THE'hitchhiking is to express at the side of a road, to motorists, the desire to go to a place and for that, to ask to occupy a vacant place in a vehicle which carries out the journey anyway, with or without hitchhiker at the edge of the road.
Hitchhiking is a good way to travel as long as you are not in a hurry. Indeed, the waiting time can be long and it is difficult to say how long it will take for the journey that we are going to make (count about 3 times the normal time by car). To optimize waiting time, it is important to choose the place where you sit. Remember to stand in a place where vehicles are not traveling at too high a speed to have time to see you (the emergency lane of a 4 lane or a motorway is to be avoided absolutely) and will have room to stop to take you. A sign mentioning the name of a city can also help, especially on major roads. This way motorists know which direction you are going. Don't mention a city that's too far away. If your destination is too far away, mention an intermediate city (eg if you are in Toulouse and want to go to Brest, mention Bordeaux and not Brest directly). You will specify that you go further in the course of the journey with the motorist. Remember to always have a road map with you
Traveling alone can be scary and it is true that a single woman who hitchhikes takes a lot more risk than a single man. On the other hand, a woman's waiting time is generally twice as short as that of a man ... Traveling as a couple with a person of the opposite sex remains the most serene way to travel by hitchhiking because the image torque (even if the person you hitchhiked with is not your spouse) has something reassuring for the fearful driver and the driver who has any idea in the wrong place does not stop. However, this should not discourage those who travel alone because alone, it also works. 2 boys traveling together are less likely to be caught than a single person, than a couple or 2 women together, but it also works. Beyond 2, it becomes very difficult. Think that accompanied by a dog, it is also complicated.
Hitchhiking on the motorway allows motorists making long journeys to board it. However, giving a thumbs up on the emergency lane is really not recommended. Place yourself on a motorway junction or at the toll gate itself. It is true that in cities with a ring road such as Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse ... it is complicated to enter the motorway. Once you have entered the motorway, you can be left either on the toll barriers (good plan) or on the rest areas (bad plan if they are deserted areas but plan as good as a toll if the area is rough. many cars)
Think that as "pitiful" as it may be, appearance (visual as well as verbal) matters for hitchhiking. Without going so far as to adopt a look and a way of thinking that would be as conventional as possible, it is important not to convey a bad image of yourself. Your presence must not bother the driver and he must not regret having helped you. And always keep in mind that it is you who will convince the motorist who takes you, to pick up other hitchhikers afterwards.
In general, hitchhiking works on a non-market basis. Even if it happens (rarely) that the driver asks the passenger to participate in the gasoline and / or toll costs, this is not customary. Especially since often, a hitchhiker opts to hitchhike because he does not have the means to maintain a car or take public transport. It is also not customary for the hitchhiker to ask for anything more (money, food, detour ...) than to make the trip. Hitchhiking is not about doing the sleeve.
Fixed places where to hitchhike depending on the city
This chapter of the article needs to be completed by anyone who has had experience with hitchhiking. Do not hesitate to provide details, add cities etc ... The places mentioned here are places that have been tested and it may be that other places are more conducive to hitchhiking. Do not hesitate to contribute with your experiences.
Take a road map to locate the places indicated.
The cities are listed in alphabetical order. When adding cities, please respect the alphabetical order.
Albi
direction Toulouse (N88)
Reach Avenue François Verdier to the west of the city. This leads straight to the entrance to na N88 towards Toulouse. The solution of giving a thumbs up while walking towards the entrance to the N88 was quite convincing. Remember to look at the cars that come ...
(by experience: alone, 15 min waiting while walking towards the entrance of the N88, with a sign mentioning TOULOUSE)
Arras
direction Bapaume - Paris (D917)
Leave the city of Arras (approximately 1 h on foot) and go to the roundabout intersecting the D60 and the D917. Get out of the roundabout on the D917 direction [Bapaume]. The place does not brew a very large number of cars.
(by experience, alone, waiting time: 1/4 hour with a sign mentioning BAPAUME)
Auxerre
Direction Paris
The easiest way from the center of Auxerre is to go to the Paris roundabout and walk along Avenue du Général de Gaulle with the sign "Paris" and your thumbs up. If you get to the ring road and no one has picked you up, stop because after the road is too fast. Wait at the entrance to the ring road.
