Driving in Paris means that at some point you will need to park. However, the spaces available on the streets are very limited, not very secure and generally always chargeable. Trying to park on the street in Paris is often synonymous with wasting time and annoyance. This is why most motorists opt for paid parking, generally offered underground in the capital. Thanks to increasingly advanced services, which often involve the possibility of reserving a space in advance, you have the certainty of being able to park your car as close as possible to the place where you want to go, all with an assigned location. But which provider should you turn to? here are the most popular sites for reserving a parking space in Paris.
Our TOP 5 sites to reserve a parking space in Paris
Zenpark, tranquility guaranteed
The concept ? Zenpark stands out as the pioneer of shared parking in France. The company today has 1,300 car parks in France and Belgium, all in 250 different cities. In Paris, there are 300 Zenpark car parks. The offer is therefore substantial and the possibility of finding a parking space at Zenpark is therefore almost guaranteed every time. To take advantage of the Zenpark car park network, simply reserve a space in advance on the site or the mobile application. Ease of access which contributes to the satisfaction of 850,000 motorists who have benefited, at least once, from the services of this company recognized in the sector.
The +: One of the arguments that can lead you to choose Zenpark to park a car is economical: in fact, it can cost you up to 50% less than in the street, and as you can reserve your place online, you do not have to spend no hours of circling to find a place. Once the reservation is made, you can open the parking gate directly from the Zenpark mobile application. The service provider offers two options: the first is intended for people who wish to reserve a space for short parking from time to time, from 1 hour to several days or even weeks. The second is a monthly subscription intended for people looking for long-term parking, without commitment or rental contract. In this case, the motorist has unlimited access to the parking lot of his choice. Enough to simplify your life in all circumstances, especially if finding a place near your building is a real headache on a daily basis. Zenpark’s greatest strength is its offer adapted to the needs of each motorist.
Zenpark stands out today as the parking player offering the most comprehensive offer for both reservations and monthly rentals.
Click here to discover the Zenpark website
Q-Park, the international
The concept ? Q-Park is a Dutch company that offers parking services in seven different countries. In France, it has 200 car parks in 70 cities, with just over 105,000 spaces available. This means that where you are going, there is probably at least one Q-Park parking available. Paris is necessarily one of the best-off cities with 29 car parks available within the walls and in the inner suburbs.
The +: Reserving a parking space in advance is one of the services offered by Q-Park. You can carry out this process via the service provider’s website, or from the Q-Park mobile application, available on iOS and Android. Reservation allows you to benefit from a reduced rate compared to traditional parking. You can also opt for one of the subscription plans. Finally, Q-Park offers terminals for recharging electric vehicles in its car parks.
Click here to discover the Q-Park website
ParisFranceParking, the veteran
The concept ? ParisFranceParking is a company that has existed since 1960: it has therefore been offering parking solutions to Parisians and tourists for more than 60 years. Of course, over the decades, ParisFranceParking has largely modernized its various Parisian car parks, but also its services. Five public car parks are offered in strategic locations in Paris, with the possibility of reserving a space online during the period of your choice.
The +: ParisFranceParking allows you to reserve a space for short parking, long parking and even offers a year-round subscription. For short-term parking, rates are 50% lower than if you park on the street. Furthermore, booking is completely free, with no advance fees or online payment. Finally, the car parks are guarded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for maximum security.
Click here to discover the ParisFranceParking website
Indigo, the best known
The concept ? Indigo is an international parking solution: they are found in most major cities around the world. In France, Indigo has 690 car parks for 460,000 parking spaces, all in 195 cities. Paris is the best served French city. Not only does Indigo offer underground and surface parking, but this company also manages some of the street parking spaces. Enough to make it a market leader.
The +: Indigo Neo is Indigo’s platform which allows you to reserve a parking space at a specific location, take out a subscription for regular parking or even find out where the nearest Indigo car park is to where you are going. When you reserve your parking space in advance, you can save up to 30% compared to a traditional parking space without reservation.
