Paris is a city to be seen and not to die. Since the 18th century, visiting the capital of France has been a dream for many Russians. Several hundred historical and cultural monuments are concentrated in this settlement. You can see many interesting and beautiful places not only in the city center, but also in its environs. To do this quickly and comfortably, you need to rent a car.
Renting a car will help you not to go underground dozens of times a day to travel by metro and trains, but always breathe fresh air and warm French wind.
Where to rent a car in Paris?
Offices of offices that provide car rental are concentrated in the buildings of railway stations and airports in the French capital. When ordering a car in the last mentioned transport hubs, you will need to pay a special fee. Also, given the traffic congestion in Paris, many companies require a surcharge of 30-35 euros per day if the driver is under 25 years old.
To avoid unnecessary waiting, it is better to book a car in advance via the Internet. The most popular car booking service around the world is rentalcars.com. Here are some real-time offers:
Traffic jams in Paris
As in any major city, traffic jams regularly occur in the French capital. Their length is much less than in Moscow (about 200 km at rush hour, instead of Russian 1000-1500 km). The main sources of congestion are the historic city center and the 2 ring roads “Bd Périphérique” and A86. To avoid standing in traffic jams, you need to follow them through one of the Internet services and plan detour routes in time.
Road features near Paris
All French roads have an excellent asphalt surface. Paris and its environs are no exception. The main highway from which you can easily turn in the direction of any microdistrict or large city is the Bd Périphérique circular road. It lies at a distance of 4-6 km from the center of the capital of France.
In winter and summer, all the highways of Paris are perfectly cleaned by the city's public utilities. The routes of state and regional significance also do not suffer from bad weather. Most of the inscriptions on the signs that are installed along the roads are written in French. Signs in English only show directions to major cities.
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Paris car parks
Ground
Parking on the streets of the French capital from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 19:00 is paid. On Sundays and at night parking is free. You can identify it by the yellow circle, which is pasted in the lower right corner of the sign with the letter “P”.
The whole of Paris is divided into 3 parking zones. In the center, the price of parking is 3 euros per hour, on the outskirts – 1 euro for 60 minutes. The maximum duration of a stop at one place is 2 hours. You can pay for parking at special machines with small coins or Paris Card cards, which are sold at press kiosks.
Underground
Underground parking in Paris is open around the clock every day, without interruption. The price of parking in the center and on the outskirts is different, but on average it is 2.5 euros per hour or 20 euros per day. A huge plus of underground parking for people who rent a car is safety. On the surface, due to limited space, cars often scratch and lose their rear-view mirrors. In sun-sheltered parking lots, minor damage is extremely rare.
If you need a transfer, for example, from the airport to the hotel, use the online booking service for worldwide transfers Киви.Такси. You will not need to waste time and nerves looking for a taxi at the airport, the driver will meet you right at the exit, and the price of the trip will be known in advance.
fines
The minimum fine for incorrect parking is 17 euros. If the parking was too long, the car can be taken to a car impound. Buying a car from it will cost at least 153 euros.
Don't miss out on the best offers on last-minute Paris tours, they can be much more profitable than buying tickets separately and booking accommodation on your own.
What to see around Paris?
Most tourists who have visited or are just going to visit France know about the castles of kings and nobility, the Disneyland park, which are located near Paris. But there are a few places that are less known, but of much greater interest to travelers.
Park “Asterix”
Asterix is the 3rd most visited park in France. It is decorated in the style of Gallic fairy tales. It is ideal as the first place to visit upon arrival in the French capital, as it is only 16 km from Charles de Gaulle airport.
There are 36 attractions on the territory of the institution. These include 8 roller coasters and 4 water slides with several loops and steep descents. The park zones are named after the ancient states and peoples: Gaul, Egypt, Vikings, Crossing of Times. There are 5 performances every day. One of them is dolphins.
The park is open from April 1 to August 31 and all weekends in September from 10 am to 6 pm. The ticket price for kids aged 3 to 11 years is 39 euros, for children over 12 years old and adults – 47 euros. You can get to the institution along the A1 highway from the Challe de Gaulle airport or from the Boulevard Pereferique (circular road). You need to leave the highway to the right near the sign with the name of the park. There is free parking near the complex.
Miniature France Park
France in Miniature Park is a great place for children and adults to have fun. In it, on an area of 5 hectares, small copies of all the main monuments of the country of the Gauls were erected: Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, Chartres Cathedral, Corsica Island, Pompadour Castle, as well as several models of the villages of Bretony, Normania, Gascony.
All objects are placed taking into account their real geographical location. A railroad is laid across the territory of the reduced “map“, along which several models of trains travel. On a separate platform, the sights of Paris are presented: the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower 10 meters high, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Some of the objects are animated: bells ring in churches, dogs bark and cows moo in villages. The institution is constantly updated, and new copies of architectural monuments are added to its exposition.
The park is open daily from February 15 to November 2, from 10 am to 6 pm. A ticket to the institution costs 20 euros for adults and 14 euros for children aged 4 to 14 years. To get to the park, you need to turn in the southwestern part of the ring road onto the D910 highway, which turns into the D10 and N10 highways. From the last of the roads you need to turn Boulevard André Malraux (D23) and drive up to the entrance to the institution. There is free parking next to the park.
La Vallee Village
A huge outlet center in the vicinity of the French capital, 3 km from Disneyland. All European and American fashion brands have their stores in it: ST Dupont, Salvatore Ferragamo, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Kenzo, Max Mara, Missoni, Paul Smith Cacharel, Celine, Cerrutii, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy. In total, more than 100 outlets and establishments. The outlet often sells last season's collections, but with good discounts.
Queues often form in front of the shops in the village. To avoid crowds and be able to calmly choose good things, it is better to come to the opening of markets and departments. In order to save money, you should not forget about the Tax Free registration.
The village is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00, and on Sundays from 11:00 to 19:00. To get to La Vali Village, you need to exit the ring road onto the A4 highway and turn off from it under a sign with the number 14 and the inscription “Parcs Disney”. Next, you need to follow the signs with the name of the village.
Many other interesting excursions in Paris you can book online.