Return of the green sheep

It is not a sight you would expect to see beside the ring road which encircles Paris. Just beyond the porte de Bercy, past 8 lanes of traffic, are a small flock of black sheep grazing on a strip of lawn.

Their purpose is to be an environmentally-friendly alternative to petrol-run lawnmowers by keeping the grass down, removing the need for harmful pesticides in the process. The sheep are are set to stay until September as part of trial and a shepherd will check up on them. They will be sheared in June and the wool will be made into ponchos and hats by a Breton business.

As well as being a pleasant sight, with green grass and daffodils (the sheep hate daffodils so don’t eat them), there are a number of reasons why the sheep are used. Firstly their lifespans are not long enough to develop cancer, of which they would otherwise be at risk to due to being so close to a polluted road. The sheep are apparently undisturbed by the traffic and the grass has been tested for pollutants and found to be unharmful to them. Plus they won't end up as leg of lamb.

It is not the first time sheep have been used in this way. The initiative was started by the SME Greensheep, based in Paris, some years ago. The firm owns 400 sheep which are hired out to French towns and businesses. The sheep are cheaper than using lawnmowers and much more environmentally friendly.