Only two cities in Hauts-de-France have received the “city by bike” label this year, awarded by Amaury Sport Organisation, at the head of the Tour de France. Calais (North) and Arras (Pas-de-Calais) are rewarded for their policy in favor of the development of cycling, less than two months before the passage of the Grande Boucle in the region.
Level 3 for Calais, level 2 for Arras
Calaisarrival city of the first French stage on July 5, obtains a label of level 3 out of 4 bikes. “2021 marks an important step forward in its policy to develop cycling mobility for all its inhabitants”, writes the direction of the Tour de France. Calais is one of the 12 cities that have reached this level for the second year of this cycling label.
On his side, Arras reaches level 2 out of 4 bikes. like thirteen other French cities. In the application file, the management of the Grand Boucle explains that “Aware of the omnipresence of the car, Arras has decided to pursue an active cycling policy since 2019. The budget devoted to the Community Cycling Plan has been multiplied by 10, which will allow it to catch up.”
108 “cycling cities” throughout France
To obtain the label, the municipalities must have hosted the Tour de France at least once or the Women’s Tour de France with Zwift. Calais and Arras join nine other towns in the region which obtained the label last year: Dunkirk, Saint-Omer, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Le Touquet, Béthune, Cambrai, Orchies, Roubaix and Saint-Quentin. In total, 108 cities benefit from this label in France.