[JFRTDI]

has anyone got any experiences or tips or driving to France for a couple of nights and whats involved and costs for certain things?

Would be driving from Manchester

[redaprilia]

Er just get in and go ! its pretty much a full days drive though when you allow for the eurotunnel etc Tips would be keep your speed down to the 130kph ( thats just 81mph ) on the A26 & A1 as there are plenty of speed traps both overt and covert particularly on the last 15 miles prior to toll booths . Where do you plan to stay & park ? If you have not booked hotel yet look on Hotel Reservation : Book hotels online with Accorhotels.com for a base with parking as Paris & parking don't quite go together but its far easier to drive in than London .

[FZR400RRSP]

Presumably you know the rules about what you're expected to carry in your car?
Bulbs/fluoro jacket etc etc
The only 'difficult' thing I found driving in Paris was the roundabouts.
They still practice the 'priorite a droite' (Priority to the right) rule,which effectively means people joining the roundabout have right of way (because they are coming from your right)
It freaks you out being halfway round a roundabout and someone just comes flying onto it, expecting you to stop. :-)
You get used to it, but your first instinct is to blast the horn and call them all the names.
Stopping on a roundabout goes against our normal driving habits here (barring traffic lights)

[KeithO]

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

The only 'difficult' thing I found driving in Paris was the roundabouts.
They still practice the 'priorite a droite' (Priority to the right) rule,which effectively means people joining the roundabout have right of way (because they are coming from your right)
It freaks you out being halfway round a roundabout and someone just comes flying onto it, expecting you to stop. :-)
You get used to it, but your first instinct is to blast the horn and call them all the names.
Stopping on a roundabout goes against our normal driving habits here (barring traffic lights)

Technically not true, although that's not to say they don't still do it!

It used to be the case maybe 20 years ago, when roundabouts were relatively rare, but no longer, since they realized it doesn't work.Almost all roundabouts now have a sign on approach informing drivers that they do not have priority. Same is true for Germany, which also generally observes the "priority from the right" rule, but not on roundabouts.

http://uk.franceguide.com/practical-...&EditoID=13587

See under "PRIORITÉ À DROITE AND OTHER ROAD SIGNS"

For the OP this is a useful guide to driving in France from the official website of the French government tourist board

[KeithO]

Originally Posted by JFRTDI

has anyone got any experiences or tips or driving to France for a couple of nights and whats involved and costs for certain things?

Would be driving from Manchester

If you're taking a satnav, beware you must not have speed camera warnings on it, as this is now an offence with a big fine

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...mera-warnings/

[redaprilia]

Originally Posted by KeithO

If you're taking a satnav, beware you must not have speed camera warnings on it, as this is now an offence with a big fine

France bans sat navs with speed camera warnings - | Motorcycle News | Bike News | Motorbike Videos | MCN

Yes and no because the latest download for "danger points" for some sat nav's is just that it comes up on screen to say accident or danger risk zone making no mention of speed cameras !

[FZR400RRSP]

Originally Posted by KeithO

Technically not true, although that's not to say they don't still do it!

They flipping well still did it a few years back, when I last drove there! (5-6 years ago)
Our hotel (meridian montparnasse) room looked down onto a roundabout too, and I'd spend ages watching the chaos!
Probably a mixture of people observing the new rules and stubborn Parisians sticking to the old ways.

[redaprilia]

On normal roads it has been phased out but in central Parris who knows it just flows . In towns you still might still see " Priorite a droite" if you do keep your wits about you for emerging cars !

[clevoir]

You would be better off parking at Ebbsfleet and taking the Eurostar, this will take you to Gare de Nord and for a couple of nights you could use the metro to get around and see the sights

The traffic in Paris looks really bad, with limited parking in the centre