PARIS — Crowds of Parisians and tourists strolled along the Champs-Elysees avenue on Sunday as a car-free day removed most of the traffic from the French capital’s usually busy streets. Pedestrians wandering along the most famous thoroughfare in Paris could view the Arc de Triomphe in its temporary guise as an art installation. Paris held its first car-free day in 2015 in a central zone, expanding the initiative in 2017 to other districts within the city limits. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sought to use the annual event to curb vehicle use and reduce air pollution. “Car-free day is great if we integrate the entire Paris region,” said Patrice, a retiree in the suburbs.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 19, 2021 14:37 UTC