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{{Hitchhiking Zine nomination}}
<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 actually relatively small , but is surrounded by endless suburbs, some of them being which are linked to the urban public transportation system at no extra cost(i.e. a standard one-trip city ticket), and while some other 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).
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== Hitching out ==
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.
=== North/Northeast towards [[England]], [[Lille]] and [[Belgium]] {{afr|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 (France)|A1]] starts. Local drivers say they often see hitchhikers there. To get there , take a 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 overcrowdedand, and at the same time , quite a few cars going up the North north stop here for to refill; nonetheless, at such places , much is depended depends on your luck, and according to some hitchhikers , this place won't make it to the TOP10 top 10 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 motorway (avoiding at the same time all the traffic that heads for ''Boulevard PeriphiquePeripherique'').
-A good option to leave faster is to show on at the roundabout a billboard 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 youout; 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 ====
[[File:Masaru.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Masaru at ''Aire La Courneuve'']]
This option costs one local ticket or zones 1–3 ticket (eur 2.4575as 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.
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 you your left or drive a little past you on the right. A couple of cars stopped right a way 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====
<ol>
<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><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 eur 2€€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><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><li>From the Vémars bus stop walk straight 400m on 'Rue Pierre Curie' (D17) 400m until it merges with 'Rue de la Mairie.' Walk an additional 350m until merged this merges with 'Rue des Vignolles' (D16).</li><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. **** WARNING - The 95.01 BUS DOES NOT WORK on PUBLIC HOLIDAYS or SAT and SUNDAY so this option can turn out to be futile. However I noticed that jumping into this Bus and black riding it, is quite easy and it does pass through certain stations where A1 touches the city inner roads, so it might be easy to get down some place with a Gas station and be on the look out for NL ( Netherlands Car Plate) usually they are heading all the way to Lille. Once you are on the highway the very first gas station on the highway is huge has dining space and gas station and has more than 400 cars at any time. Get down here and it is a great place to get a long hitch hike. Don't waste time on short hitch hikes from here.You would be able to get a ride all the way to Calais if you look out for a GB ( British ) car. Verified on 15th Aug, 2014 by Vidhi </li>
</ol>
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|péage]]". The bus driver gave me the directions. This should take around one hour.
This option costs EUR 9 ==== Option 6: Porte de Bagnolet (25% discount under 26A3) ====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]Get a local ticket for the station Porte de Bagnolet. This is pretty close to Gare du Nordwhere the A3 starts, which leads to the A1, so a lot of traffic is heading this direction. The peage 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 50 km North of Parisslowed down, furthermore, there is a small gas stop, near 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 town of Senlisdirection you want to go to.
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" (motorway payment station - people have to stop to take a ticket). The bus driver gave me the directions. This should take around one hour.
=== East towards [= Bonus Tip: Arras Service Station====Heading north on the A1, there is a ''fantastic'' Esso service station just outside Arras [Metz]https://goo.gl/maps/2suUznoe5C42], [[Strasbourg]]with people heading pretty much everywhere. You can get rides to the UK (Chunnel), Lille, [[Luxembourg]]Belgium, [[Germany]] Netherlands. Many difference license plates (A4GB, F, B, NL, D, E) ===and lots of opportunities.
==== Via petrol station =East towards [[Metz]], [[Strasbourg]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Germany]] {{Afr|4}} ===
==== Option 1: Motorway service station ''Quite long trip and a bit expensive. Takes you to a great petrol station. better if you speak French and good day-and-night.Aire de Ferrières''====
The first petrol station is close to RER A station ''Bussy StQuite long trip and a bit expensive.Georges''. You can also get Takes you to this RER A a great petrol station by taking bus 4 or 44 from the metro station ''Gutenberg''(good for both day and night hitching); better if you speak French.''
From the 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 south along it for about 1 km along a bigger road which will lead you 1km to a roundabout. You can try hitchhiking from there here, but the needed petrol service station will be is just a bit more than 2 km from therehere. 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 ''La FerrièreAire 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'' areadistrict, to the South which lies south of the railway, then reach crossing the bridge over the motorway and follow further 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 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 wanna want to go through the fields).
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].
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. ==== Option 2. Motorway onramp 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 on at the petrol station described above or at the péage described ab-above. Not good at night.''
Take the RER Line A (Red) in the direction of ''Boissy St Legere'' until the station ''Nogent Sur Marne'' (EUR 2€2.70 75 (2010-112016)). Leave the station in direction of ''Rue Joinville'' and follow the sign to the A4. It is a 30 min minute walk. There is a red light before the onrampslip 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 ====''ChaepCheap, 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 [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]] ,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 (A6{{Afr|6}}, {{Afr|10}}, A10 or A11) {{Afr|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 Southonto the A6, have a sign for (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 there at to the traffic lights , there is an overhead bypass which can keep you dry in the rain.
=== South towards [[Lyon]], [[Marseille]], [[Barcelona]], [[Italy]] (A6) {{Afr|6}} ===
==== Option 1: Motorway services Aire de Lisses ====
This option costs EUR 5.85€ 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. Notethat as of 2017, Jan 2014: There there is no barrier at Villabé and so a fence you can pay the standard central Paris tariff have to climb to get into to the metro network and then just ride out therestation.]
A problem with a petrol station is that leaving trucks can block the leaving cars[Note, so cars won't have chance to stop at all. [[UserMar 2018:Artti|Artti]] stood there three hours without a sign until he walked to the ramp next to the petrol station. There is more traffic no barrier at Villabé and therefore more chance so you can pay the standard central Paris tarif to get into the metro network and then just rideout there. Also cars have lot of space to stop.]
==== Aire de Nemours ====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.
