“A green carpet” a fitting description perhaps? Yet, we find ourselves not on a street adorned with verdant flora, but standing before the Rue du Vert Buisson. This street may seem like any other Parisian thoroughfare but it carries whispers of history and transformation.
The Rue du Vert Buisson finds itself amidst a changing landscape. Parisian millionaire Cédric Naudon envisioned transforming a street in the northern Marais neighborhood into a gourmet and design destination. He called his project “La Jeune Rue”.
Naudon’s idea was to attract bakers, butchers and fishmongers. He wanted to entice them back to practice their trades here. He also wanted eateries offering various cuisines. Naudon commissioned top-notch designers to create individual interiors.
Naudon continued buying properties. He focused on the Rue du Vert Buisson and neighboring streets like Volta and Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth. He acquired forty-five locations. The scene was set for a gourmet-arty transformation of this Bohemian locale.
Each gourmet spot was designed by top designers. There was a seafood store by Tom Dixon and a tapas bar by Jasper Morrison. An Italian restaurant was designed by Patricia Urquiola. A speakeasy was created by Ingo Maurer. A butcher shop came from Michele De Lucchi. Even a Korean street-food restaurant by Paola Navone found a home here. Another forty locations were scheduled to open, including a contemporary art gallery and a cinema.
Naudon aimed to offer ethically sourced products at reasonable prices. These would be seasonally available and come directly from the farm, cutting out intermediaries. The project also aimed to create 250 jobs in the neighborhood.
The Rue du Vert Buisson embodies reinvention. It became a canvas for culinary innovation and artistic expression. It’s a place where the spirit of old Paris meets the aspirations of a new generation.