Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Travel Guide

Planning your trip. Sometimes family and friends can be your best guides to Paris. If you know people who’ve traveled to Paris, be sure to ask them to put together a list of their favorite hotels and restaurants. People who know you and know your preferences are most likely to suggest the parts of Paris that would interest you the most. If you’re the trailblazer, you don’t want to go to Paris without a good map. Be sure to have your copy of Paris Classiqueor your Plan de Paris available at all times to help you decipher Metro stops, arrondissements, and bus routes. If you don’t buy any other guidebook, borrow or buy this one: Paris Classique Getting there: Flying to Paris isn’t cheap, however it’s usually very accessible by train from most major European cities. Therefore, if you find a really good round trip airfare on, for example, Icelandic to any of the capital cities in neighboring European countries, you can always hop on a train from those cities to Paris.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

You’ll find that Paris airfares are usually less expensive for short stays i.e. one week to ten days. Try to fly in early spring or late fall rather than the summer months, especially August. Organized tours vs. Independent travel Although Paris is often included in European tours, you will never truly appreciate this city if you don’t allow yourself enough time to explore Paris on your own. No matter how long you intend to stay in Paris, whether you are traveling alone or as part of a tour, make sure that you have ample time to visit the city on foot (or by bicycle). If you plan on visiting other cities in Europe, make Paris your first or last stop on the trip and add an extra day or two to recover from jet lag or to prepare for your return flight. Choosing a hotel. Give careful consideration to the location of your hotel. Study the various neighborhoods (you can read Parislogue descriptions of some of the more well-known

neighborhoods

like

Montparnasse,

Montmartre and the Marais). If you are taking an organized tour where your hotel is chosen by the tour organizer, be sure to have the hotel address and a Paris map available long before you depart. Familiarize yourself with its location in relation to some of the places you may want to visit on your own. Find the closest Metro stop. Try to situate a hotel in rapport to the major sites on your wish list i.e. if the Eiffel Tower is the primary focus of your trip, you’ll want to book a hotel as close as possible to the Eiffel Tower. If you plan on spending a good part of your time at the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, you’ll want a hotel within walking distance.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Once you’ve decided on the Paris neighborhood where you’d like to hang your hat, take a look at the Hotel Guide to compare prices. Be sure to ask about parking availability if you’re driving into Paris (which I don’t recommend). Picking your travel dates: Make sure that your days in Paris correspond with the opening days of any museums you may want to visit. Museums in Paris tend to be closed on either Mondays or Tuesdays. Many restaurants close for at least two weeks during the month of August. Choosing a season to visit Paris: All seasons have their merit. Early spring can sometimes be cold and rainy interspersed with gloriously sunny days. Summertime is sultry. Great for outdoor dining. Fall is crisp and exhilarating. Winter, you’ll look for the most cozy cafes to sip on a mulled wine.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Car Rentals

