Synopsis
A municipal decree on 12 july 2002 authorised "Paris Plage 2002" (Paris Beach 2002): from Saturday 20 July to Monday 19 August the embankment roads of the Seine, usually exclusively for cars, were transformed into beaches and enlivened with various forms of entertainment. From the Voie Georges Pompidou des Tuileries (1st arrondissement) to Mazas (12th arrondissement), pedestrians, roller-bladers, and cyclists were able to circulate freely along the riverside roads bordering the islands of Cité and Saint-Louis.
There were sports activities: golf practice on the quai Henri IV, boules on the Pont-Marie, climbing walls near the Pont-Neuf, roller blade lessons at the base of the Pont Sully, and the party continued with beach-ball and volley in the square in front of the Town Hall. Cultural events (for adults and children) were organised everyday, especially in the evenings: street performers, circus and dance, concerts. There were also opportunities to relax: cafés, refreshments stalls, children's beach clubs, and the beach itself: 1,000m2 of the quai Henri IV. The riverside area was open day and night but the entertainments stopped at about 11pm.
The "Paris Plage 2002" event was a part of the city's of improving the living environment, and of sharing public space more evenly with pedestrians and unmotorised traffic. The closure of the roads along the banks of the Seine in 2001 was organised in very little time without adequate planning. This caused considerable anger amongst drivers and met with general disapproval. In 2002 the operation therefore began a week later and was accompanied by a program to use the resulting space, and also a huge information campaign. The success of the event has strongly influenced the decision to repeat it on a regular basis.
Target groups: all citizens
Fields: mobility advice & campaigns - integrated approach / urban transport plans
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