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Community Members Discuss Place de la Bastille Infrastructure Changes
Affected residents and users respond to ongoing works converting space for pedestrians and cyclists under the Réinventons nos places project.
How we reported this
The Place de la Bastille is undergoing a major transformation under the 'Réinventons nos places' project, converting nearly 7,000 m² of the roundabout into pedestrian and cyclist space to improve green areas and soft mobility. This work directly affects daily movement around the square and its connections to surrounding areas.
Project Details at the Square
The project involves removing the historic roundabout around the July Column and replacing circular traffic with a 'horseshoe' circulation pattern on three sides of the square. A key infrastructure component is the creation of a new multi-stage staircase and ramp connecting Place de la Bastille directly to the Bassin de l'Arsenal, with initial roadworks concluding in 2019 and the ramp access completed in 2020. These elements change how people access the square from adjacent streets and the canal basin.
Related Works Nearby and in Grenoble
Boulevard Henri IV near the Paris Place de la Bastille saw infrastructure work creating new unidirectional cycling paths and pedestrian islands between May and September 2025. A separate infrastructure project in Grenoble, France, involved €995,000 of heritage enhancement works at the Fort de la Bastille, a listed Historic Monument, starting in April 2022, including repairs to Place Tournadre and underground networks. Community members in both locations have followed these changes because they alter access, traffic flow and heritage features in daily use.
Residents note that the Paris works reduce vehicle space while expanding areas for walking and cycling. The horseshoe pattern and new ramp to the Bassin de l'Arsenal alter routes that locals and visitors previously used. In Grenoble the Fort de la Bastille repairs address maintenance needs at a major landmark. These projects proceed in stages, with some elements finished and others ongoing, shaping how people move through the affected spaces.
Further phases of the Paris works continue to adjust the layout around the July Column and the new connections. Users of the square and nearby streets adjust their routines as the pedestrian and cyclist areas take shape. The Grenoble project focused on specific repairs to listed structures and networks.