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Car parking in Paris

My family will be visiting Paris next year. We plan to spend a day in Paris and then leaving for Normandy the next day. We're going to rent a car. My question is this: We plan on leaving the rental somewhere and taking the bus to see some of the main sites in Paris (Eiffle Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, etc.). Where is the cheapest/best place to park it for several hours? I've heard trying to use a rental to see some of those sites is not a good idea and that the buses are better. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

Posted by
4759 posts

Where are you coming from before you arrive in Paris? Where is your hotel? If you are arriving from overseas, there is absolutely no point in renting the car until you leave Paris. A car is nothing but a very expensive handicap in cities like Paris. The Metro, or a bus (or in some cases a taxi) are the practical ways to get around the city. I suggest getting a copy of RS France guidebook. It provides excellent information about travel within and between cities.

If you must drive to Normandy, instead of taking the train to Caen and getting the car there, then pick a rental agency on the outskirts of Paris.

Posted by
32 posts

Thank you so much for your advice. It is much appreciated.

We flying in from Dublin and have a day to kill before we need to be in Normandy. I'd rather not rent a car in Paris if I don't have to. I'm sorry for my ignorance, I never even considered a train to Caen and renting a car there. That idea sounds brilliant. Do you know if it's cheaper to go that route than it is to rent a car in Paris? Thanks again for your help.

Posted by
32 posts

I forgot to add, we don't have a hotel booked in Paris yet. Our trip isn't until next year. Just trying to figure all this out. Thanks again.

Posted by
4759 posts

Whether it's cheaper or not depends on how many people you have travelling and the type of car you would be renting.. Tickets booked in advance can cost under 38 Euro/pp. In addition to the cost of renting, you need to add gas, tolls, and parking. The Via Michelin website is good for estimating driving costs (not parking).

When it's time to look at hotels, use the search function on the France forum for discussions on various cities. Then you can expeand to sites like TripAdvisor or booking.com, or hotels.com, which allow you to filter for price range, neighborhood, amenities, etc.

Posted by
479 posts

You don't really want a car in Paris because buses and the metro are way better than a car for getting around. But I have, on several occasions, kept a rental car in Paris for one or two nights because (1) I was arriving too late to turn it in, or (2) wanted to leave too early to pick it up the next day, or (3) used it for a side trip (Chantilly once, Vaux le Vicomte another time). Each time I parked overnight on streets near where I was staying, usually very close, at most a couple of blocks away. I think the only time I left the car parked all day was on the weekend, when the cost and the time limits are relaxed. During the day on weekdays I think you would have to move the car every couple of hours (at least where we were).
So I think it's very do-able if you want the car the day before so that you can leave for Normandy early the next morning. Would it be possible to pick it up later in the day (after you've done some sightseeing)? Or, If you can afford (time-wise) to pick the car up on the morning you're leaving for Normandy that would also work. I like taking the train, but for what you've outlined, I like the convenience of piling everybody, plus luggage, in the car right at your hotel.

Posted by
1174 posts

We like to take the train to Caen where there are 3 or 4 car rental agencies right across the street from the Caen railroad station. We use AutoEurope with offices and phone numbers here in the US. Most cars in Europe are standard shift and automatics are rare. Even if you specify an automatic, you are not guaranteed that there will be one available. The larger rental agencies, like at Paris and Caen, are more likely to have automatics. High speed train tickets go on sale 90 days in advance of your travel date or when using regional trains going to Caen, you can just walk up and buy tickets for the same price as advanced purchases. Go to seat61.com for all the tips about trains across Europe. If you are returning to Paris or going elsewhere after Normandy, you can drop the car back at Caen and catch a train to your destination. Works for us.

Posted by
9460 posts

Whether it's cheaper or not (to take the train to Caen and then rent the car there) is almost immaterial because it's so much less stressful. I.E. even though you'd nominally be paying two transportation "fees" for one day, in terms of VALUE (as measured by stress levels), I believe you come out ahead. Renting and driving in Paris is just a huge hassle.

p.s. and parking a car that you've already rented will mean that it will definitely be more expensive to NOT take a train to get out of Paris!!!

p.p.s I think that for tips about the benefits and drawbacks of driving vs taking public transportation in various situations (each have their advantages in different situations), you'd be well served by reading Rick's travel tips book or his France book.

Posted by
4256 posts

Good for you starting your planning now. You don't need to apologize for ignorance- the raison d' etre for this forum is so people who are less ignorant can help us! You also need to consider that you will waste a lot of time if you try to drive in Paris traffic. That's why subways are so much faster.

Posted by
7181 posts

mhj, I don't mean to distract from your OP, but in future weeks, you might wish to post your tentative itinerary for general suggestions. If this is your first trip to France, I can't imagine only spending one night in Paris. France is not only about the D-Day invasion. And if you are coming for an anniversary date, you need to learn about crowding in the beach area.

I will tell you that returning our rental car in downtown Paris (8th trip through Paris, maybe) was a horrible mistake. Everything from the traffic to the microscopic size of the ramps and 4th basement parking stall at Avis was a nightmare. Do not drive, park, or rent in central Paris. (I drive in New York City three times a week ... ... ) When I came out of Avis, just like in NYC, a dumpster was being delivered across the street, completely blocking the only Avis access for 15 minutes.

Posted by
7981 posts

We picked up a car in Caen a few years ago. The train tickets bought 3 or 4 mos out were 15 Euros each; there are lots of major car agencies right next to the station. Note that many rental agencies close for lunch so check their hours so you aren't waiting around if you arrive at 12:30.

I would rent to pick up on the edge of Paris or perhaps La Defense myself if doing this again. Generally there is an extra fee for pick up at train stations and airports so an agency in Paris or La Defense is likely to be a bit cheaper -- we just go through one of the major consolidators like Autoeurope and pick a pick up site that is convenient to us. Our last rental we changed the drop location 3 times with no difficulty (I ended up with surgery on a broken elbow in the south and so we cut Brittany as we lost 5 days in the hospital and then changed the drop one further time as our second drop was less convenient than Orly so we changed to Orly.).

No point having the car for your day in Paris.