You can take a train to ==== Option 2: Motorway services Aire de Nemours Saint Pierre (transilien R from Gare de Lyon) 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.====
=== A10 South-West You can take a train to [[Orléans|Orleans]]Nemours Saint Pierre (transilien R from Gare de Lyon, [[Bordeaux]], [[Spain]] a ticket costs about 10 euros) and A11 West walk 45min to [[Le Mans]]the service area ( http://goo.gl/VUYmh0 ). Then you're already on a paying section (no local traffic), [[Nantes]]far out from Paris (80km), [[Rennes]] and all parts of [[Bretagne|Brittany]] ===can get a ride to Châlon, Mâcon or Lyon in a few minutes.
The A10 and A11 motorways follow the route of the '''A6''' (see above) from Paris=== South-West to [[Orléans|Orleans]], [[Bordeaux]], and split from it near [[AntonySpain]] {{afr|10}} & West to [[Le Mans]]/, [[RungisNantes]]. Then, before the A10 [[Rennes]] and the A11 would split up, there is the service station all parts of Limours-Janvry near Briis-sous-Forges and a [[péageBretagne|Brittany]] 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.{{afr|11}} ===
====Pont de Sevres====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 ====[[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 on 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€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 the RER B to ''Massy-Palaiseau''. From there, follow the motoway signs for the A10. There are two options: take a bus from the massive transport lot beside ''Massy-Palaiseau'' station or walk down a motorway ramp nearby.
Take RER B to ''Massey-Palaiseau'Motorway ramp option''': Go . Walk 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 the motorway exit 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.
'''Bus ==== Option'''3: Motorway service station Limours-Janvry ====The first petrol service station named on the motorway is called Limours-Janvry and it is situated near 2kms northeast of 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 km north from Then walk northeast along the village. To reach it you will need to find small local road ''Route d'Invilliers'', a small local road. Once you are there, make sure your driver takes the right road as the A11 starts not far away. (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]
[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!
==== 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€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 ====
[[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.
== Public transport ==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 stopsWest towards Rouen, lines from letter A to E)Le Havre, 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 (EUR 12.70 instead of 1.70 each - January 2012). You can travel to the end of RER lines for about EUR 15. 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 (EUR 6.40 for one day inside Paris, zones 1 & 2) - it is valid on metro, RER and ground transportation. If you stay for a week or more - consider getting a "Passe Navigo découverte", which is a chargeable card with picture (EUR 5 to make). You can then buy a weekly ticket for EUR 17.20. Note that this replaces the former "Carte Orange". All prices as of Winter 2010. You can blackride easily, just check for uniformed controllers before you pass the gates. The easiest way to get in on RER or Metro is to find the entrance where there are doors for people with big luggage. This way you can easily pass with them, several people at a time, no problem. Alternatively you can jump the turnstile if you are fast enough and hold the door thing open after someone has passed. It is quite easy to ask people to go in with them through the baggage gate but also you can just follow without asking. If you do get caught just give your ID and no address. They will ask if you have a French address and you say no. You don't have to sign anything they give you. They should give you a piece of paper with a fine written on it, but since there is no address don't worry.Caen {{Afr|13}} ====== Metro system = Inside Paris ====Ticket checks never occur - Quai André Citroën, under the ring road overpass. A lot of traffic on actual metro trains, Fridays and ticket controllers seem to employ 1 Saturdays as many inhabitants 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 15th 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.  Checks are said never 7th arrondissements go to occur during rush hours; peak times Normandy 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 exitingweekend. As in some other countries, one can be relax about the ticket booth staff since they have nothing to do with ticket checks. === RER system ===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 freeresult, 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 this spot is a rush hour when controls are impossible due very effective on these days (20 to congestion. The highest risk of being checked seems to occur 30 min on transfer stations from RER to metro stations. There are 2 big ones, Chatelet and Gare du Nord. If there is control average) but much worse at one of them, try the other. At Gare du Nord it seems the luggage entrance is a little more hidden than at Chatelet so even if there are controllers you can probably pass quickly if there are lots of people around. On some RER stations that are also train stations controllers times (expect to wait in the tunnels when you go down to change between platforms.  You often need your ticket to get out of the stations, as price varies according to the distance. Make sure not to lose it as it can be tricky to get out otherwise. === Buses ===Like in most cities of France, you can walk onto the bus without showing or validating a ticket. Checks are said to be rare, one and occur mainly late at nighthalf hours).
=== Fines and punishments ===French transport police won- Porte d't make any exceptions for foreigners. Although it is said it might be possible Auteuil, at the last traffic light to talk them out the entrance of fining a the A13, or even right under the "dumb touristno pedestrians" they are mainly hostile. Most commonly they will ask for a EUR 40 fine which sign on the shoulder to the motorway just after the light, where cars haven't picked up much speed yet and can be paid directly in cash or by credit cardsee you well. Alternatively you can plead poverty, and if Ask drivers to take you show a valid ID they will post a fine (at least) to the address and the name written on IDMorainvilliers petrol station in Poissy.
=== Going to ''Charles de Gaulle''/''Roissy'' airport = In the suburbs ====Bus line 350 goes to ''Gare de l'Est'', and line 351 - to ''Place de la Nation''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). YouThere're supposed to validate 3 tickets (which is s a lot cheaper than travelling by RER); checks are said rare 30 minute walk to occurthe toll gate: check the map.
=== Vélib’ bicycle rental system ===The grey bicycles - Poissy rest area (a lot of people are riding on can be rented easily. Just look for k.a rental station within the Peripherique, you can register there with a credit card that is good for EUR 150 credit. aire de Morainvilliers): take Transilien J or RER A daily rental pass costs EUR 1from Paris and get off at Poissy.70Take bus 20 to bus stop "Auberge". There's one bus every hour on weekdays, a week is EUR 8 (January 2012). With these passes you can rent a bicycle for 30 minutes for free as often as you want. Make sure to return fewer than that on Saturdays and it within those 30 Minutes or you will have to pay additional feesdoesn't run on Sundays. Check See the English timetable [http://enwww.wikipediatransdev-idf.orgcom/wiki/V%C3%A9lib%27 Wikipedia Vélib' articlehoraire-ligne-20-poissy_aval_2_rives_de_seine_015 here] for more information. Great and cheap way to get around.
== Sleeping ==
[[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.]]
[[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.
 
