Difference between revisions of "Paris"

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{{Hitchhiking Zine nomination}}
 
{{Hitchhiking Zine nomination}}
'''Paris''' is the capital of [[France]].
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<map lat='48.83398957668602' lng='2.34283447265625' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/>
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'''Paris''' is the capital of [[France]]. It is situated within a ring road called ''le périphérique'', or ''le périph''. The actual city is relatively small, but is surrounded by endless suburbs, some of which are linked to the urban public transportation system at no extra cost (i.e. a standard one-trip city ticket), while some others being labelled as outside zones and thus more expensive to reach.
  
== Hitching Out ==
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Note that there is an "outer ring road" to the Paris suburb area, motorway A86 (or ''super-périphérique'') and another wider ring even further called "la Francillienne" which isn't completed but still used to connect . If your ride is not going to Paris itself, you might want to clarify which ring they are going to take as it may affect the place where you'd want to be dropped. You may also find them useful if you need to bypass Paris, especially the Francilienne, as it has more gas stations and less complex interchanges.
The city is situated within a ring road (''le périphérique'', or ''le périph'') and whilst the actual city is relatively small, it is surrounded by endless suburbs. There are plenty of excellent spots for hitchhiking North (''Aire La Courneuve''), East ([[petrol station]]s and ''[[barrières de péage]]'') and also South (''Aire de Lisses'')
 
  
<map lat='48.83398957668602' lng='2.34283447265625' zoom='9' view='0' float='right'/>
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== Hitching in ==
  
=== Northeast towards [[Lille]] and [[Belgium]] ===
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During rush hours, it is possible (but illegal) to be quickly dropped on the ring road. This is useful if your ride is not willing to get out of it to drop you (which is often the case). Within the ring area, you are definitely linked to the whole regular fare subway system.
  
==== Aire La Courneuve ====
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If you are coming from the Northeast and your ride is heading South (which is a normal truck route), chances are that your driver will not drop you on the ring road where it is complicated to stop. A frequent place to get dropped is the first exit South on the A6 called "Rungis". From there, you can reach the Metropolitan subway system by tram with one ticket, then use another one to your final destination. You can also reach other suburbs in the 94 department (Val de Marne) taking the TvM bus, which is also a normal Paris ticket.
Probably the best way to get to [[Belgium]] is by hitching at the petrol station [http://maps.google.es/maps?f=d&hl=es&geocode=5837971829389385952,48.934623,2.393732%3B3201522175225020794,48.920638,2.410383&saddr=Aire+de+Service+de+La+Courneuve+%4048.934790,+2.393710&daddr=&mra=mr&sll=48.918269,2.403388&sspn=0.013649,0.040169&ie=UTF8&ll=48.933157,2.396951&spn=0.006823,0.020084&t=k&z=16&om=1is ''Aire de Service de La Courneuve'']. If you take a closer look at the petrol station on google maps you will see that there is a wall surrounding this petrol station; nonetheless, you can get there if you follow these tips:
 
  
First, get closer by public transport. Some options are:
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=== Airports ===
* Bus 150 from ''Porte de la Villette'' (metro line 7), get off at ''Parc des Sports'' (next to the highway)
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There are 3 main airports that service Paris. Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly, and Beauvais. It is possible to hitch from the airports into the city, but to get from Paris to the airports, Blablacar is probably the most reliable option.
* Bus 250 from ''Fort d'Aubervilliers'' (metro line 7), get off at ''Parc des Sports'' (the quickest way?)
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* CDG is in the North, and is the closest. A one-way ticket to/from the airport is 10.30 euros. To hitch into Paris from here, go to Terminal 3 and you will find a parking lot. Follow the signs to Paris and hitch at the parking lot exit.
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=La+Courneuve+Aubervilliers&daddr=Rue+Paul+Verlaine,+93120+La+Courneuve,+Seine-Saint-Denis,+Ile-de-France,+Frankreich&sll=48.926137,2.394161&sspn=0.01892,0.040169&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=48.928026,2.388539&spn=0.018919,0.040169&z=15&om=1 ''La Courneuve Aubervilliers''] (RER B), and walk 2 km north along ''Boulevard Pasteur''. You can catch this train from ''Gare du Nord''.
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* Orly is South of Paris. A one-way ticket to/from the airport is usually 12 euros, but there is a secret way that is only 3.80 (2x1.90 tickets)! From Paris take metro line 7 to the last stop (Villejuif-Louis Aragon) and then switch to Tram 7, which will take you right to the airport. Or do it backwards to get into Paris. Hitchhiking from Orly should be feasible, also from the parking lot.
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=La+Courneuve,+8+Mai+1945&daddr=rue+paul+verlaine&sll=48.93333,2.392216&sspn=0.009459,0.020084&ie=UTF8&ll=48.926137,2.394161&spn=0.01892,0.040169&z=15&om=1 ''La Courneuve, 8 Mai 1945''] (metro line 7) and make your way to ''rue Paul Verlaine'' by taking a tram "T1" and getting off at ''Six Routes''.  
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* [[Beauvais]] is the furthest, and 45 minutes North from Paris. Tickets are an appalling 16.80 euros each way! Luckily, lots of Blablacar rides can take you there for 6 or 7 euros, and it is easy to hitchhike back (See the [[Beauvais]] page).
  
You then have several options to get to the petrol station:
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__TOC__
  
# RECOMMENDED: You can hitch a lift onto the motorway (Autoroute A1) and ask the driver to drop you off at the petrol station. You will need a sign saying "A1 EST".  You can do so by walking North under the motorway (if you haven't gone under already in the bus) and cross over to the other side of the road and find a point at the beginning of the slip road going South onto the A1 (this way you will enter the A1 going West, but immediately your driver should get off at the next exit, cross over and come back onto the A1 heading East).  Otherwise, you can walk South back to ''Six Routes'', turn right and follow the tramlines (on your left hand side) and find a suitable place to hitch (there are some traffic lights).  Your driver will go over the A1 and then take the turning round to the slip road going East. From the point you join the A1 East via the circular slip road, it is only about a 1km until the petrol station, so make sure you advise your driver!!
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== Hitching out ==
# There is a door in the wall surrounding the petrol station which allows outside access but it is sometimes locked (latter was true on 01-06-08 and 28-09-08 also 29-11-08..). Walk away from the door and scale the concrete wall at the point where it becomes a fence.  Walk forward and you'll see where you have to go. (See [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107770710063601716204.00044840696bdf8a385ef&ll=48.933654,2.393292&spn=0.001334,0.004227&t=h&z=19 approximate location of the door].)
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There are plenty of excellent spots for hitchhiking North (''Aire La Courneuve''), East ([[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] and ''[[péage|barrières de péage]]'') and also South (''Aire de Lisses''). It's all about how much you are willing to pay in public transportation, and how daring you are.
# If the door is locked you have to climb the wall that is approximately 1,90 m tall, and go through a broken fence [http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&hl=de&geocode=&q=paris+la+courneuve&sll=50.785102,5.710144&sspn=1.165162,2.570801&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=48.933836,2.394&spn=0.001182,0.002511&z=19&iwloc=addr here] - ''et voila'', you are at the petrol station.
 
# You can walk around the wall for about 70 meters towards the left, then walk down the little hill and walk through the bushes. You have to go through two fences to enter the petrol station.
 
  
From the petrol station, you're best bet is probably to get a lift to the [[toll station]] (PÉAGE ("pay-arge")), heading north.  This is a 20 minutes drive down the motorway a [[toll road]] and everyone has to stop here. It is a great place to get long-distance rides.
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=== North/Northeast towards [[England]], [[Lille]] and [[Belgium]] {{afr|1}} ===
  
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.
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These are classified by cost in public transportation from Paris' centre.  There is a bonus pro-tip at the bottom involving Arras :)
  
[[File:Masaru.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Masaru at ''Aire La Courneuve'']]
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==== Option 1: Porte de la Chapelle ====
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.
 
