Boulevard de La Défense, also known as RD914, is located in the municipalities of Nanterre, Puteaux, and Courbevoie. More specifically, it is located between Avenue François Arago and Boulevard Circulaire de La Défense. In order to best support urban projects adjacent to this road, such as Eole, the Grand Paris Express (Line 15 West) and Les Groues, the redevelopment of the departmental road was an obvious choice. This development project is being carried out by the Hauts-de-Seine Department and Paris La Défense.

The aim of this project is to transform this road, which is currently a fast-moving thoroughfare, into a calmer and greener urban boulevard, with a significant focus on cyclists and pedestrians.

The main developments planned are as follows:

• Adapting the boulevard to allow two-way traffic
• Supporting the development of the Groues district,
• Supporting the opening of the Nanterre-la-Folie station, which will serve the RER E and Grand Paris Express lines,
• Reducing traffic,
• Creating bike lanes,
• Making it safer for people to get around, and
• Making some cool landscaping changes.

The boulevard is divided into three distinct sections:

• between Patrick-Devedjian Boulevard and Aimé-Césaire Boulevard: 650 m to be developed, 9 phases of work carried out between March 2019 and the end of 2023
• between Boulevard Aimé-Césaire and Rue Célestin-Hébert: 345 m to be developed, 6 phases of work delivered in December 2021
• between Rue Célestin-Hébert and the François-Arago intersection: 430 m to be developed, 5 phases completed between May 2023 and the end of 2026. In 2024, a milestone will be reached with the conversion of the road along Paris La Défense Arena to two-way traffic. For bicycles, a 900 m two-way cycle path has been installed on the sidewalk on the Léonard-de-Vinci bridge side. Pedestrian access to the Léonard-de-Vinci district in Courbevoie and the Léonard-de-Vinci hub has been restored. Pedestrian crossings have been brought up to PMR standards.

The challenges during the construction work are:

• Maintaining two lanes of traffic at all times,
• Preserving pedestrian walkways to transport hubs and major facilities,
• Taking into account events scheduled at Paris La Défense Arena,
• Phasing road works according to the progress of related projects.

Between Rue Célestin-Hébert and the François-Arago intersection, work to upgrade the 430-meter stretch began in April 2023 and is scheduled for completion in 2026.

Other projects by Les Groues

Les Groues
Nanterre La Folie Station – RER E
The Archipelago
InDéfense
Okko Hotels