In a nutshell
- Paris is seriously crowded — finding a free parking spot on the street is nearly impossible, and we wouldn’t recommend trying.
- The safest way to park in Paris: reserve a spot online at a parking garage in advance, or book a hotel with its own parking.
- We’ve handpicked four parking garages in Paris we can personally recommend — including spots near the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre — and show you exactly where to book them.
- We also cover the Crit’Air environmental sticker you’ll need before you can even drive in Paris, plus a breakdown of parking fees and the rules you need to know.
Paris Environmental Sticker
Before you even think about where to park in Paris or what the fees are, you need the Crit’Air environmental sticker.
Without it, you simply can’t drive a car within Paris’s 20 arrondissements.
The sticker costs around 5 euros and can easily be ordered through certificat-air.gouv.fr — the official website of the French Ministry of the Environment.
To place your order, you’ll need your vehicle registration and your car’s Euro emission standard. After payment, the sticker will be mailed to you.
Attach it to your windshield — and seriously, don’t skip this step. If you get caught without it, you’re looking at a fine of 70 euros.
Parking Fees in Paris
Parking fees in Paris vary enormously. The cost depends on the zone, the season, and the garage or lot you choose.
As a rough guide, here’s what parking in Paris costs:
- 1 hour: between 4 and 9 euros
- 24 hours: between 24 and 65 euros
- 3 days/weekend: between 49 and 190 euros
SUV Parking Fees in Paris
If you’re driving an SUV, watch out — as of September 1, 2024, parking can cost you three times as much as for a regular car.
One hour in the city center runs 18 euros, and 12 euros in the outer districts. For six hours of parking in the center, you’re looking at 225 euros.
Parking in Paris Affordably & Safely: Our Recommendations
Honestly, there are only two truly safe options for parking in Paris: parking garages and hotel parking. Here’s a look at the garages we’d actually recommend — plus some hotels with their own parking.
Safe Parking Garages in Paris
Parking garages are the safest choice for parking in Paris, and the city has plenty of them. That said, prices and quality vary a lot.
For a great overview of reliable, well-reviewed garages, check out parclick.de. You can enter your travel dates and reserve a spot online right away.
The price is shown upfront, and you can pay online — via PayPal, Apple Pay, Visa, and more. Cancellations are free right up until the last minute.
You can always buy a ticket on-site at most garages, but that doesn’t guarantee availability. Booking ahead saves both time and stress.
Our top parking garage picks in Paris:
- Castorama Tour Eiffel Car Park: Right at the Eiffel Tower, covered & monitored, up to 1.90 meters, minimum 4 hours parking, 4h/€11, 24h/€18, 3 days/€45, unlimited entry & exit possible, but always via intercom as there is no 24h service
- Saemes Parking Pyramides: Near the Louvre, covered & monitored, up to 1.90 meters, 24h service, limited and unlimited entry & exit available, 1h/€5, 24h/€35, 3 days/€90
- INDIGO Pont Marie: Centrally located near Notre-Dame, covered & monitored, up to 1.90 meters, 24h service, unlimited entry & exit, 1h/€6, 24h/€50, 3 days/€120
- Beaubourg Centre Pompidou: In the central Marais district, covered & monitored, up to 1.90 meters, 24h service, unlimited entry & exit, 1h/€5, 24h/€36, 3 days/€100
Important: The prices listed above are online prices. On-site prices can vary significantly — so book your parking spot in Paris in advance to lock in the price.
Hotel Parking in Paris
A great alternative to parking garages is parking directly at your hotel. Just keep in mind that centrally located hotels often have no on-site parking due to space constraints.
When booking, you can check whether parking is available for guests.
Hotels with parking in Paris that we’d recommend:
Find more great hotels in Paris here:
Free Parking in Paris
We hate to break it to you. Free parking in Paris is a tricky matter — and in most cases, it’s simply not realistic anymore.
Free parking at hotels doesn’t exist in Paris. You’ll always pay a fee for hotel parking, either when booking or on arrival.
Between 8 PM and 9 AM, street parking is free — but it comes with real risks. More on that below.
Parking in the suburbs is free or very cheap, but there are two catches: you can’t keep an eye on your car, and your train ticket will cost more since you’ll need a fare that covers the outer zones.
Bottom line: parking in Paris almost always costs money. That’s just the reality.
Park and Ride Paris
Park + Ride works really well in many major cities — you park affordably outside the center and take public transportation the rest of the way.
In Paris, though, it’s more complicated. The Park + Ride lots are mostly unmonitored and uncovered, which makes them less secure than a proper parking garage.
You also have to jump through a few hoops to actually get the cheaper rate: designated barriers, specific ticket machines, and remembering to validate your P+R ticket on the train — otherwise you’ll end up paying standard parking fees.
