For the second time in two years, the center of Paris was closed to traffic for a day. Although it caused some inconvenience, both tourists and residents say they enjoy this quiet day.

"The first day, I smelt the city and I smelt the gas of the cars, and now it's much better today, we like it a lot. I could do all the day biking in Paris. It's very nice, even in the rain," Tourist from Germany Margit Amon said.

"It's really good because we won't be run over by cars and we are free to cycle," Parisian resident Prune said.

This year's event was more ambitious than 2015's car-free day, with 45 percent of the city's roads closed to traffic. The initiative is part of Mayor Anne Hidalgo's efforts to raise awareness of air pollution and make Parisians conscious of their motor vehicle usage. Earlier this year, the city banned old, exhaust-belching cars from its streets, and the Champs Elysees avenue has been closed to cars one Sunday a month.