The authorities in several cities have introduced a scheme known as Crit’Air. It means that all vehicles in those cities must display a sticker which reflects their carbon emissions. It’s in the name of pollution control and failure to display the mandatory stickers, including foreign vehicles, may result in a fine of up to 135 Euros (though this might be increased).
Cities and departments that employ some form of traffic restrictions based on Crit’Air stickers – as of June 2019 – are:
Paris: Zone de Protection de l’Air (ZPA) – zone de circulation restreinte (ZCR)
Lille: ZPA – ZCR
Strasbourg: ZPA – ZCR
Dijon (+ Côte-d’or): ZPA
Guéret (+ Creuse) : Zone de Protection de l’Air Deparmental (ZPAd)
Clermont-Ferrand (+ Puy-de-Dome) : ZPAd
Lyon-Villeurbanne: ZPA
Grenoble (+ Isère): ZPA – ZCR
Annecy (+ Haute-Savoie): ZPA
Chambery (+ Savoie): ZPA
Valence (+ Drôme): ZPAd
Vallée de l’Arve: ZPA
Toulouse
Bordeaux (+ Gironde): ZPAd
Auch (+ Gers): ZPAd
Pau (+ Pyrénées-Atlantiques): ZPAd
Montpellier (+ Hérault): ZPAd
Marseille (+ Bouches-du-Rhone): ZPAd
Chartres (+ Eure-et-Loir): ZPAd
Orléans (+ Loiret): ZPAd
Angers (+ Maine-et-Loire): ZPAd
Rennes: ZPA
La Roche-sur-Yon (+ Vendée): ZPAd
Poitiers (+ Vienne): ZPAd
Niort (+ Deux_Sèvres): ZPAd
So – if you need to drive in these cities, get a Crit Air sticker and don’t get caught out. It’s like the scheme will be rolled out to more cities in France and the rest of Europe going forward.
Stickers, which cost a few Euros plus postage, can be purchased online at: www.certificat-air.gouv.fr (English language version) and there are different sections for French registered cars or cars from the UK, rest of Europe etc.
You’ll need to get your car log book out to complete the form to order a sticker. You have to answer questions such as registration date of the car, CO2 emissions etc. Application is all online and simple as long as you have all the correct paperwork and information.
The regulations apply to all vehicles from motorbikes to cars, HGV lorries and coaches. Stickers are valid for the lifetime of the cat.
In Paris from 0800 – 20.00 on weekdays there is also a ban on the following vehicles:
- Cars registered prior to 1997
- Motorbikes & Scooters registered prior to June 1st 2000
- Lorries, trucks and buses registered prior to 2001
The aim of the policy is said to be to try to control air pollution in the cities.
