France is investing heavily to become the most welcoming country in the world for cyclists. Less space for cars, multiplication of cycle paths, financial aid for the purchase of bicycles, development of secure parking lots: the French government is seeking to get out of the “everything by car” culture.
The French State is doing everything possible to encourage urban commuters to abandon the solo car and adopt public transport, walking or cycling. These are the means of transportation considered to be the most efficient, since nearly half of trips in town are five kilometers or less.
The new Cycling Plan also aims to make France the number one destination in the world for bicycle tourism – ahead of cycling paradises such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Germany.
“Our spaces have been shaped for the car. We are a developing cycling country,” summarizes Camille Thomé, director of Vélo Territoires, a French national organization that promotes cycling.
This active mobility expert is invited this week by Vélo Québec to present the French recipe for transportation on two wheels. The French Bike Plan is being closely watched by cities like Montreal and Quebec, which seek to encourage bicycle travel to reduce traffic congestion and decrease air pollution.
Those responsible for the Route verte, the largest cycling network in North America, which crosses Quebec over 5,300 kilometers, are also watching with interest French efforts to stimulate tourism on two wheels.
“Cycling policies in France have risen to the rank of serious and respectable public policies. It’s not perfect, but we have to recognize the government’s attention and willingness. The Bike Plan can no doubt inspire other governments,” says Camille Thomé.
Culture change
She felt quite alone, in the wide avenues dominated by cars, when she started getting around by bicycle 30 years ago. In France as in Quebec, the road network was planned in the last century by and for motorists. Mentalities are changing: the city of Lyon, where Camille Thomé lives, is now an exemplary metropolis in terms of cycling culture.
The French State intends to invest 2 billion euros by 2027 to accelerate the transformation of mobility throughout the country, even in sparsely populated areas.
“It’s a historic pedal stroke to democratize the use of bicycles throughout the national territory. Disproportionate to everything that has been done so far, this plan will establish a real culture of cycling, in all territories and at all ages of life, “said Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate for Transport.
The French Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, is convinced that “active mobility” (by bicycle, on foot, etc.) represents the future of urban travel. The national government encourages cities to take space away from cars to make room for bicycles: the more cyclists there are, the fewer motorized vehicles there are and the more “fluid” traffic becomes.
This is a bonus public health policy: it’s good for the body and for morale, to move. Cycling is health, remind the French authorities.
The plan aims to almost double the number of cycle lanes to reach 100,000 kilometers of secure facilities by 2030. A significant part of these cycle lanes will be separated from the roadway by a strip of concrete. But Europe’s population density is so high — and the streets so narrow — that road users have to learn to live in tight spaces.
Vélorues, where motorists, cyclists and pedestrians share the road, are more widespread in France than in Quebec.
Shared responsibility
“The layout of the streets must encourage motorists to slow down. Conflicts [entre usagers] increase because we have reached a critical mass of cyclists”, says Camille Thomé.
The activist bluntly admits that cyclists have a share of the responsibility in sharing the road. “A lot of cyclists are beginners. They don’t know how to behave and sometimes do a bit of a mess,” she says.
Motorists are not without fault either. The French State is preparing a safety campaign which targets not only cyclists, but also motorists who show little respect for other vulnerable road users. “Watch out for bikes, watch out for bikes”, insist the French authorities.
To establish a cycling culture, an active mobility education program has been set up. Each year, 850,000 children learn the rules of cohabitation between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
The goal is literally to develop the “bike reflex” for city trips. The State improves its financial assistance for the purchase of a bicycle. A new “sustainable mobility package” also encourages companies to pay 500 euros per year to their employees who travel on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.
“A tool of freedom”
The government is also committed to funding tens of thousands of secure bicycle parking spaces in government buildings, schools, stations and condominiums.
Municipalities are encouraged to be creative in stimulating active travel. In Lyon, cyclists can go through a red light at certain intersections, if they have a clear way.
Camille Thomé, who discovered the joys of cycling during a student exchange in the Netherlands, is delighted with the progress made since then by other European countries in terms of cycling facilities.
“For the young student that I was, the bicycle was a tool of freedom and inexpensive travel. It’s a way not to be bothered at night when you come home late. To be independent in your outings, to do what you want, where you want, while controlling your travel times. »