dolciani

We'll be in Paris for a week in May and would like to take a few side trips: one to Bruges (we've been there before and would like to return for a day), a tour of the Loire Valley castles (Chantilly, Chartres, etc), Versailles, Givenchy. I have not seen many private tour guides recommended here for Paris as we used on last years cruise of the Mediterranean. How horrible is the driving/traffic around Paris (we drive in DC traffic all the time so we might be experts..ha). Suggestions are welcome.

StCirq

Is this a first trip to Paris? If so, that's WAY too many excursions outside the city, IMO.

And Chartres isn't a Loire Valley castle - it's a cathedral, not really on the way to the Loire.

And I assume you mean Giverny?

All in all, if this is a first trip to Paris I'd pick ONE, if that, day trip outside the city.

And no matter what you plan to do, I wouldn't drive in and out of Paris. I live in the DC suburbs and drive in DC all the time. Paris is a whole other experience, and not necessarily of the good kind. I suspect you'll freak out. And there's no good reason to drive, either. And parking is a nightmare, and expensive.

dolciani

Yes, thank you for your corrections. This is not our first trip to Paris and we will not be spending time at the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, etc. - we would like to do some different things such as a wine and cheese lunch/dinner, fatbike trip to Versailles, etc.

shandy

I really don't know much about the convenience of a car versus train to Bruges. Perhaps it makes sense to take the train to Bruges. However, a car will make doing the Loire Valley so much easier.

I would be organising my plans so that you have spent your few days in Paris (doing Versailles by fatbike/train whatever) and then organising the last few days so that you pick up your car as you leave Paris. You then drive to Bruges (if that is the way to go) and, instead of driving back into Paris, drive direct towards the Loire Valley. You then overnight somewhere along the wa. Do the Loire Valley and drop the car off at the airport when you leave so, once again you don't need to drive back into Paris.

At least this way you only need to contend with the Paris traffic once and getting out of a city is normally always much easier than coming in.

Oscar_James

Driving in Paris can be confusing. We left Paris on Sunday the first time and came back into Paris on a Thursday. I recommend that you travel on Sunday. The large trucks are not allowed to use the highway on Sunday. Make sure you have a good map of the city. Emily and I have traveled into paris several times since our first trip and we found that Sunday is the best day to get into and out of the city. EmilyandJim.info has some of our trip iternaries listed. OJM