France Expands Low-Emission Zones, Tightening Vehicle Restrictions in Major Cities

New regulations restrict older, high-polluting vehicles in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, and Montpellier while thirty additional cities implement low-emission zones.

As of January 1, 2025, vehicles classified as Crit’Air 3 are banned in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, and Montpellier, affecting hundreds of thousands of drivers.
Thirty new low-emission zones (ZFEs) have been introduced in cities with over 150,000 residents, targeting vehicles without Crit’Air classification or those registered before 1997.
Critics argue that the measures are socially and economically inequitable, with insufficient financial support for lower-income households to transition to cleaner vehicles.
Supporters highlight the public health benefits of reducing air pollution, which is linked to thousands of premature deaths annually, though some studies question the effectiveness of ZFEs in significantly lowering pollution levels.
Exemptions and grace periods, such as temporary passes and delayed enforcement, have been implemented to ease the transition for affected drivers.

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