Paris to go car-free for one day this month

Parisians will be guaranteed a traffic-free day on the 27th of September, as the city enforces a complete ban on motorized vehicles. The initiative, which will take place on a Sunday, is part of City Hall's long-term strategy to reduce pollution and promote cleaner, alternative modes of transport.

 

 

 

From 11am to 6pm, the Journée Sans Voiture ("Day Without Cars") event will allow locals and visitors to explore the city on foot or by bike without being surrounded by the emissions and noises of urban traffic.

Roads will be closed in all the central neighbourhoods (the first 7 arrondissements, plus the 10th and 11th), as well as around major tourists attractions such as the Champs-Elysées, Place de la République, Bastille and the Eiffel Tower. Only a few exceptions will be made, notably for emergency vehicles and public transport.

 

The initiative will follow European Mobility Week, which is being held in the French capital from 16 to 22 September, and comes ahead of United Nations climate change conference, which Paris is hosting in November.
For a number of years, the city has been committed to reducing the role of cars, strengthening its public transport network, introducing bike and electric car rental schemes, and offering a financial incentive to those who give up their car in favour of greener forms of transport.

 

The Day Without Cars event will be a first for Paris, and, if successful, it could be repeated annually. Other cities to have introduced similar car-free initiatives include Mexico City, Brussels and Bogota, which even held a car-free week.