If you want to go specifically to Paris from most places in Europe the train (preferred) or the airport are the most efficient connections, car is hard for many reasons. But if you are visiting Paris while 'en route' then yes, do as you say.
I respect the 40B investment by Paris, but also mentionable is that city by car is very doable. It almost felt like a secret treat we had this rainy summer holiday - no congestions and we could park side of street at all the hot spots paying with one of the parking apps.
I was replying to the above comment's reference to connections. It is fairly easy to fly into Paris and take a train to Lyon, for example, without having to go into Paris proper first.
I lived in Paris for a spell, and one of the great things about the city is that it is so bike-able. It's not a large place! And it's dense. Lots of traffic, but the French seem to understand that bikes belong.
We almost never used the Métro, what was the point? Saved money and no one ever stole my wallet!
In France for work for a week, I paid for an unlimited tourist public transport pass and had a wonderful time after work traveling into Paris from an suburb, then around in the city.
I think I rode a taxi in Paris once or twice, but never a private car - and none of our friends had private cars, either. I assumed parking was a nightmare, and expensive. The narrow medieval roads didn't help, either. Many of the streets around our apartment were closed to cars (at least on Sunday).
Being a cyclist, I thought I found a slice of heaven. I thought about being an urban planner when I got back to the States.
Yeah great, i also suggest, as a French, that you come and enjoy our great public transport and the kind of people in it, especially at night.
Oh and also try walking under 35°C dressed as an executive
The numbers are subways, the letters are trains. There are busses too, but I never use them. And there are rental bikes in the streets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9lib%27
Here is my advice: go somewhere else than Paris, one of the 15 biggest cities in France (look at the TGV, and tram, bike life, weather). Your quality of life will just skyrocket.
Is it a good idea to rent a car / a motorbike -- how good is public transportation?
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