What would a car-free Paris look like? This September, we’ll get to find out, as this French city hosts its “Day Without Car,” or “Une Journée Sans Voiture” event.
On September 27th, Paris will close five major areas of the city to all motorized vehicular traffic, excepting emergency, delivery, and mass transit vehicles, from 11am to 6pm, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to explore the City of Light without congested streets and the accompanying air pollution.
The “Day Without Car” will include a number of iconic places around Paris, including the Champs Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank, Place de la Bastille, and others in the 1st, 2nd, 3th, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th and 11th arrondissements. Slower speed limits will apply to the vehicles that will be allowed in those areas, as well as to drivers in other areas of the city that will not be car-free.
This event, which is part of Paris‘ air pollution initiatives, will follow shortly after European Mobility Week (Sept. 16th to 22nd), and is an appropriate lead-up to the COP21 Paris climate summit taking place in November.
This car-free project was brought to the city by the collective Paris Sans Voiture, with the support of city mayor Anne Hidalgo, and mirrors similar car-free days held in other cities around the world, including Brussels, Montreal, Bogota, and Mexico City.
“Our project is a symbolic project. A few weeks before the COP 21, the first edition will be a landmark gesture that affirms the determination of Paris in the fight against climate change and against the pollution that makes the city breathe.” – Paris Sans Voiture
Stockholm, Sweden, will also be implementing a car-free day this year on September 19th, which coincides with European Mobility Week.
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