  
Lastly, one can take a line 13 to ''Carrefour Pleyel'' and then walk along ''Boulevard Anatole France'' (see [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Carrefour+Pleyel+station,+France&daddr=charles+de+gaulle&sll=48.927631,2.383518&sspn=0.027124,0.080338&ie=UTF8&ll=48.923881,2.358456&spn=0.013563,0.040169&t=h&z=15&om=1 Google Maps]) up until the beginning of the highway. There is a hitchhiking spot there which might be not the greatest one in the world but at least it can lead you to the next petrol station on the highway (make sure, though, the driver won't drop you off at the exit 4 of the highway).
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This option costs one local ticket. Porte de la Chapelle is where the [[A1 (France)|A1]] starts. Local drivers say they often see hitchhikers there. To get there, take the metro line 12 to ''Porte de la Chapelle'', then walk to the roundabout. You can try getting a ride on the roundabout (there are traffic lights, which means that cars have to stop) or you can stand on the opposite side facing the roundabout where the motorway starts. Another good option is to start hitchhiking in the same street where the metro is. There are 2 petrol stations in that very street, just 50m deeper into the city. They aren't overcrowded and, at the same time, quite a few cars going up north stop here to refill; nonetheless, at such places, much depends on your luck, and according to some hitchhikers, this place won't make it to the top 10 best hitchhiking places in France. It is therefore recommended to hitchhike at the roundabout, where a quiet lane right by the traffic lights gives you a good opportunity to get onto the motorway (avoiding at the same time all the traffic that heads for ''Boulevard Peripherique'').
  
==== Charles de Gaulle ====
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A good option to leave faster is to show at the roundabout a sign for the airport "Charles de Gaulle". There is a petrol station (Aire La Courneuve - see Option 2) before the airport where the driver could let you out; don't miss it! The station is not so big and many drivers just go to the airport but at least you can ask people, whereas it could be hard and long at Porte de la Chapelle.
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==== Option 2: Motorway services Aire La Courneuve ====
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[[File:Masaru.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Masaru at ''Aire La Courneuve'']]
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This option costs one local ticket or zones 1–3 ticket (eur 2.75as of 2018). The petrol station [http://hitchwiki.org/maps/?place=5201  ''Aire de Service de La Courneuve''] is about 2 km along the A1, north of Paris.
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Take bus 150 from ''Porte de la Villette'' or bus 250 from '''Fort d'Aubervilliers'' (both are on metro line 7) to the stop ''Parc des Sports''.
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This bus stop is next to the A1 highway. Just walk to the right from the bus stop, without ever passing under the overpass. Then walk east parallel to the motorway through the parking lot of an apartment complex. There is a wall preventing access to the motorway, but if you continue walking a few hundred meters east and up a slight grassy hill, the wall ends. You can then follow a steep, thorny path full of nettles down towards the motorway and back west towards the petrol station. There is a fence right along the motorway, but near the petrol station it has been trampled down and you can step over it.
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Attention: in the winter / early spring or after the rain walking down the hill to the motorway might be difficult because of mud.  In February it took 2 hitchhikers almost 40 minutes to walk down and reach the fence, after numerous attempts to keep the balance and not to fall down. It might be a good idea in this case to hitch from the entrance of the highway, right at the cross before you turn to the parking lot of the apartment complex.
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Attention 2: I tried this route September 2017 and although I got there following the instructions, the final fence closing of the petrol station has been fixed. I had to climb a tree to drop into the compound. I'm a clumsy person and I managed, but with a heavy backpack it might be challenging.
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Attention 3: I used this option in April 2019 and it worked fine, following the original advice. There is a wall but go to the VERY end, up the slight grassy hill... The path goes down, the fence is trampled down, and then you're basically on the motorway for about 10metres before you're at the services.
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From the petrol station, most drivers are only going to the airport or local communities. You should ask for a lift at least to the [[toll station]] (''péage'') heading north. This is a 20-minute drive down the motorway (some kilometers after the airport) and everyone has to stop here. It is a great place to get long-distance rides.
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==== Option 3: Charles de Gaulle ====
 
''Charles de Gaulle'' airport can be an option for hitching North-East, although waiting times might vary a lot.
 
''Charles de Gaulle'' airport can be an option for hitching North-East, although waiting times might vary a lot.
  
==== Porte de la Chapelle ====
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It is easy to jump the metro at terminal 2 and there wasn't anyone guarding it. Maybe the same is true for terminals 1 and 3 but I can't vouch for it.
That's where the [[A1 autoroute (France)|A1]] starts - local drivers say they often see hitchhikers there. To get there take a metro 12 to ''Porte de la Chapelle'', then walk to the roundabout. You can try getting a ride on the roundabout (there are traffic lights, which means that cars have to stop) or you can stand on the opposite side facing the roundabout where the highway starts. Another good option is to start hitchhiking in the same street where the metro is. There are 2 petrol stations in that very street, just 50m deeper into the city. They aren't overcrowded, and at the same time quite a few cars going up the North stop here for refill; nonetheless, at such places much is depended on your luck, and according to some hitchhikers this place won't make to the TOP10 best hitchhiking places in France. It is therefore rather recommended to hitchhike at the roundabout where a quiet lane right by the traffic lights gives you a good opportunity to get onto the highway (avoiding at the same time all the traffic that heads for ''Boulevard Periphique'').
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From terminal 2 walk out of terminal and head straight to the main road. You should see signs for A1 Paris Lille. Keep following these signs until the road splits for A1 Lille. One road goes to the left, under a bridge and there are some traffic lights. The other goes to the right. Stand to the right of the right turn. Cars can stop on a dashed out area to your left or drive a little past you on the right. A couple of cars stopped straightaway and I was easily able to get a lift to the next service station which had lots of people driving north to Lille, Belgium and Holland. That service station was very busy and it was easy to get a lift as well as a good meal from peoples' leftovers in the restaurant including half a bottle of wine!
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==== Option 4: Motorway services Aire de Vémars Est====
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<ol>
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<li>From 'Nation' bus station (also a metro stop), take bus 351* to 'Roissypole' located at Charles de Gaulle Airport (Terminal 3). It's the last stop and payment isn't required to enter the bus.You can BLACK RIDE on this bus both ways</li>
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<li>From the coach station there (Gare routière), you can catch the 95.01 bus to Vémars, though this bus does '''not''' run on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Ask inside at the ticket office/information desk for which parking number the bus will be at (D2 in Oct 2013). The ticket costs €2. [BEWARE 95.01 does not work on public holidays and Sundays, so if that is the case, then get off at QUEBEC because the A1 highway (going to Lille) cuts through Paris multiple times and at this petrol station there is a higher chance of finding Dutch cars stopping and giving you a ride to another petrol station on the main highway, which is super busy and easy to find rides going to anywhere from Calais to Antwerp to Lille]</li>
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<li> You can always try to go with the bus number 702 to Vémars centre from the airport (20 stops, 39 minutes). This will also work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (as of 2018)</li>
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<li>From the Vémars bus stop walk straight 400m on 'Rue Pierre Curie' (D17) until it merges with 'Rue de la Mairie.' Walk an additional 350m until this merges with 'Rue des Vignolles' (D16).</li>
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<li>On your left, the A1 will be clearly visible as will the 'Aire de Vémars Ouest' petrol station. From here, it is another 1.25km to any given entrance.</li>
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</ol>
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Another useful recommendation is this website, where you can virtually create any route you want to take out of the city. Coupled with Google Maps, it's an excellent tool:
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http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ratp/recherche-avancee
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For 351 Bus Route refer to link below
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http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orienter/f_plan.php?loc=bus_banlieue/300&nompdf=351&fm=pdf
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*Note: The 351 bus service does not run on weekends, but the above link can help find an alternate route.
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[[File:Vemars.jpg]]
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==== Option 5: Senlis Péage ====
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This option costs €9 (25% discount for under 26s) + a local ticket to Gare du Nord. The peage is 50km north of Paris, near the town of Senlis.  
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Senlis has no train station, but you still buy the ticket from a train station. From Paris Nord, go to Chantilly and switch to a bus to Senlis at the "gare routière" right outside of Chantilly's train station with your ticket. Once there, you need to walk a little and you'll find a "[[péage|péage]]". The bus driver gave me the directions. This should take around one hour.
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==== Option 6: Porte de Bagnolet (A3) ====
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Google maps: [https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Porte+de+Bagnolet/@48.8649082,2.4086197,17z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x47e66e87e1c7d877:0x17c4d9a47ae58890!2sPorte+de+la+Chapelle!8m2!3d48.897279!4d2.359192!3m4!1s0x47e66d8329157e27:0x2a4ba9074d60ae9a!8m2!3d48.8645542!4d2.4095799]
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Get a ticket for the station Porte de Bagnolet. This is pretty close to where the A3 starts, which leads to the A1, so a lot of traffic is heading this direction. The place might not be ideal, but it worked for me after just 20 minutes to get a ride on to the A1, There is a bus stop, where buses often stop so the traffic is slowed down, furthermore, there is a small gas stop, where you can approach drivers directly which cue up there from time to time. Position yourself at the traffic lights before the bus stop to show your sign indicating the direction you want to go to.
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==== Bonus Tip: Arras Service Station====
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Heading north on the A1, there is a ''fantastic'' Esso service station just outside Arras [https://goo.gl/maps/2suUznoe5C42], with people heading pretty much everywhere.  You can get rides to the UK (Chunnel), Lille, Belgium, Netherlands.  Many difference license plates (GB, F, B, NL, D, E) and lots of opportunities.
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=== East towards [[Metz]], [[Strasbourg]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Germany]] {{Afr|4}} ===
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==== Option 1: Motorway service station ''Aire de Ferrières'' ====
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''Quite long trip and a bit expensive. Takes you to a great petrol station (good for both day and night hitching); better if you speak French.''
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Take RER A to station ''Bussy St.Georges''. You can also get to this RER A station by taking bus 4 or 44 from metro station ''Gutenberg''.'' Make your way west to the D35 and then walk south along it for about 1km to a roundabout. You can try hitchhiking from here, but the service station is just a bit more than 2 km from here. You can walk on the grass field next to the motorway - don't choose this way in the morning or in autumn/winter as the grass is wet. The petrol station is called ''Aire de Ferrières'' and it's a "TOTAL" company.  
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Another option to reach this petrol station is to walk through the industrial zone of the ''Bussy'' district, which lies south of the railway, crossing the bridge over the motorway and then continuing on by walking on the grass until the actual petrol station (note that as of February 2011, there was a nice-sized fence to hop after crossing the bridge. Nothing too difficult, but a big backpack makes it harder!). 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 want to go through the fields).
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Here's a [http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=48.828509,2.744594&ll=48.836023,2.723494&spn=0.034406,0.071583&num=1&t=m&z=14 map].
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From Bussy-St. Georges there is a bus [https://www.transdev-idf.com/api/1.0/timetablefile/555898245/raw/amv-184092-fhrentree2018-l46-630x240-v2web.pdf 46] to Jossigny, Bout Pecheret, from there its only 1.3 km to walk.
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==== Option 2. Motorway junction slip-road ====
  
