Another French trip....

[Malc]

Although the Forum does sometimes seem like a branch of the French tourist Board, it is still a mine of information when doing 'The Trip' round France - which is exactly what I (together with the Steering Committee of course) am aiming to do next summer (assuming I can put all the bits back over the winter that I've taken off!). So I thought that I would try and get some advice and recommendations. I am aiming to go to Paris first and stay there for a couple of days. As Motorail no longer operates in its previous form, I thought I would put the car on the Autotrain to Nice - just the car would go, and we would follow the next day by TGV and pick it up in Nice. I am then going to stay for a week in the Hotel Windsor (wonderful quirky hotel just back from the front - rooms painted by local artists, space ship lift, whacky garden, garage parking but for only three cars so book early).

http://www.hotelwindsornice.com/

I then anticipate driving to the Burgundy area for another week then home. Total time about 16/17 days.

However I would like some advice:

1) Can someone recommend a good but reasonable hotel in Paris for a couple of nights that has secure parking?

2) Has anyone had experience of the Autotrain? It looks very easy, seems very reasonable price wise for a one way trip - you just drop the car off at the station in Paris, and then pick it up at your destination (although they put it on the train and drive it off).

3) Hotels in Burgundy - I've seen a couple posted by David and others last year in the 'Meet & Greet' section ('France') so I have them on the list to look at, but I do like to do my research so any more would be welcomed!

Thanks for any suggestions.

[PeterCrespin]

If you like quirky, try the a Hotel Esmerelda on the Rive Gauche by Notre Dame. Not sure about parking though, we used it on one of my rare flying trips.

Pete

[Heuer]

Two things I would never do - a) take my E-Type into Paris and b) put it unattended on the Autorail. The chances of damage, theft or loss are far too high especially given the value of the cars nowadays. Pete lost two from the secure yard of the shipping Agents! If you want to do Paris fly in. The area around Nice is also no fun in an E-Type simply because of the amount of traffic but OK if you are just driving in and staying put. Beware French garage parking because the entry/exit ramps can be fierce and you can ground the car. We once had to enlist the help of hotel staff to lift ours off although on the plus side they then decided it was less trouble for us to park in their secure delivery area. We do a Google earth/street view of any Hotel we are unsure of before we book. The French are not particularly car friendly so watch out for high kerbs, steep changes in angles, deep drain gully's and large protruding gate stops in drives. Fit 185 tyres, avoid big bore exhausts and get your suspension checked.

The Burgundy region is a great place to visit although don't overlook nearby Beaujolais which is equally beautiful. Hubert has done a great map of all the local attractions, hotels and fuel stops: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewe ... GdxoNk9tRE

There are also lots of recommendations in the 'Running Reports' forum.

[Malc]

Funnily enough, I have never had a problem with driving in Paris - I think the chaos on the streets is understood by the Parisiens and as long as you join in with the spirit of things, you should be OK (famous last words!). It's a bit like Italy (but not as bad!).

Point noted David re the Autotrain, although I have seen very expensive cars on the train and it is in their interest as well to ensure no damage occurs (presumably they agree a condition report with you beforehand). However it is certainly something to be considered.

Early days at the moment - le Lavendou might also be preferable to Nice; planning is part of the fun of a holiday though, isn't it?

[Heuer]

Have you ever taken an E-Type into Paris though? Apart from the potential of bumps and scratches the traffic can be horrendous which inevitably leads to over heating worries and breaking down on a Paris street is going to end up with irate locals and recovery being very expensive. In all our travels we have kept away from large cities and towns simply because most French people regard a car as simply a replaceable means of transport, and that includes your pride and joy.

The Autotrain might be a viable option but why on earth would you want to take an E-Type to France and be chauffeured everywhere? Drive down to the south and take a few of the delightful D roads.

[Hubert Dallard]

Hello Malc,

Hyatt Paris Etoile can be a good idea
http://www.parisetoile.regency.hyatt.fr ... /home.html
It is at the west border of Paris, so you don't have to drive with the Etype in the center of Paris. You can visit Paris with metro or taxi or rent a bike. They have a private parking

For autotrain you can check here:
http://autotrain.voyages-sncf.com/autot ... 14_eng.pdf?
The staff is known to be serious but I am not sure they are used to drive Etype. So, there is a risk...

