is driving in Paris really that bad?
 

my wife and i will be going to France and Italy next month and will be renting a car at the Paris train station with which to tour the Loire Valley. (i can't drive stick, which is why we couldn't rent one in, say, Tours; they have automatic only in Paris.) all the guide books we've read said that driving in Paris is a crazy idea and this really has me concerned. (nothing spoils a trip faster than being mangled or killed in a car wreck.) has anyone driven in Paris before? was it really that bad? are Parisian drivers the maniacs that everyone makes them out to be? luckily, we won't be driving in Paris proper, just trying to get out and head south as fast as possible. any recommendations on the quickest (safest) route? any opinions, suggestions, comments will be greatly appreciated. thanks!

You don't say why you are arriving at a train station, so I assume you are coming from another European country. There is more than one station in Paris, Gare de'l'Est, Gare du Nord etc. My recommendation would be to get to the RER, probably via the Metro, and go to Orly Airport. From there you can pick up our version of an Interstate and be on your way. The Parisian drivers are not maniacs, but the street layout is beyond comprehension and God bless if you wander into the Place de la Concorde. We've gotten lost walking in Paris with a map! Why in the world aren't you taking some time IN Paris, it's a lovely city. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT DRIVING IN ROME.

You have just received some very good advice. Rent your car at Orly and return it there. You are also on the right side of Paris to head for the Loire valley. Driving from Orly to there is not a major problem as soon as you clear the Paris suburbs. Driving out of Paris from a train station is not an impossible task. Driving in Paris is not the pure chaos of Rome as long as you have a planned route to get you out of town and know the right of way rules which are somewhat different than the US. The real problem is finding a place to stop or park, particularly if you get lost and want to study a map. If you have a lot of luggage you can take a cab to Orly for about 250 Francs from the train station. The fact that you are not stopping in Paris is your business.

Why drive? My husband and I recently visited Paris and decided not to drive for a number of reasons-stress being one, parking, the expense of a rental car vs. public transit (metro) and now that we are home, we are convince we made the right decision. Paris is extremely walkable- everything is close, metros are situated so that you will be arriving at a major site, i.e. operahouse, louvre, etc. It only took us a day to figure out how it worked and it added to the cultural experience. In addition, if you choose to take the metro and walk places, you will be able to walk down quaint side streets where the cars are not allowed, for example, Rue Cler near the Eiffel Tower. Even if you are not on a budget, I highly recommend not driving. From what we could see, the main streets are so crowded with cars. You may find that the time you spend looking for parking in Paris would have been much better spent in one of the many wonderful sidewalk cafes watching other people find parking spots! Have a wonderful trip!

Why drive? My husband and I recently visited Paris and decided not to drive for a number of reasons-stress being one, parking, the expense of a rental car vs. public transit (metro) and now that we are home, we are convince we made the right decision. Paris is extremely walkable- everything is close, metros are situated so that you will be arriving at a major site, i.e. operahouse, louvre, etc. It only took us a day to figure out how it worked and it added to the cultural experience. In addition, if you choose to take the metro and walk places, you will be able to walk down quaint side streets where the cars are not allowed, for example, Rue Cler near the Eiffel Tower. Even if you are not on a budget, I highly recommend not driving. From what we could see, the main streets are so crowded with cars. You may find that the time you spend looking for parking in Paris would have been much better spent in one of the many wonderful sidewalk cafes watching other people find parking spots! Have a wonderful trip!

Is driving in Paris really that bad? You'd better believe it! I lived in France for more than two years and hold a French driver's license. I think you could avoid an accident, but the stress of doing so would, I imagine, spoil your trip. But driving in France is so unnecessary, anyway. The train system is so simple and reasonable, it would make as much sense to drive as to take a hamburger to a steak banquet. What I suggest is that you talk to your travel agent about Loire tours in English departing from Paris by train. OR take the train to Tours (virtually every hour as I recall, and check on bus tours that depart from Tours (the latter would be least expensive and most flexible as you could control your destinations right from Tours). The train station is in the heart of downtown. You can walk to a number of good, reasonable hotels from the station either on Blvd Grammont or Blvd Herteloup. In any case, spare yourself the cost and misery of renting a car.

