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We're travelling from Calais to the Dordogne on Sunday 23rd and we were going to tackle Paris (La Francilienne!) with it being a Sunday.

However, I now realise that the Tour de France finishes in Paris that very day. Has anybody any experince of what the roads around paris will be like on this occassion.

Well, I know what other towns have been like when the Tour starts or finishes there...they`re shut down. They don`t shut the roads down as a rolling closure...they shut them. Totally...no access allowed. We were in Pornic a couple of years back when they shut down the entire Pornic-Nantes section of the autoroute to allow Tour access. They shut Pornic down from the night before and most of the following day...and that was just for the time trial stage.

And it won`t just be for the race, the race officials and the race caravan...the Tour De France is one of the biggest sporting events in the world (despite us Brits not being into cycle racing) and the centre of Paris will be shut for the day to allow tens of thousands of fans to attend it. The main access route that the Tour will use will be shut to traffic all day. The whole of France will be sitting in front of their TV sets watching it, btw. Anywhere else in France the roads will be deserted.And they`ll all want to get out of Paris again in the evening.

Here`s the link to the official web site and the stage routes. You should be OK on the periphique as long as you`re not going anywhere near the race corridor. If in doubt, stay away, or go round on Saturday.

http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/presentation/us/parcours.html

You would be better off going;

A16 to Abbeville then the A28 via Rouen - Alencon - Le Mans - Tours

then on the A10 south to The Dordogne.

I hope this helps, just ask if will can be of any further help. 

The A104/N104 is miles from the centre of Paris and the Tour de France. I can't imagine that you would have any problems. Its a good road and well sign posted.

David