France: Driving restrictions in Paris and Lyon August 6

Event

Driving restrictions will be in effect on Monday, August 6, in the Île-de-France and Rhône-Alpes regions, home to the cities of Paris and Lyon, respectively. The driving restrictions are in place due to high levels of air pollution linked to the ongoing heatwave and may be renewed into the following days if conditions do not improve.

Only vehicles with “Crit’Air” stickers type 0, 1, 2, or 3 will be permitted to drive in the Paris region between 05:30 and midnight (local time). This comprises the zone encompassed by the A86 ring road (not including the ring road itself). Drivers of cars with type 4 or 5 stickers will face fines, unless there are at least three people in the car. On these days, full-day public transportation passes (metro, bus, trams, commuter trains) will be available for EUR 3.80 in Île-de-France.

Driving restrictions are also in effect in the cities of Lyon and Villeurbanne, as well as the entire department of Isère.

Context

As a reminder, pollution rating stickers - vignettes Crit’Air - became compulsory in 2017 for all registered vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) driving in or through Paris. The stickers come in six colors/numbers according to the amount of pollutants produced by the vehicle (from green to grey/0 to 5).

On a health-related note, this air pollution could be hazardous to certain groups ‒ e.g. children, seniors, pregnant women, and people suffering from asthma and other respiratory issues. Air pollution can be harmful to heart health and may make it more likely that some people will have a heart attack or stroke.

Advice

Individuals in the above regions are advised to abide by the instructions issued by the authorities, to expect busier than normal conditions on public transit, and to limit strenuous outdoor activity for health reasons.