Paris was definitely the worst…
How can Paris be the worst at anything? It is so beautiful. It is so historic. It has everything! All of that is true, but it is the worst to drive around. I drove over 6,700 miles across Europe, so I feel I have some experience in the matter.
Driving on the “other side” in the UK took some getting used to, but after a few days, it wasn’t so bad. Prague was a challenge because of all the trams that use the same roads as cars and all the cobblestone streets. Florence was tough because of the narrow one-way alleys. But Paris is on another level.
Sometimes there are dividing lines in the road, sometimes not. Sometimes other drivers abide by those lines, sometimes not. There are all sorts of twists and turns and one-way streets. There are underground tunnels with limited signage. There are cyclists and mopeds and motorcycles (and pedestrians!) weaving through traffic. Then, of course, there are crazy, multi-lane roundabouts like around the Arc de Triumphe.
I don’t think I would have been prepared to drive in Paris if it was our first stop. It was only because I had practice in other European cities (Rome, Madrid, Berlin, etc.) that I was able to make it through unscathed.
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Interested in more? Read about my family’s adventure around Europe: Part I