Renting a car makes sense if you plan on starting or finishing your trip in Paris but will be spending the majority of your time outside of Paris. If you’ll be spending more than half of your trip in Paris, I would strongly recommend traveling by bus, train, Metro or taxi in the city. If you’re spending two weeks or less and want to rent a car, you’ll find that most of the major car rental companies are represented in Paris: Avis, Hertz, Alamo, Budget and Kemwel. They have agencies at the airports (CDG, Beauvais,Orly, Bourget) as well as at or near Paris train stations. You can compare prices and book your car rental before you arrive in France. You’ll need to have your flight arrival information available. >> Rent a car in France before you leave home! >> If you’re renting a car in Paris for trips outside the city, your best option is to rent a car in Versailles. >> With a car comes the additional requirement of a place to put it – read all about Paris parking guidelines so you know where you can park your car in the city.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Driving requirements A U.S. or Canadian Driver’s License is acceptable for driving in France. Otherwise, an International Driving License is good to have. Choosing a car Generally, a standard shift is less expensive than automatic, and gas fueled engine is cheaper to rent than diesel. Diesel may still be a good option if you plan on putting on a lot of mileage. Insurance is normally included as part of your rental package. Are you traveling light or heavy? If you get the smallest car such as a Peugeot 107, you won’t be able to fit a set of clubs in the trunk (or the boot). If you travel with huge suitcases, you may find the smallest model too be cramped – and you definitely don’t want to be leaving a bundle of luggage in the back seat – this is a ‘come steal me sign’ to car thieves. (Theft is not a big problem in Paris – as long as you don’t advertise you’ve got tons of luggage). The advantage of small cars is that you can go everywhere and park anywhere. For France, the smaller the better. You’ll use less gas, and still have a peppy enough engine to negotiate the autoroute. For years, we’ve been leasing the Peugeot 206/207 category. It’s perfect for two people. The engine is zippy. It comes in automatic. Most French car models come with air conditioning, air bags and a CD player. You’ll be given an instruction book (sometimes in French, ask for an English version if possible) along with a toll-free number for any accidents.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Picking up and dropping off You can pick up and drop off cars in different locations (and even in different European cities) depending on the rental company. There may be additional charges for dropping off in a different location, so be sure to ask about additional fees. At Charles de Gaulle airport, the rental car booths are not always easy to find. For Terminal 1, you need to go down to the Boutique level. Depending on your company, you may need to pick up the phones for pick shuttle service to their lots, some of which are located on the outskirts of the airport. Many of the major companies such as Hertz and Peugeot Sodexa (Kemwel) have offices in Paris as well as at the airport. For example, Hertz has a Montparnasse office where you can drop off the car in a garage near the Montparnasse train station. On arrival Normally French rental companies do not fill up the gas tank for you. They’ll give you just enough to get to the gas station. (There’s two on the autoroute from CDG to Paris). ‘Sans plomb’ means ‘unleaded’. Use the green pumps. You will also have in your glove compartment, in case of accident, a ‘constat’. This is an accident report to be filled out if you should have an accident. Be sure to note the license plate of any other vehicle involved in the accident (especially if they leave the scene of the accident – like one Parisian driver did on the ‘periphe’). We took his license plate number so there was no problem.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Driving in France

All in all, once you get outside of Paris, driving in France is not unlike driving in the U.S. French drivers tend to be more determined in their actions. You don’t find anybody lollygagging along – even in the French countryside. The best way to get around Paris is to drive with confidence – easier said than done – when you probably don’t know exactly where you’re going. Just remember to keep your seatbelt fastened. Don’t drink. And be alert for the radar icons that look like the antenna icon on your computer. The photo speedtrap is a little box by the side of the road that will take your photo for posterity. Incoming traffic from the right usually has priority. Traffic lights are not as bright and will usually be found on the right side of the intersection rather than spanning the intersection. Many streets and avenues in Paris now have lanes reserved for bus and bicycle traffic. Some streets lack well marked lanes, so you have to scramble for your spot. Parisian driving is an art form. I do not drive in Paris. It’s crazy enough being a passenger. Best time to drive in Paris? 10 am on August 15th. >> Be sure to read through these excellent driving tips for France, including drive-times between major French cities and information about the different kinds of roads in France.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Renting vs. Leasing Leasing is a very good idea if you plan on spending three weeks or longer in France. You can lease a car for three to weeks to six months and this plan has many benefits. First of all, you receive a brand new car. You become the owner, literally buying and selling back the car to the leasing company. You will be the proud owner for a few months with your very own ‘carte grise’ or gray card which is the car’s title. We’ve been doing this for a number of years with Peugeot Sodexa, based in Paris. They work in tandem with Kemwel in the U.S. and UK. You must lease your car before you come to France. Allow yourself ample time to send in all the necessary paperwork. Your brand new car will be waiting for you at the airport. Once again, insurance is included in the package.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Maps of Paris

