One city in France was wide-awake early in the trend of going green. Located on the country’s west coast, La Rochelle now has an eco-transport system to be proud of.

La Rochelle in western France isn’t just a beauty spot, it’s a city whose green credentials leave others green with envy.

What’s become the city’s grand project all began in 1976 with hire bikes, an idea many other cities are only now beginning to adopt themselves.

These pick-up-and-drop-off bicycles are available all over town.

With a monthly subscription of 25 euros they’re free for the first half hour, then half a euro per hour.

Users simply swipe a card and off they pedal.

The swipe-and-hire system now includes electric cars.

Local resident Peggy Landon explains why she sold her car when she started using the system.

[Peggy Landon, Local Resident]:
”Well it’s obviously much, much cheaper. But I think also the other aspect that I really like is the sharing aspect of a car; everybody doesn’t need to have their own car.”

Next came electric boats … park and ride … and even deliveries.

To cut congestion goods are dropped outside the center and delivered by electric vans.

On top of keeping La Rochelle clean and green, local Vice President Denis Leroy is keen to transform the citizens as well as the city.

[Denis Leroy, Local Vice President]:
“The coming generation will not own their own car, it is less into cars than us, it is our generation that put the car everywhere. The car is a practical object so they use it for the time they need it and, seeing how much cars cost, they would rather spend their money elsewhere.”

The plan is to get people out of private cars, onto the streets and back into the community.

Peggy is certainly a convert.

[Peggy Landon, Local Resident]:
”To do something like this, to use these electric cars, what I feel is that it makes you want to do more for the environment. And to try and maybe explore other different possibilities where we can each do just one little thing to make a difference,” said Landon.

City authorities say this is more than just going green, it’s a philosophical vision.

La Rochelle is blazing a trail and those who are green with envy are keen to follow suit.