Paris Urges Immediate Activation of 'Plan Grand Froid' Amid Severe Winter Crisis for Homeless

As Paris faces a prolonged period of severe cold, the city hall has urgently called on the French state to activate the "plan grand froid" to protect thousands of homeless individuals enduring harsh temperatures. The call comes amid warnings of a "dramatic" humanitarian situation in the capital, where freezing weather conditions have persisted for days and are expected to continue.

Currently, approximately 16,900 shelter places are available each night in Paris for vulnerable populations, with municipal services sheltering over 1,400 people in public facilities. On the night of December 25, more than 210 new families were accommodated after reaching out for assistance. Despite these efforts, the city underscores that these provisions remain insufficient given that over 3,500 people were recorded sleeping rough during the recent Nuit de la solidarité.

The "plan grand froid," already activated in several French departments, would allow an extension of day shelter hours, increase outreach to homeless individuals, and enable the requisition of additional emergency accommodation places, including vacant buildings. Paris city officials highlight repeated alerts from outreach teams about those suffering from the cold and stress the urgent need for the state to intensify its response.

The Ile-de-France prefecture responded by affirming it has mobilized resources since December 23 to support vulnerable populations but has yet to activate the cold weather plan in the region since it is not under a yellow extreme cold alert according to Météo-France. The region has committed 1.25 million euros to assist organizations working with the homeless during winter.

Léa Filoche, deputy to Mayor Anne Hidalgo, criticized the state for what she described as a "serious disengagement," emphasizing that the local government's winter plan—including new shelter openings and increased food aid—does not fully address the urgent needs on the ground.

With freezing temperatures continuing, Paris awaits the state's prompt activation of the "plan grand froid" to expand protections for its most vulnerable residents during this critical winter emergency.