The mayor of Paris, fighting for re-election in a contest dominated by environmental concerns, has pledged to create an enormous new park in the heart of the French capital.
Socialist Party candidate Anne Hidalgo has announced a project to connect smaller green spaces and turn the area around the Champs-Elysee into a park on a scale that would rival those in any other European capital.
Known almost as well for its traffic jams and chaotic driving as it is for its restaurants and fashion boutiques, the eight-lane boulevard runs through the heart of the city.
Parisians have always called it “the most beautiful avenue in the world”, but the Champs Elysee has lost some of its prestige in recent years to fast-food outlets serving masses of tourists.
The new green space will link the grand Tuileries gardens, built on the site of old tile factories, with other green spaces including the Esplanade des Invalides and Champs-Elysees Gardens on the bank of the Seine.
Ms Hidalgo is trying to attract residents who have long complained that the French capital does not have as many green spaces as those in cities such as London or Berlin.
At about 100 hectares, the proposed park would still be smaller than London’s Hyde Park, which covers 142 hectares, and dwarfed by Berlin’s Tiergarten, which takes up about 210 hectares.
The proposal, which is the result of two years of development led by architect Philippe Chiambaretta and the powerful Champs Elysees Committee, would have most of the Place de la Concorde and the Avenue Winston Churchill set aside for pedestrians.
More than 96,000 people responded to a survey on the project, with most indicating they wanted green spaces in the area extended significantly and the avenue to become more friendly to pedestrians.
Ms Hidalgo is counting on her green credentials to win in the contest against centre-right Les Republicains candidate Rachida Dati, a former spokeswoman for French president Nicolas Sarkozy, and Agnes Buzyn of La Republique en Marche.
In February, the incumbent mayor launched her bid to win another six-year term with a goal of reinventing the capital as a “15-minute city”, with every resident able to meet their essential needs within a short walk or bicycle ride.
Since taking office in 2014, Ms Hidalgo has been overhauling transport in the city, banning the most polluting cars from entry and reclaiming road space for trees and pedestrians.
In recent months and with Paris living through coronavirus lockdown, she has backed a 30kph speed limit for the city, announced 50 kilometres of temporary cycle paths and is reportedly considering alternating traffic to reduce congestion and pollution.
Ms Hildago has even entered an agreement with the rival Green party before the second round, leaving her the clear favourite in Sunday’s election.
Polling this month put her on course for an easy victory, with 44 per cent of the vote.
But the mayor faces growing opposition from motorists’ groups that warn reducing access for cars could hit local businesses.
The new park’s designers say traffic in the area would be reduced by more than 70 per cent.
Ms Hidalgo has pledged to start work on the project as soon as possible if she wins on Sunday.
“If I’m re-elected, I’ll immediately launch this transformation and plant massive numbers of trees,” she said.
The Champs-Elysees Committee has cautioned that it could take 10 years to redevelop the area.
