Are the unlicensed rental quads that are rife in Paris legal?
On Paris's main roads, quad bikes for rent are attracting tourists. However, these all-terrain vehicles were not originally designed for city driving.
There's everything you could want on the Champs-Élysées ... and even quads . In Paris, several companies offer guided electric quad tours to discover the capital in a different way. These excursions, lasting around 1.5 hours, allow you to visit sites such as the Eiffel Tower , the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde, Les Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III.
Specifically, rental services such as Paris By Quad, Quad City Tour, and RideQuad140 provide all the necessary equipment (helmet, gloves, etc.) and professional guides. The trick is, " from 16 years old with a BSR or license ," these operators promise " an experience that is fun, cultural, and environmentally friendly ." But behind this unusual experience, one question has puzzled Le Figaro: is all this really legal?
It all depends on the approval status of the quads used. To drive on public roads in Paris, these vehicles must be road-approved, i.e. meet strict safety, equipment and registration standards, just like cars or scooters. Thus, specific standards must be respected when driving a quad (rather called a motor quadricycle in the Highway Code ). Article R311-1 of the Highway Code imposes a speed limit of 45 km/h, an unladen weight of less than 425 kg, and a maximum of two people (including the driver) on the vehicle.
Please note: only approved quads are legally permitted on public roads. These vehicles must meet strict safety standards and be equipped with all mandatory equipment: turn signals, parking lights, an approved braking system, rearview mirrors, and a horn. They must also have a valid registration number.
To drive on public roads, the town concerned will also have to agree to it... Article L.2213-4 of the General Code of Local Authorities authorizes the mayor to prohibit, by decree, access to certain roads or sectors of the municipality to vehicles whose circulation is likely to compromise either public peace, or air quality, or the protection of natural spaces or their development. Electric quads, supervised by tour operators , will therefore not be subject to this article.
However, this type of vehicle can get bad press, and some town halls do not hesitate to issue this type of order. This is the case, for example, in Dugny, in Seine-Saint-Denis, where the town hall has banned the circulation of quads and mini-motorbikes throughout the municipality, invoking Article L.2213-4 of the General Code of Local Authorities. In Yvelines, the town of Guyancourt had banned quads near schools, daycare centers, hospitals, shops, sports facilities, or around wooded areas.
In Paris, there is currently no decree on this issue. When contacted for its perspective, Paris City Hall did not respond to our requests.
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