Bike Rentals in the City of Lights

Vélib bike

Exploring Paris by bike has become increasingly convenient and cyclist-friendly. Back in 2021, Mayor Hidalgo introduced the ambitious "100% bike-able Paris" plan, leading to numerous bike lane expansions. Aaron and I have taken advantage of the city's bike rentals multiple times—they're not just easy and cheap but also a fantastic way to navigate Paris.

An intriguing development came about in September 2023: Paris decided to disallow scooter rentals due to safety concerns and a rise in accidents. As a result, the once ubiquitous quick scooter rentals have vanished, making bike rentals even more appealing.

If you're in the city and considering where to find a bike rental, here are some options to consider. Each rental choice has its own set of pros and cons, catering to different preferences.

Velib: These easily accessible bike rentals, known as Velibs, are scattered throughout Paris. Aaron and I have used them frequently. You don't need an app to rent these; they offer on-site pay stations. However, having the Velib app is handy—it displays the locations of all Velib stations. Alternatively, you can use Google Maps and search for Velib to locate stations, check bike availability, and see return slots. Note: Blue Velibs are e-bikes, while green ones are regular bikes.

App based by the minute rentals: Lime e-bike and Dott e-bike are convenient options in Paris. You can rent these through their respective apps—Lime can be found through Uber, while Dott has its own app. Both bikes generally charge 1 euro to start and 0.25 cents per minute.

Le Peleton Café: Situated conveniently in central Paris, they offer half-day city bike rentals for 15 euros, full business day for 20 euros, and a full 24 hours for 25 euros. You can either reserve bikes online or visit the café to check availability. Their rental offers include kid bikes, family bikes and most importantly, road bike rentals. They offer Canyon aluminum road bikes and accessories like clipless pedals. Road bike rentals start at 55 euros for a business day. Le Peleton also offers guided bike tours of Paris and Versailles.

Paris Bike Co: Located just outside Paris in the 15th arrondissement, they cater to those seeking specific, higher-end bike options. They offer daily, weekly, and two-week rental options. You can find more details on their site here. For locals, Sam provides excellent bike fittings—many of our friends have had fittings from him.

Véligo: These are longer-term rentals starting at 20 euros/month for students and 40 euros for standard e-bikes—a reasonable e-bike rental rate! Once rented, the bike becomes your responsibility for the duration of the rental period. Here is their site that outlines the rates and logistics.

Swapfiet: Offering monthly rental options for regular bikes and e-bikes, they deliver or have pick-up locations. Their monthly rates for regular bikes are quite competitive. You can find the details here.

Fall City Ride

While there are numerous other bike rental options in Paris, these are either ones we've personally used or received positive feedback about from our cyclist friends.

Once you secure your bike rental, here are a few intriguing city bike routes that Aaron and I have explored:

Biking by the Eiffel tower - A perfect route from the Marais or the Peleton Café, leading along the Seine river to the Eiffel Tower. The picturesque journey mostly follows protected bike paths, but note that weekends can make the river path quite crowded with lively French folk.

Biking along the Seine

Biking to Bois de Boulogne - One delightful spring day, we met friends at a restaurant on a small island in the Bois de Boulogne park. Surrounded by water, wildlife, and greenery, this restaurant offers a unique experience—a small boat ferries guests across the water to the island. Our route included a ride along the Champs-Élysées, adding to the scenic adventure.

Biking to La Felicità - Situated in the 13th arrondissement, this massive food hall resides in a converted old train depot. With multiple restaurants, bars, games, and ample seating, it's perfect for larger groups. Although I haven't found the food particularly outstanding, the drinks, ambiance, and desserts make it a worthwhile biking destination. We've biked here a few times and it's just another spot that's easy and enjoyable to bike to.

Happy city biking!