=== A4 East, towards [[Metz]], [[Strasbourg]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Germany]], etc ===
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''This one is close to Paris, faster and cheaper to get to, but still in the megapolis. Starting from there, you're likely to end up either at the petrol station described above or at the péage. Not good at night.''
  
==== Going directly to the ''barrière de péage'' ====
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Take the RER Line A (Red) in the direction of ''Boissy St Legere'' until the station ''Nogent Sur Marne'' (€2.75 (2016)). Leave the station in direction of ''Rue Joinville'' and follow the sign to the A4. It is a 30 minute walk. There is a red light before the slip road (on-ramp). Lots of traffic, possibility to stop on the ramp for brave drivers.
Take RER A4 to the last stop (''Marne-La-Vallee - Chessy''). The train journey length is around 45 minutes (6€ something). Take the bus number 59 (doesn't operate on Sundays, the ticket costs around 2 Euro) which leaves from the bus stop next to the RER train station at ''Eurodisney'','' Marne-La-Vallee'' ([http://www.metro-pole.net/hor/fiche/6759.11.html timetable 2008 here]). It takes ten minutes to arrive at the “Truffaut” gardening centre which is beside the péage (stop Coutevroult - Truffaut). From there, walk back a bit and go through what seems to be a police station's parking area and is called "voie de service" on the map - you will get to the green area right outside the péage - and you won't need to jump any of the fences! From this ''barrière de péage'' it is easy to get rides to [[Metz]] or even straight to [[Germany]]. You might meet people (gendarmes or highway staff) in that "voie de service" - even if they try to talk you out of it, remember ''it is allowed'' to hitchhike ''in the car park'' by the peage.
 
  
Attention, the bus 59 runs every hour. It is usually timed to start 5 min after the arrival of the RER so hurry yourself up from the train. Follow the signs "gare routière" (bus station). If bus 59 doesn't start before 30 min, consider using bus 34 (see bellow).
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Ask if your driver can take you at least to the next petrol station which is within the free motorway network. Toll gate is a bit further.
  
If you decide to hitch from this péage on Sunday you can take the bus no. 34 (1.60 €, [http://www.metro-pole.net/hor/fiche/5134.20.html timetable]) to bus stop "Bailly-Romainvilliers - Place de l'Europe" , then walk for about 2kilometers. You will soon see the motorway A4 and péage. Here's the [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=bailly+romainvilliers+place+de+l%27europe&daddr=48.853562,2.839065&geocode=&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=48.850992,2.833614&sspn=0.012962,0.027637&ie=UTF8&z=15 route].
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==== Option 3. From within the city limits: Quai de Bercy ====
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''Cheap, as you will only need a metro ticket and pretty fast too.''
  
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].
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You can also try to hitch directly from within Paris rather than taking the train for at least half an hour and then walking.  
  
==== Via petrol station ====
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Take the metro line 14 to Bercy and exit towards Boulevard de Bercy, take the Boulevard down to the bridge where it intersects with Quai de Bercy. Standing on Quai de Bercy it is advisable to have a sign indicating you want to get onto the A4. When cars stop, ask if they are going all the way to the toll station (péage), many drivers turn off the A4 before that but there are not really any convenient places to continue hitch-hiking from before the toll station.
  
[[File:Zoe.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Hitchhiker Zoe in Paris during the [[888]] event]]
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==== Option 4. Lorraine TGV ====
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.
 
  
==== Various other options ====
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French railway operator SNCF has been running low-cost TGVs under the brand [https://www.ouigo.com OuiGO] since a few years. The good news is that from the summer 2018 it runs from Gare de l'Est within city limits and at a reasonable time (12:55) instead of running at 6 am from the rail station at the CDG airport as it was the case before. If you book a bit in advance you can get a ticket to Lorraine TGV (in the outskirts of [[Metz]] ,
* 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.
+
https://goo.gl/maps/GfXv9v4LGxn) or [[Strasbourg]] main station for as low as 10 €, although the fare you're more likely to find is around 15-20 €. The ride takes 1:15 hour. From Lorraine-TGV station it is relatively easy to hitch east towards Saarbrücken and further into Germany. In the beginning you will have a simple two-lane local road, which joins the motorway A4 near Forbach close to the german border.
  
* Take the RER Line A (Red) in direction of ''Boissy St Legere'' until the station ''Nogent Sur Marne'' (~2€). Leave the station in direction of ''Rue Joinville'' and follow the sign to the A4. It is a 30 min walk. If some driver stops for you, ask if he/she can take you at least to the next petrol station (there is no toll road (péage) to get there, so it is likely that you will get a ride there).
+
=== Getting South or Southwest {{Afr|6}}, {{Afr|10}}, or {{Afr|11}} ===
  
=== A6 South to [[Lyon]], [[Marseille]], [[Barcelona]], [[Italy]] ===
+
These spots are close enough to the city to be getting traffic in all southern directions.
  
