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Cycling in Paris

Paris is not only a city renowned for its historical and cultural monuments, its luxury boutiques, or its upscale nightclubs. Indeed, the capital is also full of many cycle paths for family or romantic outings.

Rental or purchase?

The capital of France is really a marvelous city if we disregard its thousands of cars and its endless traffic jams whether it's selling or raining. I can't remember the last time I drove without stress in the streets of Paris. Thus, as soon as I can do without my vehicle, I do not hesitate to multiply the journeys on foot. Otherwise, when the rain is not there, I take out my electric bike. With this equipment, I can not only get around traffic jams, but I no longer have any problem parking, even in the busiest streets of Paris.

At first, as I only used this mode of transport occasionally, I used the Vélib’ for the day. You will easily find terminals near the addresses where you are going. It turns out that more and more tourists prefer cycling to visit the capital. In addition, the prices charged for Vélib' are very affordable:no need to go looking for a bike rental shop.

But now, as cycling has become a real passion for me, I could no longer settle for a rental. What's more, in our group of cycling enthusiasts, I was the only one who did not yet own a bike. So, as soon as I put some money aside, I immediately ordered my Batavus Razer Alfine 8 on Holland Bikes .

371 kilometers of cycle paths in Paris

The certainty is that cycling enthusiasts are not likely to be disappointed during their excursions in the capital, because the City of Light now has more than 371 kilometers of trails entirely dedicated to cyclists. Moreover, new courses are regularly appearing. Unfortunately, their location is not necessarily easy to spot. This is why it is necessary to join a cycling group or association, especially for people who like group rides.

Regarding the choice of routes, it will be mainly according to your desires and your inspirations of the moment. However, the banks of the Seine are for me one of the most beautiful places in the capital for urban cycling, on non-working days. Indeed, every Sunday and on public holidays, these arteries are closed to motorists. If you have never visited the main sights of Paris, now is the time to do so.

As an example of a circuit, your starting point may be the Quai Branly on the left bank in the seventh arrondissement, or the Bir-hakeim Metro station in the fifteenth. But Paris is also renowned for its many gardens and green spaces, to name only the Bois de Vincennes and the Bois de Boulogne. In any case, all of the capital's cycle routes are already signposted and therefore very easy to spot, but be careful:cars are not always kind to cyclists!