Ahhh the famous Parisian benches! Bottle-green in color, sometimes stamped with beautiful lines of prose as in the Jardin du Palais Royal, they mark the Parisian landscape in parks, gardens, squares and streets. An essential feature of the city - almost on a par with the legendary chairs in the Jardin du Luxembourg or the Jardin des Tuileries - they do have one flaw, however: they're designed for adults only!
The Davioud bench is one of the most popular models seen in public spaces. Created in the 1860s (according to Wikipedia) by architect Gabriel Davioud, the bench is made of oak, with a double seat, and is just over two meters long.
With the aim of making streets even more child-friendly and rethinking the city from the point of view of the very young (especially children under 10), miniature benches have just been installed in June 2025, for the very first time in Paris, in the 20th arrondissement, rue Pierre Foncin. The project aims to extend to other Parisian public spaces in the future.
Official website
www.paris.fr
