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Paris Plages

Location: France

Year: every year since 2002 

Paris Plages is an annual summer event in the heart of Paris. It transforms the banks of the Seine River and the Bassin de la Villette into a vibrant seaside atmosphere. Since its inception in 2002, Paris Plages has provided locals and tourists with a unique opportunity to enjoy beach-themed activities, sunbathing, and water sports without leaving the city.

How might we create a variety of experiences and happenings?

Paris Plage caters to a diverse range of preferences and activity levels. It provides everything from aquatic activities to temporary cafes, from a library to night-time concerts. Each area along the waterfront offers distinctive leisure experiences that appeal to individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

How might we invite the community to co-create events and spaces?

How might we promote social interactions?

Paris Plage applies the “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” (LQC) approach, which involves straightforward, temporary, and cost-effective interventions bringing significant impacts on the development of neighbourhoods and cities. This approach enables communities to try out public space modifications before committing to more substantial, permanent changes.

All components of Paris Plage, such as beach sand and swimming pools, are designed as portable pop-ups because they must be dismantled after each summer. This allows for easy updates, repetition, and enhancements on an annual basis with minimal expenditure. 

Paris Plages

Image Attribution: “Paris plages (city beach) from above” by Ken Eckert is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0