'''Aire de Lisses''': this petrol station is situated about 35kms South of Paris, however it's near to an RER station (15 minutes by walk) so you can easily get there. In order to get out of the several rings of highways surrounding Paris it could be really useful to start hitching from this place, especially since you get directly on the A6, after all the branch-offs. To get there you have to take the RER D toward Melun or Malesherbes (!via Corbeil!). After Corbeil-Essonnes the second station is Villabé. The station is not marked on googlemaps but don't worry, it's there:  [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Rue+d%27Ambreville,+91100+Villab%C3%A9,+Franciaorsz%C3%A1g&daddr=48.592221,2.443964&hl=hu&geocode=&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&dirflg=w&sll=48.592959,2.44184&sspn=0.005947,0.013604&ie=UTF8&ll=48.592959,2.452869&spn=0.023786,0.054417&z=14 ''the way from Villabé RER station to Aire de Lisses'']
+
==== Option 1: Porte d'Orléans ====
  
A hitchhiking spot at ''Porte d'Orleans'' (at the "périferique") seems quite a good place to get a ride (metro ''Porte d'Orleans''). There's a petrol station, and a good spot (just besides the "Novotel" building) at the traffic junction to the "périferique extérieur". Don't go with those cars which head for suburbs only - next [[tollway]] or a petrol station is about 50 km away.
+
Once the most famous hitchhiking spot in France, this spot isn't bad nowadays, but it isn't great either. The good thing is that drivers aren't surprised to see people there, and that you don't need to get out of Paris in faraway suburbs.  
  
=== A10 South to [[Orleans]], [[Bordeaux]], [[Spain]] ===
+
''Porte d'Orléans'' is the terminal subway station of line 4. There is an entry on the ''périphérique'' ring road where lots of people are later heading South. The best place is besides the "Novotel" building or (better) opposite it at the traffic lights. Be warned, traffic here is heavy and fast moving. If you have much baggage or more than one person I would not fancy your chances here.  Waiting at the petrol station or even the adjacent war memorial will not give you the best traffic.
[[File:888_signs.jpg|thumb|240px|left|A small collection of the "Paris" signs for the [[Project 888]] where over 150 hitchhikers gathered and camped in front of the Eiffel Tower.]]
+
Edit : I think that the place in front of the hotel is pretty bad. Very hard for the cars to stop there. It's better to stand before, at the red lights. I stood near the gas station at the lights, you miss all the cars not coming from inside Paris, but it's way easier for the cars to see you and to stop.
  
You can also take the RER to ''Massy-Palaiseau''. From there you will be able to follow motoway signs for the A6 and A10. There are two options: take a bus from the massive lot beside station or walk down a motorway ramp nearby! I would strongly advise the ramp option!
+
Make sure to specify with a sign specifying that you go to [[Orléans]] or [[Chartres]] (if you are heading Southwest - A10 or A11), and that the driver will leave you at least at the "péage de Saint Arnoult" or before that at "Limours-Janvry" service station. Beware, just after the "péage", the motorway separates between A10 and A11. If you are heading directly South onto the A6, have a sign (you may try "[[Lyon]]" or Fontainebleau) and make sure to be left at ''Aire de Lisses'', roughly 35 km further, a little bit after Evry (drivers to Evry are not enough for you).
  
 +
Whenever a diplomat travels between Paris and the Orly airport, he'll go through here. Which means that there will be police presence. The police don't care about you, but it is very unlikely anyone will stop while they are around. That happens often enough. They stick around for one hour.
  
Motorway ramp option
+
==== Option 2: Porte d'Italie ====
Go down the ''Avenue Carnot'' along the ''Massy-Palaiseau'' railway towards the ''autoroute''. After a while there you will see a long stretch of a road with lots of space for cars. Keep going and you will reach a roundabout. If you keep following this road, you will reach a motorway exit underneath a bridge. It would be a good idea to use a sign with "Chartres" as this will make sure to get a ride at least to the first ''barrière de péage'' (30+ km) at St.Arnault. When already there, you might as well pull up the sign "SPAIN" - you might even get a truck straight to Portugal. 
 
  
 +
Similarly ''Porte d'Italie'' which is not far from ''Porte d'Orleans'' is a good place to hitch from. Additionally if you walk down the exit to the traffic lights, there is an overhead bypass which can keep you dry in the rain.
  
Bus Option
+
=== South towards [[Lyon]], [[Marseille]], [[Barcelona]], [[Italy]] {{Afr|6}} ===
The first petrol station is situated near the village called ''Briis-sous-Forges''. To get there you need to take either RER B to ''Massy-Palaiseau'' From there take the bus 91.03 to ''Briis-sous-Forges''. It runs about 3 times an hour on weekdays, once an hour on Saturdays, and there are no buses on Sundays. The petrol station is situated a couple of kms North from the village. To reach it you will need to find ''Route d'Invilliers'', a small local road parallel to the highway. Once you are there, make sure your driver takes the right road as the A11 starts not far away.
 
  
Another solution is to start hitching at ''Dourdan''. You take the trin, RER C to ''Dourdan'' (ticket costs around 7€). Go to ''rue d'Etampes'' and start thumbing at a roundabout there. In ''Les-granges-du-roi'' take the D838 that will lead you to the A10 motorway ramp. Note, though, that it is a bit far to walk - around 10 km -, and the traffic is weak. Hitch there before the ''barrière de péage'' with a sign "Orleans".
+
==== Option 1: Motorway services Aire de Lisses ====
  
 +
This option costs EUR 5.85 (but possible to have ride without ticket also), a zone 1–5 ticket and takes roughly 75 minutes. '''Aire de Lisses''' is the first service area on the A6, situated about 35 km South of Paris. It can save you time because you avoid all outbound traffic not really heading your direction, being located after all the motorway branch-offs.
  
 +
Get the RER D towards Melun via Corbeil. Be careful to get on the right train as there are 2 routes for RER D towards Melun. As of 2010-02, the ID of the train you need was "ZIPE" or "ZOPO" (All trains on RER lines have a 4 letter ID depending on stations served). If it's too confusing (it's very confusing), get whatever train that goes to "Corbeil Essonne" and, from there, whatever train that goes to Melun. Get off at the station '''Villabé''', the second after Corbeil-Essonnes. The station is not marked on Google Maps but don't worry, it's there:  [http://goo.gl/8omQ2W''the way from Villabé RER station to Aire de Lisses'']
  
 +
Otherwise, you can take the RER D to Évry-Courcouronnes centre, and from there Bus 415 in direction of Villabé. Get off at stop "Ikea", the gas station will be a five minute walk away. Note that as of 2017, there is a fence you have to climb to get to the station.
  
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).
+
[Note, Mar 2018: There is no barrier at Villabé and so you can pay the standard central Paris tarif to get into the metro network and then just ride out there.]
  
Another easy option is to stand at ''Porte d'Orleans'', within Paris city boundaries, (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.
+
A problem with a petrol station is that leaving trucks can block the leaving cars, so cars won't have chance to stop at all. [[User:Artti|Artti]] stood there three hours without a sign until he walked to the ramp next to the petrol station. There is more traffic and therefore more chance to get ride. Also cars have lots of space to stop.
  
Similarly ''Porte d'Italie'' which is not far from  ''Porte d'Orleans''  is a good place to hitch from. Additionally if you walk down the exit there at the traffic lights there is an overhead bypass which can keep you dry in the rain.
+
==== Option 2: Motorway services Aire de Nemours ====
  
=== A11 South-West to [[Le Mans]], [[Nantes]], [[Rennes]] and all parts of [[Brittany]] ===
+
You can take a train to Nemours Saint Pierre (transilien R from Gare de Lyon, a ticket costs about 10 euros) and walk 45min to the service area ( http://goo.gl/VUYmh0 ). Then you're already on a paying section (no local traffic), far out from Paris (80km), and can get a ride to Châlon, Mâcon or Lyon in a few minutes.
This highway splits from the A10 near ''Dourdan''. There are several possibilities go get on this motorway:
 
  
# The petrol station at ''Briis-sous-Forges''. Look at the A10 section's options.
+
=== South-West to [[Orléans|Orleans]], [[Bordeaux]], [[Spain]] {{afr|10}} & West to [[Le Mans]], [[Nantes]], [[Rennes]] and all parts of [[Bretagne|Brittany]] {{afr|11}} ===
# Take a train to ''Rambouillet'' from ''Paris-Montparnasse'' (about 7€) and start hitching on the N10 South, until the A11 motorway ramp.
 
