France: Hitch-hiking from Paris to Lyon

[Lucky JACKSON]

I'm travelling to France meet a good friend but it needs to be exacted on a bum's budget.
I have my return flight booked but I'm gonna need to get to and from Lyon and Paris.
I land in Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
has anyone begun a hitch from here
or know which road I'm going to have to get to?
Advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[HackneyE9]

If you're a woman it is seriously out of the question.

 

[perplexis]

The A6 will take you all the way. Be aware that it's illegal to hitchhike on the motorways in France (and most places, to be fair), so you need to hang around service stations and/or motorway entrances
From CDG you'll need to navigate your way to the South of Paris. The most likely way for you to be able to do this is to hitch to the Peripherique (the main ring road) and then go clockwise round to the A6 exit.
Unfortunately, the Peripherique is a hideous road and I doubt you'll be able to successfully hitch on it. And it's a motorway, so actually that's a crap idea.
Negotiating the way round Paris would be tough, but otherwise you'll probably manage to get lifts ok. But you can count on it taking a day at least.
Is there no way you can afford a coach or train?

 

[gaijingirl]

Do not under any circumstances try to hitch on the peripherique. When I did it I was there for 7 hours and during that time whilst 3 cars stopped when I peered in through the window I was greeted with a man masturbating furiously.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

If you're a woman it is seriously out of the question.

^ This.

Had a bad experience. Followed by a good one. Me and another female friend. Wouldn't risk it again.

 

[Lucky JACKSON]

hmm
for the record - I'm male
shit this is gonna prove tricky as.
would you think it could work with an A6 and Lyon sign on the first road out of the Airport.
or is a lift seriously unlikely.

 

[goldenecitrone]

I hitched from Paris to Bordeaux ages ago. Got out to the slip road in the south of Paris and joined a queue of about thirty people. Luckily I got a lift within 20 minutes as I was still making my sign. The van driver was a bit of a hippy type, rolled a big spliff and put some mellow music on. He had a CB radio and kept talking into it. Eventually we pulled into a services and a lorry was waiting. The guy had been CBing other drivers to see who was going to Bordeaux as he was only going half way. I got in the lorry and got a lift all the way to Bordeaux. Neither driver spoke English and my French was pretty poor but the whole journey only took about 8 hours. So it is possible. Shame I can't remember the junction where I got the lift, but I guess Lyon is in the other direction to Bordeaux. Bonne Chance!!

 

[rekil]

I've hitched from Paris to Calais and Nantes. Getting out of the city seemed like it'd be a monumental pain in the arse at the time especially with almost no money but it worked out fine. Take the metro/bus to a suburb near the A6, to Corbeil possibly, and start from there. haven't a clue how much the fares are these days but it should be very cheap.

http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/gif/reseaux/rer.gif

It's quite a long way, 7 or 8 hours straight drive so it might take more than a day. I often got fed and put up for the night by drivers if I was still hitching when it was getting late, but a sleeping bag and tent is advisable.

 

[gaijingirl]

We (another girl and I) did Nantes to Amsterdam via Paris. We stayed with friends in Paris and then stayed with a trucker in his truck in a lay-by en-route to Amsterdam. Did the whole thing (Paris-Amsterdam) in under 24 hours. Then did Amsterdam-Nantes in one shot on the way back. I wouldn't do it again now, but at the time we were living in a squat in France and hitch-hiked every single day to get around and thought we were invincible. We came across a HELL of a lot of flashers though.

 

[Idris2002]

Are you seriously telling me that there are people out there who still hitch-hike?

 

[perplexis]

The main problem is definitely getting from the airport to the start of the A6. Get the RER B from the airport to Gentilly (check times and stuff at ratp.info) , should take about 45minutes. From there you're effectively at the start of the "Autoroute Du Soleil" and hopefully you'll be able to get lifts in the right direction.
A sign with "A6 - Lyon" will probably come in handy.
Good luck.

 

[paolo]

Are you seriously telling me that there are people out there who still hitch-hike?

Was going to ask the same myself... I thought it had died out ages ago.

 

[HackneyE9]

We (another girl and I) did Nantes to Amsterdam via Paris. We stayed with friends in Paris and then stayed with a trucker in his truck in a lay-by en-route to Amsterdam. Did the whole thing (Paris-Amsterdam) in under 24 hours. Then did Amsterdam-Nantes in one shot on the way back. I wouldn't do it again now, but at the time we were living in a squat in France and hitch-hiked every single day to get around and thought we were invincible. We came across a HELL of a lot of flashers though.

 

[HackneyE9]

Best case sceanario = trucker thinks he's died and been reincarnated in a Carry On movie.

Worst case sceanario = doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[dwenfish]

Are you seriously telling me that there are people out there who still hitch-hike?

yeah of course there are- not exactly common in the uk admittedly but why do you find it so surprising

 

[handyman121]

TGV trains in france have just started a promotional fare of 19 euros Paris - Lyon. Depends on what dates you want to travel though. www.sncf.fr

 

[ringo]

Hitched from Paris to Clermont Ferrand about 10 years ago. Had similar problems getting out of Paris. Had to wait hours for a lift and can't imagine it's going to be easier now but you should manage it.

 

[gaijingirl]

Yes - it was a bit stupid!