Autumn has barely arrived when the Parisian ground is covered with a pretty golden carpet. So, yes, it's nice to make slightly arty photos for Instagrambut it's still a bit painful too, especially for the many cycling enthusiasts in Paris, who see cycle paths transform into giant ice rinks. Fortunately, for several years, the City has been doing colossal work to harvest these little leaves, and give them a second life that could not be more acceptable.
Kilos and kilos of leaves harvested
For 5 years nowthe agents of the cleanliness department (DPE) of Paris are working hard for us deliver more or less usable sidewalks. For days they collect bags and bags of leaveswhich are then taken outside the capital thanks to a innovative systemand good for the planet: the transport fluvial.
An operation entitled “Leaves in the Seine”which allows you to transport everything that is lying around at the level of ports of Bercy (in the 12th) and of Tolbiacbefore the leaves are transported to a sorting center located in Gennevilliersthanks to a barge of more than 200 m³. As this type of boat is normally used to clear waste due to construction workwe might as well tell you that there is plenty to do.
Return to the earth
During the few months of leaf collection (from September to end of November generally), the barge makes several journeys, up to Gennevilliers. Everything is then sent to Ermenonville, in Oisewhere this plant waste is deposited in a composting center. They are transformed into secondary subjectwhich will be used as part of market gardening, or from creation of green spaces.
According to Paris City Hall, not only is this system necessaryGiven the risk of slipping that the leaves represent, but it also allows drastically reduce costs and CO2 emissions each year, thanks to the use of river transport. In fact, we count less than 10 boats each year on the Seine, in opposition to hundreds of trucks on the roads. There, now, the veil is lifted, and the dead leaves will not have no more secrets for you !