Paris is located in France which is located in Europe. France is lovingly referred to by some as l’Hexagone. Note the country surprisingly resembles a hexagon. More specifically, Paris is located in NORTHERN France in the administrative region known as Ile de France. There are 26 administrative regions in France. Paris postal codes begin with the numbers 75. You will also see the 75 code used on car license plates. That way, for the guy who’s serving wildly in and out of traffic, and cuts you off to the point where you practically run into those two magic numbers 75 – you can shout out with confidence, “Parigot, tete de veau!” Translated as “Damn calf-headed Parisian! You are probably wondering why I’m bothering to state some fairly basic geographic facts. This is a gentle reminder to those of you who will be visiting beloved friends and family members as to some of the ‘driving distances’ between Paris and places like – the French Riviera, little ‘side trips’ to Spain and Prague. Gas is about four to five times more expensive in France. If you plan on doing any side trips outside of the Paris city limits, you might want to consider taking a train rather than asking your hosts to hop in the car and drive 800 kilometers – and this is just a very ‘gentle suggestion’. 90 percent of Ile-de-France is considered to be part of the Paris metropolitan area. If you meet an Ile-de-France resident traveling outside of France, he or she may say they’re from

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Paris – and they’d be right – in a way. Staunch Parisians may insist that you can’t really call yourself a Parisian unless you live within in the city limit boundaries. For most of us who love the city from afar, these are minor details. Paris is a world city. It has no boundaries – except in one’s mind and on the taxi meters. As soon as you cross the ‘peripherique’ the circular beltway that divides central Paris from the neighboring towns, your taxi rates will increase. The little light on the taxi’s rooftop switches from A rates to B rates. If you get lost in France and can’t find Paris, simply find the Seine River. Eventually, you will make your way to Paris. Obviously there are easier ways to get there (this is how the Normans arrived to wreak havoc on the Parisians), but the other ways like hopping on a Air France shuttle bus from Charles de Gaulle airport to Montparnasse or Porte Maillot are just too damn easy. (Clue, the Seine River dumps into the (English) Channel ie La Manche – if you end up in Normandy at Rouen’s port well, you’ve gone too far – Paris is the other way). If you’re a Viking coming from the north, keep on going, you’ll be in Paris in no time. Population within the City of Paris as of January, 2006: 2, 168 million. The Paris urban area app. 9.93 Million and the Metropolitan area app. 12 Million >> Be sure to get your bearings before you go with Google Street View for Paris! • CITY OF PARIS Map by Google • PARIS HOT MAPS • RATP Paris Metro – Interactive Map • Interactive RATP Bus map (daytime hours) • Michelin Paris and surrounding region

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Paris Neighborhoods Paris is a city of villages. This is true of most big cities, and especially true of cities which started out as tiny hamlets and have grown steadily over centuries – like Paris has. You’ll have read about the 20 arrondissements in Paris, the administrative districts which divide the main part of Paris, but even within each arrondissement are smaller (and less easilydefined) neighborhoods which often overlap the administrative borders. The city’s 20 arrondissements are the easiest place

to

start

when

understanding

the

neighborhoods of Paris, however, so let’s begin there. Paris Arrondissements As mentioned, there are 20 arrondissements in Paris. The word “arrondissement” is also used by the country of France to describe larger administrative divisions, and the cities of Lyon and Marseilles are also broken up much the same way Paris is. The 1st arrondissement, which includes part of the original settlement of Paris on the Ile de la Cite, is considered the very heart of the city center. From that point, the arrondissements work their way out in numerical order in a spiral fashion – like a snail’s shell – going clockwise. So the 2nd arrondissement is above and to the right of the 1st, the 3rd is to the right and slightly lower than the 2nd, the 4th is below the 3rd, etc. You can see it clearly if you look up at the map at the top of this page. Go ahead, I’ll wait. See it? Cool, huh?

