Two ISL Perspectives on the Streets of Paris

Paris has been receiving a lot of attention in recent years for its transformative street changes, reallocating space from cars to more sustainable modes of transportation. Two of our Sustainable Transportation staff members, Roy Symons and Scott MacDonald recently visited Paris in September 2024 during their respective vacations that included stops in several other European cities. We thought it would be interesting to compare their individual perspectives, from first impressions and elements they think could be adapted to the Canadian context, to aspects they didn’t enjoy and other unique insights

What were your first impressions about the streets and transportation infrastructure in Paris? 

Roy

We took the train from the airport, transferred to the Metro at Gare du Nord, and surfaced at Porte Maillot, where we encountered a brand-new, bi-directional protected bike lane, people biking with their kids, and a tram line running through grass alongside. 

I knew good things were happening in Paris—that was my main reason for stopping there on this trip—but I didn’t realize the extent of the new infrastructure. Staying just on the western edge of Paris (which I hadn’t realized was so small), I was pleasantly surprised to see these recent additions. We walked about 20 minutes to the hotel. We could have taken the tram, but it was already time to start taking photos. 

After dropping our things at the hotel, I found myself most impressed by the architecture rather than the streets. Being my first time in Paris, and having done little research beforehand, the sheer number of grand buildings was astonishing, almost to the point of being too much! I’m curious how many people wait for cyclists to enter the frame before taking photos of famous landmarks. 

Scott

I arrived from Belgium at Gare Du Nord, which as may be obvious is located in the north of Paris, near to Montmartre. Immediately unfolding my Brompton, I rode across the city to where I was staying in the 12th arrondissement, adjacent to the Bois de Vincennes.

I was riding for about half an hour and the first thing I noticed was just how narrow some of Paris’s bike lanes are, and for the large stretches that these dimensions were carried over. At their most constrained, widths were in the range of 1.2m – 1.5m. 1.5m is the absolute minimum that is recommended in B.C., but with the caveat that this narrowing should only occur for at most 100m. The effect was that passing was practically impossible, except at intersections, and people biking generally formed platoons whose speed and ability to make the next light were dictated by the abilities of whoever was first. 

Even with its limitations, I enjoyed using Paris’s bike network. Biking around the city wouldn’t have been a viable, competitive, or attractive option without these constrained bike facilities, which is why I believe Paris is a shining example of how crucial connectivity is to shifting people’s travel choices. 

In terms of outcomes, ‘not perfect’ everywhere consistently beats ‘perfect’ here and there.

There’s a lot to be said for Dutch bicycle infrastructure, but I think Paris is a fantastic lesson in what’s possible by instead building out a reasonable network as quickly as possible. 

Are there any street design elements used in Paris you think are transferable to Canada? 

Roy

I was aware of the pedestrianization of the Seine beforehand, but as I reviewed my photos at home and checked historic Street View images, it quickly became clear just how much effort has gone into reclaiming space for people, whether for walking, cycling, or transit. With many cities aiming to increase sustainable mode share, this approach is truly one of the most effective ways to achieve that goal. The transformation isn’t over yet, and a quick google search suggests many more changes to come in the next few years. 

My biggest takeaway is the reallocation of space—or perhaps more importantly, the political will to make it happen.

Another favourite feature is the bicycle yield signs on traffic signals. In many cases, this legitimizes the right turn on red for cyclists, but at locations like mid-block crosswalks, the yield sign allows cyclists to continue through if the crossing is clear of pedestrians and it’s safe to proceed. The intent is similar to the Idaho stop, enabling cyclists to maintain their momentum. It’s a simple change that shows a thoughtful level of consideration for those on bicycles. 

I also appreciated how, in many areas, streets have been rebuilt using pavers, even in places that were previously paved with asphalt. This not only enhances the streetscape but also provides a traffic-calming effect. On several occasions, I was convinced the streets must have looked this way for decades, if not centuries—only to discover they were recent additions. While budgets are always a concern, finding ways to improve the aesthetics of a street enhances the overall experience in ways that are difficult to quantify and rarely factored into any option evaluation. 

Scott

I was impressed with the city’s level of consideration for those with sight loss. This doesn’t actually say much about Paris specifically; every time I travel, I’m impressed by the level of design for those with sight loss. I’ve seen complete road networks lined with Tactile Warning Surface Indicators (TWSIs) in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on the chaotic streets of Vietnam’s cities, and even throughout rural Japanese villages. Europe is no exception. One thing I sometimes experience in Asia, but had yet to come across in Europe until returning to Paris were TWSIs installed through crosswalks. I think this makes a lot of sense; after all, sight loss doesn’t end at a crosswalk. It also affords us as designers more flexibility to skew crossings given the consistent availability of tactile guiding information. 

This approach toward accessibility isn’t a niche design element or a trivial pursuit. People with total sight loss make up about 0.5% of the world’s population – but there are several different types of partial sight loss for which TWSIs also provide value for. Around 20% of the Canadian population has sight loss or an eye disease that could cause sight loss. Only about 4% of those with sight loss are completely blind. 

Are there any elements of the streets in Paris you didn’t enjoy? 

Roy

It’s certainly not perfect. We spent a lot of time checking Google Maps’ bike layer to locate the safest routes. With time, we’d become more familiar—no different than in Vancouver or Victoria today, where you naturally build knowledge about the safe routes through the city. 

Acknowledging that I’m generalizing here, on too many occasions, drivers in Paris were impatient and not fond of stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks, frequently edging forward to encourage you to walk faster. 

