There will be additional metros and RERs, bicycles and 400 km of Olympians, taxis, high-frequency buses in the outer suburbs, and no doubt, here and there, a few scooters during the two fortnights of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to allow the 7 million visitors to get around. The organization of the Games having set itself the objective of reducing the carbon emissions linked to the event by half, the car is asked to remain in the garage. And those who want to try it, may well regret it.
“It will be very complicated to circulate”, already announces the town hall of Paris. First, because the Olympic sites will not be accessible by vehicle. “There will be no general traffic ban in Paris during the Games, but it will be impossible for spectators to access the Games sites by car or to park nearby”, warns the Interministerial Delegation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Dijop).
In other words, “in the immediate vicinity of the sites, certain streets will be completely closed to traffic, then, in a slightly wider perimeter, restrictions will be put in place to divert all transit traffic in particular” adds the Ministry of Transport.
Areas dedicated to athletes, relief and delegations
For example, the car parks usually used to access the Stade de France in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) will be closed. And no other parking is planned, even away from the security perimeter. However, in inner Paris, the list of sites that will host the Olympic events is long: Trocadéro, Concorde, Invalides, Grand Palais, Porte de la Chapelle Arena, Bercy, Roland-Garros, etc. Road events, such as marathons, triathlons or cycling races, will require deviations and cuts in the axes for several hours, much like the Tour de France.
And all fan zones, places of festivities like La Villette or gathering places like Porte Maillot are also affected by these traffic restrictions. That is, in total, almost half of Paris is already forbidden to cars.
And it’s not over. In order to facilitate the movement of accredited persons, dedicated lanes will be set up. For more than two months – from July 1 to September 15, 2024 – 185 km of corridors will be closed to traffic on the A1 between Paris and Roissy airport, or the A13, as well as a lane on two thirds of the ring road between the gates of Sèvres and Bercy, or even the penetrating in Paris to the Arena de Bercy or the circular boulevard of La Défense.
These lanes will be reserved for all athletes, Olympic families, delegations, journalists, emergency services, security forces, etc. In addition, major axes such as the avenue de la Grande-Armée, the rue de Rivoli or the Invalides bridge will see their traffic reduced.
Details announced in September
In short, a large part of the capital will be almost impassable for Ile-de-France motorists. To the point that some, like traders, are already worried: “We don’t know what the nature of the road plan will be, the extent of the security perimeters that will be put in place and the conditions of access to our establishments. But we have already heard about measures that worry us. Deliveries only at night in certain districts, for example… ”says Franck Delvau, president of the Union of trades and hotel industries (Umih) Paris IDF.
The town hall of Paris and the police headquarters do not want to say more. A specific communication is planned for the start of the 2023 school year and “the police headquarters is preparing precise traffic plans, day by day, taking into account the progress of the tests”, details the Ministry of Transport.
“Local residents will of course have access to their accommodation, as is already the case when hosting major events. Commercial or professional establishments located on the roads concerned will benefit from derogations to maintain their activity. We will try to inform as soon as possible, we are assured at the Hôtel-de-Ville, so that everyone can organize themselves as well as possible. »
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