Bordeaux
[the best places are on the guide "le petit altern'actif" in bordeaux]
For Libourne, Périgueux => the extension of Avenue Thiers.
North direction (Paris, libourne, Nantes ...)
Take Tram A to the Butinière stop. Walk straight towards the highway (1,5 km) on avenue Carnot. At the highway, the gas station that will save you is only 100 m !
Brest
Direction Rennes: at the Pen Ar Ch'leuz roundabout north of Brest. The place is ideal and sheltered!
Direction Quimper, Nantes: at the roundabout on the commercial port.
Caen
direction Bayeux - Valognes - Cherbourg (N13)
From the city center, reach Rue de Bayeux, go up to Rue du Général Moulin and go up Rue du Général Moulin to Route de Bayeux (or D9a). Take the Route de Bayeux and walk to the entrance to the 4 lanes (N13) where there is a long straight line just before a slip road, motorists have plenty of room to stop. There are quite a few cars in the area, but many of them do not take the N13 but just the ring road.
(by experience, alone, waiting time: 2 h with a sign mentioning CHERBOURG)
direction St Lô - Coutances / Avranche - Rennes (A84)
Exit Caen and reach Bretville sur Odon (approximately 1 h walk). Go to the 9 du perif 'de Caen ramp which is also the entrance to the free A84 motorway (Caen-Rennes). A roundabout "centralizes" the entry and exit on the inner lane of the perif 'as well as the entry and exit of the A84. Stand at the exit of the roundabout which makes the entrance to the A84, motorists can stop at the exit of the roundabout. The place brews an average number of cars (due to the other entrances to the Caen ring road).
(by experience, alone, waiting time: about 1/4 hour with a sign mentioning AVRANCHE)
Carcassonne
direction Castelnaudary - Toulouse / Narbonne - Montpelliers by motorway (A61)
Reach the Carcassonne-Ouest tollgate. This is located between Maquens and the industrial and commercial area. Stand about a hundred meters before the toll. Cars pass slowly because the place is between a roundabout and the tollgate and there is plenty of room to stop. There are quite a few cars in the place and in general they reach Toulouse or Narbonne at least directly.
(by experience, alone, waiting time: 20 min approximately with a sign mentioning NARBONNE)
(From experience, boy with my partner, waiting time: 10 min approximately with a sign mentioning TOULOUSE)
(From experience, girl boy, waiting time: 10 min approximately in the direction of NARBONNE, without a sign)
(by experience, alone, waiting time: 5 h approximately with a sign mentioning perpignan on the other hand the guy my deposited in front of my house ...)
direction Limoux - Quillan (D118)
On the D118 at the exit of Carcassonne, after a red light at the intersection between the D118 and the D6161 (bypass west of Carcassonne). The cars restarting from the fire pass slowly and have time to see you. In addition, a wide band on the low side allows them to stop. The place brews a lot of cars and many of them go up the Aude valley, some as far as Quillan.
(by experience, alone, waiting time: 05 min with a sign mentioning LIMOUX
direction Caunes Minervois / Mazamet (D149)
Reach the Pont-Rouge Z.I. (northeast of the city). After the Teissier coach depot and the crossroads with the Route Minervoise, just before a lock on the Canal du Midi, the road widens enough for cars to stop and these, leaving a roundabout , pass at a moderate pace. The place brews a lot of cars but the flow is divided by two 1Km further between the cars going in the Minervois and those going in the direction of the Tarn.
(by experience: boy with my partner, 10 min waiting time with a sign mentioning VILLENEUVE MINERVOIS)
Cherbourg
direction Valognes - Bayeux - Caen (N13)
Reach the Z.A. Claude Chappe which by the way, is far from the city. Get out of the André Malraux roundabout, on the N13 towards Valogne, about 100 meters away. Cars have room to stop and they still pass at moderate speed and have time to see you.
(by experience: alone, 20 min waiting with a sign mentioning CAEN)
Fat
direction Digne-Les-Bains by D6085 (ex N85)
The problem in Grasse is that the terrain is very rugged and to get out of the city on foot, you don't necessarily see it on a map, but it's long and it goes up a lot.