A special mention goes to the Arc de Triomphe. I wouldn’t say I disliked it; in fact, there’s something oddly entertaining about watching the chaos at peak times. You see everything from daring cyclists pushing vehicular cycling to new limits, to bewildered tourists on bike share wondering how they ended up there and how they escape, to pedestrians dashing to and from the center in the smallest gaps in traffic.  

A bit of research revealed that there’s supposedly a method to this madness: unlike typical roundabouts, vehicles entering have the right of way and navigate in a spiral pattern immediately trying to get to the centre before working their way back out. I figured I’d just drive around the perimeter! It seems to work to some degree; it kept moving while I watched, but I’d love to see the collision data. 

Scott

Paris has a network of shared bus and bike lanes that work fine in theory, but the experience is made uncomfortable by the constant speeding and lack of consideration from taxi drivers. I’m not sure if they’re permitted to use these lanes or not, but these shared lanes would be so much more comfortable if they weren’t.  

This touches on how I think we as designers can do better to apply our modern transportation hierarchy in our decision-making processes. In general, cities’ transportation hierarchies prioritize the needs of, in order of priority, pedestrians, cyclists, transit, goods movement, ride hailing, and personal vehicles. Some variations exist and sub-categories (e.g., e-bikes, electric vehicles, etc.) are sometimes included. The inclusion of ride-hailing is an acknowledgement that sometimes people either need to or want to ride in a private vehicle.

Taxis, Uber, and the like are great ways to service that demand without requiring people to invest in private vehicles which, if owned and therefore readily available to people, could work against our mode shift goals. The issue, in my view, is that some cities have overprioritized the convenience of ride-hailing at the cost of modes further up this hierarchy. To me, it’s fine if Paris’s taxis get stuck in traffic with private vehicles. Taxis would remain as competitive of an option as private vehicles and my guess is that in these high-tourist areas, providing time-savings for taxis doesn’t really convince anyone to give up their own vehicles. 

Another thing I noticed about the shared bus and bike lanes is that they often seem wide enough to separate into fully protected bike and bus lanes. From my brief experience using the facilities, city designers seemed to prioritize curbside drop-off and pick-up above protecting people biking. Again, this is at odds with the modern transportation hierarchy. Given Paris’s level of consideration for vulnerable road users, however, I imagine that there are plans to re-design these facilities in a more protected manner in the years to come. 

Is there anything else about transportation in Paris you want to mention? 

Roy

Paris is an interesting place for shared micro-mobility. Following a few fatal accidents involving shared electric scooters and the general nuisance the riders were causing both while riding and leaving them discarded, they were removed from the streets following a public vote. Shared bikes, however, remain available, with three providers in operation including the docked Vélib’ system with conventional and electric bikes, somewhat like Vancouver’s Mobi system, along with electric Lime bikes and Dott bikes that are both dockless.  

During my few days there, bike share seemed to be incredibly well-used (perhaps even more so than personal bikes) and appearing equally popular among tourists and locals and even a broad range of society. The dockless bikes have designated parking spots in the city, but I often found them lying in heaps for reasons unknown. I encountered a few issues with my bikes, including grips and seats that were barely attached, misaligned pedals that made pedaling awkward, and handlebars that weren’t aligned with the front wheel. I reported each issue in hopes they’d be fixed, but these signs of wear suggest the bikes are heavily used, likely mistreated, and would benefit from a bit more investment. Still, when we were tired of walking, even a barely functioning electric bike was a welcome relief. 

The number of bridges crossing the Seine is also worth noting; they help distribute traffic more evenly and give pedestrians and cyclists more options for crossing the river without needing to take long detours. 

Scott

Around the world, we’re seeing cities redesigning downtown neighbourhoods for those residing in them, rather than as amenities for those driving in from elsewhere. This philosophy enables planners to do more with the space that is available to them, and better supports cities’ goals for more sustainable transportation and living. Since I visited Paris, the city has even restricted vehicles from being able to drive through parts of the city; instead requiring drivers to take more circuitous routes on the city’s edge, which reduces traffic, noise, and air pollution within the city centre. 

In recent years, Paris has been steadfast in reallocating space for sustainable modes. They have pedestrianized the Seine riverbanks, removed parking spaces and even roadways to provide urban green areas and playgrounds, and made a major effort to reallocate vehicle lanes to enable transit and cycling to be more time-competitive, attractive options. I’d like to emphasize this last point by highlighting one project in particular, and that’s the reimagined Rue de Rivoli. Until recently one of the most congested multi-lane throughfares in Paris, the street is now entirely reserved for bikes, buses, and taxis – a pretty incredible symbol! Take a tour through the historical Google Street View here if you’re interested. 

Walking and riding along the newly pedestrianized sections of the Seine was especially interesting insofar as it was difficult to imagine it was once any other way. I’m convinced that this is a common feeling among people visiting Europe — who would ever imagine that the main squares in Dutch towns were once parking lots, or that the central canal in Utrecht was until very recently a freeway?

This is part of what drives me in sustainable planning and design: working creatively to improve our cities so that we can look back and say wow, I can’t believe this was any other way!  

Interested in learning more from Roy and Scott’s trips? 

We hope you find these insights interesting and perhaps even inspiring for your next project. For more photos and perspectives from Paris, take a look at Roy’s blog, Rolling in the City. Both Roy and Scott visited other cities on their recent vacations and will be sharing more insights on the #ISLlife blog in the coming weeks.  

About the Authors

Scott MacDonald

is a Sustainable Transportation Planner with ISL working out of the Squamish and Burnaby offices. Scott works on both active transportation planning and design projects primarily across British Columbia.