Parking in Paris: Here’s to Avoid Fines & Stress

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Parking in Paris is not for the faint of heart. Because parking places in Paris are scanty and expensive, and if you do it wrong, fines are sky-high. Given, that Parisians are not very squeamish with their vehicles either, you better know beforehand where to park your car in Paris safely. Especially if you are keen on returning home without scratches and bruised bumpers.

So, here’s for you my guide to parking in Paris. I have lived and driven in Paris for years. And in this article, I will tell you where it’s safe to park, what costs you can expect, and where you should absolutely not park. The latter to avoid both: fines and damages.

So, you are driving by car to Paris and wondering where you can park best? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the parking situation in Paris for you to explore the city stress-free.

IMPORTANT NOTE for everyone who drives to Paris: Order the Crit’Air Sticker in advance because you won’t be allowed to enter Paris without it. Find out more here.

Parking Paris: Quick Expectation Guide

When driving to Paris by car, you have several options for parking your vehicle. To begin with, there is no cheap street parking or as good as no free parking spots in Paris anymore. All parking spaces are subject to fees are very harsh restrictions.

That’s why it’s the easiest and safest way to book a hotel with parking or reserve a spot in a parking garage.

Surprisingly, this can also be the most cost-effective option. This way, you can be sure that your car is safely parked during your trip, and you won’t have to worry about finding a parking space when you arrive.

Once you are in Paris, it is absolutely best to leave your car parked and explore Paris by Metro.

#1 Easiest Solution: Hotel with Parking in Paris

The easiest, most straightforward, safest, and surprisingly cost-effective option is to book a hotel with parking in Paris. Many hotels have a private garage or offer access to a nearby underground parking garage.

The advantages of a hotel with parking in Paris are clear:

• You arrive at your destination in a relaxed manner without worrying about the parking situation or having to search for a parking space after a long drive.
• Your car will be securely parked and protected during your stay in Paris.
• You can avoid the Parisian traffic and save time wasted in traffic jams or searching for parking spaces.
• Your bumper will thank you.

There are thousands of Hotels in Paris and while many can’t provide you with cheap parking in Paris, a few do offer parking options. Either in cooperation with a nearby parking garage or due to own availabilities.

The following list is a quick selection of Hotels with parking options. All of them are absolutely safe to book: they are in attractive locations, perfect for sightseeing, safe, and some of the visitor’s favorites.

Top Hotels in Paris with Parking:

➤ Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon: Centrally located near Gare de Lyon with family rooms and splendid views over Paris. The parking may already be included in the room price, depending on the room type. Find more information on prices and booking here.

➤ Hôtel Regent’s Garden: Located near the Arc de Triomphe and the highway, you won’t have to drive through the city for a long time. Breakfast is included. Find more information on prices and booking here.

➤ Fred’Hotel: A budget-friendly hotel with affordable parking in beautiful southern Paris. It’s nicely situated for sightseeing and for exploring non-touristy Paris. Find more information on prices and booking here.

#2 Street Parking in Paris – But Beware!

If you are not keen on booking a hotel with parking in Paris, you also have the option to park your car along the street. But it’s not as easy and straightforward as it may sound, and I will now explain what you need to consider.

What may seem easy elsewhere can be quite different in Paris. For several reasons. For one, cars in Paris are not status symbols; they are rather utility items. A scratch or a fender bender is often shrugged off and not given much attention.

When parking your car on the street, you should expect that it may get a few scratches. The sound of bumpers colliding when parking is regularly used as a parking aid. This is not just a cliché.

Another reason to opt out of street parking in Paris is that public parking spaces are scarce. It is not uncommon to circle the area for 45 min before finding a free parking in Paris.

The situation got even worst during the past years. During the pandemic, many cafés, and restaurants used adjacent parking spaces to set up outdoor terraces to increase the distance between guests. This was so well-received by Parisians that many establishments made these terraces permanent fixtures. Sacrificing numerous parking spaces in the process.

Many former Paris parking places were furthermore transformed into stations for Vélib bikes. In conclusion, parking spaces are disappearing from the cityscape, making parking in Paris increasingly challenging.

And as if this is not reason enough, street parking in Paris is darn expensive and restricted. Currently, it’s €6 per hour in the city center. But only during the first two hours, the 3rd-hour costs €12 already, and it gets pricier after. (See table below for reference). Parking for longer than 6h is not allowed.

