Nantes Métropole

In 2013, Nantes entered the 5th position in the Copenhagenize index. More than a recognition of past investments in favor of cycling, this index assesses efforts to position the bike as a full transport mode, accessible and convenient. In Nantes, the share of cycling has increased from 2% to 3% between 2008 and 2012 with a peak at 6% in the heart of the city.

The city also ranked 5th in the world list of most bicycle friendly cities thanks to its major improvements in terms of cycling facilities : 500 kilometers of bike paths and lanes but also 6000 bicycle racks, 1264 bike shelters and 986 bike-parks, which makes it very easy to park safely.

Nantes also benefits from a self service bike rental system called "Bicloo", commissioned in May 2008 and including 103 stations for 10,122 subscribers.

Finally, over 500 companies have signed a travel plan with Nantes Métropole to encourage their employees to use public transport or to purchase a bicycle thanks to a financial support from the local authority.

In recognition of its strong commitment to promote cycling, Nantes was selected to host the Velo-City conference in 2015, which was a first for an area of less than one million inhabitants.To foster this commitment, Nantes involved in the European project Bike2Work (2014-2017), coordinated by the European Cyclists' Federation and which aim is to promote commuting trips by bike. The Cycling challenge is seen as a wonderful tool to serve this objective.