs ... Welcome to the homeless camp set up on the most beautiful avenue in the world "for two or three years", according to Monique, the kiosk who sells pancakes and hot dogs right next door.
" It's catastrophic!
», Exclaims Maeva, come to admire the twenty statues of the Cat by designer Philippe Geluck, exhibited close by.
A lack of work?
“There is a bit of carelessness in the maintenance of the gardens at the bottom of the Champs-Elysées.
There are no trees, some alleys seem to be abandoned, there are sometimes holes in the lawns, ”notes Pedro, a real estate manager who works in the neighborhood.
“On the avenue as on the Place de la Concorde, the sidewalks are damaged, paving stones are disjointed or broken.
Why not take advantage of the confinement to do the necessary work?
", Wonders this forty-something, who grants all the same a satisfecit to the City, for" the successful development of the cycle paths ".
READ ALSO>
Paris: Anne Hidalgo promises an “extraordinary garden” on the Champs-Elysées
In the Jardin des Ambassadeurs (located between avenue Gabriel and the Champs), where freshly planted primroses flourish, many Parisians are still having lunch with a sandwich on the benches, while enjoying a shelf of Sun.
Like Alain, pharmacist in the 13th century, who claims to “rest” before going to see the Cats of Geluck.
"There is a lack of trash cans," observes Pierre nonetheless.
Sidewalks and pavement to be redone
At the foot of the Marly horses, which mark the entrance to the Champs-Elysées, a traffic light looks gray, patched up with adhesive tape!
Apart from that, the largest square in Paris (8.64 hectares), at the center of which the Luxor obelisk has stood since 1836, has kept its 18th century chandelier.
Place de la Concorde (Ier), there are holes in the road.
LP / Philippe Baverel
If the two monumental fountains are working well, Antoine, a 56-year-old bartender who has been on short-time work for five months because of the Covid-19 epidemic, remarks, pointing to the sculpture with the image of Strasbourg in front of the Hôtel de la Marine, just restored: “The statues representing the eight main cities of France, at the four corners of the square, are dirty, they are not maintained.
"
More greenery
Living in a box on the ground floor rue de Rivoli, this quinqua who walks his Yorkshire, paints a rather gloomy picture of the situation: “Place de la Concorde is very degraded.
There are holes everywhere on the sidewalks, potholes on the road ... "24-year-old chemist, Anna adds:" The asphalt is a little cracked.
As there is less traffic now, why not extend the Tuileries Garden?
"
Retired from the steel industry, Odile, 69, is indignant at the dozen cars and vans parked apparently without authorization, on a median in front of the Hôtel de la Marine: "It's a parking lot now, the Place de la Concorde ?
Why does the municipality not put a little greenery on this monumental square?
"
