Car Driving in Paris, France

masterboy123

Thanks all!

loyatemu

As regards Paris had very interesting time lost in those low height tunnels somewhere around or rather maybe under Versailles.

we encountered that tunnel in October on our way to Versailles, it's alarmingly low! it's also astronomically expensive, with the toll changing multiple times during the day. I think we paid €13 to travel about 10km; took a different route back to our accommodation.

sunnysoutheast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121460259#Comment_121460259

The only thing I would suggest again, particularly if you plan to go to/from France again in the future, is to look at getting a bip and go toll tag. These can now be sent by post to Ireland, no need to buy on arrival. Can save significant time on a longer journey at busy times but maybe not so much Cherbourg to Paris rtn.

Also works in some car parks.

Good luck!

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121460999#Comment_121460999

Is there monthly charges for these Bip and Go toll tag?

I doubt we would repeat France again and again. And it's only Cherbourg to Paris and back.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121465097#Comment_121465097

Don't know about Bip and Go but atmb only charge you for the months you use it.

https://www.atmb.com/telepeage-tarifs/nos_abonnements_telepeage_atmb/

masterboy123

Thanks.

There is a initial subscription fees attached. So I won't opt for it.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121465489#Comment_121465489

Are there subscription fees for this one? They've always only charged postage for it.

https://www.atmb.com/telepeage-tarifs/nos_abonnements_telepeage_atmb/le-voyageur-offre-telepeage-gratuit-sans-engagement/

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121465528#Comment_121465528

I checked for Bip and Go and there is a 10€ subscription fees.

I will check atmb now. But overall it may not be worth it for me. 5 days only in France and low probability of returning.

munchkin_utd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121466455#Comment_121466455

for a solitary spin from the port to Paris and back with a passenger to do the tapping, theres no point.

I got a toll tag a couple of years ago as I am once or twice a year in France, and one of those is literally from one end of the country to the other AND a French toll tag also works in Italy where the queues at the cash/ card toll booths can be attrocious so was the feature that tipped me over the edge to actually buy the yoke.

If you were driving on your own and had to deal with all the toll booths on the wrong side, it might be worth taking the plunge even if its only the one spin.

BTW, when you have the tag, it doesnt go off or anything! Theres no monthly rental and theres nothing to stop you using it at some time in the future on a rental car in France or now also in Spain/ Portugal/ Italy (depending on the provider)

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467195#Comment_121467195

Yes, so I have a passenger who could tap the card or pay using cash.

But it's tempting to get a toll tag if it will work in Portugal, Spain, etc.

Is there a tag that doesn't have initial subscription fees and no monthly/yearly maintenance charges?

Also, will it fit on the same hook as I have for eFlow?

Thanks so much

masterboy123

Our trip in Paris is coming to an end.

Glad we brought our Irish car. Driving was straightforward including in the city centre, tourist places, etc.

Parking costed about €4 an hour in the city. The parking spaces are tight here so need to be careful.

Thanks all

elperello

Well done.

Where did you see that Jag ?

Danny healy ray

Well done

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541918#Comment_121541918

It was parked at a car park at Champs-Elysees. Also, I encountered Ferrari, Bentley and a few Lambos in city centre car parks. I think the owner of those cars has purchased these parking spaces.

Our Hyundai Tucson HEV did well, and its SatNav alerted for fixed-speed cameras, which was great. I hope that I will not receive any fines in the post.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542108#Comment_121542108

If they can afford to drive such lovely cars I suppose they can manage the parking.

It's almost certainly a replica because a real Jaguar C type would be worth €5m to €8m depending on competition history.

Nice spot

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542204#Comment_121542204

Looking at the amount of dust on those supercars I believe they were not moved around for a couple of months.

munchkin_utd

back to the tolltag issue, theres all sorts of models from monthly rental payment to a prepay to a postpay with a small (2euro?) fee for the month you use it, but theres no tag that is free to get, free to use etc.

The one I have is from Ulys and I think they charged a fiver or something for postage, its the 2euro or so for the month I use it, and they collate the tolls and bills be at the end of the month (fantastic level of trust in fairness considering the amount of tolls you can accumulate). They also have a hidden condition that its a tenner fee if you dont use it over a 12 month period. Its a model that suits me and the trip from Cherbourg to Strasboug has 9 tolled stretches with probably 14 or 15 toll booths where you collect a ticket or pay, so it does make such journeys that little bit more straight forward

All that aside, if the usecase is mostly to drive from Cherbourg to Paris occassionally with no delays/ hassle at tollbooths then this will soon be irrelevant as the A13/ A14 is to be made a freeflow video toll like the M50 in Dublin sometime this year .

https://www.autoroutes.sanef.com/en/free-flow/travel-paris-normandie-a13

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121585929#Comment_121585929

The EU should mandate toll tag roaming. They could allow an extra fee e.g. 50c for extra territorial use but like mobile phones it should work and anyone allowed set up a toll should be required to support it.

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121585929#Comment_121585929

I used the bank card without any issues. I didn't need a toll tag as it was a once-off holiday to Paris.

Toll charges from Cherbourg to Paris were around €20 each way.

There is a dedicated lane for people who want to pay by cash 💸 it was never busy, only 1-2 cars ahead of us.

Given it was Christmas break, the traffic was lighter, perhaps.

Thanks all for your input. It was highly valued.

Hotblack Desiato

It took long enough to get toll tag interoperability just within Ireland...

There are much simpler things which they could and should do - e.g. abolish national schemes like Crit'Air and have a standard system in place across all member states that want to implement emission controls.

The can/bottle recycling scheme, the same. Having a separate logo for every country's scheme is stupid and a barrier to trade, which the single market is supposed to prohibit (same goes for the stupid alcohol health warnings they want to bring in here)

CelticRambler

On the subjects of driving in Paris, the A13 and the oft-cited inability of Dublin's Co.Councils to cope with "a bit of snow" here's how things looked in Ile-de-France last night (in French):

https://youtu.be/UpZ8YKXimyY

Summary: A12 and A13 closed overnight/this morning with 100km of traffic stuck on them and unable to move ... except downhill, in which case many of the vehicles were unable to stop. The gritters came out ... this morning. This is a regular occurrence in/around Paris in winter.

josip

For any future readers of this thread. Paris have massively increased charges for larger cars in public car parks.

https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0204/1430449-paris-parking/

I don't think it applies to private car parks.