Paris fights back with ‘manifesto for beauty’ as tourists and residents say city is ‘dirty

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The “manifesto for beauty” features plans to tidy up Paris after an online campaign criticising mess in the city went viral. Plans include a zero tolerance policy on rubbish.

#SaccageParis (TrashedParis) went viral on social media in 2021 as residents shared horrifying photos.

Some of the most shocking pictures depicted huge piles of rubbish on the City of Lights’ streets and rotting benches.

Residents and tourists have also complained about the amount of dog poo left on the streets.

People also photographed abandoned items such as scooters and poorly maintained public gardens.

Many residents directed their anger at Paris City Hall for neglecting the city’s architectural heritage.

Deputy mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has said that several initiatives launched by the city’s Socialist-Green alliance will be scrapped.

In 2015, local people in Paris were awarded licences to plant their own gardens in public space.

Unfortunately, many of the gardens were neglected and are now strewn with dog poo and rubbish.

Gregoire said they are “not satisfactory from an aesthetic point of view” and said there were “major upkeep problems”.

The deputy mayor also said there would now be zero tolerance for dumping rubbish while efforts to stop graffiti would also step up.

Temporary yellow road markings used to mark new cycling lanes will also be removed and concrete barriers will be replaced with something “more discreet”.

Initially, the mayor’s office had attacked the social media posts as a “smear campaign” but has now said it was “useful” in forcing the city to question its methods.

While Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, many tourists have said they were surprised by how dirty it was.

On Twitter one user said: “Paris is kind of decrepit and really doesn’t live up to the hype. The roads are kind of broken, the city is dirty.”

Another mentioned the popular Netflix series, Emily in Paris, saying: “Emily in Paris – Paris always looks flawlessly clean and coloured, with no cigarette butts on the street.

“In reality, the city is dirty and grey, full of garbage everywhere.”

However, there’s a reason Paris earned its name as one of the most romantic cities in the world and many tourists love it.

Andrew Pickwood tweeted: “On the several occasions I have been to Paris, my walks on the streets there were always something beautiful.

“One of my favourite spots for art and culture.”

One Instagrammer shared a photo of the city and said: “The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Isn’t Paris beautiful?”

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