On a roundabout tip, keep your eyes peeled for frenchies who enjoy going right round in the outside lane.
In most of Continental Europe, the default priority is to give way to the right, but this default may be overridden by signs or road markings. In France, priority was initially according to the social rank of each traveler, but early in the life of the automobile this rule was deemed impractical and replaced with the "priorité à droite" (priority to the right) rule, which was employed until the 1980s. At a roundabout, "priorité à droite" works this way: traffic already on the roundabout gives way to traffic entering the roundabout. Most French roundabouts now have give-way signs for traffic entering the roundabout, but there remain some notable exceptions that operate on the old rule, such as the Place de l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe. Traffic on this particular roundabout is so chaotic that French insurance companies deem any accident on the roundabout to be equal liability.
Well this is what the AA has to say....... The only thing you CAN be fined for is not converting your headlights.
I'd recommend skirting around paris on the A104/N104/A4/A5b/A6 rather than the 'phrique, it's longer but oh so civilised in comparison.
Quote from: Sloper on November 22, 2007, 08:30:58 pmI'd recommend skirting around paris on the A104/N104/A4/A5b/A6 rather than the 'phrique, it's longer but oh so civilised in comparison.this is the knowledge! its quicker!
was going to punter you for drinking stella but realized it was a little harsh.Have only done the freak once myself, always gone east around paris previously. was ok but early in morning on weekend so not so much traffic
It's definitely worth fitting the headlight things of you'll be blinding all the drivers on the other side of the road!
The A104/N104 etc. method is my favourite. On some maps, the route is actually marked/highlighted as Le Francilienne. On the way there there is one particularly badly signposted bit. Where you turn off the A1, just after CDG airport and you are on some kind of large sliproad - the signs for the A104/Marne disappear until the very last minute (ie above the point where the lanes are split with big concrete barriers). I think (?) that of the 4 lanes available to you, it is the 2nd from the left (3rd from right in euros) that is the correct one. Anyone else know for sure?
Quote from: lagerstarfish on November 27, 2007, 10:13:18 amThe A104/N104 etc. method is my favourite. On some maps, the route is actually marked/highlighted as Le Francilienne. On the way there there is one particularly badly signposted bit. Where you turn off the A1, just after CDG airport and you are on some kind of large sliproad - the signs for the A104/Marne disappear until the very last minute (ie above the point where the lanes are split with big concrete barriers). I think (?) that of the 4 lanes available to you, it is the 2nd from the left (3rd from right in euros) that is the correct one. Anyone else know for sure?Yep that's a bit confusing, it helps when you've done it about 20 times. I'll try and remember as I'm off to Font in about 4 hours (pity me, come on I mean it's a hard life).As I recall they also did some modifications around the A4/104 junction so I'll have to be awake for that section.
Google Earth has some very clear pictures of this section of the road. It is actually the 3rd from the left (2nd from R) of the 4 lanes that takes you onto the 104 towards Marne La Valee. No changes in road layout when we went in April. If you do that directions to/from thing on Google Earth for sections of the route it gives you a good idea of how it really is, although it does show some random wandering accross lanes - perhaps that is how its meant to be? I've got this route wired now and can probably draw details of my beta on to a picture from google earth if necessary Slackers. let me know if you need more detail.
I chatted to some Swedish guys who relied on their Satnav, and went straight through the middle of Paris. They described it as "exciting".
When going from calais/dunkirk using sat nav, it will always take you through the center of paris because on paper it is the quickest route, but by only a few minutes, and if there is no traffic. Once satnav has planned the route, tell it to travel via mitry-mory and this will be the optimum route, taken only a couple of minutes longer on paper than striaght through the middle (in reality its is much quicker)