• In the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, on former parking spaces, a micro-hub has been installed.

  • The principle is simple, it's a mini-warehouse that avoids pollution of the last mile in the delivery sector, thanks to the bike.

  • This installation is part of the urban planning policy of Paris, which encourages the adoption of soft mobility.

A wooden hut a few meters long with the effigy of the City of Paris has been installed on former parking spaces, boulevard Beaumarchais (3rd arrondissement).

No higher than a car, its wooden facade showing through, the shelter questions the residents.

It is actually a mini-warehouse.

A storage space that trucks, instead of driving all day to deliver in Paris, will use to unload their goods.

The famous “last kilometer” should be covered by bike.

For Jonathan Sebbane, Managing Director of the company in charge of the project, Sogaris, the micro-hub makes it possible to “meet the new requirements of the territories.

This “mixed economy” company – in which the City of Paris holds a prominent place –,

For David Belliard, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of the transformation of public space, evokes an obligation to reorganize the logistics of the city, “there is a general context which obliges us to decarbonize”.

The solution for him lies in “cyclo-logistics.

This very pompous term means that the city favors the bicycle as a mode of transporting goods.

It is a question of optimizing polluting journeys and using the cargo bike as soon as the distance allows it.

Another topic of optimization that these micro-hubs would fill is public space.

Anne Hidalgo's deputy indicates that since the parking reform, “we are in a policy of reclaiming public space.

Two priorities have been defined: increase the space reserved for people with reduced mobility and improve carbon-free logistics flows.

Cycle logistics should also make public space less noisy and less congested.

"Tactical Urbanism"

This project is not devoid of a social aspect.

In France, while consumption patterns increasingly involve delivery, the precariousness of cyclo-logistics workers has become a major issue.

This is the reason why the operation of the micro-hubs has been attributed in particular to Olvo.

The company founded in 2015 has made the solidarity economy its priority, in particular by having the company owned by its employee-members.

"Delivery is a sector that will explode, social issues must adapt to it", explains Florentin Letissier, deputy mayor of Paris.

This preference comes to compete with Amazon mini-warehouses.

The City of Paris wants to avoid a monopoly of American society "with a dubious social model", in the words of Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris Center.

“It's cute, it's cool, but not only.

It is above all part of a global city policy, ”continues the elected official.

We speak of “tactical urbanism”, a model of development of public space through local initiatives, tending to make cities more welcoming.

Tactical urban planning is generally inseparable from the ecological component.

This is the reason why this street furniture is designed in locust, a particularly solid wood "used to last", according to Jonathan Sebbane.

The plan provides that the micro-hubs can be placed in the places that need them the most.

To make this goal achievable, the mini-warehouses are removable.

"In less than 24 hours, the micro-hubs can be moved from point A to point B", assures the managing director of Sogaris.

If the elected officials are enthusiastic about the inauguration, a passer-by interrupts them: “Where are we parking now?

Recalling that not all Parisians are thrilled with these wooden grilles.

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  • Paris

  • Delivery

  • ecology

  • Paris city hall

  • Town planning

  • Ile-de-France