Why Are Giant Teddy Bears Taking Over This Paris Neighborhood?
The furry madness that has taken Paris by storm
In the fall of 2018, an unusual sight appeared in the Gobelins neighborhood of Paris’s 13th arrondissement. Philippe Labourel, owner of “Le Canon de la Presse” newstand and bookshop at 25 Avenue des Gobelins, introduced oversized teddy bears to the community.
These were not just ordinary stuffed toys, they were huge, standing at 1.4 meters (about 4’7″) tall and weighing around 4.9 kilograms (11 lb). One special bear even reached a height of 2.4 meters (almost 8 feet).
These bears quickly became a charming part of the neighborhood, bringing smiles to locals and visitors alike.
How It All Started
Labourel placed the first bear in his shop window in June 2018. By mid-October, he started lending them out to local businesses and neighbors for 48 hours at a time.
The bears soon became mini-celebrities, posing in fun, human-like ways across the Gobelins neighborhood and other parts of Paris. Photos of them appeared on social media, where they gained a lot of attention.
They were spotted at bus stops, near the Gobelins Métro station, and even in the windows of the town hall in the 13th arrondissement.
Spreading the Joy
Initially, only six nearby businesses took part in this playful project. But soon, the bears expanded their reach. They could be seen all over Avenue des Gobelins, from sitting inside cafés to hanging out on the street. The Grand Hôtel des Gobelins displayed 37 bears in its windows at one point. Even the local police station joined in, borrowing two bears that they named Starsky and Hutch.
The bears’ adventures were shared on a dedicated Facebook page managed by a local pharmacist. By late November 2018, the page had reached 225,000 views. People loved seeing these bears engage in various activities: riding scooters, relaxing at bars, pretending to be injured at clinics, and more.
This lighthearted initiative created a feeling of community and brought moments of joy to daily life. An informal group called Protection des Ours des Gobelins Organisée (POGO) was even formed to ensure the bears were treated with respect and kept safe.
Seasonal Visits and Special Events
In January 2019, after a festive Christmas season, the bears took a break and “hibernated” until their return in April. Their reappearance was marked by even more fun, including a teddy bear wedding that drew a crowd of 2,800 people. Labourel hinted that the bears would venture beyond Gobelins to other areas of Paris.
Labourel’s idea wasn’t for advertising but purely to spread joy. He personally funded the project, and the bears became a way for him to connect with people he’d never spoken to in his 25 years of running the bookshop.
He jokingly mentioned that the bears came from Central Europe, displaced by deforestation, and added that his own childhood teddy bear, Gorille, wanted a friend.
A Symbol During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the teddy bears played an important role. Labourel added more bears and placed them throughout Paris as a reminder of social distancing. They wore masks and even held permission slips to be outside during the strict lockdowns. When lockdowns ended, the bears continued to sit in the empty chairs of closed restaurants, symbolizing hope and resilience.
The Heartwarming Impact of the Gobelins Bears
The Gobelins teddy bears brought simple, shared happiness to the neighborhood. The sight of these oversized bears in everyday settings brought smiles and strengthened the sense of community. Labourel’s initiative reminded everyone that small gestures could make a big difference and create connections where there were none before.
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This article includes information from the Wikipedia page ‘Teddy bears of the Gobelins’ used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA 4.0).