La REcyclerie, located in a former railway station on the Petite Ceinture trainline in Paris, is somewhat of an ode to the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Housed in the old Ornano train station, La REcyclerie is a multi-purpose venue – café, bar, restaurant, urban farm and educational and creative centre – with a focus on sustainability.

What was once an abandoned railway station is now a thriving hub for eco, ethical and environmentally conscious punters who frequent La REcyclerie for its various resources.

La REcyclerie hosts DIY workshops (winter gardening, screen printing, clothing repairs and upcycling furniture), talks, screenings and yoga classes.

A highlight for many of the Parisians that frequent La REcyclerie is the former waiting room of the old Ornano station, which is now a 200-seat restaurant serving organic and local foods.

The restaurant, with its enormous glass window offering a panoramic view over the old railway tracks, is decked out in upcycled and vintage furniture including colourful chairs and wooden furnishings. An open kitchen and large bar area is also found amidst climbing plants.

Nothing goes to waste at La REcyclerie’s eatery where food remains are sorted and recycled to produce vermicompost, a 100% natural fertilizer.

In fact nothing goes to waste anywhere at La REcyclerie, as punters are encouraged to bring in their old possessions to be fixed at the on site repair centre. In-house handyman René is on hand to fix goods as well as teach people to how to do their own repairs.

Aside from the interiors, outside the building there is a platform dedicated to a collaborative vegetable and herb garden created by local residents, a green roof, an area growing aromatic plants and fungi, as well as an urban farm that is already home to at least 20 animals.

La REcyclerie, which opened in 2014, is set to house some new residents soon as it extends its hospitality to accommodate hives, breed insects, and an unheated greenhouse.

La REcyclerie

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief @rosamedea