With a preference for traffic lights and roundabouts, the French capital has developed a new traffic system that does not require STOP signs.
Paris has operated without a single STOP sign since 2016. Authorities in the French capital have officially removed all STOP signs within the city limits, giving priority to a traffic management system designed to keep vehicles and people moving safely through the city’s narrow, winding streets.
The decision was part of a broader initiative to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and minimize unnecessary police stops for minor infractions.
Municipal authorities also aimed to discourage the entry of larger vehicles and heaviest in central Paris, where car-free zones and restrictions on through traffic have become increasingly common.
Instead of relying on STOP signs, Paris uses a combination of roundabouts, “give way” signs and the traditional “right-of-way” traffic rule, explains . This rule gives preference to vehicles approaching from the right at intersections without traffic lights.
Os traffic lights are still used at important intersections with a high volume of traffic, but most Parisian streets depend on constant movement to maintain order.
According to city planners, this encourages drivers to remain alert and aware of their surroundings, improving safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
Roundabouts are essential to this system and allow traffic to circulate continuously, requiring drivers to give way only when entering.
France has more roundabouts than any other European countrythe most famous — and possibly the most chaotic — being located in Place Charles de Gaulle, where 12 large avenues converge around the Arc de Triomphe.
The absence of STOP signs does not mean that chaos reigns in the streets. Paris’ urban planning inherently promotes safer driving behavior. Narrow streets and smaller intersections naturally reduce speeds, while pedestrian crossings and raised sidewalks offer pedestrians greater visibility and legal priority.
So, if you’re driving in Paris, put aside your habits of ignoring STOP signs and keep your eyes open.