Check my map for good adresses in Burgundy. All come from customer's feedback, so independant. I am not linked to the french tourist board !

[PeterCrespin]

Have you ever taken an E-Type into Paris though? Apart from the potential of bumps and scratches the traffic can be horrendous which inevitably leads to over heating worries and breaking down on a Paris street is going to end up with irate locals and recovery being very expensive. In all our travels we have kept away from large cities and towns...

I didn't comment on your first post but you really seem fixated on not driving in cities, which seems odd. Every year I used to attend a Cardiology congress in Paris and while everyone else flew or later trained, I took a Jag every time and normally an E. As Macolm said, it's not that bad.



It's a lovely sensation zipping across the cobbles although grip is marginal in the wet. I almost always took a passenger and from my teen years on old bikes to my last time in an E I made a point of lapping the Champs ?lys?es from Etoile to Concorde and never settled for only one circuit. It's fun and Continental cafe society and E-types are a match made in heaven. There's always somewhere you can relax outside in sight of the car and enjoy watching everyone from kids to octagenarians smiling as they walk past the car.

Paris in particular is reasonably E-type friendly on the wide sightseeing boulevards and throughways. Plus if you pick your hotel carefully most options will have secure and often underground or courtyard parking. Even the peripherique is no worse than the M25 on a bad day or the A4 almost any day.

I can't imagine not sampling Rome or Paris or Munich, Antwerp etc and just driving past because of overheating worries or damage. The day I didn't drive my E-type because of damage worries would be the day before I put it on eBay as the end of a hobby. Even Old Rouen is a lovely stop on the way back from Le Mans. Of course if you want to go with more than one person or the car is tucked away underground and you want to go to some busy event then sure, take the metro. To me the biggest issue is occasional door grounding if the street has a steep camber and high pavements but you soon learn to watch out for that and warn your passenger when they open their door.

Chacun ? son go?t, I suppose. London is not for everybody either. My view would be for everyone to try it and make their own minds up, not issue a blanket warning based on never having done it in an E yourself.

Pete

[Hubert Dallard]

It s very pleasant to drive in Paris with the EType on saturday or sunday morning. There is no traffic jam and other drivers are relax.
The other days, it is more complicate ...

If you want a 100% classic car traffic jam, you can join "la travers?e de Paris" !:
http://www.vincennesenanciennes.com/TdP ... mages.html

[Durango2k]

Regarding London, i just paid 85 Euro for having made One bad turn, I was 35 seconds inside the congestion charge Zone. I could not figure out How to Pay for a car with an ? in the number plate, their Site did not allow me to enter this plate, so I Ended up waiting for the Letter at Home. I pleaded them but they had an excuse like "we do not know What you did Inside and we delete the pictures after filing the Record, and you have to follow British Law here" , so I had to deduct 85 Euros from my E-Type money. Even worse the EPC plc tried to fine me another 257 Euro for not having paid in first time additionally !!!, but I could prove I paid so They gave by.

Tourist rip off. We don't do such things hereover to our Friends (nowadays).

Carsten

[Heuer]

Carsten

How did they find you? Certainly our speed cameras take pictures of foreign number plates but the Police never follow them up because there is no agreement in place to share owner data. Same applies in France where Brit cars are photographed when exceeding the limit but fines are not followed up. They keep saying every year they will put a process in place but never do. German, Italy and Switzerland share data and Italy employs Debt Recovery agencies around the world to pursue offenders and they even changed the law to allow them to pursue drivers up to 360 days after the offence. Against EU law apparently but they still do it!

I didn't comment on your first post but you really seem fixated on not driving in cities, which seems odd.

My car has a 2.88 diff so driving in town is a real pain - constantly having to hunt between first and second. I am a country lad, born and bred, so cities hold little fascination for me, certainly in a car. I lived in London for 20 years and drove everywhere in everything from an MG Midget to a 911 but that was 20 years ago when you could park almost anywhere - Tottenham Court Road and King's Road on a Saturday morning was easy. For me driving is the joy of the open road and the E-Type is particularly good at that. If I want to be stuck in traffic I will do it from the back seat of a taxi!