Transportation

Paris Introduces Car-Free Sundays

Banning vehicles from parts of the city—including the Champs Elysées—is part of an ongoing effort to curb pollution.
Pedestrians took to the Champs Elysées last September 27, as Paris went car-free for the day.REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Beginning May 8, some Sundays in Paris will be a little less smoggy.

The French city will ban car traffic along the Champs Elysées and nine other routes on the first Sunday of each month, adding to the 13 areas already announced as part of the “Paris Breathes” campaign, The Independent reports. (Mayor Anne Hidalgo moved the launch to May 8 from May 1 to avoid conflict with a public holiday.) Another four zones will be pedestrian-only on Sundays, but just during the summer.