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Paris
,→Option 1: Porte de la Chapelle
{{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 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.
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''). 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. ''I tried this option but it didn't work well. Most drivers are local and you end up stuck in spots where everyone goes back to the center. Go further north is probably a best choice! Lola, October 2018.'' ==== 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 2.75as 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. 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.
==== Going directly to the ''barrière Option 4: Motorway services Aire de péage'' Vémars Est====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.
=== A6 South to = Option 6: Porte de Bagnolet (A3) ====Google maps: [[Lyon]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 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, [[Marseille]]furthermore, [[Barcelona]]there is a small gas stop, [[Italy]] ===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.
=== A10 South to East towards [[OrleansMetz]], [[BordeauxStrasbourg]], [[SpainLuxembourg]] ===[[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.]]This motorway follows the route of the '''A6''' (see above) from Paris, and splits afterwards near [[AntonyGermany]]/[[Rungis]]. There's no petrol station between ''Porte d'Orleans'' and the A6xA10 junction except [http://maps.google.fr/?ie=UTF8&ll{{Afr|4}} =48.739447,2.302011&spn=0.001638,0.003455&t=h&z=18 this one] (good enough one, according to some hitchhikers). An easy option is to stand at ''Porte d'Orleans'' (the same as for the A6 options) with a sign specifying that you go to [[Orléans]]. There is a ''[[barrière de péage]]'' in ''Saint Arnoult'', before the split between A10 and A11, so you can accept a ride going to Orléans or to [[Chartres]], for example. Make sure, though, the driver will leave you at least at the "péage de Saint Arnoult". French hitchhiker [[User:Pietshah|Pietshah]] did this route tons of times and had very little troubles.
''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).
=== A11 South= Option 2. Motorway junction slip-West to [[Le Mans]], [[Nantes]], [[Rennes]] and all parts of [[Brittany]] road ====This highway splits from the A10 near ''Dourdan''. There are several possibilities go get on this motorway:
=== Fines and punishments = Option 4. Lorraine TGV ====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.
== Sleeping in Paris ==[[Hospitality exchange#Hospitality exchange networksGetting South or Southwest {{Afr|Hospitality exchange]] networks can be a great choice when staying low-budget in Paris. However6}}, one must plan usually such staying well ahead since Paris is a popular destination for many backpackers{{Afr|10}}, and many hospitality exchange networks' members are usually overloaded with requests to have guests.or {{Afr|11}} ===
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