travsi

i'm going to paris for x_mas and i remember from last year that the motorized vehicle drivers don't seem to care about pedestrians of cyclists. just wondering who has experience riding in parisian traffic and what its like?

Mueslix

I haven't ridden in Parisian traffic, but as a pedestrian, they were crazy. I don't remember seeing too many cyclists. There were more scooters and motorcycles.

GetOutOfNJ

It kind of sucks, I lived there for two months and either the streets are cobblestone-y or the bike lanes are shared by busses and taxis. It's a rough ride, even on the 27" tires on my beat up old peugeot. I think it's still locked up on rue de babylone, as a matter of fact.

witz

just got back from there, and didn't see one person riding fixed (and I looked, a lot). the vehicular traffic seems faster and a bit more hardcore than NYC.

travsi

where is shiznaz? he was in paris for awhile…

stachemaster

i finished my fixed tour there this summer. i dunno, i found it pretty fine to get around in. i was so elated to be finishing two months of riding, and hanging out with good friends that i didnt even notice.

coming into the city, the cops didnt like it that i pulled my trackbike and trailer into the arc d triumph to take a picture before i hit the champs (like the tour finish). but beyond that people were pumped to see track bikes, i think. i only speak english spanish and italian, so communication was a bit difficult.

there are lots of bike lanes and drivers seemed to give space. just watch out for the tourists stepping out around the louvre.

darkmother

I've ridden there. It's great. The drivers are quite agressive, but they are more skilled than the local mouthbreathers around here-they are used to cyclists. You have to pay attention, but it's fun. Watch out for those crazy scooter drivers, they ride like bike couriers, but with a 10 hp engine.

Surferbruce

don't miss the little crepe stand on rue cler a couple blocks from the eiffel. best crepes in paris. arggghhh i wish i was there.

Kogswell

Paris is a good city to see by bike.

If you're on the east side of town, swing by the municipal velodrome.

The Tour de France used to finish at the 'Cipal, in the park called Le Bois de Vincennes.

iamjberube

i lived in paris for a year four years ago. i would have killed for a bike, but i couldn't afford to take one with me or buy a new one there. the year i was there, i remember someone telling me that there was an average of over one pedestrian fatality daily in paris. i don't know the bike stats, but like others have said, the drivers seem to pay attention to cyclists. plus some of the trains have special cars at the ends just for bikes- they have a bike symbol on the outside of the car.

andiamo

I lived in Paris for a while in 2001. I was training in a fancy-pants restaurant and living the hobo life.

I had an ancient single-speed that was a god-send for me. I rode all over that friggin' city, and loved it.

I had been there for over a month or so when the Tour came through to finish up on the Champs Elysees. Holy Cow!

I rode the whole length of the Champs from the Arc du Triomphe all the way to the Place de la Concorde like TWO DAYS before Lance and the boys.

The grandstands and bleachers and judges booths were all already up, and I rode right in the middle of traffic with me arms up in the air, swinging a pretend Trophy.

Ahh - Thanks for letting me bring back those memories.

I used to ride all around the Louvre and the Rue de Rivoli at night, through Monmartre and up by the Sacre Coeur.

Place de Beauborg and the Pompidou Museum of Modern art are both filled with cool cats from all over the Continent. You're bound to run into some fixies there...

I would agree with some of the above. Motorists are fast and aggressive, but they'll likely notice bikes. Lots of people ride them there. Don't take my word for it, but I had no security problems either. Perhaps it was the cheap POS bike.

PM me and I can give you some more suggestions without boring the whole Forum.

Ah Paris, je t'aime! La ville de la nuit jolie vraiement!