Piétonne

Piétonne is the feminine form of the French word piéton and can function as both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, une piétonne denotes a female pedestrian. As an adjective, piétonne agrees with feminine nouns to describe something related to pedestrians, most notably in the expression zone piétonne.

Zone piétonne designates an area, usually in urban cores, where pedestrian movement is prioritized and most motor vehicle traffic is restricted or prohibited. Such zones are common in many French-speaking cities and can be permanent or temporary for events. Access for certain users—such as residents, deliveries during limited hours, or emergency services—may be allowed under defined conditions. Signage and local regulations mark the boundaries and specify the rules that apply.

Etymology and related terms: piéton comes from Latin pes, pedis (foot) via Old French, with the feminine form piétonne used when referring to pedestrians or pedestrian areas in feminine agreement. In urban planning discourse, related concepts include piétonisation, the process of transforming streets to prioritize foot traffic, and aménagement piétonnier, referring to pedestrian-oriented adjustments to urban space.

Usage notes: piétonne is most commonly seen in written French and on signage referring to pedestrian zones. In everyday speech, the masculine piéton is more common when speaking generally of pedestrians, while piétonne appears in contexts emphasizing women pedestrians or feminine grammatical agreement.