Crowds flock to the Champs-Elysées on Car Free Day in Paris

PARIS, September 19 (Reuters) – Crowds of Parisians and tourists strolled along the Avenue des Champs-Elysées on Sunday as a car-free day removed most of the traffic from the capital’s generally busy streets French.

Pedestrians wandering along Paris’ most famous thoroughfare could see the Arc de Triomphe in its temporary form of artistic installation. The monument was covered with silver wrapping, as designed by the late artist Christo. Read more

“This is our chance to walk on the ‘Champs’, to watch the Arc de Triomphe face to face and not just from the sidewalk,” said Annie Matuszewski, a 68-year-old Parisian.

Paris held its first car-free day in 2015 in a central area, expanding the initiative in 2017 to other neighborhoods within the city limits. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sought to use the annual event to curb vehicle use and reduce air pollution.

On Sunday, other arteries in the capital were filled with walkers and cyclists, although buses, taxis and residents using cars for essential trips could still use some streets.

The socialist mayor, candidate for the presidential election next year, also reduced the speed limit in most of the city streets to 30 kilometers per hour (19 miles per hour) from 50 km / h and pedestrian some busy roads along the Seine. Read more

But his policy has angered motorists, especially some suburban dwellers who complain that they do not have adequate alternative means of transportation.

“The day without a car is good if we integrate the entire Paris region,” said Patrice, retired from the suburbs. “Otherwise, it’s almost like they’re saying that the people of Paris are doing well inside their perimeter, and everything outside is not worth their attention.”

Report by Ardee Napolitano; Writing by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Edmund Blair

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