Is Paris Becoming a Solarpunk City?

Inspiring examples from France and more

Image: Vincent Callebaut Architectures

The City of Light seems to be setting a shining example to the rest of us on how to solarpunk it.

If you’ve been following our social media you may have noticed how Paris has opened the world’s largest urban rooftop farm and been turning underground car parks into mushroom farms. 

In 2020 the French Socialist Party’s Anna Hidalgo was re-elected as mayor with a mandate to make Paris a car-free “15 minute city”.

Hidalgo has also shown a commitment to greater social justice created more than 7000 units of social housing a year as well as setup schemes to help homeless romani children get back into school and rehoused.

Image Credit: France 24

And while the proposed renovation of Notre Dame including a rooftop solar farm by architect’s Vincent Callebaut pictured above is not going ahead the winning bid is still climate conscious.

Image Credit: © Studio Alma pour le Groupement BBS

According to The Guardian the plan by Bas Smets will be more pedestrian friendly, have more trees and involve an innovative water cooling system to help beat ever growing summer heat.

“A city like ours can no longer think outside of climate change,” Paris’s Mayor said at a recent news conference, according to The New York Times.

Hidalgo’s Paris is showing the type of civic leadership we think we need to take us into a solarpunk future so we say vive Hidalgo, vive Paris!

And

• This company is helping cities breathe by covering walls with moss @Positive News

• E-Waste Reuse Project Showcased As Exemplar Community Initiative @Resource

• Micah Sifry on how to metabolise all the news that seems so appalling in the world and still act to make it better in this episode @ Team Human.

• Greener growing and cooking combine deliciously in the latest series of River Cottage Reunited @Channel 4.

Until Next Time

That's all for this update. If you like what we’re trying to do here and know someone else who might do too then please share. 

See you in the sunshine,

Alex Holland

Founder, SolarPunk Stories