The Traveller's Magazine
The last thing a city wants is images of tourists wearing face masks as they tour the place’s top sights. Paris is taking a cue from Beijing’s smoggy image, and tackling the problem before it gets too bad.
Paris officials are seeking some pretty drastic measures to combat an alarming spike in air pollution, that has turned the city’s skies from blue to murky, foggy grey. The city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has been calling the government to implement an emergency ban on both car and truck traffic. Late last month, Paris’ air pollution registered above Europe’s safety threshold.
This was the first time in 2015 that the car ban was put into place, but it was only a year ago that the city’s pollution previously peaked. The city’s mayor also called on transport authorities to make subways, trains and buses free on days that air pollution passes the EU thresholds. France definitely doesn’t want to have a Beijing on their hands, because we all know how that would effect tourism. Best check the city’s air quality before booking those flights to Paris!