# Take the train from ''Paris-Montparnasse'' to ''Chartres'' (12€) and start hitching from there. You might want to go to the service station ''Chartres-Gasville'' on the A11 east of ''Chartres'' (bus plus one hour walk!). From the train station, take one of many [http://www.filibus.fr/pages/55 buses] that stop at the ''Morard'' station. Here starts bus 12, take it and get off at ''N.Conté'' - some minutes before you arrive there, memorize the route: the bus croses the motorway, and comes to a big roundabout where it turns right and continues to a second small roundabout to turn right again to arrive at ''N.Conté''. Now comes 1 hour of walk: go back to the big roundabout and turn right (east) to follow the N10 until you come to a small city. There you encounter the next roundabout, where you turn left. Follow the street, it bends to the right and ends on the ''Rue du Bois Paris'' where you turn left (north). After 500 meters comes the motorway, continue until you have crossed it. The service station is 400 meters east, so try to pass throught the trees on your right and follow the street to the service station.
 
# Another good spot (and cheaper to get to) is ''Portes d'Orleans'' (see info above - section A6) where you can hitch with a sign "Chartres" or "A10"/"A11". If you get a ride to ''Péage de Saint Arnoult'' (from someone going to Orleans - A10 - for example), accept it, since it is before the highway split.
 
  
== Paris public transport ==
+
The A10 and A11 motorways follow the route of the '''A6''' (see above) from Paris, and split from it near [[Antony]]/[[Rungis]]. Then, before the A10 and the A11 split up, there is the service station of Limours-Janvry near Briis-sous-Forges and a [[péage]] near St-Arnoult, 40 km Southwest of Paris. Whichever spot you choose, ask the driver to take you at least until the Limours-Janvry service station or the péage of St-Arnoult. From these places, you can find a driver who takes you on the A10 or the A11 depending on which way you want to go.
Public transport in Paris consists of a metro (lines from number 1 to 14), RER (fast trains serving the suburbs with relatively few inner city stops, lines from letter A to E), buses (lines from number 20 to ...?) and trams (lines from T1 to T4). If you want to make a few voyages, the cheapest option is to buy a carnet of 10 single tickets (around 11 euros). You can travel to the end of RER lines for around 15 euros. If you stay in Paris for several days and will use transport often you can also buy a pass "Mobilis" for one or several days (5,6 € for one day inside Paris) - it is valid on metro, RER and ground transportation; if you stay for a week or more - get a "Carte Orange" for 16.3 € a week (you'll also need a photo for this one). All prices as of fall 2008.
 
  
=== Metro system ===
+
==== Option 1: Pont de Sevres ====
Ticket checks never occur on actual metro trains, and ticket controllers seem to employ 1 of 2 approaches: first one includes ticket controllers forming a line inside a metro tunnel or station exit and checking all the exiting travelers (since they are uniformed it is easy to see them from a distance unless they decide to hide around the corner); second one involves civil-dressed controllers watching the gates and busting those jumping over - they'll either stop them directly themselves, or radio-report to uniformed controllers who then will ask a stopped person to show a valid ticket.
+
[[File:ParisOut.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Hitching after the bridge in March 2015]]
 +
This option costs the price of an underground ticket. It takes you to the beginning of the N118 road which connects to the A10-A11 in about 25 km.
  
Checks are said never to occur during rush hours; peak times for these controls are evenings, weekends and the beginning of a new month. Except for the major stations, it is pretty easy to jump over the barriers, or pass through following other people passing to the ticket-zone. Only on major stations one is required to have a validated ticket when exiting. As in some other countries, one can be relax about the ticket booth staff since they have nothing to do with ticket checks.
+
Take the subway 9 to Pont de Sevres, its end station. You start walking towards the bridge, where you can see the signs towards Nantes, Bordeaux, etc. The hitchhiking spot is just before the bridge, at the red lights. You can try with the cars coming from the direction of the metro station, and also with the cars which came along the river and are turning left to get to the bridge.
  
=== RER system ===
+
==== Option 2: Motorway junction Massy Palaiseau ====
Uniformed controllers will ask for validated tickets on trains, and since the RER shares the metro infrastructure, you might be a subject to the checks in similar order mentioned above. It is possible to travel for free, even though you stand a higher chance of being busted. It seems that checks can occur at any time, so the best time to travel for free is a rush hour when controls are impossible due to congestion. The highest risk of being checked seems to occur on transfer stations from RER to metro stations.
+
This option costs EUR 4.90, a ticket for zones 1-4. This option is useful to get out of the ring roads and get directly on the A10 after all the branch-offs.
  
=== Buses ===
+
Take RER B to ''Massey-Palaiseau''. Walk down ''Avenue Carnot'' along the ''Massy-Palaiseau'' railway towards the ''autoroute''. After a while there you will see a long stretch of a road with lots of space for cars. Keep going and you will reach a roundabout. If you keep following this road, you will reach the motorway entrance underneath a bridge. Make sure to get a ride to the first ''barrière de péage'' (30+ km) at St-Arnoult or to the Limours-Janvry service station 5 km down the road.  
Like in most cities of France, you can walk onto the bus without showing or validating a ticket. Checks are said to be rare, and occur mainly late at night.
 
  
=== Fines and punishments ===
+
==== Option 3: Motorway service station Limours-Janvry ====
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.
+
The first service station on the motorway is called Limours-Janvry and it is situated 2kms northeast of the village ''Briis-sous-Forges''. To get there you need to take RER B to ''Massy-Palaiseau''. From there take bus 91.03 to ''Briis-sous-Forges''. It runs about 3 times an hour on weekdays, once an hour on Saturdays, and there are no buses on Sundays. Then walk northeast along the small local road ''Route d'Invilliers''. (It's not easy to find the road to the petrol station. no one in this village knows what street he is living in let alone that route you're looking for. They don't even know that there's a petrol station in the area. write the instructions and study the map!! I was lost in this village for couple of hours).
 +
[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=D131&daddr=Aire+de+Service+de+Limours-Janvry&geocode=FT3X5QIdxnEgAA%3BFZke5gIdK7wgAA&hl=en&mra=ltm&dirflg=w&sll=48.64455,2.16575&sspn=0.115917,0.338173&ie=UTF8&ll=48.626839,2.135124&spn=0.028989,0.084543&t=h&z=14 Briis-sous-Forges to the petrol station map]
  
=== Going to ''Charles de Gaulle''/''Roissy'' airport ===
+
[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). Really good according to others. Took two guys ten minutes to get a ride and a third guy about the same amount of time to a different place. Lots of trucks and cars passing by!
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 ==
+
==== Option 4: Péage de Saint-Arnoult ====
[[Hospitality exchange#Hospitality exchange networks|Hospitality exchange]] networks can be a great choice when staying low-budget in Paris. However, one must plan usually such staying well ahead since Paris is a popular destination for many backpackers, and many hospitality exchange networks' members are usually overloaded with requests to have guests.
+
You can take the RER C train to Dourdan. There are no controls on the exit, so if you are on the cheap, you need to pay only the basic metro ticket (some EUR 1.33) to get into the underground network in Paris. Once in Dourdan, cross the railroad track and turn left and then go straight on the D836 until you reach the péage after 4-5 kilometers. You should be able to hitch a car as there are many passing by and the French take easily on small routes if they see you walking. Get off just after the road crosses the autoroute, go left and in a short while, you will reach the péage. Look at the map beforehand! You have much higher chances here then anywhere else, there are lots of cars going through.
  