One solution is to walk up the Boulevard G. Clémenceau. 50 or 100 meters before the start of a 3-lane stretch of road, there is a bus stop where motorists can stop. Before this place, the road is too steep and even a pedestrian barely room to walk (so stop a car ...)
From experience: Alone, practically 2 h waits without a sign.
Another solution that seems much simpler would be to leave Grasse by Boulevard de Bellevue but BE CAREFUL, solution not tested by the author. If anyone has tested, they are welcome to talk about it.
Grenoble
direction Lyon or Valence
Go to Porte de France (Esplanade). Go to the traffic lights, just before the entrance to the motorway. From there, the good solution is to have a "Toll" sign, then hitchhike at the Voreppe toll, it's very efficient.
Lézignan-Corbières
direction Carcassonne-Toulouse by A61 / Narbonne-Montpellier by A61 / Fabrezan - Lagrasse / Mouthoumet (D611)
Very simple, stand on Avenue des Corbières at the super U. Motorists can see you well and can park
(from experience, boy with my partner, 1/4 hour waiting without a sign)
Lille
direction Paris-Orléan by A1
Very bad plan personally we got stuck 5 h (the chtits are not that nice: p) I have a friend who also had a hard time some time ago. If you find yourself there, arm yourself with patience.
direction Paris-Orléan by A1
Not necessarily bad: take the metro stop at Porte de Douai, there is a motorway entrance right next to Paris A1 direction, there is traffic even if people are in a hurry it works, count around a half -time for a single man. Remember to stand well before the motorway entrance to allow time for cars to stop.
direction Belgium Tournai-Brussels
Stop at metro 4 cantons (terminus line 1) there walk for 15 min approximately by following the signs towards brussels, you will arrive at a roundabout with access to the motorway (it seems lost but you will of course come across people from the university going to Belgium;)
Lyon
direction Grenoble or Chambéry
Go to Mermoz Pinel (there is a metro stop). Then hitchhike on Avenue Jean Mermoz which joins the motorway. Cars picking you up can easily stop on the bus lane.
direction Dijon or Paris
Go to Perrache station, cross the Saône and don't hesitate to knock on the windows of cars that stop at red lights, especially the one that sends motorists directly onto the motorway junction. Villefranche-Sur-Saône toll from where you will have easier to stop (people move a lot between Lyon and its periphery: work, family, friends ...).
towards Grand Sud: Valence / Marseille / Montpellier
Go to the exit of the Fourvière tunnel On the A6, cars are limited to 70 in the tunnel and an emergency shoulder allows cars to stop the place is easily accessible but the cars start to accelerate (dangerous because too much traffic and apparently forbidden). Second option is on the quays of the peninsula, Quai du Docteur Gailleton at the traffic lights at the corner of rue de Condé. In both cases, do not hesitate to be brought to the Vienna A7 tollbooth and wait for a car going in the desired direction (A7 / A9 junction further south).
Mende
Direction Puy en Velay, Aubenas, Saint-Etienne, Lyon
Take the direction of the first two cities mentioned which are indicated on many signs. You follow the N88 which passes right through Mende. Once you arrive at the "La Bête" bakery located on your right, go straight at the roundabout (still in the direction of Puy en Velay and Aubenas). Immediately after this roundabout, you have at your disposal a bus stop where you can stand. Cars have time to see you and can easily stop. You won't wait long, the Lozerians take hitchhikers well.
Direction Montpellier, Millau, A75
Follow the N88 which passes right through Mende but direction Montpellier, Millau. You will come to a roundabout leading to Hyper U, McDonalds or Montpellier and Millau. Go straight ahead, still on the N88 and in the direction of Montpellier and Millau. After passing this roundabout you can stand along the road, the cars will have time to see you and can stop.
Nancy
Direction Épinal / Metz
Stand after the last tram stop (CHU Brabois) along a strip of land used as a parking lot (but which allows the hitchhiked to stop easily). Do not stand too far either, the cars would arrive too fast.
Favor a sign, the road can lead to so many places that no one knows where you are going.
From experience, a maximum wait of one hour with an Épinal sign.
Direction Paris (via N4)
Go after the "Auchan" La Sapinière store, in Laxou (easily accessible with the urban buses from Nancy), towards the roundabout on the A31. You will find several parking spaces between Auchan and the roundabout allowing you to stop with a sign and facilitate stopping.
