How Paris beat the car.
12 March 2026
The city’s transition away from the car has become a global role model.
Under mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris was “the most influential city in the world”, says Canadian urbanist Brent Toderian.
Parisian car traffic fell by more than half between 2002 and 2023, while cycle lanes expanded sixfold. Bikes now make more than twice as many journeys as cars.
Hidalgo, stepping down after 12 years, exulted: “The bike beat the car.”
Under mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris was “the most influential city in the world”, says Canadian urbanist Brent Toderian.
Parisian car traffic fell by more than half between 2002 and 2023, while cycle lanes expanded sixfold. Bikes now make more than twice as many journeys as cars.
Hidalgo, stepping down after 12 years, exulted: “The bike beat the car.”