YES, YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I'm from Australia and found driving in Paris was a wonderfull experience.We've done it many times now but the time with teenage children was the best.
Around the Arc de Triomphe,down the Champs Elysees,across Place Concord,follow the Seine River to the Louvre,it was just so exciting.You can stop anywhere to take a quick look or park in a garage for a longer stay.March is off season.Avoid the peak hours 8-9 am & 5-6 pm as they can be really bad.You get a much better feeling for a City if you drive it yourself.Buy a detailed Paris street guide and go for it.From the centre of Paris head south to the Peripherique (Ring Road)at Pt de Gentilly take the a6 direction Orly/Chartres, turn off onto the a10 direction Orleans, continue on the a10 to Tours.

thanks to all the people who responded! after reading your comments, i think i should clarify things a little (which i should have done in the first place). my wife and i WILL be spending some time in Paris - 2 days before we rent the car, and a day or two after we return from Italy - so we won't be ignoring it, we just won't be DRIVING through much of it. we'll be renting from the Gare de Lyon train station, and the reason why we're renting from there and not, say, Orly is because we have to catch an overnight train to Venice after we return the car that we absolutely cannot miss, so we decided to play it safe and keep near the station. as to why we're renting in the first place, well, we thought it would be nice to see the Loire Valley at our own pace. was this a mistake, you think? any additional comments, suggestions, etc. would again be greatly appreciated. thanks!

My brother's traveled in France & Belgium extensively on business (Loire, Alsace) and is also a highly experienced driver (serious sportscars...) - he wouldn't miss a chance to open it up on the Autoroute but reports that when he rode with a French colleague in a large car thru the Place de la Concorde, it was terrifying!! Other driving tips: We picked up car at Orly last summer; just outside Paris, where it's congested, knowing ahead of time when one's exit ramp is coming up can be tricky - you might not be able to get to the right lane. Other than that we found Autoroute driving (which is VERY fast) quite orderly (as opposed to the Interstates around Boston!). The trucks mostly stay on the right; you cruise (around 80 mph - that’s 130 kph - the usual posted limit) in the middle, and the speeders fly by in the passing lane. You’ve got to really keep checking the rearview mirror so you aren’t surprised by the passers! Tolls are very expensive but you can use the visa or mastercard. Gas, too, is very expensive. “Nationale” routes are non-toll and fine to drive unless you really just want to get to a destination as fast as possible. We put lots of miles on the car on the TINIEST back roads (the "Departementale" and smaller) - get out the Michelin maps and follow the fine details - through Burgundy, French Alps and Provence. Learn how to use French parking meters and garages before you go. We're planning the next trip to Normandy and Loire valley before returning to Provence, and wouldn't think of not driving and exploring by car!

We will also be staying in paris for 2 nights (coming from Belgium then a B&B outside of Chartres) the going back near Brussels to leave. The owners of the hotel said that there is a parking garage for 90FF/24 hours near by. Is it worth it to drive into Paris then just leave the car. Basically is it safe to drive just to do this?

Paris is bad to drive in, though Rome is definitely worse, as has been said! <BR>If you are in Paris alone, a car is a hindrance, but if you are travelling in rural areas, it is wonderful. The side roads lead you through beautiful locations and villages and you can stop when and where you wish. Though trains can get you just about anywhere, the car does offer an independence and style of holiday I wouldn't want to miss.

Agree with all of the above--yes, it's pretty awful, but not as bad as Rome. Driving in the rest of France is a pleasure, however, and seeing the Loire Valley by auto is the best way to do it. Drove a lot in France last year, but needed to follow a friend who lives in Paris to get out of Paris! If you are desparate whenever in a major city in Europe and totally lost, you can always hire a taxi to lead you to your destination. It's better than wasting precious vacation time going in circles! <BR>And, if you are going to travel a lot in Europe in the future, you might want to learn to drive a manual transmission. It's really quite easy and a skill that, once mastered, is yours forever like riding a bike!

Agree with all of the above--yes, it's pretty awful, but not as bad as Rome. Driving in the rest of France is a pleasure, however, and seeing the Loire Valley by auto is the best way to do it. Drove a lot in France last year, but needed to follow a friend who lives in Paris to get out of Paris! If you are desparate whenever in a major city in Europe and totally lost, you can always hire a taxi to lead you to your destination. It's better than wasting precious vacation time going in circles! <BR>And, if you are going to travel a lot in Europe in the future, you might want to learn to drive a manual transmission. It's really quite easy and a skill that, once mastered, is yours forever like riding a bike!