Another very effective method consists of stopping without a sign and asking to be dropped off using Toul-Dommartemont, 15 km further, if the person does not go to Paris. Once on the area, wait about an hour.
Nantes
Direction Rennes
From the city centers (Commerce), take line 2 towards Orvault Grand val, stop: Le Cardo (penultimate stop on the line) at the exit of the tramway you will see a roundabout, the exit of this roundabout is the start of the 4 way towards Rennes place you at the exit of the roundabout. (by experience 20 min on average 1 h maximum)
Direction la Roche Sur Yon
From the Duchesse Anne stop, take the Busway to Bourdonnières, return to the road that the bus had just left and stand by the road after the roundabout.
Paris
Direction Metz / Germany (A4)
Done once, departure RER Noisy le-Grand Mont d 'Est. The first entrance is located on a roundabout on the D30A, a lot of fast passage therefore to be avoided, another entrance is located at 2 km further away. Avenue du fort, this address is better.
Namely, many people go to Disney. And a lot of people refuel on the highway. Once on the highway, no worries.
Reindeer
direction Paris (N136)
Ramp 5 on the south bypass (N136) at the poterie level, accessible after a 5-10 minute walk from La Poterie metro station. At the exit of the roundabout, the cars have plenty of time to stop on the side. Stay more towards the roundabout than in the slip road, the cars then accelerate.
From experience, a wait of less than an hour on a Sunday noon (off-peak time!) With a Paris sign.
direction Brest, Saint Malo, Vannes, and others ...
Near the metro terminus (Kennedy), walk 500 m heading west and just after the roundabout is a wonderful hitchhiking area, it looks like it's designed for! Panel very strongly recommended because many directions are possible. Courtesy of setting therefore: the corner is well frequented by stoppers.Waiting for Brest: 20 min (for a single woman)
direction Nantes
Take the metro to Henri Freville, at the exit cross the rue d'Espagne then continue straight ahead (south direction) you will come to a roundabout (5min from the metro) cross the bridge above the ring road then an exit ramp to cross, stand on the side of the entrance ramp just after. 1 h)
Narbonne
direction Perpignan-Spain / Montpelliers-Nîmes (A9) / Toulouse (A61)
The Narbonne-Sud toll (exit 38 of the A9) seems to be a good place. It is, however, quite out of the way of Narbonne. It is accessible on foot. Once you arrive, all you have to do is stand on one of the median.
The place brews a lot of cars (mid day anyway) and they have plenty of time to see you as they stop at the tollgate.
(by experience: alone, 30 min waiting time with a sign mentioning PERPIGNAN)
Quimper
direction Nantes or Brest: very easy if you are at the north exit of quimper, at the end of the "route de brest", next to the "Fly" store, at 200 m du Leclerc. Get onto the access ramp to the expressway and you won't have to wait long!
Rodez
direction Albi - Toulouse (N88)
One of the solutions is to reach the roundabout of St Félix, north-west of Rodez (junction between the N88 and the D840). This roundabout marks the entrance to the N88 towards Albi and Toulouse. The exit from the roundabout towards Albi is a wide enough lane for a motorist to stop.
(From experience: alone, 15 min waiting time with a sign mentioning ALBI)
Saint Brieuc
direction Rennes (N12)
On rue Ampère, leading to the N12 slip road. One solution is to stand just after the traffic light, upstream of the slip road. Just behind, there is room to allow cars to stop quite easily.
(by experience: alone, between 10 min and 1 h with a sign indicating RENNES)
Toulouse
direction Castelnaudary - Carcassonne - Narbonne (A61 / D813)
Reach the southern toll of Toulouse. To do this, you have to either be brought in or start hitchhiking on one of Toulouse's peripheral slip roads (difficult to choose which one). Once on the toll, stand in plain view on a median, with your sign, before the toll booth. Do not walk on the highway or the Perif '. The place is busy with cars and motorists have time to see you and make up their minds given that they have to stop at the toll booth.
(from experience: boy with a friend, 1 h waiting with a sign mentioning MONTPELLIERS)
Another solution, much faster: go to the "Ramonville" metro stop by line B. There, follow the signs indicating the A61 motorway. The great toll gate is located at 15 min walk along the highway. ALL motorists who leave for Andorra, Carcassonne, Narbonne, Montpellier, go through there. We are therefore taken very quickly.
