Driving South From Paris?
 

We have train tix from Paris to Brive for the 22nd of October. Given that the trains may be on strike, we are looking at the possibility of having to drive out of Paris.

I love driving the countryside, but not sure I could navigate the city. Has anyone driven from Orly or Gare Montparnasse south, and if so, could off your thoughts or suggestions? Is it easy to get on the major routes?

Hi B,

Have you plotted the route at www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com?

((I))

Orly is virtually on a motorway, and getting from there to Brive is truly painless.

If you're nervous about urban driving (and there's probably no point telling you there's no reason to be), just get out to Orly and point your car SW

All you need is a map. It's no big deal as long as you can read a map and know the basics of navigating in France, i.e., know the intermediate towns along the way.

Thanks, you're making me feel better already..... Have plotted things on Michelin and Mapquest, and hope my wife can navigate the quick changes leaving Orly.

Of course still crossing my fingers that trains will not be on strike...my ticket is non-refundable.

I did Orly alone with no navigator. I just printed the directions from Mappy. I did not have to do even one go back and find your way again.
I admit it did make me nervous and I was glad to finish the drive but with a navigator and driver it should be fine.

gg

Yes, its easy to get on the highways and they are a piece of cake. The earlier you leave the better - but traffic is the worst thing you will hit - just like home.

Leaving Paris is super easy. Just follow the blue autoroute signs. Going to Orly to get a car would be an unnecessary added expense. If transportation is on strike, how would you be planning on getting to Orly? In a taxi in gridlock with the meter running on and on and on?

I believe you can get a refund on a nonrefundable train ticket if a strike prevents you from traveling.

Absolutely.

In other news, new SNCF fares went into effect today -- the Prem's fares and other special fares were reduced. You can now cross France by TGV for 22€ instead of 25€ if you choose the right date.

However, exchange and cancellation fees went up, and you can no longer get any refund at all for a ticket after the travel date at time. There is a refund fee of something like 10€ on all tickets, even full fare. This of course will more than make up for the reduced fares, because the special fares have already become so low that more and more people have been buying tickets when they have no certainty of actually traveling on the date in question -- this will reduce that practice, and bring in extra money from the exchange and refund fees.

Take a bus.

The SNCF has a monopoly on long distance ground transportation. There are no long distance domestic city to city lines.

The strike should be a one-day deal, Oct 18, if it happens.

Taking the train on the 22nd shouldn't be a problem.