In the bustling heart of Paris, where the famed Les Halles market halls once stood, rises the imposing Église Saint-Eustache. With its Gothic stained-glass windows and striking façade, the church has been a landmark in this part of the city for centuries. What was once a traffic square has now been transformed into a lively, green public space: exactly why we settled here during our photo trip through France.

In recent years, substantial investment has gone into public planting around the church. Mature trees provide shade for the countless Parisians and tourists who gather on the broad seating edges, while children run between the trunks and street musicians add atmosphere. The combination of monumental architecture and lush greenery shows perfectly how to breathe new life into a historic city centre: not by choosing between stone and planting, but by letting the two reinforce each other.