Last year I picked up a car in Chartres, drove around Loire all by myself, then returned the car at Tours and took the TGV back to Paris. Worked great and only got lost briefly once (in Tours). Picking up and dropping a car at the TGV station is easy. It's just outside downtown in the suburb of St. Paul du Corps. Easy to find and no traffic. Don't take a tour!

I guess this thread is a theoretical exercise more than anything, since it was first posted in February of 98! What was the justification "Bob", for moving this back to the top, anyway? <BR> <BR>But all the same, a serious answer might be useful to someone else facing a similar need. <BR> <BR>If anyone feels like renting from and returning to Gare du Lyon, I say it will scarcely cause any problems (though the advice to rent from Orly is still very good advice - - that way a driver can get used to driving among French drivers away from the city, and everything will be fine returning to Gare du Lyon by the day the car is brought back). Going out or coming back in, you are literally jus tminutes from the Bande Peripherique (BP - - not all that different from any American city's "beltway"). Any good rental company will be able to help with directions from where the car is parked to the BP. <BR> <BR>Anyone headed to the Loire valley should consider strongly making Chartres the first stop on the way out to the Loire valley or the last stop on the way back in. The cathedral is genuinely deserving of being anybody's top ten list of places in the world. <BR> <BR>Best wishes to all readers, <BR> <BR>Rex

Driving in Paris is not as bad as driving in Prague. In Prague there are so many pedestrian areas it is extremely difficult to get where you want to go. Paris is no worse than most major US cities (I would not want to drive in NYC). We were parked in the 7th near Invalides when the desk assistant explained how we get to CDG airport by going down the Champs Elysee via the Arc de Triomphe, and we all wanted to pass out. It was really simple (we used the tunnel under it). <BR>PS a bonus with a manual shift, as was in our case, when your battery is dead when you go to leave for the airport, you can flag down french joggers and have them help push in 2nd gear and the car will start and you will make it to the airport on time!!!

My first comment is that if you could drive in NYC, you are OK for my last trip to NYC a month ago, my driver squeesed his "Black Car" in between traffic like I had never seen. Then I went to Paris last week. The taxi driver (female) picked us up at the airport in the Latin Quarter and we were standing inside the airport 23 minutes later. Yes, it was Sunday morning, but she lieterally flew. My guess in mph was we did 110-120 in a hatchback Puegout (sp). The driver wore no seatbelt and I could not find mine. We would miss the back side of cars by inches slowing down to 70 mph. She said she was real busy. I got out of the car and tipped her 50 franks for getting me there alive, let alone 3 hours before the plane landed. In a normal situation, the taxi rides were no different than any other large city, just my head is still spinning from the airport trip. If you are staying in Paris for a while, buy a 3 day Metro pass and let someone else do the driving.

During our September visit to Paris, I sized up the traffic as best I could as a bus passenger and a pedestrian. Driving seemed to be about like Boston, but I never could figure out the rules of the game when it came to parking. <BR>We ate an evening meal at a little "Cheap Eats" place on a side street and decided to walk to and from our hotel. When we went to the restaurant, there were no cars parked along the side streets. When we walked back, the sidewalks were lined with cars. <BR>I tried to read the signs on the light poles, even looked up all the words in my English-French dictionary, but I never could figure out when they could park and when they could not. Also, where were all these cars before they parked on the streets? Circling the Arc de Triomphe??

Hi Bob, <BR>On some of the side streets in Paris you can park after 9 p.m. on others it's alternate side of the street parking, and some streets are permit only for residents - it's a mixed bag really. Also, many people work quite late in Paris and surrounding areas so they may not have been getting home till your dinner time, in which case they were Ok to park if the "time was right". It's hard to believe but many people do drive to work in Paris. My husband's aunt & uncle lived in Athis-Mons which is near Orly and his aunt worked at LaDefense and she always drove in, his uncle worked for the Finance Ministry (next to the Louvre and drove in as well. Of course they did not park on the side streets as their cars were in garages all day and they drove them back to the suburbs at night, but some of his other cousins who live in Paris drive out of town to work and then come back home at night & park on the street. Parking in Paris is a game and you have to know the rules. Driving there is really not as difficult as any other large city, they have their crazies and their normal drivers like every place else!