A controversial proposal to transform two of Paris’s most famous thoroughfares—Boulevard Saint-Michel and Boulevard Saint-Germain—into vegetated promenades has become a flashpoint in the debate over the city’s ecological and commercial future.
The “Greening” Project at the Heart of the Debate
The plan, championed by Marine Rosset, the left-wing lead candidate in the 5th arrondissement for mayoral hopeful Emmanuel Grégoire, aims to create a “large tree-lined and vegetated promenade” from the Luxembourg Gardens to the Jardin des Plantes. Campaign materials show the boulevards highlighted in green, associated with a proposed express bus network.
Rosset argues the current state of the boulevards symbolizes municipal inaction, harming local commerce. “The current environment is not conducive to strolling, which hurts their business,” she stated, referencing feedback from Saint-Germain shopkeepers.
Vision for a “Medicinal Herb” Walkway and Traffic Reorganization
The candidate’s vision includes reinforcing hedges between trees to create a stronger visual and physical separation from traffic. An ideal element involves a walkway featuring medicinal herbs with explanatory signs, nodding to the scientific history of the Jardin des Plantes district.
On the critical issue of traffic, Rosset seeks to reassure critics. “I am not in favor of pedestrianizing Boulevard Saint-Germain,” she said, outlining a reorganization to include:
- One lane for express buses
- A secure bidirectional cycle path
- One maintained lane for cars, albeit narrowed to allow for more greenery
Opposition Labels Plan “Delirious,” Fears Economic and Traffic Chaos
The proposal has drawn fierce criticism from the right-wing opposition coalition, Changer Paris. They denounced it as a “new project as worrying as it is delirious from the left.”
Jean-Pierre Lecoq, the LR mayor of the 6th arrondissement, alongside other lead candidates, raised major concerns:
- Traffic Gridlock: They warn that converting the key north-south axis of Boulevard Saint-Michel would paralyze adjacent streets with diverted traffic.
- Economic Impact: They question whether struggling shopkeepers on the “Boul’Mich,” where commercial vacancy exceeds 15%, were consulted, fearing further economic “asphyxiation.”
- Construction Disruption: The prospect of months of new construction work on a boulevard already subject to numerous changes was also highlighted.
Campaign Clarifications: “No Impact on Circulation”
In response, Emmanuel Grégoire’s campaign team provided clarifications to defuse tensions. They stated the goal is to “encourage pedestrian traffic on the boulevard to support businesses by beautifying and greening between the existing trees.”
They insisted the vegetated strips would be planted between the existing trees on both boulevards and would have “no impact on circulation.” The plan for Saint-Germain specifically involves protecting bus lanes for the express network and adding a secure cycle path while keeping the boulevard open to general traffic.
The team confirmed that “impact studies and public consultations” would be conducted to finalize any developments, framing the boulevard project within a larger program that includes 15 new express bus lines.
As Paris moves toward municipal elections, the battle over these iconic boulevards underscores the broader tension between ambitious ecological transformation and the practical realities of urban mobility and economic vitality.
