Travel & Transportation and Autos
Paris Peddles Bike Initiative
Paris has found a frugal way to ease traffic congestion and help the environment with a bike-rental program called Velib (French for “bicycle freedom,” roughly).Every summer the City of Lights is transformed into the city of bikes as the Tour de France descends upon the city’s famed Champs-Elysees. But this summer, scads of sweaty internationals are being spotted pedaling down Paris’ tiny streets and grand avenues.
No, they’re not the last remaining cyclists from this year’s tarnished Tour de France, but rather tourists taking part in the city’s new communal bike program.
Like many bike co-op initiatives, this new service allows users to take a bike from one location and drop it off at any one of the 750 stations located throughout the city.
You can rent bikes in the French capitol for anywhere from one day ($1.37 US) to a year ($40 US). An absolutely fantastic idea, but something tells me it’ll never catch on in the states! For those traveling to France, however, consider combining a workout with your Eiffel watching.
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