Reach Castanet-Tolosane by Bus 62 of the Toulouse urban network. Bus 62 is taken at the terminus of metro line B. Go to the terminus of bus line 62 which is at the Castanet-Tolosane exit. There, at the exit of Castanet not far from the bus terminus, along the D813 (ex N113) the road widens below, which leaves room for motorists to stop. The place brews few cars and few are those that cover a long distance. Most stop in a nearby village.
(by experience: alone, 1 h 30 waiting with a sign mentioning CARCASSONNE) (by experience: couple, 10 min waiting without a sign)
In the direction of Revel, take the bus line 78 direction "St Orens Lycée" to arrive at the terminus, hitchhike at the roundabout in the direction of Revel: by experience, waiting time only: 05 min maximum each time! (sign recommended)
From experience, ramp 19 is a very bad place to start.
Tours
Tours is hell for the hitchhiker. Indeed, the city is at the crossroads of two highways (A85 Bourges-Nantes and A10 Poitiers-Orléans). Very hard to change the motorway before Tours if you are not going in the direction of the motorist, and also difficult to leave Tours once you have entered the city center. Finally, the ring road is particularly long. Here is the only good plan that I could find:
direction Saumur - Nantes (A85)
It is possible to take the national road following the Loire, from the center of Tours, but people generally travel short distances, and being landed on the bypass to reach the motorway can leave you hanging for several hours (I have already put 4 h The best thing to do is to take a TER train towards Saumur at Tours station. Stop at Port-Boulet station (25 min train). From there, follow the A85 signs, there is a toll at 1 km about. Hitchhike and ask TOURS (yes it seems absurd to stop towards the place where you come from ... but: you will be very easily caught, and 5 km from there, towards Tours, there is a large toll barrier in the middle of the motorway. Ask the motorist to land you there. Cross the toll, and stop in the other direction! All the people who go to Nantes go through there, you will be easily taken. Basically, from the center of Tours, you can be at the toll by 1 h - 1 h 30. Cooler than struggling on an old ring road!
direction Poitiers-Bordeaux (A10)
I have never tested it, but there is a possibility to leave Tours and join the A10 motorway (again, never stay stuck in the center of Tours to make a long trip: this could lead you to suicide! You can reach the great barrier of Sorigny, south of Tours, by the TER train towards Poitiers. You have to stop at Villeperdue, and walk 4 km, heading north. There, it is possible to meet at the toll barrier. Requirements: have a minimum sense of direction, motivation for an hour's walk, and clearly identify the route on foot on Google Maps! But I was recommended this area ...
Valence
direction Lyon
Go to the North toll in bourg-les-valence, with a sign it is quite easy to hitchhike 15 min surroundings for a single man) to this place to go up north. Mutual aid is tending to develop a car-pooling area with free parking and monitoring has even been set up nearby (it is not advisable to give a thumbs up here, however).
towards Grand SUD
Go to the South toll. Cars stop and usually come from the plain of Valence and Grenoble (A48). count from 15 min at one hour for a single man) the Toll having been modernized it is difficult to get on the boats, prefer the grass part located before.
direction Grenoble
Three possibilities, exits from the Toll North and Toll South but people don't stop very often. Third solution go to the toll of the A48 at Romans / Isère at about thirty km.
Valognes
direction Cherbourg
Very simple, stand at the exit sign for Valognes on Boulevard Felix Buhot. The place brews a not very high level of cars but many of them go to Cherbourg.
(by experience: alone, 10 min waiting time with a sign mentioning CHERBOURG)
direction Bayeux - Caen (N13)
Walk along the Route de Montebourg (D902) (you can start to lift your thumb when walking) until you reach the entrance on the N13. Once you cross the N13 bridge, go to the end of the bend.
This place is not terrible terrible but the cars go by at low speed and therefore have time to see you. On the other hand, it is in your interest to be well seen so that the driver has time to stop correctly, the place not being very favorable to stop.
(by experience: alone, 1 h 30 waiting by going to start raising the thumb on the way to come with a sign mentioning CAEN)
