A careless driver drove his car down the steps of a Metro station in Paris believing it to be a parking garage.

The 26-year-old man, identified only as Johan, was in search of an underground parking garage when he noticed a parking sign near central Chaussee d'Antin la Fayette station and started to drive down the steps.

He realised his mistake just in town andbrought the car to a halt with the front wheels resting on the steps and the back wheels still on the street, said AFP.

"There's a sign saying 'Haussmann Parking' right in front [of the Metro entrance] and I made a mistake," he said.

"Luckily there was no one on the stairs.

Nobody was hurt in the incident and the car was not damaged. Police gave the driver an alcohol test which proved negative.

A similar incident took place at the same site four or five years ago, a worker from a nearby restaurant told AFP.

In January, an SUV driver was arrested after he drove his vehicle on to the underground tracks in San Francisco, apparently under the influence of alcohol. According to Huffington Post, the police had to shut down the subway system for more than two hours.

French police gather at the entrance to the Chaussee dAntin La Fayette
French police gather at the entrance to the Chaussee d'Antin La Fayette Metro (subway) station in Paris after a car accidentally drove into it on 24 April, 2012 Reuters
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Police gathered at the metro station Reuters
Chaussee d039Antin La Fayette Metro
French police gather at the entrance to the Chaussee d'Antin La Fayette Metro (subway) station in Paris Reuters
Car
The car that was accidentally driven on the steps of Paris metro station Reuters
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The car parked down the Paris metro station Rueters