Spie batignolles paysage has created the first urban forest in Paris, Place de Catalogne

A complete transformation of the Plaza de Catalunya

The Paris Climate Plan provides for the creation of 300 cool islands by 2030. The Plaça de Catalunya, which since its creation in 1985 has been entirely dedicated to car traffic, is now home to the first urban forest created as part of this plan.

The entire area was completely reconfigured. Its concrete surface was demolished before the level of the square was raised by adding topsoil. A 1m difference in level between the clearing and the rest of the forest was created on this occasion in order to isolate this clearing from traffic as much as possible.

470 trees – including 270 large and medium-sized trees and 200 young trees aged 2 to 4 years – and 13.000 perennials were then planted in open ground. Some of the tree species chosen, such as hornbeam or oak, come – in a short circuit logic – from the natural forests of Ile de France. Other species more resilient to climate change were also selected, such as downy oaks and Montpellier maples.

A border consisting of a slight ditch planted with low plants delimits this urban forest and allows rainwater to be collected.

The southern part of the square is dedicated to pedestrian traffic while a two-way cycle path made of permeable asphalt has been created in the northern part to allow cyclists to cross the square safely.

The inauguration of this new green space took place in June 2024, after a year and a half of work. The Vallois Île-de-France agency, a subsidiary of Spie batignolles paysage, carried out all the landscaping for the project on behalf of the City of Paris (14th arrondissement town hall) and under the direction of Green Spaces and the Environment (DEVE SPA DET4 – Paris Nature). This same agency will ensure the maintenance of the square for the next two years.

Multiple benefits in the face of environmental challenges

Beyond improving the living environment for residents and users of the 14th arrondissement, the environmental benefits brought by the creation of this urban forest are major.

The humidity created by the vegetation and its shade (60% canopy index) contributes to lowering the temperature of the site and its surroundings and makes it possible to achieve a 4°C reduction in the heat island effect.

This new development has de-impermeabilized a large part of the ground in the square and the vegetated ditches created around this urban forest now recover 54% of the precipitation, contributing to the hydrological balance of the area.

Finally, this new Place de Catalogne creates ecological continuity from the Vercingétorix greenway to the southwest to the Maine Montparnasse esplanade, passing by the soon-to-be redeveloped and revegetated Avenue Mouchotte. The upper layer of trees that make up this urban forest, supplemented by other shrubby, herbaceous and climbing plant layers, will help develop significant biodiversity on this site.

Tight deadlines and optimized logistics

To carry out all of the work, the Vallois Île-de-France team had to adhere to a tight schedule in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and determine the optimal organization to reconcile this schedule with the development cycle of the selected species.

The logistical aspect was another key point of this project located in the heart of Paris. Limited maneuvering space, heavy road traffic, limitation of nuisances for local residents, etc., each of these aspects had to be taken into account for maximum efficiency. The supply and removal of materials by truck was limited to the strict minimum in order to meet these constraints but also to reduce the carbon footprint of the project.