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Smart cities: when french cities embrace IoT

29 May 2025
Smart cities are no longer a futuristic concept. All around the world, particularly in France, highly innovative IoT (Internet of Things) solutions are being implemented. The use of cellular technologies such as 4G, 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT now enables the connection of infrastructures, continuously improving the quality of life for residents. Here are several surprising use cases developed by our French smart cities.

In Paris, IoT joins the Olympic Games

In 2024, the French capital hosted a global event: the Olympic Games. To enhance efficiency and manage the complexity of such an organization, IoT and sports worked hand in hand. Over 100,000 IoT sensors were deployed to monitor various environmental aspects such as:

  • stadium stability to protect spectators;
  • smart surveillance cameras to improve security;
  • pedestrian traffic to prevent overcrowding;
  • air quality to monitor atmospheric pollutant levels;
  • shuttle localization to plan delegation routes and avoid delays;
  • temperature and humidity to provide optimal comfort for athletes.

Integrating environmental sensors is essential to obtain real-time data and meet the strict standards of the Olympic Committee. However, their use extends further: from electricity consumption to lighting, heating, and cooling systems, IoT also enables better resource management. IoT plays a crucial role in developing sustainable smart cities and reducing their environmental footprint.

  Also read: IoT for environmental protection 

 

Lyon, improved water network management thanks to IoT

Leaks in the network, potable water wastage, hydrological drought… Within smart cities, water management poses a significant challenge. To promote responsible water consumption, the “Smart Water” project was launched in Greater Lyon in 2015. The goal? To deploy more than 5,000 connected sensors on pipelines to proactively monitor water consumption and detect leaks.

Today, real-time water monitoring in Lyon is made possible through acoustic and ultrasonic sensors with several years of autonomy. The current technology used is NB-IoT, a low-power network dedicated to sending short messages. It specifically meets the requirements of smart cities, particularly in water and waste management.

To optimize pipeline monitoring, NB-IoT has sleep functionality that extends the battery life up to 10 years. It is also notable for its strong penetration capabilities inside buildings and excellent national coverage. Since the end of 2022, more than 99% of the French population has been covered by this technology.

The data collected feeds dashboards that control water consumption volume and anticipate abnormal situations (leaks, freeze, water backflow, absence of consumption, etc.). Notifications are sent to teams for rapid intervention. The impact of such a project? Water loss reduction has decreased from 22% in 2015 to approximately 18% in 2024. The metropolis aims to drop below the 15% loss threshold by 2035.

 

Montpellier, exemplary waste management

During traditional waste collection, trucks gather trash by stopping at each house and street. This approach is inefficient and time-consuming, as not all bins need emptying. To overcome this loss of time and logistical costs, the city of Montpellier has integrated IoT sensors inside trash bins.

Their role: to monitor the fill level in real-time and alert when they are full. The collected data plays a key role in:

  • limiting container overflow;
  • optimizing waste collection routes;
  • saving time and resources;
  • reducing the number of trucks on roads.

According to a study conducted by the Research Institute for Development (IRD) in France, the use of sensors in waste containers has resulted in a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions related to waste collection.

 

Smart cities: the importance of reliable and omnipresent connectivity

For these IoT innovations to work, one essential element is needed: a high-speed wireless technology that covers the area. Technologies like LTE-M and NB-IoT offer the perfect compromise between low energy consumption and good coverage both outdoors and indoors. Based on 4G and 5G-ready, they adapt to numerous smart city applications.

At Objenious, a Bouygues Telecom brand dedicated to IoT, we have deployed LTE-M and NB-IoT and have had coverage of over 99% of the French population since the end of 2022. Whatever your IoT project, contact us to benefit from personalized support and tailor-made solutions!