Paris Periferique

[Jackie_374362420]

I am going to tow a 26' twin axle caravan to Lake Geneva, from Le Havre. My Tom Tom Sat Nav wants me to go round the Paris Periferique, my husband thinks a detour going south west round the city, to avoid Paris might be better.Our first overnight stop will be caravan club site L17 at Pont de Bourgogne near Chalon sur Saone.Has anyone towed round Paris? What are the minor roads in France like if I do the detour? Any or all advice greatfully received please.

Many thanks

Jackie

 

[ShadySadie]

I followed the advice from caravanners some years ago and used the Periferique. We sat looking at the airport for about two hours and ended up adding around 4 hours to our journey to Magny Cours.

There are plenty of major roads and routs that you can use to avoid the chance of getting caught in the Paris area. I stay away from the local M25 here and try and stay away from most city ring roads and motorways when caravanning if I can.

 

[RayS]

Before I retired i used to drive in France regularly and used the perifique often. Even then, it was not for the faint hearted amd you certainly needed to know where you were going and have good UK nearside vision. For these reasons i would not recomment using this route unless your destination is in the Paris area. The slightest incidnet caused a major tailback and the traffic police were brusque to put it mildly.

I would plan a route round rather than through Paris - try www.viamichelin.com and mark to avoid the area.

 

[Jackie_374362420]

Before I retired i used to drive in France regularly and used the perifique often. Even then, it was not for the faint hearted amd you certainly needed to know where you were going and have good UK nearside vision. For these reasons i would not recomment using this route unless your destination is in the Paris area. The slightest incidnet caused a major tailback and the traffic police were brusque to put it mildly.

I would plan a route round rather than through Paris - try www.viamichelin.com and mark to avoid the area.

Thank you for your advice. I have driven round the Perifirique in just a car but not towing. I am going to avoid Paris altogether.

Jackie

 

[Jackie_374362420]

I followed the advice from caravanners some years ago and used the Periferique. We sat looking at the airport for about two hours and ended up adding around 4 hours to our journey to Magny Cours.

There are plenty of major roads and routs that you can use to avoid the chance of getting caught in the Paris area. I stay away from the local M25 here and try and stay away from most city ring roads and motorways when caravanning if I can.

Thank you for your quick reply. I have driven round Paris before, but as you say, one little bump & you can be stuck for hours.

Jackie

 

[ThePlotter]

I have used the peripherique many times and I personally ( I stress me and not others)have never had a problem or found it scary I think an urban mythe has been built up about this road,perhaps by the inhabitants of Paris.The clue to not having a problem is first avoid peak times,stay in the inside lane so that you do not get trapped and miss your Sortie and finally get a Michelin atlas and in there is a large map of Paris which cleary gives the names for all the sorties.Make a note of your sortie and the three or four before and you will then know when to come off.They are all very clearly marked on signs and give you advance warning with distance signs.

As for spending four hours watching the airport Sadie must have good eyesight to see Charles DeGaulle airport as it is not on the peripherique,I am not aware of any others.

 

[ShadySadie]

Another well travelled caravanner who seems to need a trip to D&A or Specsavers ;-) "looking at the airport for about two";-)

You know the periferique Plotter but have not heard of Orly, neither are on the periferique. But entering and exiting the Paris area when the periferique goes to melt down you can find yourself stuck near both and end up missing planes as has happened to me twice.

Londons M25 is an outer ring road, but the Periferique is an inner ring road well within the urban sprawl of the Paris area.

It easy to get around the outer areas of Paris rather than venture in to city commuter areas or the Periferique.

If the Periferique reputation is urban myth, Parisiens and visitors to paris and car insurers must be living a dream or nightmare ;-)

 

[joeby]

i took the paris ring road just before Christmas ,about 3,30 pm our tom tom never faltered , the route was slow but we never stopped ,

 

[Guest]

I live in France. Would I tow a caravan around the Periferique?

Not on your nelly!

You can do it fineof course, but having visted Paris many times and lived their for short spells just take a around it and stay away from pssibel problems.

It's a bit like deciding to take your wife out to dinner.

Do you choose a nice quiet Family Bistro or a seedy side of town red light area spit and sawdust docker and hoodlums pub.

The pub could be OK :O)

 

[Brum1]

I usually use the A26 from Calais to the A1 and soon after passing CDG airport take the A104 until it reaches the A4 at the south end of Paris and (touch wood) have not had any delays.

 

[Heather89]

I would also recommend using the A104 "Le Francilienne"-this is another ring road around outer Paris, we have used it many times without any delays or problems, it may be a slightly longer route, but it usually seems to flow well!Although it probably is best to use it outside of the "rush hour".

 

[albert3]

We returned from france yesterday and would agree with brum and Heather we took this route out and had no problems apart from a small delay due to an accident it was trouble free.

On our way back we went to stay at the Huttopia site in Versailles, we took the periphique to return we used the sat nav wich took us to the A13 and on to the periphique we left site at 10am got on to the preiphique in about an hour and it took about an hour to reach the A1, the road was extremely busy and had to bully my way when changing lanes (lots of honking of horns)as no one will give way.

Having done both I would always avoid the peripherique, as we left the peripherique the que the other way to get on was beyond the CDG

For you info diesel was 1.45 to 1.55 Euros a litre on the motorways and at independant garages and the supermarkets were 1.39 to 1.45 Euros per litre

Hope this helps

 

[Brian_374318203]

I usually use the A26 from Calais to the A1 and soon after passing CDG airport take the A104 until it reaches the A4 at the south end of Paris and (touch wood) have not had any delays.

Brum

Excuse my ignorance, but are you saying that if I were heading south, I should use the A104, A4 and then the N104 passing south of Evry to join up with the A10?

I'm not travelling until November and was contemplating going further west via Reims and Dijon but there aren't as many sites open in the winter over that neck of the woods and i would prefer the more direct route via the A10 and A71.