Due to the health and ecological concerns from fine particulates, the French government is moving forward with a mandatory, nationwide program, called the Zone à Faibles Emissions (ZFE) or Low Emissions Zones. These ZFEs have been designated in 35 urban areas to reduce pollutant emissions and improve air quality. The ZFE will be subjected to a certificate system and use a “Crit’Air” sticker to prove your vehicle’s emissions class. This program concerns all motorized vehicles: two-wheels, passenger cars, utility vehicles, buses, big rigs, etc.
Its principle is to limit the circulation of the most polluting vehicles on the streets of large towns and cities. In order to circulate within the defined zones, each vehicle must have a Crit’Air sticker (certificate) affixed to its windscreen, which distinguishes it according to its level of emissions of atmospheric pollutants. If you get caught driving in a ZFE without the appropriate Crit’Air sticker, the fine could be 68 or 135 euros.
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There are 6 different classes, defined according to the vehicle’s emissions. Vehicles registered before December 1st 1996 are not eligible for a certificate and are considered “non classés” or unclassable. You can have your vehicle evaluated and order your sticker on the official website at https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/ .
Click the link below to find an interactive map of the ZFE zones in France , published by the French Government.
https://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/zones-a-faibles-emissions-mobilite.html
Detailed list of the different Zones and implementation dates in France
ZFE Grenoble-Alpes-Métropole
Towns concerned: Bresson, Champagnier, Champ-sur-Drac, Claix, Corenc, Échirolles, Eybens, Fontaine, Gières, Grenoble, Jarrie, La Tronche, Meylan, Montchaboud, Noyarey, Poisat, Pont-de-Claix, Quaix-en-Chartreuse, Saint-Égrève, Saint-Martin-d’Hères ainsi que le Domaine Universitaire, Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, Sassenage, Seyssinet-Pariset, Seyssins, Varces, Venon, Veurey-Voroise.
Vehicles excluded:VUL et PL (Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced
ZFE Métropole de Lyon
Towns concerned: La quasi-totalité de Lyon, les secteurs de Bron, Vénissieux et Villeurbanne situés à l’intérieur du boulevard périphérique et Caluire-et-Cuire.
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2026: Crit’Air 2
ZFE Paris
Towns concerned: Paris
Vehicles excluded: VL, VUL et PL (Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 2
ZFE Métropole du Grand Paris
Towns concerned: Alfortville, Antony, Arcueil, Asnières-sur-Seine, Aubervilliers, Bagneux, Bagnolet, Bois-Colombes, Boulogne-Billancourt, Bourg-la-Reine, Cachan, Charenton-le-Pont, Châtenay Malabry, Chaville, Chevilly Larue, Choisy-le-Roi, Clamart, Clichy, Colombes, Courbevoie, Fontenay-sous-Bois, Fresnes, Garches, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Ivry-sur-Seine, Joinville-le-Pont, La Garenne-Colombes, Levallois-Perret, La Courneuve, L’Haÿ-les-Roses, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, L’Île Saint-Denis, Le Plessis Robinson, Le Pré Saint-Gervais, Les Lilas, Malakoff, Marnes-la-Coquette, Meudon, Montreuil, Montrouge, Nanterre, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Nogent-sur-Marne, Noisy-le-Sec, Pantin, Puteaux, Romainville, Rosny-sous-Bois, Rueil-Malmaison, Saint-Cloud, Saint-Denis (et l’Ile Saint-Denis), Saint-Mandé, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Ouen, Sceaux, Sèvres, Suresnes, Vanves, Vaucresson, Ville-d’Avray, Villejuif, Vitry-sur-Seine, Villeneuve-la-Garenne, Vincennes.
Vehicles excluded: VL, VUL et PL (Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 2
ZFE Métropole Rouen-Normandie
Towns concerned: Rouen, puis en 2022 : Amfreville-la-Mi-Voie, Bihorel, Bois Guillaume, Bonsecours, Darnétal, Déville-lès-Rouen, Le Grand Quevilly, Le Mesnil Esnard, Le Petit Quevilly, Maromme, Mont-Saint Aignan, Pont Flaubert, Pont Mathilde, Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Saint-Léger-du-Bourg-Denis, Sotteville-lès-Rouen.