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Here’s something else that’s really cool. When you’re looking at addresses in Paris, you don’t need to pinpoint a location on a map to find out what arrondissement it’s in. All you need is the zip code. All Parisian zip codes begin with 750, and the last two digits are the arrondissement the address is in. 75018 is the 18th arrondissement. 75007 is the 7th. It’s that simple. There are more arrondissements on the Right Bank of the Seine than the Left Bank, but there are equally good arguments for spending time on both side of the river, exploring as much of the city as you possibly can. Because, as we’ve already established, Paris is a city of neighborhoods. Popular Neighborhoods of Paris Long-time Paris residents get so used to their own particular neighborhood that many of them feel like they need a really good reason to venture too far off their well-worn path. This is especially true if you’ve got a good relationship going with your local butcher, fruit seller, hair stylist, etc. – who wants to go back to the bottom of the totem pole and not get the best cuts? But as a visitor in Paris, you’re free to wander from neighborhood to neighborhood without worrying about firming up a good working relationship with the fish monger. Most travelers in Paris will want to stay in a neighborhood that represents everything that the city has meant to them over the years – the Paris of dreams, the one that called to you from afar and made you buy the plane ticket in the first place. You’ll

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more also probably want to focus on an area that gives you easy access to public transportation so you can get around and see what you want to see, and you might even want to be within walking distance of a couple of the big attractions just for ease. There will be safety considerations, and budget considerations as well. But these are minutiae. To get a better sense of Paris neighborhoods, here’s an overview of some parts of the city where you’ll likely be spending most of your time. They’ll all have some accommodation options, some attractions, some restaurants, and some shops – but the feel of each neighborhood may be slightly different. So read these descriptions and see which one sounds best for your trip. Paris Islands: Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis (1st & 4th arrondissements) The two big islands at the heart of Paris are where it all began. Paris’ earliest settlers chose these islands as the ideal location for trade and for defense. The Ile de la Cite is truly where the city was born more than 2,000 years ago, and it’s also where you’ll find one of the city’s most famous landmarks – Notre Dame Cathedral. The Ile St. Louis is decidedly more peaceful, as it lacks any “sights,” but it does have the best ice cream in Paris. If you want to spend your days walking along the Seine or searching for the best camera angles of Notre Dame de Paris’s gothic facade, you’ll want to start your days on the islands. Ile St. Louis is especially romantic at night. The amount of car traffic slows down to a trickle – some obscure bars and clubs can be found here which I’ll let you discover for yourself… Call it my sixth sense – but I think the Ile St. Louis is bewitched – or bewitching. One thing is certain, if you spend enough time on the islands, the most unusual things will happen.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more The Marais (3rd & 4th arrondissements) Known today as a trendy area crammed with chic boutiques and the center of the gay community in Paris, The Marais also has historic ties to the Parisian Jewish community and even the French aristocracy. The elegant townhouses which line the beautiful public squares in Le Marais used to house royal hangers-on, until they all fled to Versailles once the King moved his court there. Luckily, many of the gorgeous Marais buildings have been turned into boutique hotels and rental apartments, while others contain some of the area’s charming shops and bistros, so The Marais district has become quite a popular area for tourists who are looking for a bit of the beauty of Paris past. There’s no better square than the Place des Vosges to while away a Sunday afternoon in Paris and imagine the jousting tournaments that robbed a Medici queen of her ill-fated husband. This has always been my favorite square in Paris since the days back in the 1970s when the decrepit townhouses looked still haunted by their longdead former residents. Montmartre (18th arrondissement) The hilltop church of Sacre-Coeur is the crown jewel of theMontmartre district, soaring above the city of Paris and serving as a stark contrast to the bohemian neighborhood surrounding it. The area has long been a magnet for artists and anyone seeking budget accommodation or cheap eats, and it’s still a great place for budget travelers to focus on today (though it’s decidedly more expensive than it used to be). Montmartre enjoyed a surge in popularity following

