City pollution controls increase

In 2023, several French cities will tighten their traffic rules in their low emission zones (ZFE). Eleven cities will ban vehicles classified as Crit'Air 5, or even Crit'Air 4 for some of them.

In France, diesel & petrol vehicles are increasingly subject to traffic restrictions . Each vehicle must display a “Crit'Air” sticker indicating its category of greenhouse gas emissions. The category goes from 0 to 6 depending on the year of production of the vehicle and the type of fuel used. “0” ‘vignettes’ are assigned to electric or hydrogen vehicles, whilst “5” stickers are granted to diesel vehicles registered between 1997 and 2000. Go to the 'Useful Info' pafge for more info or you can check in which category your vehicle falls by doing an online simulation on the government website.

Compulsory for driving in town , Crit'Air vignettes are also essential during pollution peaks . More recently, we have seen the appearance of Low Emission Zones (ZFE) in most major French cities. These are areas (generally town centres) where car traffic is limited and reserved for the least polluting vehicles . According to the regulations, it is the highest Crit'Air who do not have the right of way. This is to reduce the circulation of the most polluting vehicles, in order to protect air quality and the well-being of local residents. For this year, 2023, the municipalities that will be changing their regulations are:

• Metropolis of Lyon : ban on Crit'Air 5 vehicles. The system of fines (€68) begins on January 1 , 2023.

• Greater Paris : ban on Crit'Air 4. Crit'Air 3 will be banned on July 1 , 2023.

• Grenoble : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Marseille : ban on Crit'Air 5. Crit'Air 4 will be banned on September 1 , 2023.

• Montpellier : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Nice : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Reims : ban on Crit'Air 4

• Rouen : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Saint-Étienne : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Strasbourg : ban on Crit'Air 5

• Toulouse : ban on Crit'Air 4