Why Are All Paris Benches, Signs and Fences Green?
Paris is famous for its iconic green benches, chairs, fences and signs but have you ever wondered about the story behind why the public furniture and fixtures around Paris, including the beautiful Wallace Fountains, are painted green? The green colour is called 'Carriage Green' and it has a history all of its own.
Here's the story about the colour Carriage Green'. It originates from the dark period of history of the French Revolution and the beheading of France's King Louis XVI on 21 January 1793.
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Wallace Fountain outside Shakespeare and Company bookstore, 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, Paris
King Louis XVI and Carriage Green
On the fateful day that the King of France lost his life he started the day being dressed and attended to by his valet and then delivered to the courtyard of what we now know as Place de la Concorde for his execution. In front of the large crowd that had gathered to witness this event, King Louis XVI was delivered to the Place and his executioners in a carriage that was painted green.
After stepping out of the carriage and offering himself to his executors, his beheading was done without delay to the cheers of the large crowd and the phrase Carriage Green was born.
Carriage Green - First Tradition and Now the Law
Now whenever the city workers paint a park bench or make repairs to city furniture or fixtures, it must all be done in the same shade of Carriage Green. Walking around the streets of Paris and seeing all the green street signs, garden fences, metro signs and public furniture is one of my favourite things to do.
French booksellers along the Seine (bouquinistes) have been painting their boxes Carriage Green for centuries, and they have been in existence selling rare books and prints since the 16th century. It is now against the law to paint the boxes any other colour than Carriage Green.
Parisian booksellers along Quai de Montebello, Paris
Plying their trade along the Seine River from Pont Marie to Quai du Louvre on the right bank (rive droite) and from Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire on the left bank (rive gauche), the bouquinistes and their green boxes are UNESCO listed. These sellers and their boxes are considered a part of French cultural heritage and to find out more, read our article Bouquinistes - The Seine River Booksellers.
I think no visit to Paris is complete without a browse through the bouquinistes and an hour or two reading a book lazying back on a carriage green park bench or chair in the flower filled Jardin du Luxembourg or the peaceful Jardin du Royale.
Read more on Jardin du Luxembourg here and see our related posts on Paris below.
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