So: it’s complicated. And a free spot isn’t guaranteed either.
That’s why Park + Ride in Paris is mainly used by commuters. If you’re visiting as a tourist, we’d stick with the parking garages we’ve listed above, or a hotel with parking.
Street Parking in Paris?
Street parking in Paris is paid from Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 8 PM, with a maximum stay of two hours. Depending on the zone, it can cost up to 10 euros per hour.
From 8 PM to 9 AM, parking is free. On Sundays and public holidays, street parking is generally free of charge.
That said, we’d strongly advise against street parking in Paris. Traffic is chaotic, parallel parking can be genuinely stressful, and it’s not always obvious where to get a ticket. Getting blocked in by other cars is also pretty common.
Parking at the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Near the Eiffel Tower at 13 Boulevard de Grenelle, there’s a surprisingly good and affordable parking garage. We were genuinely impressed.
The Castorama Tour Eiffel Car Park — which we already mentioned above — lets you park safely without breaking the bank.
You do need to buy a ticket for at least four hours, but those four hours cost “only” 11 euros. For a spot this close to the Eiffel Tower, that’s a real bargain.
For 24 hours you pay just 18 euros, and for three days only 45 euros.
Very important: These prices only apply if you reserve your spot online! On-site prices can be significantly higher.
The garage is covered and monitored. There’s no round-the-clock staffing, but someone is always reachable via the on-site intercom, and unlimited entries & exits are possible.
We really recommend booking your spot here in advance. You’ll know exactly what you’ll pay, you can settle it online, and your spot is guaranteed. Free cancellation up to one hour before your scheduled arrival.
Reserve a spot at Castorama Tour Eiffel Car Park online
Castorama Tour Eiffel Car Park on Google Maps
Parking in Montmartre, Paris
The artists’ quarter of Montmartre sits on a hill — the Butte Montmartre — and is a maze of narrow alleyways and charming squares lined with sidewalk cafés.
Driving up here is a challenge. Our advice: park your car at the foot of the hill and explore Montmartre on foot.
The Rédélé Place de Clichy parking garage is a really solid pick. It sits right on the edge of the Montmartre neighborhood, is covered and monitored, and is accessible for people with limited mobility.
Here too, you can easily book a spot online and have it guaranteed.
You’ll need to buy a ticket for at least four hours — but at around 17 euros, that’s totally reasonable, and you’ll almost certainly spend a few hours wandering Montmartre anyway.
Reserve a spot at Rédélé Place de Clichy parking garage online
Rédélé Place de Clichy parking garage on Google Maps
Parking at Paris Airport
Paris’s main airport is Charles de Gaulle. When it comes to parking here, you’ve got two options: a parking garage, or handing your car over to a trusted valet parking service.
Here are our recommendations:
Airport Park CDG Parking Garage
The Airport Park garage is about ten minutes from the terminals, with a free shuttle bus running between the lot and the airport. Parking costs around 20 euros per day. You can reserve your spot online and cancel for free.
Reserve a spot at Airport Park CDG online
Blue Valet Parking Service at Aéroport de Paris CDG
A great alternative for secure parking at Paris Charles de Gaulle is the Blue Valet service — a valet parking option that takes all the hassle out of airport parking.
Book it in advance online. Two hours before your scheduled pickup time, you’ll get a text with the driver’s number.
Call the driver 15 minutes before the pickup time to agree on an exact meeting point at the terminal.
You hand over your car, a quick inspection is done for safety, and then the driver takes it to a secure parking lot outside the airport.
When you return, send a message to confirm your arrival. The driver will be waiting for you at the terminal with your car ready to go.
The service costs around 45 euros per day.
Reserve Blue Valet Parking Service at Aéroport de Paris CDG online
There are plenty of other transfer options at the Paris airports too, so a car isn’t always necessary.
Find all the tips here:
Frequently Asked Questions About Parking in Paris
Are you allowed to park in delivery zones in Paris?
Delivery zones in Paris are marked by yellow dashed lines along the curb. Never park here — not even for a minute. You’ll end up with an expensive fine.
When do you have to pay for parking in Paris?
From Monday to Saturday between 9 AM and 8 PM, parking fees apply across all Paris zones. At night and on Sundays, street parking is sometimes free.
That said, we still recommend leaving your car in a secure parking garage regardless.
What should you do if your car gets towed in Paris?
If you’re parked illegally or don’t have the required Crit’Air sticker, your car will be towed without hesitation — either by the police or by private operators.
In most cases, the police are responsible. You’ll need to contact them by phone to get your car back — so act fast, because storage fees add up quickly.
Towing typically costs around 100 euros. Storage runs between 70 and 250 euros per 24 hours. It’s an expensive lesson.