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.
+
==== Option 5: Chartres: a spot to go directly on the A11, after it has split from the A10 ====
 +
[[File:Zoe.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Hitchhiker Zoe in Paris during the [[project 888|888]] event]]
  
<!--
+
Take the train from ''Paris-Montparnasse'' to ''Chartres'' (EUR 12) and start hitching from there. You might want to go to the service station ''Chartres-Gasville'' on the A11 east of ''Chartres'' (bus plus one hour walk!). From the train station, take one of many [http://www.filibus.fr/pages/55 buses] that stop at the ''Morard'' station. Here starts bus 12, take it and get off at ''N.Conté'' - some minutes before you arrive there, memorize the route: the bus crosses the motorway, and comes to a big roundabout where it turns right and continues to a second small roundabout to turn right again to arrive at ''N.Conté''. Now comes 1 hour of walk: go back to the big roundabout and turn right (east) to follow the N10 until you come to a small city. There you encounter the next roundabout, where you turn left. Follow the street, it bends to the right and ends on the ''Rue du Bois Paris'' where you turn left (north). After 500 meters comes the motorway, continue until you have crossed it. The service station is 400 meters east, so try to pass through the trees on your right and follow the street to the service station.
== Eat ==
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-->
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=== West towards Rouen, Le Havre, Caen {{Afr|13}} ===
 +
==== Inside Paris ====
 +
- Quai André Citroën, under the ring road overpass. A lot of traffic on Fridays and Saturdays as many inhabitants of the 15th and 7th arrondissements go to Normandy for the weekend. As a result, this spot is very effective on these days (20 to 30 min on average) but much worse at other times (expect to wait one and half hours).
 +
 
 +
- Porte d'Auteuil, at the last traffic light to the entrance of the A13, or even right under the "no pedestrians" sign on the shoulder to the motorway just after the light, where cars haven't picked up much speed yet and can see you well. Ask drivers to take you (at least) to Morainvilliers petrol station in Poissy.
 +
 
 +
==== In the suburbs ====
 +
- Mantes-La-Jolie toll: take Transilien J suburban train from Saint-Lazare station. The fare is €8 but you may not be controlled. Get off in Mantes-La-Jolie (not Mantes Station). There's a 30 minute walk to the toll gate: check the map.
 +
 
 +
- Poissy rest area (a.k.a. aire de Morainvilliers): take Transilien J or RER A from Paris and get off at Poissy. Take bus 20 to bus stop "Auberge". There's one bus every hour on weekdays, fewer than that on Saturdays and it doesn't run on Sundays. See the timetable [http://www.transdev-idf.com/horaire-ligne-20-poissy_aval_2_rives_de_seine_015 here].
 +
 
 +
[[File:888_signs.jpg|thumb|240px|right|A small collection of the "Paris" signs for the [[Project 888]] where over 150 hitchhikers gathered and camped in front of the Eiffel Tower.]]
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 +
== Resources ==
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{{nomadwiki}}
  
 
{{Excellent}}
 
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{{IsIn|France}}
 
{{IsIn|France}}
 
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Revision as of 01:48, 3 May 2019

<map lat='48.83398957668602' lng='2.34283447265625' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/> Paris is the capital of France. It is situated within a ring road called le périphérique, or le périph. The actual city is relatively small, but is surrounded by endless suburbs, some of which are linked to the urban public transportation system at no extra cost (i.e. a standard one-trip city ticket), while some others being labelled as outside zones and thus more expensive to reach.

Note that there is an "outer ring road" to the Paris suburb area, motorway A86 (or super-périphérique) and another wider ring even further called "la Francillienne" which isn't completed but still used to connect . If your ride is not going to Paris itself, you might want to clarify which ring they are going to take as it may affect the place where you'd want to be dropped. You may also find them useful if you need to bypass Paris, especially the Francilienne, as it has more gas stations and less complex interchanges.

Hitching in

During rush hours, it is possible (but illegal) to be quickly dropped on the ring road. This is useful if your ride is not willing to get out of it to drop you (which is often the case). Within the ring area, you are definitely linked to the whole regular fare subway system.

If you are coming from the Northeast and your ride is heading South (which is a normal truck route), chances are that your driver will not drop you on the ring road where it is complicated to stop. A frequent place to get dropped is the first exit South on the A6 called "Rungis". From there, you can reach the Metropolitan subway system by tram with one ticket, then use another one to your final destination. You can also reach other suburbs in the 94 department (Val de Marne) taking the TvM bus, which is also a normal Paris ticket.

Airports

There are 3 main airports that service Paris. Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly, and Beauvais. It is possible to hitch from the airports into the city, but to get from Paris to the airports, Blablacar is probably the most reliable option.

  • CDG is in the North, and is the closest. A one-way ticket to/from the airport is 10.30 euros. To hitch into Paris from here, go to Terminal 3 and you will find a parking lot. Follow the signs to Paris and hitch at the parking lot exit.
  • Orly is South of Paris. A one-way ticket to/from the airport is usually 12 euros, but there is a secret way that is only 3.80 (2x1.90 tickets)! From Paris take metro line 7 to the last stop (Villejuif-Louis Aragon) and then switch to Tram 7, which will take you right to the airport. Or do it backwards to get into Paris. Hitchhiking from Orly should be feasible, also from the parking lot.
  • Beauvais is the furthest, and 45 minutes North from Paris. Tickets are an appalling 16.80 euros each way! Luckily, lots of Blablacar rides can take you there for 6 or 7 euros, and it is easy to hitchhike back (See the Beauvais page).

Hitching out

There are plenty of excellent spots for hitchhiking North (Aire La Courneuve), East (petrol stations and barrières de péage) and also South (Aire de Lisses). It's all about how much you are willing to pay in public transportation, and how daring you are.

North/Northeast towards England, Lille and Belgium A 1

These are classified by cost in public transportation from Paris' centre. There is a bonus pro-tip at the bottom involving Arras :)

Option 1: Porte de la Chapelle

This option costs one local ticket. Porte de la Chapelle is where the A1 starts. Local drivers say they often see hitchhikers there. To get there, take the metro line 12 to Porte de la Chapelle, then walk to the roundabout. You can try getting a ride on the roundabout (there are traffic lights, which means that cars have to stop) or you can stand on the opposite side facing the roundabout where the motorway starts. Another good option is to start hitchhiking in the same street where the metro is. There are 2 petrol stations in that very street, just 50m deeper into the city. They aren't overcrowded and, at the same time, quite a few cars going up north stop here to refill; nonetheless, at such places, much depends on your luck, and according to some hitchhikers, this place won't make it to the top 10 best hitchhiking places in France. It is therefore recommended to hitchhike at the roundabout, where a quiet lane right by the traffic lights gives you a good opportunity to get onto the motorway (avoiding at the same time all the traffic that heads for Boulevard Peripherique).

A good option to leave faster is to show at the roundabout a sign for the airport "Charles de Gaulle". There is a petrol station (Aire La Courneuve - see Option 2) before the airport where the driver could let you out; don't miss it! The station is not so big and many drivers just go to the airport but at least you can ask people, whereas it could be hard and long at Porte de la Chapelle.

Option 2: Motorway services Aire La Courneuve

Hitchhiker Masaru at Aire La Courneuve

This option costs one local ticket or zones 1–3 ticket (eur 2.75as of 2018). The petrol station Aire de Service de La Courneuve is about 2 km along the A1, north of Paris.

Take bus 150 from Porte de la Villette or bus 250 from 'Fort d'Aubervilliers (both are on metro line 7) to the stop Parc des Sports. This bus stop is next to the A1 highway. Just walk to the right from the bus stop, without ever passing under the overpass. Then walk east parallel to the motorway through the parking lot of an apartment complex. There is a wall preventing access to the motorway, but if you continue walking a few hundred meters east and up a slight grassy hill, the wall ends. You can then follow a steep, thorny path full of nettles down towards the motorway and back west towards the petrol station. There is a fence right along the motorway, but near the petrol station it has been trampled down and you can step over it.

Attention: in the winter / early spring or after the rain walking down the hill to the motorway might be difficult because of mud. In February it took 2 hitchhikers almost 40 minutes to walk down and reach the fence, after numerous attempts to keep the balance and not to fall down. It might be a good idea in this case to hitch from the entrance of the highway, right at the cross before you turn to the parking lot of the apartment complex.

Attention 2: I tried this route September 2017 and although I got there following the instructions, the final fence closing of the petrol station has been fixed. I had to climb a tree to drop into the compound. I'm a clumsy person and I managed, but with a heavy backpack it might be challenging.

Attention 3: I used this option in April 2019 and it worked fine, following the original advice. There is a wall but go to the VERY end, up the slight grassy hill... The path goes down, the fence is trampled down, and then you're basically on the motorway for about 10metres before you're at the services.

From the petrol station, most drivers are only going to the airport or local communities. You should ask for a lift at least to the toll station (péage) heading north. This is a 20-minute drive down the motorway (some kilometers after the airport) and everyone has to stop here. It is a great place to get long-distance rides.

