Although traveling in Paris by car can be tempting, and quite convenient if you have children, it can be quite difficult to park, and the parking spots may be expensive. Where, then, can we park for a reasonable price? Are there free parking spots in the city? Which hotels have private parking? How do you drive easily through Paris? A lot of questions can come to your mind, and we are going to answer them.
On the same topic: Is it Necessary to Rent a Car in Paris or is it Better to Use Public Transport?
Table of Contents
Parking on the Street
First of all, you have to know that you need to pay for parking in the streets from Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 8pm.
However, you can park for free at night, on Sundays, and on national holidays on some streets.
If this is the case, you will see a yellow dot on the parking meter.
There are two parking fee zones: in midtown (districts 1 to 11) you have to pay €6 per hour, and only €4 in the outskirts of the city.
It’s important to know that free parking is limited to six hours on parking spots.
Which means that you will have to come back to your car six hours to change your parking ticket.
You can pay either by credit card, using the Paris Carte card you can buy at any tobacconist, or via the application PayByPhone, available on the AppStore on Google Play, Flowbird, EasyPark and Indigo Neo.
Note: Some parking meters don’t accept the Paris Carte anymore.
Free And Cheap Parking Spots
In Paris, there are really few free parking spots. It is, thus, very difficult to find one in Paris, but here are a few tips that can help you.
For instance, you need to know that you can park on the delivery parking spots at night, and on Sundays and national holidays (only).
Warning: this tip is only valid for delivery parking spots that are marked out by a dotted line or by a single continuous line, but you absolutely cannot park on a delivery spot that is marked out by two continuous lines.
The city council decided in August 2015 to prohibit almost all entirely free parking spots in the capital in order to restrict pollution.
A small number of free parking spots still exist, such as:
- In the 8th district: the Avenue Montaigne, the Avenue de Marigny.
- In the 16th district: the Route de Suresnes, the Allée de Longchamp, the Avenue Mahatma Gandhi, the road going from the Porte des Sablons to the Porte Maillot.
- In the city center: the Place Louis Lépine, the Quai du Marché Neuf.
On the same topic: 21 On-street Parkings Where to Park for Free in Paris and Suburbs
Underground Public Parking Lots
One of the safest ways to park your car quickly and easily would be to use underground parking lots that can be found midtown, near the tourist monuments, and near the shopping malls.
They welcome drivers 24/7, are equipped with security cameras, and guards are in charge of security.
Parking lots that accept motorcycles have a white P on a blue background badge.
Midtown, parking lots generally cost €4 to €5 for 1 hr, €8 to €10 for 2 hrs, and a bit more than €42 for 12 to 24 hrs.
The underground public parking lots located at the gateways of Paris (12th to 20th districts) are less expensive and cost between €30 and €40 for 24 hrs.
If you plan on leaving your car for more than 24 hours, public parking lots offer weekend, weekly and monthly fees with preferential rates.
On the city hall’s official website, you can find a map (in French) registering the underground public parking lots of Paris.
My advice: It is particularly difficult to drive and park in Paris. It is better to drive a small car if you do.
Book a Parking Spot in an Underground Public Parking Lot
The ultimate solution to parking in great cities is on your smartphone.
It would be a shame to ruin your visit to Paris by searching for a parking spot for hours.
The website and the application Indigo Neo makes your parking easier with better prices and an easy-to-use interface which allow you to book a parking spot in real time or in advance, wherever you are.
It is faster and easier to find a parking spot thanks to Indigo Neo, but it is also cheaper since the application offers discounts that can be as much as 50%.
There are many other websites and applications for parking spot booking – for a few hours, a few days, or even a few weeks – they all function the same way.
Here are some of them: Parclick, QPark, OnePark, Zenpark, SAEMES.
Rent a Private Parking Spot
Many Parisians have their own private parking spot but do not own a car.
A network of private individuals has been created and now, thanks to Mobypark, you can rent a private parking spot for a very small price.
You can either book it in advance or rent it in real-time directly via the application. The prices are shown per days and the parking spots can be booked for multiple days.
The details of how to book the parking slots depend on the offers: some owners ask to be there on arrival, some others don’t.
The access hours and how secure the parking slots are also are mentioned in the offers.
The prices also depend but, on average, a slot in the city center costs around €25 a day.
Prends Ma Place (website in French) and Parkmatch (in French) are other websites allowing you to rent a private parking spot for your short or long trips in Paris.
