Would you like to go for a walk on along the quays of Paris? Safe pedaling to La Défense? Or park your bike near the Stade de France? Making olympic sites accessible, this was one of the major challenges of the Paris Olympics. But with just a few weeks to go, can we call it a success?
Olympic sites accessible by bike?
This is the goal set by the Paris Olympic Committee: to create a 415 km network of fully secure cycle lanes. This network would include 120 km of new trails, and would enable everyone to easily reach the various points of interest in the games. The aim? To relieve traffic congestion in Paris, which is expecting some 15 million visitors during the Games. The only drawback is that some cycle paths don’t always allow you to overtake! Too bad for those of us in a hurry.
Thanks to this network, you can go to the Parc des Princes, the Vélodrome National des Yvelines or even to the Château de Versailles by bike! The tracks will be fully secured and decorated in the colors of the Paris Olympics. What’s more, you can park your bike in the free, guarded parking lots. Just a stone’s throw from the Stade de France, 3,000 secure parking spaces are already being installed.
In Paris, 30 km of the 50 promised cycle paths are already passable. The remaining 20 km should be ready by July 8, according to David Belliard, ecologist deputy mayor of Paris.
Let’s hope the rest of the tracks are available before the games start!