Bikes removed, streets taped off as Paris welcomes Pope Leo XIV

Updated: 25/09/2026 - 9:33 GMT+2 Police clear bicycles and cordon off streets in Paris ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit and his planned walk through the capital. Police in Paris have begun enforcing a parking ban along routes that Pope Leo XIV is expected to take during his walk through the city. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Officers were seen putting up barriers and police tape, breaking bicycle locks and removing bikes from parking areas along Boulevard Saint-Michel. Notices warned motorists and cyclists that parking was prohibited. Security preparations were also under way around Notre-Dame, where seats were being installed and a bomb disposal vehicle was seen outside the cathedral. A banner at the nearby Notre-Dame-des-Champs church welcomed the pope to Paris.