According to a recent study highlighted by Euronews.Green, cycling has surpassed driving in popularity within central Paris. The Institut Paris Region (IPR) found that bicycles are now used for 11.2% of trips in the city center, while cars account for only 4.3% of journeys. This marks a significant increase from 2010, when cycling comprised just 3% of trips.

Walking remains the most popular mode of transportation in central Paris, with 53.3% of all journeys made on foot, followed by public transport at 30%. David Belliard, Paris’s deputy mayor in charge of transport, reflected on the shift, commenting on X (formerly Twitter), 

“Ten years ago, who could have predicted that bicycles would take over cars” adding that although much remains to be done, this change represents a “first victory.”

The study also sheds light on transportation habits outside the city center, revealing a strong dependence on cars in the suburban areas of Paris. Within the zones between the city’s two ring roads, car journeys constitute nearly half of all trips, and this figure rises to 61% in the more distant suburbs. 

Despite this reliance on automobiles, public transport still dominates for trips between Paris and its suburbs, with usage rates of 66% from the inner suburbs and 77% from the outer suburbs, indicating a continued preference for mass transit over personal vehicles in these areas.