GeoNomad
Guest
It is hard to imagine the contrast between camping on the moors last week and camping in Paris this week. Wild camping at the two extremes.
I had heard that there was a camping-car friendly parking lot behind the Chateau Vincennes in Paris, so I decided to check it out. My information was that it cost €12 for 24 hours and that it was "secure" so you could leave your camper and take the metro to the centre of the city.
As it happens, the information was not quite correct, or perhaps it varies with the season. In early May, the parking was FREE. There was no pay and display borne in evidence, or any sign of any parking fee to be paid. There were plenty of large motorhomes and a few converted vans taking advantage of the situation. Some looking like they had been there for quite some time.
The downside was that there was no particular security, other than the number of campers who, by their presence, might discourage ne'er-do-wells from breaking in to campers. I parked between two large motorhomes, feeling that no sensible thief would choose to break into my dirty old van. In fact, I felt very comfortable leaving my van there during the day.
The metro is a few hundred feet away, so you can get to any part of Paris in a reasonable time. Chateau Vincennes is the end of the number 1 line, which crosses the heart of the city.
What was really amazing was how quiet it was. The back row of the parking is far enough from the road that there is almost no noise at all. In fact, it is quieter than any place I have stayed in Paris (in hotels and apartments).
Come morning, I enjoyed my usual tartine et chocolat before continuing south.
Map: Parking behind Chateau Vincennes
I had heard that there was a camping-car friendly parking lot behind the Chateau Vincennes in Paris, so I decided to check it out. My information was that it cost €12 for 24 hours and that it was "secure" so you could leave your camper and take the metro to the centre of the city.
As it happens, the information was not quite correct, or perhaps it varies with the season. In early May, the parking was FREE. There was no pay and display borne in evidence, or any sign of any parking fee to be paid. There were plenty of large motorhomes and a few converted vans taking advantage of the situation. Some looking like they had been there for quite some time.
The downside was that there was no particular security, other than the number of campers who, by their presence, might discourage ne'er-do-wells from breaking in to campers. I parked between two large motorhomes, feeling that no sensible thief would choose to break into my dirty old van. In fact, I felt very comfortable leaving my van there during the day.
The metro is a few hundred feet away, so you can get to any part of Paris in a reasonable time. Chateau Vincennes is the end of the number 1 line, which crosses the heart of the city.
What was really amazing was how quiet it was. The back row of the parking is far enough from the road that there is almost no noise at all. In fact, it is quieter than any place I have stayed in Paris (in hotels and apartments).
Come morning, I enjoyed my usual tartine et chocolat before continuing south.
Map: Parking behind Chateau Vincennes