Driving in Paris city centre
Discussion
I've booked a weekend at Disneyland Paris from 10th-12th July and am driving there. As we should be getting to Calais relatively early, I wanted to stop in the city centre for a few hours until the evening and then make my way to the resort. I've heard loads of horror stories about how it's a nightmare to get around but all I want to do is find a secure centrally located car park and leave my car there for a few hours. I may do this again on the afternoon of the 12th which is a Sunday as our ferry doesn't depart till late.
Any thoughts on how bad it is to drive there? Would it be worth leaving my car in a "park & ride" towards the north of the city and using public transport to make our way into the center and picking the car up later that evening?
Any thoughts on how bad it is to drive there? Would it be worth leaving my car in a "park & ride" towards the north of the city and using public transport to make our way into the center and picking the car up later that evening?
I live just outside Paris and really the only time I'm tempted to drive in is during August when it's abandoned by Parisians and you can cruise around taking in the sights with the roof down. It's not Naples, but it isn't great especially around rush hour and personally I use the public transport to get in.
The main problems are the mad motorcycle and scooter riders and traffic jams, both of which combine on the Peripherique (where joining traffic has priority). Its doable though.
North of Paris is full of the dodgier suburbs, so choose well if you're planning to leave a car. I'm not aware that there are official park and rides, but a lot of the train or RER stations have big car parks. Perhaps Villepinte or Parc d'expositions (if there isn't a mega exhibition on at the time) might be worth checking to see if there are car parks as you can get RER B into the city centre.
The main problems are the mad motorcycle and scooter riders and traffic jams, both of which combine on the Peripherique (where joining traffic has priority). Its doable though.
North of Paris is full of the dodgier suburbs, so choose well if you're planning to leave a car. I'm not aware that there are official park and rides, but a lot of the train or RER stations have big car parks. Perhaps Villepinte or Parc d'expositions (if there isn't a mega exhibition on at the time) might be worth checking to see if there are car parks as you can get RER B into the city centre.
I drove Liverpool - Paris back in January.
Arrived in Paris midday Saturday 3rd. Traffic wasn't bad at all.
Left 10am Tuesday 6th. Again wasn't bad.
Stayed in Rue Cambronne as we found a cheap underground car park for the few days and used the Cambron metro station to get around.
I'd certainly do it again. May have got lucky in January? Maybe some Parisians weren't back at work yet?
Wasn't any worse than Liverpool city centre rush hour traffic.
Arrived in Paris midday Saturday 3rd. Traffic wasn't bad at all.
Left 10am Tuesday 6th. Again wasn't bad.
Stayed in Rue Cambronne as we found a cheap underground car park for the few days and used the Cambron metro station to get around.
I'd certainly do it again. May have got lucky in January? Maybe some Parisians weren't back at work yet?
Wasn't any worse than Liverpool city centre rush hour traffic.
I've driven in Paris, and it was fun, but last time, we went to Disney also, and I parked up at a big underground parking place at a shopping centre in Ivry sur Seine (which is just off the motorway from disney, just outside the peripherique) walked a couple of hundred yards and got a train into the city
There's so many people pushing these 'terrible driving abroad' stories. I don't know Paris particularly, but I've been told not to think about driving in Turkey (which is a breeze there are so few cars), Rome would be impossible (easy with a sat nav), and all sorts of places. The M60 in the rush hour is as bad as any of them, so if you don't like driving in the UK maybe this is good advice.
Obviously there's an issue that you don't know the way in a strange town that can take a bit more concentration, but you could use the same argument that it's a nightmare driving in sunderland or brighton.
Obviously there's an issue that you don't know the way in a strange town that can take a bit more concentration, but you could use the same argument that it's a nightmare driving in sunderland or brighton.
Hub said:
If you do drive in, make sure you have a go round the Arc De Triomphe!
One thing you notice in Paris is that there aren't many cars without dents or scrapes. I think that nudging other cars when parking is seen as acceptable!
A chum of mine lives in Paris and he has said before that nudging and pushing other cars is very normal. He says you rarely see nice cars in Paris compared to other major cities. One thing you notice in Paris is that there aren't many cars without dents or scrapes. I think that nudging other cars when parking is seen as acceptable!
From my experiences, it can be a bit hectic when busy but no worse than getting through London and having to contend with mopeds, cyclist, buses and taxis.
I have heard before that a lot of insurance policies don't cover driving round the Arc De Triomphe - any truth in this?
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