People walk near the Arc de Triomphe Monument, fully wrapped as part of an art installation titled L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped conceived by the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude on the Champs Elysees avenue during a car-free sonday in Paris, France, September 19, 2021. PARIS, Sept 19 Reuters - Crowds of Parisians and tourists strolled along the Champs-Elysees avenue on Sunday as a car free day removed most of the traffic from normal busy streets of the French capital.
Pedestrians wandering along the most permanent thoroughfare in Paris could view the Arc de Triomphe as an art installation in its temporary guise. The monument is covered in silver wrapping, as conceived by late artist Christo. It's our chance to look at the Arc de Triomphe face-to-face and not just from the sidewalk, said Annie Matuszewski, a 68 - year old Parisian.
In 2015 Paris held its first car-free day in a center zone, expanding the initiative in 2017 to other districts within city limits. At the annual event, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was keen to use the opportunity to reduce pollution and curb car emissions.
Other roads in the capital on Sunday were filled with walkers and cyclists, although buses, taxis and residents using cars for essential journeys could still use some streets.
The Socialist mayor, a candidate for the presidential election, has also reduced the speed limit on most of the city streets from 50 kph to 30 kilometres per hour and pedestrianised some busy roads along the Seine River. But her policies have irritated motorists, particularly some residents of suburbs complaining they do not have adequate alternative forms of transport.
Car-free day is great if we integrate the entire Paris region, said Patrice, a retiree in suburbs. Otherwise, it's almost as if they're saying people living in Paris are doing very well inside their perimeter and everything outside is not worth their attention.