Once a month, Paris Breathes! In addition to Avenue des Champs-Elysées, the first 4 arrondissements are going green and car-free, eliminating motor vehicles for a day. Next event in October.
Every first Sunday of the month is the new car-free day in Paris. An initiative appreciated by many Parisians, who have fallen under the spell of a capital free of motorized vehicles and noise pollution.
The capital's first four arrondissements are closed to car traffic one Sunday a month. Since October 7, 2018, a"Paris Respire" zone has been in place in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris, one Sunday a month, allowing pedestrians to take full advantage of the center of the City of Light. The same applies to Avenue des Champs-Elysées.
The next dates are November 17, 2024 for the launch of the Champs-Elysées illuminations, December 1, 2024 and February 2, 2024. The center of Paris won't be pedestrianized in January.
Most of the streets in these arrondissements are affected. However, major thoroughfares such as"boulevard Sébastopol and the Quais Hauts" are spared and "remain open to car traffic", according to Christophe Najdovski, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of the greening of public spaces, green areas, biodiversity and animal welfare.
Motorized vehicle traffic is prohibited on the first Sunday of each month, from 10am to 5pm, in the area within the following perimeter:
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Place du Chatelet, 1st arrondissement
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Quai de la Mégisserie, 1st arrondissement
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Quai du Louvre, 1st arrondissement
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Quai des Tuileries, 1st arrondissement
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Quai François Mitterrand, 1st arrondissement
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Place du Carrousel, 1st arrondissement
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rue de Rohan, 1st arrondissement
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avenue de l'Opéra, 1st and 2nd arrondissements
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place de l'Opéra, 2nd and 9th arrondissements
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boulevard des Capucines, 2nd and 9th arrondissements, between place de l'Opéra and boulevard des Italiens
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boulevard des Italiens, 2nd and 9th arrondissements
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boulevard Montmartre, 2nd and 9th arrondissements
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boulevard Poissonnière, 2nd and 9th arrondissements
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boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle, 2nd and 10th arrondissements
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boulevard Saint-Denis, 2nd, 3rd and 10th arrondissements
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boulevard Saint-Martin, 3rd and 10th arrondissements
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place de la République, 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements
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boulevard du Temple, 3rd and 11th arrondissements
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boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, 3rd and 11th arrondissements
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boulevard Beaumarchais, 3rd, 4th and 11th arrondissements
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place de la Bastille, 4th, 11th and 12th arrondissements
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boulevard Henri IV, 4th arrondissement
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pont de Sully, 4th and 5th arrondissements
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quai de la Tournelle, 5th arrondissement
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quai de Montebello, 5th arrondissement
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petit Pont (Cardinal Lustiger), 4th and 5th arrondissements
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rue de la Cité, 4th arrondissement
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pont Notre-Dame, 4th arrondissement
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rue Saint-Martin, 4th arrondissement, between quai de Gesvres and avenue Victoria
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avenue Victoria, 4th arrondissement, between rue Saint-Martin and boulevard de Sébastopol
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boulevard de Sébastopol, 1st and 4th arrondissements, between avenue Victoria and rue de Rivoli
The above-mentioned roads, which form the boundaries of the perimeter, are excluded.
The following roads are also excluded from the perimeter:
- boulevard de Sébastopol, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements
- place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 4th arrondissement
- quai de Gesvres, 4th arrondissement, between pont Notre-Dame and pont d'Arcole
- quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, 4th arrondissement quai des Célestins, 4th arrondissement
- rue de la Tacherie, 4th arrondissement, between quai de Gesvres and avenue Victoria
- avenue Victoria, 4th arrondissement, between place de l'Hôtel de Ville and rue Saint-Martin
- quai Henri IV, 4th arrondissement, between quai des Célestins and boulevard Henri IV
- port de la Tournelle, 5th arrondissement
- port de Montebello, 5th arrondissement
Until now, the"Paris respire" scheme, created in 2003, has covered 20 districts in the capital's different arrondissements. At weekends and on public holidays, the streets in these districts are closed to motorized traffic.
