Paris: Car Parking in Paris
 

I am visiting normandy for 10 days in september.

Am considering visiting PARIS, and propose to drive. Only concern is AVAILABILITY of parking spaces in city.

Any experiecne / views?

What's your hotel budget and where do you stay?
We usually stay in the Sofitel Le Parc in the 16th arrond (great neighborhood, FYI) and the valet parks our car for about 20 euros per day, which is about the same rate as the closest public garage (with the bonus that they take and deliver the car for us from the front door of the hotel). The Sofitel Le Parc on Ave. Raymond Poincare is easy to reach from the peripherique ouest--get off at the Porte Maillot/Palais des Congres exit, take the Ave Malakoff straight down, which turns into Ave. Raymond Poincare--from Porte Maillot, it's about a 5 minute drive to the hotel. Check www.sofitel.com for their best room rates--we usually pay between 150 and 175 euro for a double (parking is extra).
There is also good parking around the Auteuil section of the 16th, but none of the hotels there have their own parking (that I know of). You'd have to park on the street or find a garage.

Make Paris your last stop, turn the car in at CDG or Orly and go into Paris by Taxi.

I would not have a car in Paris if someone paid me. You'd do best to find a garage. Parallel parking a rental would scare me. We actually stopped on the street a couple of times to watch people in tiny cars park in very very tiny spaces...they bump into the bumpers of those in front of and behind them all the time.

Well- unless Paris is in the middle of the trip - why keep the car there - drop it off as soon as you arrive and then you don;t have to park it.

I would never try to park on the street - if you have to keep the car - just put it in a garage - much cheaper in the long run than paying for the dents and dings.

I drove into Paris in mid-July, and had no problems parking. And I didn't find driving in Paris particularly difficult, despite being in a left-hand drive car. Mind you, I did avoid north of the Seine!

I had planned which carpark I was going to use in advance, so I drove round the peripherique to Porte d'Italie, and on to where Rue des Gobelins becomes Rue Monge (6th), parked, and left the car for 3 days. The charge was 50 euros which I thought was very reasonable. It was underground and very secure. You do need to take your ticket with you as you cannot access the carpark without it.

I did a google search 'paris parking', and found out a fair amount of information, helped by having a map in a Dorling Kindersley guide book with carparks indicated. But I can't now remember which were the most helpful and useful websites. I stayed at Hotel Monge in Rue Monge, and they also told me where to park. There was no problem with availability, there was plenty of space. Quite a few hotels do have their own carparking for guests.

I would not attempt to park on the street, if only because I drive a large 7-seater, and it is difficult enough at the best of times finding a space large enough! Luckily the car park I used was reasonably new and was roomy on the turns.

Good luck, and don't be put off about driving into Paris.