Keeping Paris Beautiful

I don't know that I would have paid any particular attention to any of this if I hadn't watched Griff Rhys Jones' Greatest Cities of the World- Paris in 2012 as part of the exhaustive preparation for my 2013 Paris trip. The show had a particularly fascinating section on the literal army of green clad people who keep Paris clean and looking her best- The Proprete de Paris.

So I was interested to see it all unfolding before my eyes on my early morning walks last year.

The workers always seem happy
 to be at their important task

Those trucks get everywhere

Clearly there is no water shortage in Paris as they flush the gutters each morning.

There are two water types in Paris- treated drinking water
 and untreated water for flushing the streets

There is always a green broom
like a little tree at the ready nearby

If the drain water isn't enough
they come along with a truck

The Proprete de Paris also take a more proactive approach to preventing rubbish buildup. Whilst picnicing on the Seine one evening (a must do Paris activity) another friendly worker was hanging out rubbish bags to the happy crowds enjoying the incredible Paris summer evenings.

They were out in force too on
Bastille Day at the Champ de Mars
keeping everything nice for the masses

I hadn't noticed Paris' recycling efforts as much before, but it's there if you look.

There are a few designs of street side
bottle recycling centres

My local recycling station on rue de Sevres
I personally helped fill it
with quite a lot of  champagne and red wine debris

It is a noisy process (but rather fun) so they respectfully
ask not to dump your bottles between
2200 and 0700

Parks have bins for general rubbish in green
and recycling in yellow

Dreaming of France is a wonderful Monday meme
from Paulita at An Accidental Blog