garage outside of Paris?

Stacy ... that's true. Naturally, the agents would rather sell them than rent them. However .....they are available.

For a couple of years, we rented one on a monthly basis in the garage on Bv. Montparnasse. It was expensive considering the number of times we used the car.

All kiding and "blonde" jokes apart, if you are looking fot parking facilities outside of Paris, you may look into severqal near the larger Airpotrts, such a CDG and Orly. They may have the most reasonable rates (I said reasonable, and not cheap)

BP Chuck

Bien sûr ! I get tired of always hearing dumb blonde jokes...

So Stacy, would that be a Smart blond joke?

Great joke. After parking a few times in Chicago last week, I think I should have gone to that bank-you get to $21 after about an hour. Even Paris can't be much worse than that!

Stacy, basically your joke is the same story that was actually done in Paris. This was not a joke. Actually at that time banking was not as developed as it was in the US, and I doubt that a private individual could not get a loan from a bank, for purchase of a larger item like a "time payment" etc. and you had to go to a "pawn shope" The pawn shops (at least at that time) were a monopoly, owned by the city of Paris, and you could pawn anything of value. Larger items like cars or even bycycles were accepted only by one branch office, that occupied a whole building, like a parking garage here.

BP Chuck

That reminds me of that old joke:

A blonde walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan
officer. She says she is going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5000.

The bank officers says the bank will need some kind of security for such a loan, so the blonde hands over the keys to a new Rolls Royce, parked on the street, in front of the bank.

Everything checks out, and the bank agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. An employee drives the Rolls into the bank's underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the blonde returns and repays the $5000, and the interest, which is $15.41.

The loan officer says, "We are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is why would you bother to borrow $5000?"

The blonde replied, "Where else in New York City can I park my car for 2 weeks for $15.00?"

Maybe the Parisians haven't heard this one yet and you could give it a try!

Just an idea: When I lived in Paris, a good friend of mine had a big car, a "Vedette" (A French Foard). In summer he used it, the only problem was, he had to get up early and move it every day from the even side to the odd side of the street, as parking was on even days on the even side of the street, etc. In winter he did not use it, and it was very uncormfortable to get up early each day and move the car. Parkin lots or garages were out of quewstion due to the high rates. So someone came up with the idea, to "pawn" the car. The pawning business was a monopoly of the city of Paris, and one branch accepted bicyles, motorbikes, and cars. They stored it for you (disconnected the batteries, and put it on blocks) at no charge) until you re-claimed it and paid back the loan and the interest. Naturally he took out a very small loan so the interest was really a ridiculously small amount of money, and he had a very cheap parking cost.
Regretfully I am shure they figured this out by now, and made provision to avoid this "gift".

BP Chuck

I forgot to add the cost of maintaining a car. I'm sure I'd have sticker shock if I were in the US -- however each time I pick my car up at the garage in Paris, I always feel as if someone should pick me up as well. Perhaps a Brink's truck?

I forgot to mention that you can also find listings in the Particulier à Particulier (PAP) for parking or garage rentals:
http://www.pap.fr/immobilier/offres/offre-garage-parking.asp

Some friends of mine brought their nearly-new luxury car here from the US and eventually ended up selling it as they never used it in Paris and it wasn't large enough for their needs when they traveled out of town. They also had a Smart purchased here but ended up selling that as well.

Of my Parisian friends, about half have cars and half don't. It actually surprises me how many do, though they tend to be the ones who live toward the outskirts.

As Karen pointed out, it can be much simpler and cheaper to rent!

Carlyn:

When you add up the costs, it's not worth the hassle or the paperwork. Or making the car conform to EU standards ... OR the insurance. These all add up ever so quickly. Even if you take constant weekend trips, it's less expensive renting a car. We do have a car in Paris. It's no good during the day/week. For what it costs per month, I'm convinced we could call a limo co.

However, I do have a friend who brought her car from CA. and has kept the same license plates for the past eight years. When stopped, she explains those are CA. rules and regs.

She has more guts than I.

If you talk to a real estate agent in or around Paris, they may be able to help you. Most of them handle "parking" or "box" rentals, I believe.

Carlyn, First of all let me say that I do not know of any parking parages or lots in the suburbs. Also, if you do find a parking spot, the same rules as in Paris may apply, tat is on even days you have to park on the even side, and on odd days on the odd side. Parking onm the wrong side, or changing sides too late may result in a fine.

I do not know what you want to do with the car, but if you want it for going shopping, or getting around in Paris, forget it. During the day it is very hard to find parking places, paying parking places may cost a mint than you have the permanent problem with trafic jams. In addition you really have to know your way around, as the majority of the streets, except for the major bulvards an Avenues, are one way, and I found that they are allway in the directionm you do not want to go. If you want to make a trip to an other part of France, it does make sense to have a car, however the cost of bringing over a car and parking (or storing) your car can be quite costly, abd you may be cheaper off renting a car for the car-trip only. Also gas for cars is expensive in Paris, and with the storm damages in Luisiana and Texas could escallate world wide some more. You als have to have insurance that is valid in Rance.

If you still do want to bring over a car, look at the public parking facilities in the area you will be staying.

BP Chuck

Since parking is so insane in Paris and the garages are extremely expensive, we were wondering if it were possible to bring our small car over and have it in a garage outside of Paris. We could take a train to pick it up. Does anyone know about garages outside of Paris and what they might cost?
Many thanks
Carlyn