How to pedestrianize half of Place de la Concorde without distorting its face?
Several personalities will be responsible for working on this issue in the coming weeks.
This Wednesday morning, during a press conference on the redevelopment of the Place du Trocadéro and the Pont d'Iéna, Anne Hidalgo spoke of the creation of a commission to reflect on the transformation of the largest square in Paris.
In mid-January, the socialist mayor of the capital announced the pedestrianization of the entire eastern part, between the Tuileries garden and the central obelisk.
A configuration that Parisians have already known for several weeks, since the fan zone of the Rugby World Cup village has been installed throughout this area.
Concorde Park - a set of introductions to urban sports - then took up residence in the same location.
For several days, this portion has been closed to pedestrians to make way for construction equipment which is beginning to install the structures which will be used for this summer's Olympic urban sports events.
First meeting April 3
Half of the square which will therefore remain closed to motorized traffic following the Olympics.
It remains to be seen how to ultimately develop this space to preserve “the exceptional heritage dimension” of this former royal square, classified as a historic monument since 1937 and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
“The commission which will be chaired by Jean-Jacques Aillagon will meet for the first time on April 3 to move forward on the subject,” said Anne Hidalgo.
Read alsoIn Paris, Place de la Concorde partly pedestrianized after the Olympics: even motorists approve
Several personalities will surround the man who, in particular, was Minister of Culture between 2002 and 2004, under the presidency of Jacques Chirac.
Among them, “heritage architects and landscapers”, Aurélie Filippetti - also former Minister (PS) of Culture and now director of cultural affairs for the City of Paris, Marc-Antoine Jamet, among others, president of the committee of Champs-Élysées and general secretary of LVMH (owner of Parisien-Aujourd'hui in France) or even the TV host, Stéphane Bern.
“There is no timetable yet”
Asked by Le Parisien in September 2022, when the square was preparing to be partly renovated, this heritage defender was moved by the “pitiful state of one of the jewels of the capital”.
“I’m not throwing stones at anyone,” he added.
But it is important that this historic place regains its luster.
Especially since it will be a showcase during the 2024 Olympics.”
Also read: Stéphane Bern: “I was slapped every day by my mother”
A widely relayed petition had been launched a few months earlier to denounce the “absolute state of decrepitude” of this site.
The fountains, the roadway, the candelabra and part of the sculptures which surround it have since been restored.
The rest will be played out in the coming months.
“There is no timetable yet for these future developments,” said those close to the mayor.