Option 3: Charles de Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle airport can be an option for hitching North-East, although waiting times might vary a lot.

It is easy to jump the metro at terminal 2 and there wasn't anyone guarding it. Maybe the same is true for terminals 1 and 3 but I can't vouch for it.

From terminal 2 walk out of terminal and head straight to the main road. You should see signs for A1 Paris Lille. Keep following these signs until the road splits for A1 Lille. One road goes to the left, under a bridge and there are some traffic lights. The other goes to the right. Stand to the right of the right turn. Cars can stop on a dashed out area to your left or drive a little past you on the right. A couple of cars stopped straightaway and I was easily able to get a lift to the next service station which had lots of people driving north to Lille, Belgium and Holland. That service station was very busy and it was easy to get a lift as well as a good meal from peoples' leftovers in the restaurant including half a bottle of wine!

Option 4: Motorway services Aire de Vémars Est

  1. From 'Nation' bus station (also a metro stop), take bus 351* to 'Roissypole' located at Charles de Gaulle Airport (Terminal 3). It's the last stop and payment isn't required to enter the bus.You can BLACK RIDE on this bus both ways
  2. From the coach station there (Gare routière), you can catch the 95.01 bus to Vémars, though this bus does not run on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Ask inside at the ticket office/information desk for which parking number the bus will be at (D2 in Oct 2013). The ticket costs €2. [BEWARE 95.01 does not work on public holidays and Sundays, so if that is the case, then get off at QUEBEC because the A1 highway (going to Lille) cuts through Paris multiple times and at this petrol station there is a higher chance of finding Dutch cars stopping and giving you a ride to another petrol station on the main highway, which is super busy and easy to find rides going to anywhere from Calais to Antwerp to Lille]
  3. You can always try to go with the bus number 702 to Vémars centre from the airport (20 stops, 39 minutes). This will also work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (as of 2018)
  4. From the Vémars bus stop walk straight 400m on 'Rue Pierre Curie' (D17) until it merges with 'Rue de la Mairie.' Walk an additional 350m until this merges with 'Rue des Vignolles' (D16).
  5. On your left, the A1 will be clearly visible as will the 'Aire de Vémars Ouest' petrol station. From here, it is another 1.25km to any given entrance.

Another useful recommendation is this website, where you can virtually create any route you want to take out of the city. Coupled with Google Maps, it's an excellent tool: http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ratp/recherche-avancee

For 351 Bus Route refer to link below http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orienter/f_plan.php?loc=bus_banlieue/300&nompdf=351&fm=pdf

  • Note: The 351 bus service does not run on weekends, but the above link can help find an alternate route.

File:Vemars.jpg

Option 5: Senlis Péage

This option costs €9 (25% discount for under 26s) + a local ticket to Gare du Nord. The peage is 50km north of Paris, near the town of Senlis.

Senlis has no train station, but you still buy the ticket from a train station. From Paris Nord, go to Chantilly and switch to a bus to Senlis at the "gare routière" right outside of Chantilly's train station with your ticket. Once there, you need to walk a little and you'll find a "péage". The bus driver gave me the directions. This should take around one hour.

Option 6: Porte de Bagnolet (A3)

Google maps: [1] Get a ticket for the station Porte de Bagnolet. This is pretty close to where the A3 starts, which leads to the A1, so a lot of traffic is heading this direction. The place might not be ideal, but it worked for me after just 20 minutes to get a ride on to the A1, There is a bus stop, where buses often stop so the traffic is slowed down, furthermore, there is a small gas stop, where you can approach drivers directly which cue up there from time to time. Position yourself at the traffic lights before the bus stop to show your sign indicating the direction you want to go to.


Bonus Tip: Arras Service Station

Heading north on the A1, there is a fantastic Esso service station just outside Arras [2], with people heading pretty much everywhere. You can get rides to the UK (Chunnel), Lille, Belgium, Netherlands. Many difference license plates (GB, F, B, NL, D, E) and lots of opportunities.

East towards Metz, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Germany A 4

Option 1: Motorway service station Aire de Ferrières

Quite long trip and a bit expensive. Takes you to a great petrol station (good for both day and night hitching); better if you speak French.

Take RER A to station Bussy St.Georges. You can also get to this RER A station by taking bus 4 or 44 from metro station Gutenberg. Make your way west to the D35 and then walk south along it for about 1km to a roundabout. You can try hitchhiking from here, but the service station is just a bit more than 2 km from here. You can walk on the grass field next to the motorway - don't choose this way in the morning or in autumn/winter as the grass is wet. The petrol station is called Aire de Ferrières and it's a "TOTAL" company. Another option to reach this petrol station is to walk through the industrial zone of the Bussy district, which lies south of the railway, crossing the bridge over the motorway and then continuing on by walking on the grass until the actual petrol station (note that as of February 2011, there was a nice-sized fence to hop after crossing the bridge. Nothing too difficult, but a big backpack makes it harder!). 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 want to go through the fields).

Here's a map.

From Bussy-St. Georges there is a bus 46 to Jossigny, Bout Pecheret, from there its only 1.3 km to walk.

Option 2. Motorway junction slip-road

This one is close to Paris, faster and cheaper to get to, but still in the megapolis. Starting from there, you're likely to end up either at the petrol station described above or at the péage. Not good at night.

Take the RER Line A (Red) in the direction of Boissy St Legere until the station Nogent Sur Marne (€2.75 (2016)). Leave the station in direction of Rue Joinville and follow the sign to the A4. It is a 30 minute walk. There is a red light before the slip road (on-ramp). Lots of traffic, possibility to stop on the ramp for brave drivers.

Ask if your driver can take you at least to the next petrol station which is within the free motorway network. Toll gate is a bit further.

Option 3. From within the city limits: Quai de Bercy

Cheap, as you will only need a metro ticket and pretty fast too.

You can also try to hitch directly from within Paris rather than taking the train for at least half an hour and then walking.

Take the metro line 14 to Bercy and exit towards Boulevard de Bercy, take the Boulevard down to the bridge where it intersects with Quai de Bercy. Standing on Quai de Bercy it is advisable to have a sign indicating you want to get onto the A4. When cars stop, ask if they are going all the way to the toll station (péage), many drivers turn off the A4 before that but there are not really any convenient places to continue hitch-hiking from before the toll station.

Option 4. Lorraine TGV

French railway operator SNCF has been running low-cost TGVs under the brand OuiGO since a few years. The good news is that from the summer 2018 it runs from Gare de l'Est within city limits and at a reasonable time (12:55) instead of running at 6 am from the rail station at the CDG airport as it was the case before. If you book a bit in advance you can get a ticket to Lorraine TGV (in the outskirts of Metz , https://goo.gl/maps/GfXv9v4LGxn) or Strasbourg main station for as low as 10 €, although the fare you're more likely to find is around 15-20 €. The ride takes 1:15 hour. From Lorraine-TGV station it is relatively easy to hitch east towards Saarbrücken and further into Germany. In the beginning you will have a simple two-lane local road, which joins the motorway A4 near Forbach close to the german border.

Getting South or Southwest A 6, A 10, or A 11

These spots are close enough to the city to be getting traffic in all southern directions.

Option 1: Porte d'Orléans

Once the most famous hitchhiking spot in France, this spot isn't bad nowadays, but it isn't great either. The good thing is that drivers aren't surprised to see people there, and that you don't need to get out of Paris in faraway suburbs.

Porte d'Orléans is the terminal subway station of line 4. There is an entry on the périphérique ring road where lots of people are later heading South. The best place is besides the "Novotel" building or (better) opposite it at the traffic lights. Be warned, traffic here is heavy and fast moving. If you have much baggage or more than one person I would not fancy your chances here. Waiting at the petrol station or even the adjacent war memorial will not give you the best traffic. Edit : I think that the place in front of the hotel is pretty bad. Very hard for the cars to stop there. It's better to stand before, at the red lights. I stood near the gas station at the lights, you miss all the cars not coming from inside Paris, but it's way easier for the cars to see you and to stop.

