Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Cycling

Friday Video: The Untold Story Behind the Paris Bike Boom

Yes, Anne Hidalgo deserves a lot of the credit — but the unsung heroes are the advocates who pushed her to do more.

Photo: Shifter

Anne Hidalgo's visionary leadership gets a lot of the credit for Paris's bicycling boom. But is there a deeper story behind the success of the City of Lights? In this video, Shifter unpacks how advocates held the vaunted mayor accountable for making good on her big biking promises, as well as how a simple Metro-style bike map helped residents envision a future where getting in the saddle was a real alternative to driving, plus as a few other tips that we could learn from in the U.S.

And along the way, host Tom Babin bikes all 40 of Paris's newest cycling lanes in under 12 (edited) minutes.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Opinion: NYC Is Partly To Blame For Failure of Privately Owned Citi Bike After Winter Storm

The Mamdani administration should fine Lyft for falling short of its contractual obligations — and reward it for meeting or surpassing them.

February 11, 2026

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Back to the Future

Some old Greyhound stations are architectural landmarks. Can they be repurposed?

February 11, 2026

Another Conspiracy Theory, This One Around a Vehicle Miles Tax, Comes to California

"None of this required secret meetings or hidden language in the bill. It only required repetition — and the willingness to treat worst-case hypotheticals as settled fact."

February 10, 2026

Safe Streets, Workers Rights, Crash Victims Targeted By Big Tech In Super Bowl Ads

Some Super Bowl commercials are ads. And some are warning shots.

February 10, 2026

This Bill Would Give Your Community More Money To Build Its Own Transportation Future

States monopolize federal transportation funding even though local and regional governments oversee most of our nation's roads. It's time for that to change, a new bill argues.

February 10, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines Go Car-Free

Here's what cities can do to encourage residents to ditch their cars and cut their carbon footprint.

February 10, 2026
See all posts