Chickens for the Hotel de Ville Garden in Paris

On Saturday, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo officially opened the jardin de l’Hôtel de Ville to the public. Previously, access to this private green space was reserved for the on-site crèche. The garden will now be open on weekends and holidays (when the crèche is closed).

Encompassing 1,600m2 at the corner of the quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, the garden has a sun-soaked lawn and an allée lined with rose bushes. Overlooking it all is the equestrian statue of Etienne Marcel.

The best part of all? The city will soon install a henhouse! Pénélope Komitès, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of Green Spaces, explained that “a Parisian produces 400 kg of waste each year and a chicken can recycle between 150 and 200 kg of organic waste.” The chickens will be housed with rabbits (to the great delight of Paris’s enfants).

Since her election as mayor, Hidalgo has already launched many eco-initiatives, including a plan to reduce pollution by banning all diesel cars in the capital by the year 2020. She is also focusing on pedestrianising more areas of Paris.