Nature Takes Over the Champs-Élysées – Photography of the 2010 Urban Installation

When Paris’s most iconic avenue became a temporary field. In May 2010, the Nature Capitale installation transformed the Champs-Élysées into a sweeping landscape of crops and greenery—right in the heart of the city.

On May 23, 2010, the Champs-Élysées became an open-air field, covered in crops and young trees. For the International Day for Biological Diversity, the temporary installation Nature Capitale stretched from Place de l’Étoile to the Rond-Point, offering a striking contrast between nature and urban life.

Organized with the support of the Young Farmers’ Union, this ephemeral project highlighted the importance of connections between agriculture, environment, and urban planning. Visitors strolled through this iconic Parisian artery, amazed to walk among wheat stalks, saplings, and seedlings in the middle of the city.

The Arc de Triomphe in the distance added to the symbolic strength of the scene, while the vanishing lines of greenery structured the composition. The soft background blur enhanced depth and led the eye toward the urban horizon. The contrast between the vivid green of the plants and the deep blue sky contributed to the graphic intensity of the image.

Photographing this unique event offered a way to preserve a fleeting moment where nature briefly reclaimed urban space. A visual reflection on the integration of living ecosystems into cities—and on the role of farmers in raising awareness about biodiversity.

About the author: Sebastien Desnoulez is a photographer of urban landscapes and ephemeral initiatives. He documents with precision how public spaces are transformed and how cities, nature, and people interact through visual storytelling.

All the photos displayed on this website are copyright protected © Sebastien Desnoulez. No use allowed without written authorization.
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