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Is driving in Paris difficult?

So my boyfriend and I are heading to the Paris Dog Show (he’s a dog photographer), and he wants to rent a car to get around. I think he’s nuts—or am I nuts? The more important question is, is driving in Paris difficult?

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Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
After a very unscientific survey conducted here at Jerry, we have concluded that your dog photographer boyfriend is indeed nuts—driving in Paris is difficult due to heavy traffic, aggressive drivers, and a complex road system that can give locals fits, let alone tourists! Not driving around Paris will make for a much more fun and stress-free trip!
After all, Paris is massive—the Greater Paris area is home to more than 10,000,000 people, many of whom drive. Drivers are known to be very aggressive in the French capital, switching lanes quickly without warning (or signaling), routinely ignoring posted speed limits, and using the horn seemingly all the time.
In case you haven’t been to Paris before, it’s a charming place with old, cobblestone streets and plenty of byzantine roadways—so, in other words, not just a pain in the derriere to drive, but also a pain to park! Space is tight in Paris, and that includes your parking spot—if you can find one. It’s also relatively expensive to park in the city, with average rates going from 4 euros an hour.
Instead of driving, you and your boyfriend can take advantage of Paris’s Metro system, a fantastic, expansive network with excellent service and affordable rates. It can get you everywhere in the City of Light that you’ll want to go.
Or, since this is Paris we’re talking about, do as the Parisians do—walk! Paris is one of the most romantic, walkable cities in the world, so there is no need to drive. Do yourself (and your canine-paparazzi boyfriend) a favor, and take a “promenade” in this charming metropolis. Neither of you will forget it.
Once you’re back from the City of Light, make sure you protect your car with a robust
car insurance
policy by using
Jerry
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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