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| Spring colour in the Marché aux Fleurs, Place Louis Lépine |
The third day of my recent Paris trip was officially the
first day of Spring. The Marché aux Fleurs (Flower Market) in Place Louis
Lépine was filled with spring colour and greenery. Paris will be hosting COP21
in the battle against climate change in 2015. Air quality was poor during my
stay. French TV claimed it was worse than Shanghai.
On my first morning, the Eiffel Tower was obscured by mist
and murk. At the weekend, travelling by Metro was free to encourage Parisians
to use public transport instead of their cars.
Paris owes much to Baron Haussmann for its wide,
"airy" streets. British cities simply cannot replicate his urban
planning . Today, such an autocratic approach will not be tolerated. British
cities also have much heritage to preserve and cannot emulate Paris despite
inner-city congestion problems.
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| Boulevard Haussmann in Paris |
The Recession seems to have left Paris with a backlog of
maintenance repairs, but the solid infrastructure must leave many cities
envious. Wherever I went, traffic seemed to move without too much difficulty - even
during the rush hour. Accustomed to London congestion, I kept allowing too much
time to get from A to B. I couldn't help
wondering if the wide streets were such a blessing if they made Parisians more
inclined to drive into the capital.
I was very surprised by reports on French TV. Despite
regulation, the French still smoke heavily in public places - and, French women
are more likely to continue smoking in pregnancy. I have always understood the
French to be very health-conscious.
I saw evidence of eco-friendly initiatives. Paris has its
equivalent of London's "Boris bikes". I saw row upon row of them -
all largely unused. Maybe because of the high pollution rates during my stay? I
also saw electric cars being charged in the streets. Again, I was disappointed
not to see one in use.
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| Autolib' electric car sharing scheme in Paris |
At the Centre Georges Pompidou, I saw an artwork by the
British-born and New Zealand-based David Trubridge. It was an orange sphere representing
the sun with white wings to either side. Trubridge used natural, sustainable
and recyclable materials.
The work hangs above visitors' heads as a poetic reminder of
the dangers of climate change. David
Trubridge was inspired by both Maori legend and Greek myth. Like Icarus, Man is
flying too close to the Sun. It seems an appropriate warning in the host city
for COP21 - especially just after the solar eclipse.
If you would appreciate help with your technical marketing communications, email karen@anglicity.com or call Karen on +44 (0)20 8581 9369.
Anglicity Ltd. She is a
technical writer and
translator with over
15 years' marketing
experience. Anglicity offers
marketing consultancy and
content marketing with a
particular focus on innovation
and the environment.
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