Driving bans in Lille and Paris
The north and west of France were hit by high levels of air pollution last week, some of it still coming from the Saharan sands and then changing to high levels of particulate matter. At the weekend, there were driving bans in Lille, Rennes and Paris.
For the first time in over two years, warnings were issued in Brittany because of high particulate matter pollution. Normally, the region is hardly affected by pollution because the wind conditions ensure a lively exchange of air. But now measures have been taken to reduce pollutants in almost all departments along the northwest coast: The maximum permitted speed has been lowered, the burning of rubbish and cargo waste banned, the application of fertiliser and the test running of engines prohibited.
In Rennes, until yesterday Sunday, only cars with a French environmental sticker on their car could drive. Vehicle owners without a sticker had to leave their vehicle parked. In Lille and Paris, driving bans are also in force today, Monday. Since Friday, only trucks and buses with at least a French sticker 4 are allowed to drive in Lille and the surrounding area. Cars and vans must even have a sticker 3. Motorised two-wheelers and tricycles are not affected by the ban, but quadricycles, so-called quads, are.
In Paris, the rules are even stricter. There, not a single motorised vehicle is allowed to drive within the second motorway ring A86 that does not have at least a sticker 2. This means diesel cars must have at least Euro5 and trucks Euro6 to enter the city.
You can find out when you can drive in Lille and Paris again without restrictions in the Green Zones app.