UPDATED MAP: where are the low-emission car zones now in France?
More than 40 zones are set to be introduced across the country but rules vary significantly
The roadmap for implementing restrictions within low-emission zones has been adapted a number of times
Leitenberger Photography / GERARD BOTTINO / Shutterstock
Cities and large towns are being obliged to implement low emissions zones (Zones à faibles émissions or ZFEs) as part of plans to tackle pollution levels in France.
All vehicles in these areas – whether a French or foreign registered vehicle and whether the driver is planning to park or just drive through – must have a Crit’Air sticker displayed on their car windscreen / motorbike or the owner risks a fine.
Read more: A guide to Crit’Air stickers in France
In addition, progressively stricter regulations on which vehicles can pass through these zones are set to be brought in up to 2030. Vehicles emitting higher levels of pollution will be banned altogether.
Those who fail to adhere to the rules face fines of €68 to €135, depending on the vehicle.
By 2025 all areas with a population of 150,000 or more will need to have implemented a ZFE, which equates to 43 cities and towns across the country.
Currently, however, only 11 places have fully implemented a zone with many municipalities facing backlash from drivers or being against the plans themselves.
Our map below shows the latest areas where ZFEs are already in place as well as where they are set to be introduced by 2025:
Rules are different in each zone
In areas where ZFEs are already in place, certain vehicles are banned from driving and all vehicles driving within the zones – even once – should display a Crit’Air sticker.
In Clermont-Ferrand, a ZFE was implemented in July but it only affected certain HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) and cars first registered before 1997.
For the first six months of the zone’s implementation (until January 2024), an ‘educational period’ is in place and fines will not be given for banned vehicles or drivers who do not have a Crit’Air sticker on display.
Recent changes mean that most cities with a ZFE already in place – and presumably those set to introduce a zone over the course of next year – will be able to set their own pathway for introducing further restrictions on vehicles.
For example, Reims will not ban Crit’Air level 3 cars until 2029, although original plans called for them to be banned in 2024.
You can usually find the rules for specific ZFEs on local prefecture websites.
Related articles:
Which French towns are delaying obligatory air pollution stickers?
Is this the beginning of the end for France’s low-emission zones?
France Crit’Air zones: biker anger and where do rules limit drivers?
