Transformed, the Louvre district looks more and more like a new golden triangle in Paris.
Gone is the one in the 8th arrondissement, place to another more historic, more central, more alive, in full mutation.
Between the openings of the Samaritaine and the Bourse de Commerce, restriction of space for cars… But for what satisfaction?
"I really appreciate it, it's very lively, you can breathe and, above all, it's very easy to access," said Camille, who came with her family from La Rochelle.
"We come from Marseille and the absence of cars, it's pleasant and that changes", continues Lucas.
Read alsoCulture, architecture, everyday life: in Paris, the Louvre district in full effervescence
Moreover, residents do not fail to underline the plenitude of the district in the absence of cars.
“I fully support the cycling policy pursued in the area.
Now it's very quiet, I don't even understand that we can still drive a car right in the city center, ”says Katia, a resident of the 3rd arrondissement.
The same goes for Joan, who lives in the neighborhood: “We are very comfortable here.
We don't have cars, so we're happy with the pedestrianization.
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But as a result of these developments, some residents feel aggrieved.
"I live in the 1st arrondissement, I ended up selling my car, it was no longer useful to me, we can no longer drive," regrets Nadine.
However, she also admits that the Samaritaine brings a real breath of fresh air: “I find it very positive, it will probably breathe new life into the neighborhood.
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"As a restaurateur, that's the ideal"
Dependent on the economy of commerce and human flows, catering professionals also admit to being satisfied with this new impetus.
This is the case of Camille, director of the restaurant Bistronomie Nomade, located rue de l'Arbre-Sec: “The neighborhood is alive, the Samaritaine also brings a lot of people, so as a restaurateur, that's ideal.
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"With a clientele made up of people who come to stroll and enjoy the shops, the arrival of these new shops is necessarily a very good thing", rejoices Ana, owner of the Sisters'Factory restaurant. Inaugurations which also made it possible to generate revenue: "Over the post-Covid period, our turnover has tripled", adds the manager.
The only downside on the horizon, the fear of seeing the middle classes excluded from the city center. In particular, the development of the luxury market and high-end catering. "Even if it is very beautiful and very pleasant, I find that there are some points of inexpensive food missing", notes Vincent, a resident of the 12th century. Followed by Katia: “What bothers me is this slightly chic side that is developing. At the Kong bar, for example, the drink is 10 euros. "