The Grass Is Greener and Peopled in Paris

In a policy reversal, Paris plans to let tourists and locals walk, loll and play on the grass.

The French capital’s city hall this month said it will take down signs saying “Keep Off the Grass” in the capital’s 413 public parks and gardens.

Paris has some of the best manicured lawns of any major city, but under current laws, anyone venturing onto the grass can be ordered off, or even fined. Under the plan, pedestrians will be allowed access to one grassy area of a park while another section is roped off to let the grass recover.

“The capital is not a museum, and we want to give the public back the lawns in Paris,” a city official said.