Where hundreds of people, including children, gather in front of City Hall, and where Utopia and Sheltersuit provide warmth when there is nowhere else to go.
As temperatures drop in Paris, the pressure on local shelter systems continues to rise. Every evening, large groups of people who have nowhere else to stay gather in front of City Hall. Women on their own, families, young children, all searching for a safe place to get through the night. Our partner organization Utopia is there to support them, as they have done for years. And everywhere you look, people of all ages are lying in and under Sheltersuits, a crucial form of protection when no other options are available
Utopia 56 as a safety net for the most vulnerable
Utopia focuses primarily on the most vulnerable groups: women and children, and a large group of UMCs, Unaccompanied Minors who arrived in France without parents and have no place to go.
Every night, Utopia provides shelter to around 120 people in their emergency center in Bagnolet, but the number of people needing help is far greater. “We are doing shelter for the most vulnerable people,” says Salomé, explaining their work. “Tonight there are around 205 people, and between 60 and 70 children.”
For everyone who cannot be placed in the shelter, there is only one option left: gathering in front of City Hall in the hope of finding a temporary solution for the night.
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A visible presence at city hall
The gathering at City Hall is not an organized demonstration but a visible emergency. People stay there because they have nowhere else to go, and because staying together as a group offers more safety.
Families lie close to one another; children try to sleep. The rhythm of the city continues around them while people lie on the cold stones searching for protection. “Normally the state has to do the shelter. And because there are not enough solutions, we are here asking for help,” explains Salomé.
The situation shifts constantly. Sometimes the police arrive, sometimes they leave. Sometimes there is dialogue, sometimes tension. But as long as there are no alternative shelter options, people remain here together.
Why people end up in Paris
Many of the people supported by Utopia come from West African countries such as Guinea. The reasons for leaving their home countries vary: war, persecution, poverty, or simply the hope for safety. Some speak French and try to build a life in France as a result.
“We are providing unconditional help. If they don’t want to talk about their story, we do not ask,” Salomé emphasizes. Some people work, often informally and therefore need to stay close to Paris should a shelter option become available. Others have children attending school nearby. Being placed far outside the city is often impossible for them.
The Sheltersuit as essential protection at night
During nights spent outdoors, the Sheltersuit plays a critical role, especially when tents are not allowed or when the number of people exceeds available resources.
Utopia has been using Sheltersuits for years. This year they received 420 of them, and in previous years more than 600. The suits are used extensively in situations like these: nights on the street, sit-ins, rain and cold.
The Sheltersuits are very, very useful. Especially when we have children. They stay warm and dry during the night
- Salomé, employee at Utopia in Paris -
Where blankets often fall short, the Sheltersuit offers protection from wind and rain. On this evening at City Hall, that was clearer than ever: everywhere, children, young people, and adults were wrapped in Sheltersuits to stay warm.
A city in constant motion, and an organization that keeps showing up
Paris is home to thousands of people without stable housing. The situation changes day by day, sometimes hour by hour. Yet Utopia shows up every day, providing guidance, warmth, food, and safety. And as long as people are forced to sleep outside, the Sheltersuit remains an essential tool to make those nights safer and more bearable.
Give someone warmth for the night
This evening in front of City Hall shows how vital the Sheltersuit is for people who have no other protection. Utopia has used them for years because they work — because they bring warmth, safety, and dignity.
Help us continue this work. Donate a Sheltersuit and give someone warmth, safety, and a moment of rest in an uncertain night.
Together, we make a difference, one person, one night, one Sheltersuit at a time.
