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Yes, avoid the old Paris Peripherique, which is very close to the city centre. And if you find "The Francilienne"( A104/N104) too big a loop and too far out, then there is a midway compromise which is the A 86 ring road around Paris. 

Paris is far better provided with ring roads than London - where the North and South Circular roads are a disgrace to our capital city. (Let's see what 2012 Olympics visitors coming to the Crystal Palace caravan site have to say).  And, like the rest of France, the roads in the Paris area are improving and increasing all the time. Provided it was outside peak times I would cheerfully go that way. The key is always to know the names of the cities on your route a few hundred  kilometres distant and spot those on signs.  Bonne Route.

But do avoid 1730 on a Friday !

Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 20/6/2011

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If you are going thru Paris as described, you come down A1, under Charles De Gaulle Airport & follow the signs for Bordeaux, gets you onto A10. Its all dual carriageway. For the return journey come off A10 & follow signs for Lille.

The Peripherique is the ring around the city centre. I can only guess you ended up on that by following a sat nav. Next time switch it off & follow the signs.

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Quote: Originally posted by OliverDay on 20/6/2011

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Tentz advice is exactly what a coach driver said to me on Saturday after I asked him which way they were going to the Dordogne (I was seeing my daughter off on a school trip). He said "ignore Satnav and follow signs to Bordeaux and the route takes you around Paris on the A86" (Paris' middle ring road). Additionally he didn't like the Rouen route as there was still too much stopping and starting, roundabouts and single lane roads.

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Quote: Originally posted by OliverDay on 20/6/2011

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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 20/6/2011If you are going thru Paris as described, you come down A1, under Charles De Gaulle Airport & follow the signs for Bordeaux, gets you onto A10. Its all dual carriageway. For the return journey come off A10 & follow signs for Lille.

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The Peripherique is the ring around the city centre. I can only guess you ended up on that by following a sat nav. Next time switch it off & follow the signs.

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Tentz advice is exactly what a coach driver said to me on Saturday after I asked him which way they were going to the Dordogne (I was seeing my daughter off on a school trip). He said "ignore Satnav and follow signs to Bordeaux and the route takes you around Paris on the A86" (Paris' middle ring road). Additionally he didn't like the Rouen route as there was still too much stopping and starting, roundabouts and single lane roads.

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rouen is fine   francilienne is fine   peripherique is wow with a caravan  stick to the second lane on the right if you have to use this type of jungle warfare and you are pobably ok  keep the eyes focussed for the turn off and ignore the whizzbangs either side of you   better still drive with your eyes closed and you will be ok!!  I have done the peripherique twice, but years ago   age softens the mind and the bravado

I knew paris was not easy but when we visited some french friends and because the husband was at work I was asked to drive to the metro i knew it was not easy. Still I survived it and have been back several time albeit we leave the caravan well out. 

We have taken the Route du Solaie around Paris. We often remember the time all the vehicles on our side of the motorway stopped so that the drivers could get out and watch a convoy of motorcycles on the opposite side!!

You will find that the route via Rouen is cheaper in tolls.

Regards Bob

Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 21/6/2011

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And the tolls for the coach are being paid for by those hiring it, and not by the driver!  He might use an alternative route if he had to find 86 euros (Class 3 tolls for the coach) to get as far as Vierzon!

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