Sustainable Event Initiatives in Paris

The Charter For Eco-Friendly Events in Paris

The pursuit of eco-friendly initiatives isn’t just restricted to events: Paris plans to become Europe’s greenest city by 2030.

And it won’t be long before we can see how their progress is either. The city is hosting the Olympic Games in 2024, and they’re planning on hosting the most sustainable Games ever.

Paris city-hall has produced a clear eco-friendly initiative in the form of a charter. The charter has 8 main objectives:

Sustainable event design:

• Reduce the environmental footprint of the transport of people and goods
• Minimise the use of energy resources and water
• Favour the use of reusable and recyclable products and facilities
• Reduce, sort and recycle waste
• Favour sustainable catering

Eco-communication and raising public awareness:

• Establish an eco-friendly communication
• Raise awareness about sustainable development issues
• Know about, inform others of and compensate for the ecological footprint of the event

This charter, of course, is designed to help event planners create sustainable events in Paris. If event planners don’t comply with the spirit of the charter, they may be blocked from hosting an event in the city for a year.

However, the city has also been open to the fact that this charter is also a tool for promotion. It says loud and clear – in eight points – that the city is welcoming to those who want to pursue eco-friendly initiatives in their event planning!

Sustainable Event Venues in Paris 

It’s all very good to talk about eco-friendly initiatives. But if you’re serious about hosting a sustainable event in Paris, action is required. Thankfully, it’s not so hard at all. Just book one of our exciting eco-friendly venues in Paris. Et voila, you’re already contributing to making the world a more eco-friendly place!

1. Venue With a Cobbled Courtyard for a Sustainable Event in Paris

We have this eco-friendly space in the 11th arrondissement right next to the iconic Bastile. It’s perfect for all manner of corporate events, from conferences to exhibitions, private dining, receptions, and workshops.

It’s great for those planning a sustainable event in Paris because it utilises renewable energy and is decorated with recycled materials.

This venue is spacious and versatile, with over 200m2 of space, including a charming and nostalgic cobbled courtyard, two office spaces, and breakout rooms featuring lounging space and games.

Plus, there’s also a private bar and a catering service. The food is, of course, highly sustainable. You’ll also have versatile furniture arrangements, projectors, sound equipment, and excellent WiFi. And finally, you’ll be able to accommodate up to 60 people in a seated event and 100 people in a standing event.

2. Green Atelier Near the Champs Elysees For an Eco-Friendly Event in Paris

But perhaps nostalgia isn’t your vibe. Perhaps your eco-friendly event in Paris calls for brightness and pristine decor. If so, you’ll love this green atelier near the Champs- Elysées.

It has an understated green aesthetic, with a living ceiling a sizable array of exotic plants, and it glows with natural light. Plus, it’s full of curious art installations and is filled with sustainable furniture pieces.

Plus, you’ll have a private kitchen and an organic drink and catering service. There’s also a large open lounge area for breakout sessions or intimate workshops. Amenity wise, you’ll have all the essentials such as projectors and high-speed WiFi. And finally, you’ll be able to accommodate up to 50 guests here.

3. Classic Atelier Located in a Former Railway Station For a Sustainable Event in Paris

Our third and final venue for your sustainable event in Paris is this classical atelier. It’s located in a former railways station and sits on the 17th and 18th arrondissement border – next to the Porte de Saint-Ouen train station so your guests can utilise public transport!

This workshop space is part of a fabulous collective that is driving public awareness of eco-responsible values in a fun and positive way. They have a simple philosophy of the three ‘R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

The workshop itself is a homely and nostalgic space with an intimate capacity of 15 people. It is full of vintage elements, including a well-worn crafting table, historical railway signs, and many old tools hanging from the walls.

Your guests will also love the vibrant and spacious canteen area nestled over an abandoned railway line and shining in natural light thanks to the giant wall of glass that looks directly down the old line. Plus, they have a homely and sustainable catering service and high-speed WiFi.

If we’ve captured your imagination, we’re not surprised. The fun doesn’t have to stop here. Follow this link to see our guide to Paris’s coolest eco-friendly event venues. Enjoy!

Eco-Friendly Catering Companies in Paris 

After you’ve got yourself a venue, the next step in hosting an eco-friendly event in Paris is a sustainable caterer. And you’re in a good city for that, let us tell you! Just check out these charming stats:

• 50% of sustainable food served in institutional catering in 2021
• 70% of fruit and vegetables served in canteens are seasonal and local (Île-de-France or less than 250 km)
• 15 tons of fruit and vegetables saved from being thrown away and given instead to charitable organisations

And without further ado, here are some of our favourite caterers for your sustainable event in Paris:

Saint Clair le Traiteur: Saint Clair le Traiteur has been at the cutting edge of refined and contemporary catering cuisine for over 30 years. They have experience, heritage, elegance, and they’re experts at putting custom sustainable menus together.

Lenôtre, Traiteur & Créateur d’événements: Lenôtre, Traiteur & Créateur d’événements specialise in big events. From gala dinners to showstopper recetpions. They have a lifetime of experience in haute cuisine, hosting more than 6,500 events a year.

Sustainable Transport Methods in Paris 

This is our last stop on our journey through Paris’s eco-friendly initiative: transport. So far, the city has achieved quite a lot:

• 772 km of cycling routes added
• 95 000 Vélib’ journeys on average per day
• 10 000 new bike parking spaces under construction
• 1 000 charging stations for electric vehicles
• Opening of the Parc Rives de Seine (10 ha) to give the Seine riverbanks over to pedestrians and cyclists
• Deployment of the Bicycle Express Network, secure bicycle routes

So as you can see, cycling is very much an option. And that’s important because travel is the most significant environmental issue when organising an event.

But it’s not just cycling. Public transport is also your ally when hosting an eco-friendly event in Paris.

The city has a huge incorporated travel network, including metro, bus, trains and bikes. It’s organised by RATP, who’ve made serious commitments to reducing their carbon footprint, including developing their bus network to 80% electricity by 2025, with the remaining 20% on biogas.

Wrapping up 

So there you have it, a rundown of how you can run a sustainable event in Paris. It’s a magical city. We can’t recommend it enough.

If you’d like to see more venues in Paris, we’ve only shown you the tip of the iceberg. We’ve got hundreds more if you only follow that link!

And before we go, this might be the appropriate time to introduce you to this guide we wrote earlier on how to host an eco-friendly event. Happy event planning!