Dutch Cycling Embassy Organises Paris School Streets Study Programme for CityDeal

From 16 to 18 September 2025, the Dutch Cycling Embassy organised a study programme in Paris for 44 Dutch participants, primarily from municipalities, as part of the CityDeal Fietsen voor Iedereen programme of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. The visit focused on school streets and cycling promotion, offering insights into how Paris is reshaping urban environments to support healthier, more inclusive mobility.

The delegation met with key French stakeholders, including the Ministry of Transport, Île-de-France Mobilités, the City of Paris, and, as part of the follow-up programme, the French Cyclists’ Federation FUB with its Vélo-Égaux programme. Together, they explored initiatives ranging from larger-scale investments in cycling infrastructure to inclusive access projects. A cycling tour led by Saskia Hermans of Mobile21 showcased several rues écoles, streets redesigned around schools to prioritise children’s safety, clean air, and community life.

Discussions highlighted Paris’s ambitious approach: substantial municipal budgets for cycling and school streets, integration of cycling into broader goals such as climate adaptation and public health, creative participation through street festivals and pilots, and universal cycling education for all ten-year-olds. The French approach also underscored that cycling promotion is not only a mobility issue, but also linked to energy savings, poverty reduction, and health.

For the Dutch partners, the lessons were clear: make results visible and convincing for residents and politicians, frame cycling as a health and liveability issue, use pilots to build support, invest structurally in cycling education, and pursue integrated policies that connect mobility with climate, health, and social cohesion. The visit concluded with a group ride along Parisian school streets, reinforcing how they can be adapted to different needs and environments, and strengthening the inspiration drawn from the French approach for The Netherlands.

The Dutch Cycling Embassy was proud to facilitate this exchange and looks forward to seeing how the lessons from Paris will inform Dutch efforts to create healthier, more inclusive cycling ecosystems around schools.