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

How One Artist Is Helping Neighbors Decide How Their City Should Sound

An Italian researcher is challenging tactical urbanists to think about sound — and helping neighborhoods imagine something better for their auditory environments.

November 5, 2025

PART III: Policy Solutions to the E-Moto Problem

What happens when existing state laws don’t quite seem to fit newer types of electric motor vehicles that are being sold and used? How should we address this problem? Here's Part III of our series.

November 5, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines Breathe in the Air

Congratulations, you have a slightly less chance of developing dementia due to half-hearted efforts to curb climate change.

November 5, 2025

Is a ‘Life After Cars’ Really Possible?

"This book is an invitation to imagine a better world in which people are put before cars," says co-author Sarah Goodyear.

November 4, 2025

PART II: Unpacking the Risks for Riders and Families of Illegal E-Motos

In this second installment of our series, we examine the legal, financial, and safety risks that e-moto riders and their families face every day.

November 4, 2025
See all posts