Changes

20 minutes down the motorway a [[toll road]] starts - there you will see a [[toll station]] where everyone has to stop. It is a great place to get long-distance rides. Between the ''Aire La Courneuve'' and the ''barrière de péage'' (toll station) there is a small [[rest area]] and a fairly large petrol station with quite many cars stopping there. Ask your driver if he/she passes this service area.

Another option to get a ride towards Lille and/or Belgium is first to take a RER B to ''Stade de France'' and then walk up to the final traffic light where you can ask for a ride to the first petrol station on the motorway (''Aire La Courneuve'') which is about 5 km away.

The ''barrière de péage'' is located [http://maps.google.es/maps?f=d&saddr=48.854077,2.83959&daddr=&hl=es&geocode=&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=48.853788,2.839912&sspn=0.003586,0.009656&ie=UTF8&ll=48.850258,2.830095&spn=0.014346,0.038624&t=h&z=15 here].

The first petrol station is close to RER A station ''Bussy St.Georges''. From this station walk South for about 1 km along a bigger road which will lead you to a roundabout. You can try hitchhiking from there but the needed petrol station will be just a bit more than 2 km from there. You can walk on the grass field next to the highway. The petrol station is called ''La Ferrière''. Another option to reach this petrol station is to walk through the industrial zone of ''Bussy'' area, to the South of the railway, then reach the bridge over the highway and follow further by walking on the grass until the actual petrol station. Most of the walk will be on the road which means you will save some time while at the same time such a walk won't be so annoying if you happen to hitchhike in winter (then you apparently don't wanna go through the fields). You can follow [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=gare,+bussy+saint+georges,+france&daddr=chemin+de+la+rue+pavee,+bussy+saint+georges,+france&sll=48.831899,2.723193&sspn=0.01291,0.040169&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=48.831814,2.726369&spn=0.01291,0.040169&t=h&om=0 this route] on Google Maps.

* If you go to ''Bussy-St-Georges'' you can also try to catch a bus nr.4 or nr.44 from the metro station ''Gutenberg''. When at ''Bussy-St-Georges'', walk sraight to the bridge (don't take the first bridge left after the bus stop because than you will have to jump over the fence and to walk through the field (and hitchhiking with wet feet isn't that good, obviously)). The péage is not far from there, although it might be a bit further than the closest highway ramp.

=== A10 South to [[Orleans]], [[Bordeaux]], [[Spain]] ===

This motorway follows the route of the '''A6''' (see above) from Paris, and splits afterwards near [[Antony]]/[[Rungis]]. There's no petrol station between ''Porte d'Orleans'' and the A6xA10 junction except [http://maps.google.fr/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.739447,2.302011&spn=0.001638,0.003455&t=h&z=18 this one] (good enough one, according to some hitchhikers). An easy option is to stand at ''Porte d'Orleans'' (the same as for the A6 options) with a sign specifying that you go to [[Orléans]]. There is a ''[[barrière de péage]]'' in ''Saint Arnoult'', before the split between A10 and A11, so you can accept a ride going to Orléans or to [[Chartres]], for example. Make sure, though, the driver will leave you at least at the "péage de Saint Arnoult". French hitchhiker [[User:Pietshah|Pietshah]] did this route tons of times and had very little troubles.

French transport police won't make any exceptions for foreigners. Although it is said it might be possible to talk them out of fining a "dumb tourist" they are mainly hostile. Most commonly they will ask for a 40 euro fine which can be paid directly in cash or by credit card. Alternatively you can plead poverty, and if you show a valid ID they will post a fine to the address and the name written on ID.

Bus line 350 goes to ''Gare de l'Est'', and line 351 - to ''Place de la Nation''. You're supposed to validate 3 tickets (which is a lot cheaper than travelling by RER); checks are said rare to occur.

== Sleeping in Paris ==

It is also possible to sleep in the ''Champs de Mars'' in front of the Eiffel Tower - police generally lets you sleep until 9 or 10 in the morning. There are many trees that offer you a protection in case of a rain. You can also put up a tent (at night) in a discrete spot although keep in mind that police officers will wake you up around the sunrise. You can also sleep under the bridge at the Seine river on the other side of the Eiffel Tower. During the first European Hitchhikers Week ([[888]]) around 50 people slept in front of the Eiffel Tower.

{{Excellent}}

{{hitchbase_city|169}}

[[Category:France]]

[[Category:E05]]

[[Category:E50]]

[[Category:E54]]

[[de:Paris]]