Understanding Street Parking Rules in Paris

If you decide to park your car on the street, it’s inevitable that you are aware of the rather complicated street parking rules in Paris. Because not every free parking in Paris is a parking spot after all.

How to Recognize Public Parking Spaces in Paris

Generally, you can park in white-bordered parking spaces marked with “payant” (means paid). When you come across yellow-bordered parking spaces, you need to be careful. Here’s more information:

You can park here: White-bordered parking spaces – Payant

If you want to park on the street in Paris, it’s easiest to look for a white-bordered parking space marked with “Payant” This is mainly the case with most street parking spaces in Paris. However, these parking spaces are not free. You can pay for them at the parking meters or through a parking app.

(Exception: from 8 pm to 9 am and on Sundays & bank holidays; more information about free parking spaces is available later in this article).

You can sometimes park here: Yellow-bordered parking spaces with a single or dashed line – Livraison

Your search for a parking space gets a bit more complicated when you come across yellow-bordered parking in Paris. These are delivery parking spaces, but there are three variations: single, dashed, or double line.

Single or dashed yellow line: You can use these delivery parking spaces outside business hours. To simplify: Dashed or single yellow lines are ok for parking between 8 pm and 7 am, as well as on Sundays and holidays. It’s not free parking in Paris, though.

You must NEVER park here: Double yellow line – Livraison

Then there are parking spaces with double yellow lines. You must never park here in Paris, as these spaces must be kept clear for delivery vehicles at all times. If you park here anyway, your car is likely to be towed.

Pay close attention to yellow dashed or solid lines when parking in Paris; it’s crucial.

Parking in Paris: Fees and Payment Options

If, for whatever reason, street parking is the most practical option for you, be prepared for high prices.

How much does parking on public parking lots cost?

The first hour costs between €4 and €6, and the rates increase from there on. Here’s a brief overview (as of November 2022):

Parking Paris: How to pay your parking fees

You can pay for parking fees in Paris either at the parking ticket machine or through a parking app. The parking ticket machines are green boxes on the sidewalk, where you can easily pay with by credit card. Cash payments are not accepted.

You also have the option to pay by app. Currently, the available parking apps are PayByPhone, Flowbird, EasyPark, and Indigo Neo. I use PaybyPhone.

Personally, it’s the only option I use when parking on the street. I find it convenient that I can extend the parking duration without rushing back to my car. I simply receive a notification when the parking time is about to expire, and I can choose to extend it.

If you pay at the meter, you can only book for two hours, and extend if needed. That means you have to walk to the machine every two hours to get more parking time.

How long can you park in public parking places?

When parking in a public parking space in Paris, you cannot exceed the maximum parking time of 6 hours. Parking tickets and parking durations are regularly monitored and, in some municipalities, even electronically recorded.

Free parking in Paris: is this even possible?

If you are looking for cheap parking in Paris or even free parking in Paris, I have to disappoint you. Until a few years ago, there were a few spots that got forgotten by the city hall and that were always free, but today. Nada.

But this being said, parking in Paris is free during the night and on Sundays. Hence, if you arrive in Paris after 8 pm and leave before 9 am the next day, then you don’t have to pay for your spot. The same applies to Sundays.

You might also be interested in these articles:

So, theoretically and to profit the most from free parking in Paris, arrive on Saturday after 8 pm and leave Monday morning before 9 am, and you’re good to go.

Good to know: Parking is NOT free anymore during the month of August.

#3 Safety Option: Park in Parking Garages in Paris

If you want to park your car safely in Paris, a spot in a parking garage is, of course, always a good choice. Luckily, you can find parking garages all over Paris and it is usually no problem at all to find a free spot.

The price varies depending on the location, and you can expect it to be more expensive the closer you are to the city center and popular attractions.

The advantage of a parking garage compared to street parking is also, that you can park there for a longer time compared to public street parking. There is, in fact, no limitation. Additionally, you can arrange for a parking reservation in advance, making it more convenient on the day of arrival.

One user-friendly option is the website Parclick. Here, you can easily search for parking garages, book, pay online, and receive all further information through the app.

Voilà. Now you know everything about parking in Paris. The easiest, stress-free, and safest option is to book a hotel with parking directly. However, you can also park in a parking garage or on the street. As long as you pay attention to a few things as mentioned, nothing should go wrong.

I have lived in Paris since 2005, and I am happy to show you around. Join me on Facebook for updates and news about Paris.

FAQ Parking in Paris

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