{"id":6990,"date":"2014-03-05T18:44:35","date_gmt":"2014-03-05T17:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.france-hotel-guide.com\/en\/blog\/?p=6990"},"modified":"2020-04-28T15:45:27","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T14:45:27","slug":"paris-by-bicycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.france-hotel-guide.com\/en\/blog\/paris-by-bicycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Visiting Paris by Bicycle an Excellent Idea?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bikes almost disappeared from the Parisian streets during the 1980s because they were seen as a mode of transportation for poor people only. Luckily they made a comeback 10 years later thanks to their environmental advantages and are now part of the Parisian landscape and in constant growth. Here are a few answers as to why you should visit Paris with a bike.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Why visit Paris with a bike?<\/h2>\n

1) For your health<\/h3>\n

According to a Scottish study<\/a>, bicycling five times a week for half an hour would reduce the risk of developing cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%.It also helps with weight loss and increases your respiratory capacity. So really, there is no downside. Because you are held on the bike, your hips, knees and ankles are not traumatised by brutal shocks compared to other sports.<\/p>\n

Furthermore Parisian streets are pretty flat. Not to the point of comparing the French capital to its neighbour the Flat Country \u2013 especially when it comes to the Montmartre district \u2013 but enough so to ensure moderate efforts only.<\/p>\n

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2) To save money<\/h3>\n

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The 1-day Paris Visite Pass (zone 1 to 3) costs \u20ac13.90, whereas renting a V\u00e9lib\u2019 is \u20ac1 for half an hour.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that the cost of renting a car is even higher and you still have to add the price of fuel and parking. Because you can find V\u00e9lib\u2019 stations all over the city and the distance from one monument to another is pretty short, returning the bike at the end of your trip is really easy and it helps you save even more money.<\/p>\n

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3) For the infrastructure<\/h3>\n
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Credits: Jean-Louis Zimmermann<\/a> under Creative Commons 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By 2020 Paris should count no less than 1.400km of bike paths. With the REVe (bicycle freeway) plan, Paris wants to become the world capital of bicycles<\/a>*. A few numbers: REVe invested 63 million euros to create new bike paths, 7 million to create 10.000 new parking spaces and 40 million to create a new bicycle freeway and redesign the old ones.<\/p>\n

That is why it is so pleasant to ride in Paris: the biking network is in good shape, it is sufficiently developed to have access to most parts of Paris with a bike, more and more 30km\/h areas are being created inside the city to ensure the safety of riders, etc.<\/p>\n

Finally it is worth mentioning that for short distances (<5kms) biking is the quickest option available inside Paris. The bicycle path allows the riders to avoid traffic during rush hours. You will save a lot of time! *the website is not yet available in English<\/p>\n

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4) There is a bike for everyone<\/h3>\n
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Credits: Jean-Louis Zimmermann<\/a> under Creative Commons 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you are still unsure about your biking option, we still have a trick up our sleeve: electric bicycles!<\/p>\n

If you are hesitant about your capacities, if you would like a bit more speed and if you are willing to pay a bit more, the electric bicycle may be a good option for you.They are more and more common on French soil, you can even rent one at a V\u00e9lib\u2019 station. Thanks to the electric motor assistance you will still have to pedal but not to make any effort. It is a good compromise.<\/p>\n

If there is a child in your group you can also rent a tandem adult+child to ensure her or his safety.<\/p>\n

You have no reason left to say no!<\/p>\n

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How to visit Paris with a bicycle?<\/h2>\n

1) Where to find a bicycle in Paris?<\/h3>\n

Free floating<\/h4>\n
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Credits:\u00a0Nissangeniss \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> under Creative Commons 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The concept arrived in Paris in 2017 and it is fairly simple: download an app on your smartphone, locate the nearest bike, unlock it with a QR code and put it back in any public place of your choice when you are done. Several companies are available in Paris:<\/p>\n