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more the success of the film “Amelie,” which is set in this famous district, but visitors will still find a steady stream of locals and tourists alike in the neighborhood (despite the long hike up the stairs!). There are quite a few hostels in Montmartre, as well as budget hotels and B&Bs. The Latin Quarter (5th & 6th arrondissements) Another popular area for budget travelers is The Latin Quarter, so named for the language spoken by students at the Sorbonne university which has been in this neighborhood since the 12th century. Students still make up a big reason why The Latin Quarter is well-known to budget travelers, although rents have soared in recent years forcing actual students to look elsewhere for lodging. While the students now largely live outside The Latin Quarter, there are still lots of great options for eating cheap in Paris in this area – and the excellent nightlife remains one of the things that continues to draw people after dark. In The Latin Quarter, you can still find reasonably priced meals in the vicinity of Boulevard St. Michel amid the honeycomb of restaurants between St. Andre-des-Arts and Odeon. Movie theaters run all the films that you thought you’d never be able to see again on a big screen. The domes of La Sorbonne and Pantheon hover above the constant ebb and flow of pedestrians lugging notebooks, portfolios, and now laptops and cellphones. Students huddle in cafes probably complaining about the same world problems that have yet to be resolved by the last generation that sat complaining before them. There are vestiges of Paris’ medieval past most often hidden by restaurant signs selling Greek souvlaki or North-African couscous, but no great efforts have been made to exalt what is ‘old’ about The Latin Quarter. In one corner, tucked away from the larger thoroughfares, the Arenes de Lutece (Roman Arena) has been preserved, but without much ado. Kids play games in the arena center. This is the kind of place you can go and

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more lose yourself in Paris’ past. Go there to think about what Paris must have been as a Roman outpost, so long ago. St. Germain-des-Pres (6th arrondissement) While shoppers will find an ample selection of shops to keep them happy in just about any part of Paris, in St. Germain-des-Pres the offerings are particularly spectacular – especially if you’re into antiques or fashion, and it’s a fun area even if you’re only interested in window-shopping. And if you’re not, this is also the district where you’ll find the famous (and, some say, overrated and overpriced) cafe, Les Deux Magots. St. Germain-des-Pres is an excellent place to do some serious people-watching. Hang out at the Armani Cafe. Visit the Village Voice English language bookstore on Rue Princesse. Start at Rue Canette and just wander until you find a friendly bar or cafe to catch an apero at dusk. Lose yourself in the maze of streets between Boulevard St. Germain and the Seine River. Browse the retro clothing stores and antique shops. Enjoy some music at one of the jazz clubs. Just don’t come to the St. Germain-des-Pres neighborhood with a set agenda. It’s the ideal neighborhood for flanerie – flitting about. Montparnasse (14th arrondissement) Like the other famous Paris “mont,” Montmartre, the Montparnasse neighborhood has also historically been linked to great artists and thinkers (also known to some as “rabble rousers”) – including Hemingway, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Modigliani – particularly during the period in between World War I and World War II. The area has quieted down since those days, but students still frequent its cafes, and tourists in the know are drawn to the cheap hotels and overall lack of pretension. This is also the part of Paris where you’ll find the Cemetery Montparnasse, a popular attraction because of its many famous graves.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

The Montparnasse neighborhood has gone through some major ‘upgrading’ in the past few years, partcularly around Rue de la Gaite. Yes, there are still some sex paraphernalia and video shops mixed in amongst the legitimate theaters, and some might compare the Rue de la Gaite to a mini-Times Square. The ambiance, however, remains completely neutral and quite safe, even if single men may be discreetly directed toward one of the few risque establishments! Montparnasse is where I live in Paris, so I’m biased – but this is one area that just is, was, and will continue to be nothing more than what it is. Which, in my opinion, is a really cool place to hang out. Eiffel

Tower

&

Invalides

(7th

&

15th

arrondissements) The Eiffel/Invalides area is highly visible and heavily-visited,

