Paris City GuideArriving in ParisBy car

Arrival by car

Obviously, there are several ways to reach downtown Paris by car. A good roadmap will be essential in preparing your journey. Please do not hesitate to contact us in advance by e-mail (info@absoluliving.com) or by phone (+33 1.44.54.97.00) to find out the most direct way to reach your apartment. Also, here are some links to websites which may be helpful in determining traffic conditions the day of your arrival.

http://www.sytadin.tm.fr

http://www.infotrafic.com and more specifically http://www.infotrafic.com/home.php?Region=IDF&AC=1771924393 ; 

http://www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr.

http://www.mappy.fr (to help you create your itinerary)

For those who have never driven in Paris, here are some very basic tips which may be helpful:

Paris is surrounded by a beltway, or ring road, called the boulevard périphérique, PERIPHERIQUE or BP on road signs. As you approach the capital by highway, here are some translations which may be helpful:

Périphérique Intérieur/Extérieur : Inner/Outer loop of the beltway/ring road

Est/Ouest/Nord/Sud : East…West…North…South

The exits on and off of the Périphérique are called portes, often abbreviated PTE on road signs. The exit you take will depend on the direction from which you are arriving.

Once driving on city streets, navigating is somewhat different from the alpha-numeric grid systems of North American cities. White signs along boulevards and at all major intersections will indicate the best route to reach different areas of the city. The signs and itineraries are based on major city landmarks such as Châtelet, Opéra, Hôtel de Ville and so forth.

Street markers in Paris are small and located on the sides of buildings. Therefore, street names are only become useful once you are on the small, one-way streets within a particular neighborhood.

Once again, if you are arriving by car, please do not hesitate to call us for assistance at 01.44.54.97.00.