The Paris Urban Farm

History of the Paris urban farm

This urban farm in Paris is located on the roof of the Parc des expositions, in the 15th arrondissement. It is a 14,000 m2 farm overlooking pavilion 6. In high season, it produces up to one tonne of fruit and vegetables per day. These are used to supply the inhabitants of the south of the capital and neighbouring communes directly or through distribution services, hotels and collective restaurants.
The concept comes from the company Viparis, the manager of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, accompanied by three professional partners in this field. Among these, Agripolis and Cultures en Ville are experts in urban agriculture. They have joined forces to implement the project by building a new structure to exploit this exceptional space. The aim is to create an urban farm of international stature in terms of responsible production.
Next comes Le Perchoir, the famous Parisian rooftop company, which is bringing its investment to the panoramic terrace of Pavilion 6. It has opened a bar and restaurant there, offering a menu created in part with products grown on the spot. Agripolis has made a major contribution to this project. Its aim is to use unoccupied roofs to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs.

The proposed activities

This urban farm in Paris contains about thirty different species of plants, which are maintained by about twenty gardeners and market gardeners. These are all grown using organic methods and in accordance with the rhythm of nature's cycles in the heart of the capital. More than a thousand fruits and vegetables are distributed every day in the on-site shop. But the activities on offer are not limited to growing vegetables.
This organic oasis also offers several other services related to urban agriculture, such as renting out small vegetable plots for local residents. On site, you can attend conferences, lectures and educational visits for everyone on the subject of the environment, urban agriculture and sustainable innovation. There are also team building workshops for companies.
The farm has a bar and a restaurant that can accommodate approximately 300 people. These magnificent aerial locations offer menus based on seasonal products from the site while enjoying panoramic views of the capital.

The objectives of the urban farm

The objective of this giant urban farm is to have an agricultural relay point in the middle of the city. It is a sort of showcase, which aims to promote peri-urban agriculture. Nevertheless, the site is not so much dedicated to supplying the inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
The main objective of this project is to make this infrastructure a more sustainable production model recognised worldwide. It does not use pesticides or chemical fertilisers, and grows quality produce. Above all, the idea is to foster economic and ecological resilience in the future. In fact, the urban farm is a means of greening neighbourhoods to improve the quality of life in the surrounding area.
Even if self-sufficiency is still far from being a dream, urban agriculture is taking hold in Paris. This giant farm is not the only one in the metropolis. The Ferme de Paris, in the middle of the Bois de Vincennes, is also a site that practices organic farming for educational purposes.

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To find out more about agripolis projects: agripolis.eu