largely

thanks

to

their

its

landmarks – Les Invalides, where Napoleon is buried, and the Eiffel Tower itself. There is no shortage of places to stay in this part of Paris, but as you might imagine many of them are not what many people would call “budget” options. There are some budget hotels near the Eiffel Tower, however. Still, the 15th arrondissement is a bit less touristy than some other popular Paris neighborhoods (the Eiffel Tower is in the 7th), so you may find some hotel deals. Rick Steves likes to recommend the Rue Cler for budget lodging, but if you’d like to avoid bumping into his fans then it’s probably best to look elsewhere. The Rue Vaugirard, Paris’ longest street, is more focused on local than tourist trade, and can give you a better look at what real life in Paris is like. This is also a good place to be if you’re planning on honing your cooking skills at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more “The Splurge Neighborhood” (1st, 2nd, & 8th arrondissements) Is “The Splurge Neighborhood” an official name for a Paris neighborhood? No, it’s not – but it’s an apt moniker for this Right Bank area that includes the Louvre Museum, theChamps-Elysees, and some of the city’s best high-end shopping options. The good news is that walking through this pretty part of the city (and even window shopping) is completely free – as is enjoying a sunny day in the Tuileries Gardens! I would recommend this neighborhood for anyone who refuses to worry about expense. (And with Baron Haussman’s straight avenues and boulevards in this area, it’s also a good neighborhood for people who get easily lost!) While you may have to adjust the meaning of the word “budget” in your mind, there are some budget hotels near the Louvre which are worth checking out if you’ve got your heart set on staying in this area and don’t have a trust fund. Other Paris Neighborhoods While you may spend less time in these parts of Paris (especially during your first couple of visits to the city when you’re madly trying to check off things in your to-do list), here’s a bit of information about places you might want to explore as well. Grands Boulevards (2nd, 8th, and 9th arrondissements) We almost moved to the 9th, but I decided having so many huge department stores within walking distance would be a mistake! This is, after all, where you’ll find the flagship store forGaleries Lafayette as well as the big Au Printemps, both located on Boulevard Haussman. Visitors who are only in town for a short time shouldn’t be able to do too much damage to a bank account if they book a hotel within walking distance of either

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more store, and a nearby hotel is recommended if you actually plan to do lots of shopping. The Grands Boulevards area has more to offer than just shopping, however. Denizens of the night will gravitate toward Rue Faubourg Montmartre – the nightclubs are in constant flux but turn-of-century Restaurant Chartier remains a familiar neighborhood fixture. Beaubourg & Les Halles (1st & 4th arrondissements) Beaubourg is the name of a Paris neighborhood, but it’s also become the local name for the area’s most famous museum – the Centre Pompidou. With the industrial pipe facade of Pompidou juxtaposed against the medieval surrounding passages and pedestrian walkways, you can’t help but feel caught in a time warp. One thing I like about this neighborhood is that you’re bound to stumble into a pub sooner or later where you can drink a Guinness, or find a cafe with the traditional zinc bar. Centre Pompidou attracts plenty of students – and as I’ve mentioned in past posts the Pompidou library is considered an ideal place for trawling. The area really comes to life at dusk. The Les Halles area takes its name from the huge public marketplace which used to be there. The neighborhood had been a traditional market area for years when a shelter was finally built in the late 12th century. The Les Halles market structure that was famous was built in the 1850s, but it was, unfortunately, torn down in 1971. There’s still a market in the neighborhood, but it’s new and now it’s underground – and it’s decidedly more mall-like these days.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Bastille

&

Bercy

Village

(11th

&

12th

arrondissements) You want to see the other Paris? You may want to consider setting up headquarters in the east or northeastern section of Paris. The focal point for the Bastille neighborhood is Francois Mitterand’s Bastille Opera House which is diametrically opposed to the 19th century Garnier opera house. The new opera house generated a beehive of activity in the neighboring streets, from art galleries to music shops, which continues to this day. The #14 Metro line connects Bercy Village to the Bibliotheque Nationale in the 13th arrondissement. Bercy Village is the place where Parisians go for a stroll on a sunny weekend. The old wine storage area has been brilliantly converted to shops and restaurants. It has succeeded in the way that the Forum at Les Halles never will, probably partly because it started with the title “Village,” a word near and dear to Parisians. This is also the new home for La Cinematheque Francaise. So, if you’re a film buff, you may want to consider positioning yourself within walking distance of 51 Rue de Bercy for night and day access to film screenings in the Frank Gehry-designed Cinematheque. You can while away your summer afternoons in the Bercy park, then head over to Cour St. Emilion at Bercy Village for a little wine tasting. I could get used to this neighborhood if I weren’t already faithful to… Oberkampf (11th arrondissement) Located in Paris’s eastern sector, Rue du Oberkampf has always been considered a bluecolor neighborhood. In recent years, the stirrings of artistic souls migrating from Bastille and the 20th arrondissement have placed Oberkampf in the “circuit” – especially if you are interested in finding less predictable Paris nightlife.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

