Parking in Paris
Coming by car? Driving into the centre of Paris is slow and parking is expensive. Here is where to park near the sights, the cheaper Park & Ride option, and what you need to know about the Low Emission Zone.
🚫 Low Emission Zone (LEZ)
Paris lies inside the Métropole du Grand Paris low emission zone (ZFE-m): 77 communes within the A86 ring road. Since 1 January 2025, Crit'Air 3, 4, 5 and unclassified vehicles (in short: diesel cars before 2011, petrol cars before 2006) are banned Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00. The metropolis has extended the educational period through 31 December 2026: no fines are issued in 2026. The Conseil constitutionnel struck down the national abolition of ZFEs on 21 May 2026 (on procedural grounds), so the zone stays in place.
- Cars with a Crit'Air 1 or 2 sticker (and electric cars, Crit'Air 0) may drive in the zone without restriction.
- Light vehicles may drive in the zone on evenings, weekends and public holidays; the weekday restriction applies from 08:00 to 20:00.
- A banned vehicle can use the 'Pass ZFE 24h': up to 24 days a year, registered at least 15 days ahead and declared 24 hours before each use.
Foreign cars: The Crit'Air sticker also applies to foreign-registered vehicles. Order it before you travel on the official site certificat-air.gouv.fr (available in English), with a scan of the registration certificate; it is delivered by post, so allow a few weeks. Use only the official site: other sites resell the sticker at a higher price.
Fine: No fines are issued in 2026 (educational period). Enforcement is scheduled to start on 1 January 2027, but the rules may still change.
Car parks near the sights
Louvre · Indigo
Saint-Germain des Prés · Indigo
Notre-Dame – Île de la Cité (Lutèce) · Indigo
Soufflot – Panthéon · Indigo
Place de la Concorde · Indigo
Alma – George V · Indigo
Quai Branly – Tour Eiffel · Saemes
Rivoli – Sébastopol · Saemes
Carpeaux · Saemes
Park & Ride: park outside, metro in
- Parking Relais Porte de Châtillon
- 🚇 Parc relais of the Île-de-France Mobilités network, on the southern edge of Paris; check iledefrance-mobilites.fr for the metro or tram link and current conditions
- 💶 Meant for daily commuters: €75 a month with a valid Navigo pass, open 05:30–23:59 (paris.fr). We found no day rate for tourists
- MapWebsite
Street parking
Street parking in Paris is paid Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 20:00 and is free on Sundays and public holidays, also in August. Visitors may stay at most 6 consecutive hours on the same spot. Zone 1 covers the 1st to 11th arrondissements, zone 2 the 12th to 20th, and the central zone is the more expensive. Heavy vehicles (from 1.6 tonnes for petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids, from 2 tonnes for electric cars) pay a much higher visitor rate since 1 October 2024, reported at €18 an hour in zone 1 and €12 in zone 2. Pay at the meter by card or with an app (PayByPhone, EasyPark, Indigo Neo). Without payment you get a post-parking fee (FPS). The city itself notes that beyond 2 hours an underground car park is usually cheaper than the street.
Tips
Foreign car? Order the Crit'Air sticker first
Paris is inside a low emission zone, and the sticker is needed for foreign cars too. Order it on certificat-air.gouv.fr a few weeks before you travel. No fines are issued in 2026, but the rules and enforcement can change.
Car park beats street after two hours
The city of Paris says that beyond 2 hours an underground car park is usually cheaper than the street, and street parking is capped at 6 hours. Most central car parks charge about €4.40–€6.50 for the first hour.
Book ahead for a discount
Indigo Neo offers up to 30% off when you reserve online, and Saemes lets you book a space in advance. Most car parks above are open 24/7.
Mind the height limit
The car parks listed here take cars up to 1.90 m. With a roof box or a van, check the height before you go in.
Heavy car? The street costs far more
Cars of 1.6 tonnes or more (2 tonnes for electric cars) pay the higher visitor tariff on the street, even if you are only passing through. A car park is far cheaper.
Free on Sunday
Street parking is free on Sundays and public holidays, but the 6-hour limit and local signs still apply, and the weekday ZFE hours (Mon–Fri) do not.
Park once, then use the metro
Central Paris is easy by metro and on foot. Park for the day and leave the car. One t+ ticket costs €2.50 in 2026.
Check for closures
Car parks can close temporarily: the Saemes Hôtel de Ville car park currently shows a technical closure. The operator pages and apps show the current status.
Plan your trip → Put these places in a day plan with walking times.
More guides
- Free things to do in Paris
- Hidden gems in Paris
- Delicatessen in Paris
- Paris on a rainy day
- Which museums are open today in Paris?
- Paris on a Sunday
- Opening hours of the sights in Paris
- Which clubs are open tonight in Paris?
- Paris with kids
- Where to eat near the Eiffel Tower
- Where to eat near the Louvre
- Where to eat near Notre-Dame
- Where to eat near Sacré-Cœur
Checked: 5 October 2026. Prices and hours can change; check the official site before you go.