The Cheapest Paid Parking Lots in Paris
- Indigo Lutèce-Cité parking lot (€3.40 for an hour)
- Forum des Halles-Berger parking lot (€3.60 for an hour)
- Montholon Indigo parking lot (€3.74 for an hour)
- Beaubourg Centre-Pompidou parking lot (€4 for an hour)
- Sentier 41 parking lot (€4 for an hour)
Best Parking Lots in Paris
- Saemes Les Halles-Saint-Eustache parking lot
- Indigo Pont Marie parking lot
- Saemes Hôtel de Ville-Paris parking lot
- Saemes Pyramides parking lot
- Indigo Alma George V parking lot
Park for Free Outside of Paris and Take Public Transports
There may not be many free parking lots in Paris, but there are many more in the nearby suburbs.
Depending on how long you plan on staying in Paris, parking outside of the city and taking public transportation may be the cheapest option.
On Ile-de-France Mobilité (website in French), you’ll be able to find a list of all the proximity car parks near train and RER stations.
Rates are more affordable than in the center of Paris and even free for Navigo pass holders.
Going from Paris’ neighbors’ suburbs to the center of the capital (Châtelet) will usually take you between 15 and 30 minutes, by public transport.
If this can be a good option when spending just a single day in the capital, don’t forget that some parking spots, in the street, even if they are free, won’t allow you to stay parked at night. You can find all the details you need on the town’s website.
Hotels With a Private Parking Lot in Paris
Coming to Paris by car and having to stay at a hotel? You might as well pick a hotel with its own car park.
Here are some of my recommendations.
B&B Hôtel Paris Porte des Lilas
23 Avenue René Fonck, 19th district.
This hotel provides an underground car park for a €17 extra charge per day. The car park is a bit small and can quickly be full. As such, it is advised to book in advance. If there are no slots left, a partner car park in the area is available at the same price.
Room Price: From €88
Hotel Inn Paris Place d’Italie
178 Boulevard Vincent Auriol, 13th district.
The Hotel Inn Paris Place d’Italie provides a private and secure underground car park that you need to book for a €20 extra fee per day.
Room Price: From €122
Ibis Paris Gare du Nord Château Landon
197-199 rue Lafayette, 75010 Paris
This Ibis hotel has a private underground car park accessible from the hotel hall. The parking slot booking is separate from the room.
Room Price: From €161
Motel One Paris-Porte Dorée
295 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
This hotel is close to the metro and has a private underground paid car park for €16 per day. It is not big so it is best to book in advance.
Room Price: From €101
Hôtel des Arts-Bastille
2 rue Godefroy Cavaignac, 75011 Paris
This hotel, located in the 11th district, provides a private and secure underground car park to book. The slots are quite narrow so it is best for smaller cars. Other public car parks are close to the hotel if there are no slots left.
Room Price: From €143
Comparison
To get a better idea of all the available options, here is a comparison between the different parking fees you’ll have to pay to go visit two of Paris’ famous places: the Sacré-Coeur, in the 18th district, and the Musée Grévin, in the 9th district.
Both of them are only four kilometers apart, but we will see how big the difference can be when it comes to parking.
We will take a 12 hours-day as an example.
Example#1: Parking Beside the Sacré-Coeur (12 hours)
| Traveling time | Parking fees | Public transportation fees | Total | |
| Parking in the street | None | €48 | None | €48 |
| Underground parking lot (Anvers – SAEMES) | 8 min | €39.60 | None | €39.60 |
| Private parking spot | Depending on the location | Between €15 and €30 | None | €15/30 |
| Parking outside of Paris (Asnières-sur-Seine) |
28 min | None | €5 (train) + €2.10 (metro) | €7.10 |
Example #2: Parking Beside the Musée Grévin (12 hours)
| Traveling time | Parking fees | Public transportation fees | Total | |
| Parking in the street | None | €72 | None | €72 |
| Underground parking lot (Sentier 41) | 7 min | €20 | None | €20 |
| Private parking spot | Depending on the location | About €20 | None | €20 |
| Parking outside of Paris (Asnières-sur-Seine) |
25 min | None | €3 (train) + €2.10 (metro) | €7.10 |
As you can see, some options are more affordable than others.
Take into account that prices vary greatly even inside the same district.
Additionally, despite the unchanging rate for parking spots in the street, it isn’t always easy to find one.
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
