Pick your ride 
The best way to travel outside Paris is by car. This might seem a bit strange, since Paris itself is not very car-friendly. Yet once you pass the city limits, the car suddenly becomes highly advantageous to other means of transport. With car your precaution is a threefold: you can go wherever you like; you don't have to share your personal space with strangers (including potential pickpocketers); you are free from the stiff train schedules.

Identify yourself
When packing your bag, don’t forget to take a copy of your passport or your plane ticket together with several important telephone numbers – your consulate, relatives and friends at home and in France, your credit companies. If you know your blood group, write is down on a piece of paper, placing it inside your wallet. Don't forget to do the same for each member of your family. This information might become a real life saver in case of emergency. It would be also advisable to write a short notice for the French paramedics about any diseases that you suffer from (e.g. diabetes).

Keep it clean
Getting dirty in a car or in a museum can easily turn into a major problem, once you realize you had forgotten to take travel tissues or at least a couple of wet wipes. They are particularly indispensable when using French public toilets which (though often paid: 1 Euro per person) can disappoint with the standard of cleanliness. If you have kids, pack also a bit of extra soap to prevent permanent chocolate stains and a couple of patches in case someone gets brushed. Items such as a penknife and the key-chain flash light might come in handy on different occasions as well.

Map your way out
Driving down the well-maintained French highways can be a quite enjoyable experience. The road is wide and the signs are big, indicating clearly whether you are going in the right direction. Yet once you take yourself down a regular road, getting to the right place can become a challenging task. With less signs and more unmarked junctions, you will find yourself in need of a good map and even a compass. Naturally, most reliable are GPS devices which will navigate you though even the most secluded areas of the region. In any case, have your cell phone charged and ready to call for assistance.

Pay your dues
Nothing is free, especially not in or near Paris. You will have to pay for the road, food and gas, if you decide to go about by car. Naturally, you can pay for all that in cash, but it is also possible to regulate all the expenses with a credit card or even travellers' cheques in some places. Interestingly enough, there are a lot of ATM machines in the area, so you can always withdraw more funds from your account. However, to avoid unpleasant surprises, remember to check how much your bank charges for operations performed outside your home country.