Paris Trade Shows: Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Auto) 2026, SIAL and EquipHotel

Five events shape the professional autumn calendar in Paris this year. Two exhibition centres concentrate most of the activity: Paris Nord Villepinte to the north and Porte de Versailles to the south-west. Both sites share a common constraint: their road access is not sized for trade show peak attendance.

Maison & Objet ran from 10 to 14 September in Villepinte, and IFTM Top Resa, the leading business travel trade show, from 15 to 17 September at Porte de Versailles.

The Mondial de l'Auto returns to Paris from 12 to 18 October. 500,000 visitors are expected at Porte de Versailles, a figure in line with the 2024 edition. The week of 17 to 21 October, SIAL Paris opens simultaneously in Villepinte: 7,000 exhibitors, 400,000 visitors from 200 countries.

This is the week when Paris's two largest exhibition centres are both running at full capacity at the same time. Pressure on taxis and mainstream apps peaks in both areas.

The Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Auto) 2026 runs from 12 to 18 October at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, according to information published on mondial.paris. 12 October is reserved for accredited press, with the show open to the public from Tuesday 13 October.

Opening hours vary by day: 9.30am to 8pm Tuesday to Thursday, 9.30am to 10pm on Friday, 9am to 10pm on Saturday, and 9am to 6.30pm on Sunday, with last entry one hour before closing. The main public transport entrance is Gate A2, served by metro line 12 at Porte de Versailles station, as well as tramways T2 and T3a and bus route 80.

For an exhibitor or visitor attending several days of appointments, a pre-booked private driver removes dependence on line 12 connections at peak times, whatever the crowds at doors opening.

EquipHotel brings together hospitality and catering professionals at Porte de Versailles from 2 to 5 November. 43,000 professionals are expected. It is the most relevant show for hotel management, the direct target audience for Blackmile's chauffeur service agreements.

Porte de Versailles opens onto the Boulevards des Maréchaux and Porte de la Plaine. Access roads converge into the same congestion during show opening peaks. The Mondial de l'Auto generates 70,000 to 100,000 daily visitors during peak weekdays. Adjacent arteries are saturated from 8.30am. The taxi queue outside the main entrance reaches 35 to 55 minutes of waiting on opening mornings.

Paris Nord Villepinte is better connected from CDG via the A1: 12 minutes outside congestion. But during SIAL, the Villepinte exits are congested from 8am. Cruising taxis do not park in the reserved zones of the exhibition centres.

Mainstream apps apply dynamic pricing during periods of high demand. A CDG to Porte de Versailles journey normally priced at €45 to €55 can rise to €90 to €130 on show opening mornings. This extra cost is shown at confirmation, not at the point of decision.

A Blackmile private driver booked 48 hours before the show does not depend on market conditions on the morning itself. Four points set this service apart from a station taxi or a mainstream app.

• Fixed fare locked in at booking: the quoted fare is the invoiced fare, whatever the traffic or demand that day. Across 34,800 rides since 1997, no dynamic pricing at Blackmile.
• Chauffeur in position in advance with a name board: present 10 minutes before the agreed time, in the CDG arrivals zone or outside the hotel. 60 minutes of waiting time offered for airport arrivals. Automatic flight tracking for international delegations.
• Route prepared for the show context: chauffeurs are briefed on vehicle access at the exhibition centres. They know the exhibitor entrances, reserved drop-off zones and alternatives when the main exit is congested.
• SLA contractually guaranteed: 95% punctuality written into the agreement. For an exhibitor managing ten journeys over five show days, this guarantee removes transport as a variable from their schedule.

An exhibitor at SIAL or the Mondial de l'Auto does not organise their team's transport the night before opening. They do it in August, at the same time as finalising their stand and appointments. Our corporate chauffeur service covers all journeys for the duration of the event.

The agreement fixes a fare per recurring journey, with consolidated monthly invoicing. A sales director sends three colleagues to Villepinte for four consecutive days. He receives a single Blackmile invoice at month end. No individual expense claims, no amounts varying from one day to the next.

For businesses welcoming foreign clients as part of the show, the agreement also covers airport pick-ups. A client from Tokyo attending SIAL is welcomed at CDG with a name board. They are taken directly to Villepinte with no connection.

Set-up: 48 working hours after signature.

Paris trade shows bring together delegations from 80 to 200 countries. Many arrive at CDG with no bearings on Paris transport. RER and metro connections are difficult to manage with representative luggage.

From CDG airport, Blackmile journey times observed during show periods: Villepinte (SIAL, Maison & Objet): 12 to 20 minutes. Porte de Versailles (Mondial de l'Auto, IFTM, EquipHotel): 35 to 55 minutes depending on the time.

For a buyer with two days of appointments, a named pick-up at CDG saves an hour on a tightly packed day. Direct drop-off at the exhibitor entrance removes an unplanned logistics step. Across 34,800 rides since 1997, zero Blackmile client left without transport.