Article updated on 16 April 2024
This article was revised: the reference to the ban on coaches within the perimeter of the LTZ has been removed (more info on motorcoach traffic and parking).
Today, 350,000 to 500,000 vehicles pass through central Paris every day, 50% of which pass through the area without stopping. And up to 700 coaches travel around in Paris every day in high season.
This traffic has a major impact on the quality of life of Parisians and visitors to the city: high levels of noise and air pollution, and traffic accidents.
The City of Paris has chosen to prioritize quality of life in central Paris by introducing new regulations for traffic.
The LTZ is an area in which vehicle access is restricted to improve quality of life, reduce noise and air pollution, and encourage environmentally friendly modes of travel (walking, cycling, public transport). Transit traffic is now banned from the LTZ, but travel to and from the area is still possible. This initiative is the result of consultations by the City of Paris with players in the tourism, commerce, culture, events and transport sectors.
A pedagogical period is effective from November 4 2024, enabling everyone to familiarize themselves with the system and adapt their journeys. From autumn 2025, the LTZ will be in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Control procedures and the supporting documents required will be indicated shortly.
The LTZ will be in force in the first four arrondissements of the capital, except for the islands and upper quays.
The following street delimiting the Limited Traffic Zone are not included in it:
• Place de la Concorde,
• Rue Royale,
• Place de la Madeleine,
• Boulevard de la Madeleine,
• Boulevard des Capucines,
• Place de l’Opéra,
• Boulevard des Italiens,
• Boulevard Montmartre,
• Boulevard Poissonnière,
• Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle,
• Boulevard Saint-Denis,
• Boulevard Saint-Martin,
• Place de la République,
• Boulevard du Temple,
• Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire,
• Boulevard Beaumarchais,
• Place de la Bastille,
• Boulevard Bourdon,
• Quai Henri IV,
• Quai des Célestins (voies dans le sens ouest-est),
• Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville (voies dans le sens ouest-est),
• Quai de Gesvres,
• Quai de la Mégisserie,
• Quai du Louvre,
• Quai François Mitterrand,
• Quai Aimé Césaire,
• Quai des Tuileries.
On the other hand, the east-west traffic lanes on Quais des Célestins and Hôtel de Ville are included in the Limited Traffic Zone.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited from crossing the LTZ. However, it is still possible to enter the LTZ to access destinations within the perimeter (hotels, restaurants, museums, shops, etc.).
The vehicles must be able to justify their presence in the area in the event of a spot check (hotel, restaurant, car park reservations, etc.).
However, the City of Paris has provided for exceptions that may transit:
From November 2024 and during the first months of the implementation of the LTZ, pedagogical actions are in place. The aim of these initiatives is to inform users about the introduction of the LTZ, and so there will be no sanctions during this period. From autumn 2025, checks will be carried out in the area by the municipal police. A decree will be issued at a later date to specify how the system is to be monitored.
The implementation of a Limited Traffic Zone (LTZ) should lead to a significant reduction in traffic on several major routes in central Paris, by 15% on the quays and up to 30% on Avenue de l'Opéra. These figures illustrate the direct impact of the LTZ on traffic flow and the reduction of traffic jams in these key areas.
The reduction in traffic in the LTZ will also bring about a notable drop in noise on several major roads in central Paris, as well as an improvement in air quality, notably due to a reduction in NO2 emissions, a pollutant mainly generated by road traffic. Among the areas concerned, a reduction of 15% in pollution is expected on Avenue de l’Opéra and Boulevard Henri IV, and of 10% on Boulevard de Sébastopol.