Make sure to specify with a sign specifying that you go to Orléans or Chartres (if you are heading Southwest - A10 or A11), and that the driver will leave you at least at the "péage de Saint Arnoult" or before that at "Limours-Janvry" service station. Beware, just after the "péage", the motorway separates between A10 and A11. If you are heading directly South onto the A6, have a sign (you may try "Lyon" or Fontainebleau) and make sure to be left at Aire de Lisses, roughly 35 km further, a little bit after Evry (drivers to Evry are not enough for you).

Whenever a diplomat travels between Paris and the Orly airport, he'll go through here. Which means that there will be police presence. The police don't care about you, but it is very unlikely anyone will stop while they are around. That happens often enough. They stick around for one hour.

Option 2: Porte d'Italie

Similarly Porte d'Italie which is not far from Porte d'Orleans is a good place to hitch from. Additionally if you walk down the exit to the traffic lights, there is an overhead bypass which can keep you dry in the rain.

South towards Lyon, Marseille, Barcelona, Italy A 6

Option 1: Motorway services Aire de Lisses

This option costs EUR 5.85 (but possible to have ride without ticket also), a zone 1–5 ticket and takes roughly 75 minutes. Aire de Lisses is the first service area on the A6, situated about 35 km South of Paris. It can save you time because you avoid all outbound traffic not really heading your direction, being located after all the motorway branch-offs.

Get the RER D towards Melun via Corbeil. Be careful to get on the right train as there are 2 routes for RER D towards Melun. As of 2010-02, the ID of the train you need was "ZIPE" or "ZOPO" (All trains on RER lines have a 4 letter ID depending on stations served). If it's too confusing (it's very confusing), get whatever train that goes to "Corbeil Essonne" and, from there, whatever train that goes to Melun. Get off at the station Villabé, the second after Corbeil-Essonnes. The station is not marked on Google Maps but don't worry, it's there: the way from Villabé RER station to Aire de Lisses

Otherwise, you can take the RER D to Évry-Courcouronnes centre, and from there Bus 415 in direction of Villabé. Get off at stop "Ikea", the gas station will be a five minute walk away. Note that as of 2017, there is a fence you have to climb to get to the station.

[Note, Mar 2018: There is no barrier at Villabé and so you can pay the standard central Paris tarif to get into the metro network and then just ride out there.]

A problem with a petrol station is that leaving trucks can block the leaving cars, so cars won't have chance to stop at all. Artti stood there three hours without a sign until he walked to the ramp next to the petrol station. There is more traffic and therefore more chance to get ride. Also cars have lots of space to stop.

Option 2: Motorway services Aire de Nemours

You can take a train to Nemours Saint Pierre (transilien R from Gare de Lyon, a ticket costs about 10 euros) and walk 45min to the service area ( http://goo.gl/VUYmh0 ). Then you're already on a paying section (no local traffic), far out from Paris (80km), and can get a ride to Châlon, Mâcon or Lyon in a few minutes.

South-West to Orleans, Bordeaux, Spain A 10 & West to Le Mans, Nantes, Rennes and all parts of Brittany A 11

The A10 and A11 motorways follow the route of the A6 (see above) from Paris, and split from it near Antony/Rungis. Then, before the A10 and the A11 split up, there is the service station of Limours-Janvry near Briis-sous-Forges and a péage near St-Arnoult, 40 km Southwest of Paris. Whichever spot you choose, ask the driver to take you at least until the Limours-Janvry service station or the péage of St-Arnoult. From these places, you can find a driver who takes you on the A10 or the A11 depending on which way you want to go.

Option 1: Pont de Sevres

Hitching after the bridge in March 2015

This option costs the price of an underground ticket. It takes you to the beginning of the N118 road which connects to the A10-A11 in about 25 km.

Take the subway 9 to Pont de Sevres, its end station. You start walking towards the bridge, where you can see the signs towards Nantes, Bordeaux, etc. The hitchhiking spot is just before the bridge, at the red lights. You can try with the cars coming from the direction of the metro station, and also with the cars which came along the river and are turning left to get to the bridge.

Option 2: Motorway junction Massy Palaiseau

This option costs EUR 4.90, a ticket for zones 1-4. This option is useful to get out of the ring roads and get directly on the A10 after all the branch-offs.

Take RER B to Massey-Palaiseau. Walk down Avenue Carnot along the Massy-Palaiseau railway towards the autoroute. After a while there you will see a long stretch of a road with lots of space for cars. Keep going and you will reach a roundabout. If you keep following this road, you will reach the motorway entrance underneath a bridge. Make sure to get a ride to the first barrière de péage (30+ km) at St-Arnoult or to the Limours-Janvry service station 5 km down the road.

Option 3: Motorway service station Limours-Janvry

The first service station on the motorway is called Limours-Janvry and it is situated 2kms northeast of the village Briis-sous-Forges. To get there you need to take RER B to Massy-Palaiseau. From there take bus 91.03 to Briis-sous-Forges. It runs about 3 times an hour on weekdays, once an hour on Saturdays, and there are no buses on Sundays. Then walk northeast along the small local road Route d'Invilliers. (It's not easy to find the road to the petrol station. no one in this village knows what street he is living in let alone that route you're looking for. They don't even know that there's a petrol station in the area. write the instructions and study the map!! I was lost in this village for couple of hours). Briis-sous-Forges to the petrol station map

this one (good enough one, according to some hitchhikers). Really good according to others. Took two guys ten minutes to get a ride and a third guy about the same amount of time to a different place. Lots of trucks and cars passing by!

Option 4: Péage de Saint-Arnoult

You can take the RER C train to Dourdan. There are no controls on the exit, so if you are on the cheap, you need to pay only the basic metro ticket (some EUR 1.33) to get into the underground network in Paris. Once in Dourdan, cross the railroad track and turn left and then go straight on the D836 until you reach the péage after 4-5 kilometers. You should be able to hitch a car as there are many passing by and the French take easily on small routes if they see you walking. Get off just after the road crosses the autoroute, go left and in a short while, you will reach the péage. Look at the map beforehand! You have much higher chances here then anywhere else, there are lots of cars going through.

Option 5: Chartres: a spot to go directly on the A11, after it has split from the A10

Hitchhiker Zoe in Paris during the 888 event

Take the train from Paris-Montparnasse to Chartres (EUR 12) and start hitching from there. You might want to go to the service station Chartres-Gasville on the A11 east of Chartres (bus plus one hour walk!). From the train station, take one of many buses that stop at the Morard station. Here starts bus 12, take it and get off at N.Conté - some minutes before you arrive there, memorize the route: the bus crosses the motorway, and comes to a big roundabout where it turns right and continues to a second small roundabout to turn right again to arrive at N.Conté. Now comes 1 hour of walk: go back to the big roundabout and turn right (east) to follow the N10 until you come to a small city. There you encounter the next roundabout, where you turn left. Follow the street, it bends to the right and ends on the Rue du Bois Paris where you turn left (north). After 500 meters comes the motorway, continue until you have crossed it. The service station is 400 meters east, so try to pass through the trees on your right and follow the street to the service station.

West towards Rouen, Le Havre, Caen A 13

Inside Paris

- Quai André Citroën, under the ring road overpass. A lot of traffic on Fridays and Saturdays as many inhabitants of the 15th and 7th arrondissements go to Normandy for the weekend. As a result, this spot is very effective on these days (20 to 30 min on average) but much worse at other times (expect to wait one and half hours).

- Porte d'Auteuil, at the last traffic light to the entrance of the A13, or even right under the "no pedestrians" sign on the shoulder to the motorway just after the light, where cars haven't picked up much speed yet and can see you well. Ask drivers to take you (at least) to Morainvilliers petrol station in Poissy.

In the suburbs

- Mantes-La-Jolie toll: take Transilien J suburban train from Saint-Lazare station. The fare is €8 but you may not be controlled. Get off in Mantes-La-Jolie (not Mantes Station). There's a 30 minute walk to the toll gate: check the map.

- Poissy rest area (a.k.a. aire de Morainvilliers): take Transilien J or RER A from Paris and get off at Poissy. Take bus 20 to bus stop "Auberge". There's one bus every hour on weekdays, fewer than that on Saturdays and it doesn't run on Sundays. See the timetable here.

A small collection of the "Paris" signs for the Project 888 where over 150 hitchhikers gathered and camped in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Resources

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)