Over the past decade, Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, has overseen one of Europe’s most ambitious urban mobility transformations. Nearly 1,000 kilometres of cycle lanes have been introduced since she took office in 2014, dramatically reshaping how residents move through the French capital.
The changes have had a visible impact on everyday life. According to cycling advocacy group Paris en Selle, almost half of Parisians now ride a bicycle at least once a week, reflecting the growing popularity of cycling as a practical alternative to cars.
Marion Soulet, head of the group, says the expansion of cycling infrastructure has encouraged more residents to adopt bikes as their primary means of transport. As the city redesigns streets to accommodate cyclists, she notes, more people feel confident leaving their cars behind.
“People like it because it’s easy, inexpensive and fast,” Soulet told Reuters, adding that the convenience of cycling has made it particularly appealing for daily commutes and short journeys across the city.
The surge in bicycle use forms a central pillar of Paris’s broader environmental strategy. City authorities have sought to turn the capital into a “15-minute city,” where residents can access essential services such as schools, shops and workplaces within a short walk or bike ride.
Under Hidalgo’s leadership and earlier left-wing administrations governing the city since 2001, Paris has implemented sweeping changes aimed at reducing pollution and improving urban livability.
These measures include planting 130,000 trees, pedestrianising sections of road along the River Seine, and removing tens of thousands of on-street parking spaces.
Speed limits across most of the city have also been reduced to 30 kilometres per hour, further prioritising pedestrian and cyclist safety over car traffic.
According to city data, these policies have had a measurable impact. Car traffic has fallen by more than 60 percent since 2002, while cycling has more than tripled during the same period. Air quality indicators have also improved as vehicle emissions decline.
Urban policy experts say the transformation of Paris is remarkable among major global cities. Patrick Le Gales, an urban specialist at Sciences Po, described the shift as one of the most striking examples of metropolitan redesign in recent decades.
“There aren’t many major cities in the world that have experienced such a spectacular transformation,” he said.
However, the policies have also generated growing political and social tensions. As Hidalgo prepares to step down and not seek another term, her environmental legacy is emerging as a central issue in the upcoming mayoral race.
Opinion polls suggest a close contest between Emmanuel Grégoire, Hidalgo’s deputy and a Socialist candidate who supports continuing the green agenda, and conservative rival Rachida Dati, a member of The Republicans party.
The latest survey places Grégoire ahead with 31 percent support, while Dati follows closely with 26 percent, highlighting the political divide over the city’s future direction.
Dati, who previously served as justice minister under former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and later as culture minister, argues that some of the recent changes risk undermining the historic character of Paris.
Speaking to Reuters while campaigning in northern Paris, she said the debate over transport policies should focus less on ideology and more on practical organisation.
“We’re not fighting an ideological battle on transportation issues,” Dati said. “We just want things to be organised.”
Critics of the cycling revolution also point to rising municipal debt as a concern. Paris’s debt has grown to nearly €10 billion, up significantly from €4.18 billion when Hidalgo first took office in 2014.
Motorists’ advocacy groups say the new policies have also created tensions between residents living in the city centre and commuters from surrounding suburbs who rely heavily on cars.
Pierre Chasseray, head of the motorists’ organisation 40 Million Motorists, argues that the policies have divided residents into opposing camps.
“We’ve ended up with a caricatured image of the capital: motorists on one side, cyclists on the other – the good guys versus the bad guys,” he said.
Hidalgo’s administration has also faced criticism online. A social media campaign using the hashtag #saccageParis—meaning “trashed Paris”—has highlighted frustrations ranging from prolonged roadworks to rubbish on city streets.
Even supporters of the mayor’s environmental vision acknowledge that the speed of change may have contributed to the backlash.
Grégoire recently suggested that City Hall’s ambitious programme may have tried to accomplish too much at once. “We did too many things at the same time,” he admitted.
As the next mayoral election approaches, Paris faces a critical decision about the future of its urban transformation. For supporters, the cycling revolution represents a model for sustainable cities worldwide.
For critics, however, the challenge will be finding a balance between environmental goals, financial stability and the daily realities of life in one of Europe’s busiest capitals.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members