Motorhome Rentals Paris

Paris

The capital of European culture, Paris is one of the planet's favourite holiday destinations and sees millions of tourists every year. Although a motoring holiday is not the first thing that you think about when visiting Paris, an abundance of regional attractions make this an exciting proposition. A motorhome rental enables drivers to stay in natural environments close to the draws.

The seaside resorts on la Manche (the English Channel) are only 200kms from Paris. The ancient cities of Orleans and Reims are also easily accessed. Other destinations include historic royal palaces, WWI battlefields and memorials, and unique heritage sites such as the Nazi-era La Coupole V2 rocket bunker in St Omer.

Paris is renowned for attractions including the Eiffel Tower, the high end stores on Avenue des Champs Elysees and the avant garde Left Bank. The Louvre is the flagship of a collection of museums themed on every imaginable topic. Disneyland Paris is on the east outskirts of the city.

Attractions

The Louvre is rated as one of the best museums in the world. On the River Seine's Right bank, it houses 35,000 exhibits dating from prehistory right through to modern times. The Tuileries Garden is west along the bank of the Seine. Rue de Rivoli runs behind the garden.

Across the river, Musee d'Orsay houses European masterpieces painted by the likes of Monet, Van Gogh and Gauguin. Following the Quai d'Orsay beside the Seine eventually leads to the Eiffel Tower. A trip up the tower is an essential Paris activity.

An evening at the famed Moulin Rouge is another firm favourite with holidaymakers in Paris. Cabaret and can-can dancing in this beautifully preserved venue send audiences into raptures. The theatre is on the edge of Montmartre where the Sacre-Coeur Basilica sits atop the hill that the district takes its name from.

Chateau de Versailles is the highlight of France's former royal palaces and chateaux. This fabulous complex is 20kms outside the city. Ornate royal apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and the French History Museum are just the cream of its delights.

Camping

Paris Indigo Campsite Bois de Boulogne is the closest of the motorhome sites to central Paris, Situated on the banks of the Seine, it is a pastoral location with a cafe-restaurant, a grocery shop and children's play area.

Camping Huttopia Versailles is just five minutes from the palace and a suburban railway station. The site is spacious with trees offering cooling shade on hot days. A heated pool, cafe-bar, abundant washrooms and a play area ensure this campsite is a perennial favourite.

Camping International de Jablines is a few kilometres from Disneyland. It is next to lakes, surrounded by copses and is a peaceful place. There is a small shop on site which sells necessities. The lakeside beaches are usually a hit with youngsters.

Driving

Driving in central Paris is not for the faint-hearted and it is less stressful to use public transport for city trips. The Boulevard Peripherique is the city's inner ring-road and the A86 its new outer one. These roads link to roads for Normandy, the Channel coast and the Somme battlefields. Roads in this area of France are busy and you need to keeps an eye on the road. Driving in France is on the right and the permitted blood-alcohol limit for drivers is 0.05 per cent.

• City road speed limits: 50kph.
• National road speed limits: 110-130kph.
• Help number: 112