Paris on two wheels: Why the Olympic host is now a cycling city

CGTN Europe

Cycling is now Parisians' second-favorite way to commute, behind walking.   A new report shows more people travel by bike than car because it's quicker, and visitors to the French capital for the Olympics are being advised to consider two wheels where possible.

Transcript

00:00This is now the second favorite way for Parisians to commute behind walking.

00:05A new report shows more people travel by bike than car because it's quicker.

00:10And visitors to the French capital for the Olympics are being advised to consider two wheels where possible.

00:16Metro and buses are also an option. However, some metro stations near Olympic venues will be closed,

00:22meaning that hopping on a bike should be one of the smoothest ways to get around during the Olympics.

00:28But the cycle lanes have not escaped the impact of Paris 2024.

00:32Traffic jams, diversions and the closure of cycle lanes are problems that have been part of the daily life of Parisian riders for weeks.

00:39Luckily, the Olympic preparations didn't force me to change my routine, but it did affect my colleague.

00:45She usually cycles along the Seine-Riverside bike lanes, but they are now closed to the public.

00:51Paris does have plenty of bike lanes, and it's starting to be more bike-friendly, as you can see here,

00:56but it's no Amsterdam or Copenhagen yet.

00:59Plus, here, many cyclists don't respect road rules, such as stopping at red lights.

01:04From just 200 kilometers in 2001, cyclists now have more than 1,000 kilometers of tailor-made bike paths.

01:12Often concreted off from the rest of the road, these separated lanes provide greater safety for cyclists.

01:18Velib is a bike-for-hire scheme that started in Paris in 2007.

01:23There are also private companies like Lime and Dot providing thousands of bikes to meet growing demand.

01:29And if cycling in Paris needed another boost, in just one week's time,

01:33the men's and women's Olympic road cyclists will be racing around this city.

01:39Ross Cullen, CGTN, Paris.

Category

Transcript

Recommended