Plans are being proposed for a major expansion of long-distance bicycle routes linking Paris with its far-flung suburbs, just as the RER regional express trains do for train riders. The goal is to make cycling to work a viable option for many more riders.
Nicknamed the RER V (for Velo) network, the proposal is being driven by the Vélo Île-de-France Collective, a group representing twenty area cycle associations. The plan envisions “large comfortable lanes so that cyclists can ride without question, without danger, over long distances.” The map above represents a first draft from the group.
Because cycle routes in France are a local rather than national responsibility, the group pointed out, paths often end at the city limits. The problem got attention at the highest levels last year when Prime Minister Edouard Philippe noted “discontinuity on the bike lane maps” that “creates insecurity and discourages people from cycling.”
