You may still find many people warning you about the dangers to inexperienced tourists of driving the streets of Paris. However, in recent times the city's transportation chief and its mayor have been discussing introducing plans to improve the congestion in Paris, and reduce its emissions.
The city has already successfully introduced a number of plans and incentives to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads of Paris, to ease traffic and emissions. As such, some of these included a bicycle-sharing program, a tramway, minibuses and an overall reduction in speed limits across the city.
Other plans in consideration for the city include a car-sharing program and the introduction of 2,000 electric cars throughout the city in 2010. These programs will aid the administration in its goal of reducing emissions in Paris by 30 percent.
These plans and schemes to improve the Paris transport system will go a long way to resolving known issues associated with driving in Paris. Heavy traffic - in particular at the Arc de Triomphe, which is the world's largest traffic roundabout - and the difficult driving habits of native Parisians have been known to put tourists off driving in the city. As a result, visitors would often choose to hire a car outside of Paris, and use other means to get around.
Of course, parking in some of the smaller cities in France can prove a less frustrating experience than finding parking space in Paris; but from knowing where to look you can find safe and secure parking throughout the city. While most popular tourist areas will have car parks, it is also possible to find free parking within most motels and hotels.
What's more, for those who make use of car rental in Paris, it can prove beneficial to seek advice from the car rental companies to gain a better understanding of the most useful parking solutions.
The secret to driving in Paris involves having an understanding of when is best to visit. Indeed, August marks the start of the Parisians annual five-week holiday; and as city dwellers escape for a well-earned vacation, traffic is considerably reduced making it the easiest time to drive around the city.
But no matter when you decide to visit, having the right attitude to driving around Paris is the key to a fun and stress-free holiday. You will experience heavy traffic in any major city around the world; however, be sure to schedule extra time to arrive at your destination, and be prepared to potentially 'go off schedule' on occasions. Accepting the challenges of driving in this amazing and romantic city will help you to survive the Paris driving experience.