Many Parisians who do not use public transportation noticed upon returning to work after the summer that the streets in their neighborhoods had changed direction or were now partially closed to motor vehicles. Other residents encountered new roadworks, with bike lanes or bus lanes under construction. They may not have realized it yet, but these changes are all part of a broad initiative by the city of Paris called "Embellir votre quartier" ("Beautify Your Neighborhood").

This program, launched during the second and final term of Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo, aims to transform the city by dividing it into 80 districts, within which traffic plans are revised and altered. The goal, explained David Belliard, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of transforming public space and a Greens candidate for the March 2026 municipal election, is "to calm residential streets, pedestrianize streets in front of schools and make busy pedestrian streets in each neighborhood safer."

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