Wild Paris: Nature’s return to the City of Light

Paris is known throughout the world for the beauty of its architecture and the wealth of its heritage. But what of the 500,000 trees and the 2,900 wild species of fauna and flora that inhabit the City of Light?

Having adapted to the urban environment, this nature overflows with the fascinating and moving stories of wild species that dwell amongst the famous places of our habitat, and live the unusual adventures of their animal lives.

Paris: A Wild Story relates the astonishing destinies of those living creatures that stroll through town in search of food, love and adventures while men sleep, travel and work in the city.

00:00 Introduction: When Nature Reclaims the City
The contrast between Paris 5,000 years ago and today’s metropolis.

03:11 The Odyssey of the Goose Family and “Petite Barre”
The arrival of a bar-headed goose from Asia among a Swedish family.

04:53 The Story of Lutetia: From Marshes to Royal Gardens
How humans first pushed nature away, then reintroduced it through leisure walks.

08:00 A Gourmet Stop at Longchamp and the Bois de Boulogne
Parisian green spaces as havens for migratory birds.

13:35 The Foxes of Paris: A Secret Life Beneath the City
How a vixen and her cubs adapt to life in abandoned tunnels.

17:13 Intruders of the Canals: The Arrival of Nutria
Mr. and Mrs. Nutria’s journey through the Canal Saint-Martin.

21:24 The Ecological Awakening: Paris Goes Pesticide-Free
The immediate impact of banning pesticides on insects and birds.

28:18 The Peregrine Falcon: Emperor of the Eiffel Tower
High-speed hunting (350 km/h) among iconic monuments.

36:01 The Mystery of the Montmartre Silkworm
The incredible story of the Japanese giant silk moth surviving in Paris.

45:16 Crows and the Secrets of Père Lachaise
The social life of the “true Parisians” in the city’s largest central green space.

53:02 Surviving the Parisian Winter
Urban microclimates and human support in feeding wildlife.

55:42 Beneath the Seine: The Giant Catfish
The river’s revival and an encounter with a 2.5-meter predator.

01:01:04 Spring: The City of Love and Bees
Rooftop beehives thrive and the revival of the black honeybee.

01:21:57 The Great Duckling Leap and Reunions
Life’s cycle resumes as Petite Barre leaves with her own kind.

01:25:31 Conclusion: Toward the Green City of the Future
Reimagining Paris as a connected ecosystem for future generations.