PARIS — Parisians taking public transportation to work Friday were surprised to find subways and buses free for the next three days, but the reason was ominous: Air pollution had reached an unusually high level and was expected to continue unabated through the weekend.
In this capital where strict limits on building height create the illusion of plenty of fresh air, pollution is rarely this severe so early in the year and for so long.
“Due to a persistent episode of pollution with fine particles,” the Environment Ministry will impose exceptional measures, Philippe Martin, the minister, said Thursday. His widely reported message left some people a little unsure exactly what he meant.
The French Health Ministry issued warnings particularly for the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and those with respiratory ailments.
Although people became broadly aware of the problem late this week, it has been building for days as a high-pressure system over the region created a string of sunny days with little wind, cold nights, and warm days that left pollutants trapped.