It is also possible to sleep in the ''Champs de Mars'' in front of the Eiffel Tower - police generally let 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 or near the boats along the Seine river on the other side of the Eiffel Tower. During the first European Hitchhikers Week ([[project 888|888]]) around 50 people slept in front of the Eiffel Tower.
 
There are also good places to sleep in the tunnels of Montsouris, which are part of old railway network. It is a hidden place and maybe the most well-known unofficial entrance to the famous Paris Catacombs. You must climb over a wall near the intersection of Avenue Jean Moulin and Rue de Coulmiers ([http://is.gd/hC1Px Google maps]).
 
It is possible to sleep in the catacombs as well. To reach them go down the stairs and turn right. In the middle of the long tunnel there is a hole at the right. Be advised that you should not enter the Catacombs alone or without a person who has a lot of experience climbing around the Paris underground. It is an extremely complicated system of tunnels, perhaps the second largest in the world. In many rooms of the Catacombs you can find a luxury of places to sleep, but you can just as easily get lost in areas where nobody has been or will go for months. The few people who live in the catacombes might become aggressive when you meet them. Sometimes the ground is full of water, around 20cm high. Print a [http://www.google.com/search?q=plan+catacombes map of the catacombes.]
 
== Other useful info ==
 
=== Free showers ===
 
At [http://www.paris.fr/pratique/personnes-en-grande-precarite/vivre-au-quotidien/bains-douches-municipaux/rub_5365_stand_8972_port_11521 Bains-douches municipaux] you can find a map of places where you can have free showers in Paris. ''Bains-Douches'' are open from Monday to Sunday, they open from 07:00 until 18:00, best option is check timetable on Paris' website. Don't go to Bain-douche Castagnary because it is closed! Also you should get there 30 minutes before the closing time or you will not be allowed inside. Showers are free but you need to bring your own soap and towel.
 
=== Internet ===
Go to Apple Store behind Opera Garnier or to Apple Store under Louvre Museum in the Carrousel de Louvre.
 
[http://bibliotheque.equipement.paris.fr/ Libraries] offer free internet. If you have your own laptop it's practically unlimited otherwise it's free just 15 minutes using library's computers.
 
On the Avenue des Champs-Élysées there are two fast-food restaurants called Quick, they have free WiFi and also electric sockets and the personnel will not bother you for using them. And there is one Apple store or maybe just a PC store with computers free to use and they also have Internet, but you can't use Facebook and the personal will not allow you to charge your phone there.
 
On the same Avenue des Champs-Élysées 71-73 There is a tea shop "Kusmi Tea" and a bench nearby free WiFi called Kousmichoff. If you come after they are closed, you can use the socket that is outside by the base of the window. That helped me a lot late at night once.
 
You can surf on the internet for free in the library of Centre Pompidou either you have a laptop or not.
== Useful links Resources =={{nomadwiki}}
* [http://www.ratp.fr/ Public transportation of Paris]
* [http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ Trains and regional transports], ticket agency
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