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (Crit’Air 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced
ZFE Métropole du Grand Reims
Towns concerned: Reims et voie Taittinger (A344)
Vehicles excluded: VL, VUL et PL (Crit’Air 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 3
ZFE Eurométropole de Strasbourg
Towns concerned: Achenheim, Bischheim, Blaesheim, Breuschwickersheim, Eckbolsheim, Eckwersheim, Entzheim, Eschau, Fegersheim, Geispolsheim, Hangenbieten, Hœnheim, Holtzheim, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Kolbsheim, Lampertheim, Lingolsheim, Lipsheim, Mittelhausbergen, Mundolsheim, Niederhausbergen, Oberhausbergen, Oberschaeffolsheim, Osthoffen, Ostwald, Plobsheim, Reichstett, Schiltigheim, Souffelweyersheim, Strasbourg, Vendenheim, La Wantzenau, Wolfisheim.
Vehicles excluded: VL (Crit’Air 5 et non-classé)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 4, 2025: Crit’Air 3, 2028: Crit’Air 2
ZFE Toulouse-Metropole
Towns concerned: Toulouse, rocade ouest, route d’Auch et une petite partie de Colomiers et Tournefeuille.
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (Crit’Air 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Cri’Air 3
ZFE Métropole Toulon-Provence-Méditerranée
Towns concerned: Carqueiranne, La Crau, La Garde, Hyères, Ollioules, Le Pradet, Le Revest-les-Eaux, Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, Six-Fours-les-Plages, La Seyne-sur-Mer, Toulon, La Valette-du-Var.
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (Crit’Air 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced
ZFE Montpellier-Méditerranée-Métropole
Towns concerned: Castelnau-le-Lez, Clapiers, Grabels, Jacou, Juvignac, Lattes, Le Crès, Montpellier, Pérols, Saint Jean de Védas, Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone
Vehicles excluded: VL, VUL et PL (Crit’Air 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 4, 2025: Crit’Air 3, 2028: Crit’Air 2
ZFE Saint-Etienne Métropole
Towns concerned: Saint-Etienne et ses environs, délimité par la RN88, l’A72 et la RD201.
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (non-classés)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2025: Crit’Air 4 and 5, 2027: Crit’Air 3
ZFE Métropole Nice-Côte d’Azur
Towns concerned: Promenade des Anglais, Quai des Etats Unis, Quai Rauba Capeu, hypercentre
Vehicles excluded: VUL et PL (Crit’Air 4, 5 et non-classés), VP (Crit’Air 5)
Implementation Date: Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 3 and 4 (VUL & PL), Crit’Air 4 and 5 (VP)
ZFE Métropole d’Aix-Marseille-Provence
Towns concerned: Marseille délimité par le Prado, Rabatau, le Jarret, Plombières et intègre la zone Euromed
Vehicles excluded: VL, VUL et PL (Crit’Air 4, 5 et non-classés)
Implementation Date:Enforced, 2024: Crit’Air 3
VP = véhicule particulier, Private vehicle
VUL = véhicule utilitaire léger, light commercial vehicle
PL = poids-lourds. Heavy goods vehicle, truck
Non classé = Cars registered before 1st of December 1996
If you plan to buy a new vehicle soon, you may want to check the emissions to make sure you can freely drive where you’re intending.
Useful links
ZFE Lyon: https://zfe.grandlyon.com/
ZFE Grand Paris: https://www.zonefaiblesemissionsmetropolitaine.fr/
ZFE Aix Marseille Provence: https://ampmetropole.fr/missions/strategie-environnementale/qualite-de-lair/zone-a-faibles-emissions-mobilite-zfe-m/
ZFE Grenoble-Alpes-Métropole: https://www.grenoblealpesmetropole.fr/546-circuler-dans-la-zone-a-faibles-emissions-zfe.htm
ZFE Métropole du Grand Reims: https://www.grandreims.fr/cadre-de-vie-et-environnement/developpement-durable/zone-a-faibles-emissions-mobilite-zfem-du-grand-reims
ZFE Eurométropole de Strasbourg: https://zfe.strasbourg.eu/
ZFE Toulouse-Métropole: https://www.toulouse-metropole.fr/missions/environnement/qualite-de-l-air/zone-a-faibles-emissions-mobilite
ZFE Métropole Nice-Côte d’Azur: http://www.nice.fr/fr/environnement/zone-a-faibles-emissions?lang=fr
All articles by: Staff Writer
