Walking has always been important to Parisians — the French even have a verb for strolling through a city with no destination in mind (flâner) — so it is perhaps not surprising that as one of her last initiatives before leaving office in 2026, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has made plans to make flânerie even better in the City of Light, by banning cars from 500 streets.
Shrugging off accusations that creating additional automobile-free streets will make the city more of a theme park for the world’s rich than it already is, Hidalgo’s administration argues that on the contrary, the new pedestrianised streets will be good for Parisians, good for French real estate investors, and, ultimately, a hugely beneficial part of a blue print for sustainability that can be replicated in other cities.
Hidalgo’s referendum on the issue, held on 23 March, was backed by 66 percent of those who voted, with majorities in 14 of the city’s 17 arrondissements. Although critics point out
