Coming straight from the Bernières quarry in Normandy, the sand traveled 175 km down the Seine River to bring a bona fide beach to the famous riverbanks of Paris. All 3,500 tons of sand for the Paris Plages event were delivered using a single fleet of three barges and one pusher craft. Coming by road, the same trip would have required nearly 250 trucks and emitted triple the amount of CO2!
Using waterway transport to sail towards more sustainable cities
Paris Plages is not the maiden voyage with this means of eco-friendly transport for the French branch of the Group. The company is one of the country’s waterway transport leaders, delivering between two and three million tons of building materials by river every year and using over 50 sites.
This choice represents a major environmental advantage for Paris and the Ile-de-France region. What's more, it’s safe, economical and punctual, and creates no sound pollution or traffic jams! The event is one illustration of our commitment to building a more beautiful and more sustainable Paris for the world to enjoy.