Over 20,000 waste containers are at your disposal, in the streets and in the metro. To ignore them means risking a fine, because it is prohibited to throw rubbish on the public highway. Make sure you don’t throw your chewing gum on the floor either - it holds no appeal for the soles of your shoes and ruins the paving stones. Public waste containers are green. When the Vigipirate security measures are activated, they are sealed and replaced by large translucent bags.

It may be that certain symbolic districts highly-frequented by tourists, such as the Champs-Elysées, don’t have any waste bins in sight for reasons of security and so need constant upkeep. In this case, please hold on to your rubbish until you come across the nearest dustbin. All over the city, an army of municipal employees with their modern machines are kept busy every day making Paris a cleaner, more pleasant place for you to visit. Even the Seine quaysides are scrubbed down once a week. Finally, don’t be surprised if you find all the city waste bins sealed or quite simply removed, it’ll be for security reasons.

Selective sorting of waste is in place in city housing. You’ll come across large green containers for the recycling of glass. Dog-owners are required to clean up after their canines or risk a fine (up to €450).

Paris, a clean city… reality or fantasy? It’s up to you. A clean city depends above all on each and every one of us, so let’s do the right thing.