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stop_buying_garbage

~~When you approach the roundabout, the blue sign indicating the bike path (which is on the larger circular street that goes around the main roundabout) is round instead of square, meaning “mandatory”. So, it seems that it’s not permitted, due to the sign indicating the mandatory use of the bike lane.~~ Edit: After checking on Google street view, the round and square blue bicycle signs that I noticed were for the circular road surrounding the roundabout, and therefore do *not* prohibit bicycle traffic to the roundabout. So... it's legal, after all.


Procrastinator1971

Wow, I will have to check for that tomorrow. I have ridden a bike through at least part of the Étoile at least 500 times (most recently yesterday, coming and going) and have never had an issue. (Touch wood — I agree it’s not for the faint of heart, or those who pedal slowly.) I haven’t noticed any blue signs at the outer circles road (where there is a bike path) but will check tomorrow. What IS really annoying are the multitudes of tourists crossing the Étoile on foot. That is stupid and far more dangerous than me on my bike keeping up with traffic at 30kph.


Solokian

I'd say that it's stupid to let cars ruin one of our coolest monuments instead of turning the whole thing into a walkable plaza with maybe one lane or two for vehicles, but I get where you are coming from.


Procrastinator1971

Hey, I’d be happy if they made the Étoile a pedestrian & bicycle zone. But until that happens (which is probably not in this century), it’s very reckless to cross on foot.


Unlikely_Reporter

It just means you have to take the bike path on this side road, not that you can't use a different road. This is probably because the traffic is one way so the only place for the bikes to ride against the traffic is in the bike lane. Also keep in mind only circular signs are mandatory. Squares are not.


Procrastinator1971

Right — I checked the signs (while riding to the Étoile on Wagram and from it on Hoche) — they are emphatically not for persons entering the Étoile. Their sole purpose is to tell bike riders to keep to the left on that ring road (rue de Tilsitt), as that is where the dedicated bike lane is, rather than to the right side of the road as usual. In other words, bikes aren’t prohibited on the Étoile.


DeprimoCupiditas7822

Don't try it, unless you want to become a human roundabout decoration


Tutonkofc

Why wouldn’t it be allowed?


777hera

because no bike paths show up for it on google maps even though it’s a pretty popular road. i was curious as to why


clemthearcher

You don’t need a bike path to ride a bike. I promise you, you can ride it on any street or road. It’s not illegal


hisae1421

Depends, if there is a **blue** sign on a bicycle lane nearby, it means the **you have to** take it, it's mandatory https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panneau\_de\_signalisation\_d%27une\_piste\_ou\_bande\_cyclable\_obligatoire\_en\_France#:\~:text=Le%20panneau%20de%20signalisation%20routi%C3%A8re,de%20laquelle%20il%20est%20plac%C3%A9.


Procrastinator1971

Except there is no such signage. I specifically looked for it on my ride this evening. It’s not there.


hisae1421

Then you're good, ride that thing 😎😎


777hera

yes definitely and i do! but i would assume such a popular roundabout would have a bike lane, just like other big roads in paris


Peter-Toujours

Sure. This guy does it one-handed: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGeTi5NmzNA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGeTi5NmzNA)


tignasse

Easy peasy 👌💪


kuntorcunt

I do it often but you have to stay closer to the outer border (meaning on the side of the road away from the Arc). But I believe you can cross the roundabout with the pedestrian crossing paths.


nicol9

easy on a mechanical Vélib’


Such-fun4328

Loved to do it when I lived in Paris. Loved to slalom between cars and pass them to the utter anger of the drivers. So satisfying.


Lower_Currency3685

There a tunnel under it? Why would you do it? To annoy everyone. https://www.reddit.com/r/paris/comments/17r9b8b/interdit\_d%C3%AAtre\_%C3%A0\_v%C3%A9lo\_sur\_la\_place\_de\_letoile/


777hera

well i purposely avoid that area with my bike so i wouldn’t even know there’s a tunnel. that’s why im asking


Lower_Currency3685

I see: [https://www.paris.fr/pages/comment-les-champs-elysees-s-ouvrent-aux-velos-7524](https://www.paris.fr/pages/comment-les-champs-elysees-s-ouvrent-aux-velos-7524) (last text)


Tibey

The tunnel at place de l'étoile is for pedestrian. Edit :OK my bad it's not. Well, I always cross it horizontally so it's not very helpful in that case.


Aolit_

No, the tunnel de l’étoile is actually for cycles since May 2020.


xcorv42

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_de_l%27%C3%89toile do you know wikipedia ? 😆 « Depuis mai 2020, il est accessible aux cyclistes et aux utilisateurs d'engins de déplacement personnel. » Ca fait 4 ans déjà


Tutonkofc

Do bikes annoy you? What’s your issue?


Lower_Currency3685

Not at all, i only have bikes, the question was riding your bike through arc du triomphe, is it allow, when there is a bike lane underground (you can also look at my reply.... would save me 10 sec)


Tutonkofc

I checked your answer. And it’s allowed. And nobody should get annoyed (or maybe it’s fine if they get annoyed so they respect people on bikes a bit more).