Click here to discover the Indigo website
Interparking, the alternative
The concept ? Interparking is a recognized service provider in the parking sector. It is present throughout France, including Paris. In the capital, it offers 22 car parks, which represents several tens of thousands of spaces available. However, not all of them are open for reservation: this is still the case for 18 of them. With car parks located around major tourist areas, Interparking is an interesting alternative to better-known providers.
The +: The prices charged by Interparking are competitive in Paris, but also in the rest of France. Skip-the-line access means you don’t have to go to the ticket counter, which can save you valuable time when parking for crowded events. Furthermore, you can enter and exit the parking lot at will during your reservation time, which is something that the competition does not necessarily offer.
Click here to discover the Interparking website
How to reserve a parking space in front of your home?
Reserving a parking space in front of your home requires, the vast majority of the time, make a request to the town hall. For example, in Paris, residents can obtain a residential parking right which allows them to park near their home at a preferential rate. The city of Paris website offers a detailed guide to making this request, which requires you to show your credentials: you must prove that you are indeed a Parisian with your main residence by providing specific documents, in particular a tax notice to the address concerned.
If you are eligible, then you receive a “resident” parking permit which allows you to park near you on payment of a parking fee. However, it should be noted that you do not have a specific space: you can park within a defined area, but you still need to find a free space! The procedure is probably similar if you live in another city: do not hesitate to consult the town hall website of your place of residence to find out more about the procedures to be carried out.
How to subscribe to parking in Paris?
Subscribing to parking in Paris is a possibility that often proves very practical for those who regularly use their vehicle in the capital. Paris residents can benefit from reduced rates by registering online on the official website of the City of Paris. To do this, it is necessary to create an account and provide documents attesting to residence and vehicle registration.
The other solution is toopt for a parking subscription in a private car park located in Paris in the most suitable area. In this case, you must go through the website of the company that owns the parking lot: it is not the Paris town hall that manages this type of situation. This can be particularly interesting if you own an electric car and want to benefit from a terminal, or if you want to park your vehicle in a specific location, without depending on the town hall. However, prices can vary greatly from one car park to another: do not hesitate to compare the offers.
How much does parking cost in Paris?
There is not just one parking rate in Paris, but several. This depends in particular on the areas, and whether you are a resident, a professional or an individual. Regarding the zones, there are three:
- Zone 1 goes from the 1st to the 11th arrondissement,
- Zone 2 goes from the 12th to the 20th arrondissement,
- The specific tariff zone includes Vincennes and the Bois de Boulogne.
The residents and professionals can opt for a monthly or annual subscription, to be defined via the Paris town hall website. For non-resident individuals, prices start at 6 euros in Zone 1 and 4 euros in Zone 2 for one hour of parking, and they decrease thereafter. Note that it is not possible to park for more than 6 hours in a row on a street in Paris when you are not a resident. 6 hours of parking costs 75 euros in Zone 1 and 50 euros in Zone 2 for a car. Prices are halved for a motorized two-wheeled vehicle.
Faced with such prices, it may clearly be wise to opt for parking in an underground car park managed by a specialist company. This can make it possible to pay up to half as much as via the solutions offered directly by Paris town hall.
Where to park for free near Paris?
We must face the facts: in Paris, the possibility of parking without paying is very rare today. There are, however, certain exceptions, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. For example, avenue Léon Bollée, in the 13th arrondissement, has two free parking spaces! A few places are available on rue de la Cité in the 4th arrondissement, or rue de l’Escaut in the 19th arrondissement. Generally speaking, there are only 2.5% of parking spaces that are free in Paris, and they are occupied all the time.
However, you need to know some useful tips. A significant number of paid spaces become free between 8 p.m. in the evening and 9 a.m. the next morning, which is useful for parking overnight. Likewise, on Sundays and public holidays, with the exception of August, parking is free in many places.
Furthermore, certain cities, such as Montreuil, Vincennes, Issy-les-Moulineaux or even Boulogne-Billancourt sometimes offer free parking zones or with less strict regulation than in the center of Paris. These areas can be particularly useful if you are willing to leave your vehicle outside of Paris to use public transportation in the capital. However, to avoid any unpleasant surprises, take the time to find out whether parking is actually free and about the possible deadline that must not be exceeded to avoid a fine. Each city has its specific rules to respect and certain pitfalls remain to be avoided.
