Anyone driven to/or in Paris?

[Singh]

Well 922 Miles and a couple of tanks of Super Unleaded later and i'm back home, it was a great drive and I did take the S8 into the city centre a few nights and drove out about 6-7am. Used the metro during the day. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, the only damage the car incurred was when a brick fell from the top a tall building onto my bonnet! The damage isn't that bad and I am just glad it didn't hit anyone on the head! Did get the S8 stuck on a beach in a village noone knew the name of! With a dead battery on all mobiles it didn't really matter if we knew where we were because we wouldn't have been able to tell someone where to actully come! It was so far out from any town and I thought maybe the only way we would be found is when someone reported us missing and the police activated the tracker on the S8, even more worrying was.. Was the tide coming in? It was also getting dark! We eventully managed to find some village people after a long walk who didn't speak english, they were great and tried to help bringing rakes and bits of wood to wedge under the tyres, eventully ( 2 hours later ) a farmer pulled up with a shotgun *ULP* after lining his pocket with a couple of euros he towed it out much to the appluse of the now big audience! Then a spirited blast to Calais and made the ferry in time, just!

All things considered I had a great time and would deffently do it again

P.S Pics of S8 stuck on beach to come..

[CliveH]

What a story Amar!

Quite an eventful trip - you don't do things by halves, do you?!!

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Good to see you safely back. Did the brick do much damage. I imagine a brick falling from a great height would devestate the bonnet.....

[Singh]

Had the car on a ramp today and lukily no damage underneath.

The brick wasn't that big Mike, although it has caused two mini dents and took the paint off, its nothing worth losing sleep over and I will get it sorted soon.

Picture of the S8 stuck and some helpfull townspeople trying to dig it out..

[Singh]

Stranded...

[Architex_mA8tey]

that second pic is a "reggie perrin" type pic lol looks like the passenger has opened the door and walked into the sea!

[E.L.M.O]

I have done the run a few times now. Gone through and round paris sometime on the way to skiing.

The last time i did the run I went into paris for a weekend and then back to the UK and I was in a Diesel company mondeo. I filled up in Dover, and got to Paris, back to Dover and all the way to Swindon on a tank!

I doubt the 8 would let me do that!

The A roads are actually motorways in France. I did a mixture of motorway and non motorway driving to keep the costs down on the tolls and see a bit of the towns.

Im not sure you will get there for 2am keeping within the speed limits. Perhaps a little after. Try and get there nice and early for the ferry, remember normally first on is first off!

A lot of people hate driving in Paris. But I grew up and learnt to drive in East London and I have driven from Central London to Mongolia before and nothing compares to driving in the Ukraine! They are the worst drivers I have ever met! Just remember, that sometime when on a roundabout, you have to give way to vehicles coming onto the roundabout! That takes some getting used to! If you drive in Paris, driving round the arc de triumph is an experience! its pure free for all, as are many of the roundabouts! Dont expect a car to stop for you at a zebra cross, there just a place for you to cross, and dont have any give way to pedestrian relevance that I can figure out!

You must try garlic snails! But be careful not to burn yourself!

Le Cab is an ok club. Stay away from Le Queen unless your into that sort of thing if you know what I mean! I have heard about a place called Kong. Its set up in a sky scrapper. I like Le Duplex, loads of rooms to suit all tastes and the girls in there are well......... errrrm easy is the only way to put it i think!

Watch you speed. If they catch you they will either take your passport until you pay the fine or march you straight to a cash point.

Have fun!

[Singh]

Originally Posted by E.L.M.O

I have done the run a few times now. Gone through and round paris sometime on the way to skiing.

The last time i did the run I went into paris for a weekend and then back to the UK and I was in a Diesel company mondeo. I filled up in Dover, and got to Paris, back to Dover and all the way to Swindon on a tank!

I doubt the 8 would let me do that!

The A roads are actually motorways in France. I did a mixture of motorway and non motorway driving to keep the costs down on the tolls and see a bit of the towns.

Im not sure you will get there for 2am keeping within the speed limits. Perhaps a little after. Try and get there nice and early for the ferry, remember normally first on is first off!

A lot of people hate driving in Paris. But I grew up and learnt to drive in East London and I have driven from Central London to Mongolia before and nothing compares to driving in the Ukraine! They are the worst drivers I have ever met! Just remember, that sometime when on a roundabout, you have to give way to vehicles coming onto the roundabout! That takes some getting used to! If you drive in Paris, driving round the arc de triumph is an experience! its pure free for all, as are many of the roundabouts! Dont expect a car to stop for you at a zebra cross, there just a place for you to cross, and dont have any give way to pedestrian relevance that I can figure out!

You must try garlic snails! But be careful not to burn yourself!

Le Cab is an ok club. Stay away from Le Queen unless your into that sort of thing if you know what I mean! I have heard about a place called Kong. Its set up in a sky scrapper. I like Le Duplex, loads of rooms to suit all tastes and the girls in there are well......... errrrm easy is the only way to put it i think!

Watch you speed. If they catch you they will either take your passport until you pay the fine or march you straight to a cash point.

Have fun!

Cheers E.LM.O but your about two weeks to late! I'm already back, wow. A diesel Mondeo sounds like just what I need. I filled the A8 up with premium fuel in Paris, I got to Dover an needed to fill up again, to be fair I was driving very hard, and on a completely deserted straight motorway I found my limiter doesn't work, didn't get any trouble from the police. Its interesting what you say about cars coming onto the Arc Di Triumph having priority. I was really confused when I saw a C Class come to wards me at speed when I went on the Arc Di Truimph. I only went to one club, Le Gibbs. The French weren't really that friendly, apart from a girl in Footlocker. She was really friendly, polished all our shoes and wouldn't take a penny, also helped us out with where to go etc..!

[E.L.M.O]

Originally Posted by Singh

Cheers E.LM.O but your about two weeks to late! I'm already back, wow. A diesel Mondeo sounds like just what I need. I filled the A8 up with premium fuel in Paris, I got to Dover an needed to fill up again, to be fair I was driving very hard, and on a completely deserted straight motorway I found my limiter doesn't work, didn't get any trouble from the police. Its interesting what you say about cars coming onto the Arc Di Triumph having priority. I was really confused when I saw a C Class come to wards me at speed when I went on the Arc Di Truimph. I only went to one club, Le Gibbs. The French weren't really that friendly, apart from a girl in Footlocker. She was really friendly, polished all our shoes and wouldn't take a penny, also helped us out with where to go etc..!

Opppps! that will teach me not to get impatient with my mobile broadband 3G stick! I was out and about having lunch, waiting for the page to load was taking ages so i posted without getting to read the whole thread! Sorry! Great story though! It makes me want to go back to Paris! I bet it would be a lot nicer driving the 8 than th crappy "Mundano!" It did give great mpg though! Even better with a work fuel card!