Imagine a city with no cars or motor vehicles, where cyclists take over the wide lanes, paths are filled with pedestrians, & a public bike system provides the means for transport.
That’s exactly what happened last Sunday when Mayor Anne Hidalgo implemented a car-free day, provoked by a citizen collective called Paris Sans Voiture (Paris Without Cars).
This decision proves that Paris’ officials are taking a stand against the city’s pollution, and coincides with United Nations climate conference COP21, hosted by Paris in December.
Hidalgo described the effort as “a movement of education and learning,” which aimed to “show that Paris can function without cars.” If only every Sunday would become car-free!
Free of car exhaust and traffic, we biked from the Marais, to and empty Pont Alexandre III, beneath the early fall sun. Locals and tourists alike, enjoyed the calm in the city of lights.
Even riding down the tourist filled Champs-Élysées was a breath of fresh air. Literally.
