For the past month, the Place de la Concorde has been full of surprises. What used to be known as Place Louis XV now looks like Paris Plages. The reason: some 39 potted palm trees, which are causing quite a stir among local residents. But why have these exotic plants taken over the vast Parisian square? And, above all, are they here to stay? Let’s find out.
The arrival of palm trees on Place de la Concorde raises questions
Right now, with the sun and the palm trees, the Place de la Concorde seems to be shining under tropical sunlights. Since February, 39 palm trees have made their appearance on the great Parisian square. And the least we can say is that their installation is the talk of the town. On social networks, comments are flying thick and fast. “It’s like being in Egypt,” some are enthusiastic, while others are up in arms about the “waste of taxpayers’ money”. But exactly how legitimate is the installation of these 39 palm trees? In reality, they are an experiment by the City of Paris. However, no application was made to the Drac (Direction des affaires culturelles) d’Ile-de-France for their installation. In other words, any installation lasting more than a month on a listed historic monument (in this case, the Place de la Concorde) must be authorized by the Drac.
Will the 39 palm trees be installed permanently?
Furious, French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati demanded that the potted palms be removed from Place de la Concorde. In her words, they are “ravaging” the iconic Parisian square. Although Rachida Dati demanded their removal by March 26, the palms are due to be removed from the square on the night of March 20-21. For the record, these 39 palm trees had been purchased in 2002 for the first edition of Paris Plages, as explained in Le Parisien. But where will the exotic plants go after their disappearance from the Place de la Concorde? Not to the Côte d’Azur, but to the Bois de Boulogne nursery for the 39 squatter palms.