All Paris will be closed to vehicles for car-free day

Paris is set to be entirely car-free on October 1 as the city closes its streets to all vehicles for its third “Journée sans Voiture”.

While previous versions of the car-free day have covered limited areas of the capital such as the Champs-Elysées, Le Parisien reports in an exclusive story that the whole of the city will be closed to traffic apart from emergency vehicles and public transport.

The aim is to cut pollution and streets will be closed from 11.00 until 18.00. The mairie decided to close all streets as last year’s car-free day, which covered different parts of the city, was too complicated and little understood.

Any vehicles that are permitted to be on the streets will be limited to a maximum 30kph.

Controls will be set up at the main access points to the city, manned by police and mairie officials.

Christophe Najdovski, the deputy mayor with responsibility for transport, told the paper that the restrictions applied from 11.00 so people could still drive into the city and enjoy the day and then leave once the roads reopen at 18.00.

He said the aim was to show that people could live without their cars and still enjoy the city.