For fans of world music, I recommend the Satellit Cafe in the Oberkampf neighborhood. Trocadero & Arc de Triomphe (16th arrondissement) If you live in the 16th, I’m going to guess that you’re a diplomat or ambassador – or the ambassador’s spouse. This is the neighborhood of the “ladies who lunch.” Because I don’t run in these circles (even though I do lunch in the 16th), I can only tell you this about the 16th arrondissement – if you say you’re staying in the 16th, you are making a statement. The 16th has cache. It always will. The 16th has some lovely parks (like Ranelagh). From there you can skip over to the Bois de Boulogne and jog forever through forested paths (but come home before dusk, unless you should be mistaken for one of the dames de nuit). The 16th wouldn’t be my first choice for a place to stay in Paris simply because it’s too far removed from many of the major attractions – not to mention the high prices you’re likely to find for hotel rooms there – but it’s definitely worth exploring if you’d like some of that aforementioned cache to rub off on you. Northeast Paris (10th, 19th & 20th arrondissements) The northeast parts of Paris are, in my opinion, ideal for trendsetters and the insatiably curious. If you come to Paris via Eurostar, you’ll be coming into Gare du Nord in Paris’ 10th arrondissement – but this is not the neighborhood I’d recommend for finding a hotel. The Gare du Nord & Gare de l’Est surroundings have been described by hotel reviewers as “dicey.” However if you’re working with a small budget, you may find a place to meet your needs. The famous St. Martin canal passes through the 10th (canal tours are possible). The 20th is home to indie rock club La Fleche d’Or. If you’re a cemetery buff, you can spend an afternoon at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. The Belleville area abounds with inexpensive Asian restaurants. Paris’s 10th arrondissement, nicknamed La Goutte d’Or (drop of gold), is primarily an immigrant neighborhood.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more The “Insolite” Neighborhood (13th arrondissement) There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the 13th, theinsolite (unusual) arrondissement. The first thing that hits you smack in the forehead is the wall of highrises at Porte de Choisey, on Boulevard Massena, and Porte d’Ivry (Paris’s Chinatown). It all began in the mid-1970s when waves of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Chinese refugees arrived in France. Go to the 13th for a good Peking duck meal, or traditional Cambodian soups at the Tricotin restaurant. There are the harder-to-find neighborhoods of the 13th, like the Cite Fleurie artists’ ateliers (a private residence), or the complex of streets named for flowers where France’s movie crowd likes to live in peaceful separation from the city’s usually frenetic pace. I would recommend the 13th arrondissement only for return visitors looking for a totally different Paris experience (which is best appreciated on a bike or walking tour). Otherwise, the 13th is just too far from the city’s major sites to be a good base for most tourists. Which Paris Neighborhood is Best?

This is, as you might guess, an impossible question to answer, because each visitor to Paris will need to choose the best part of the city to stay in or spend time in based on his or her personal needs and goals. But here are some things to consider when you’re trying to narrow down your options.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Most of the major Paris attractions can be easily accessed from the first eight arrondissements. As a first-time visitor, I’d suggest looking for a hotel in one of the first six arrondissements, with an emphasis on Ile Saint Louis (the island right next to Notre Dame), the Marais (Place des Vosges), St. Germain des Pres, or Rue de Rivoli (near the Louvre). These are, unfortunately, traditionally not very cheap areas when it comes to hotels, however, so if you’re on a budget then look just outside these popular neighborhoods for easy access to the same sights for a fraction of the cost. The

only

two

major

monuments

not

within walking distance from these first six arrondissements would be the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur. The St. Ouen/Porte de Clignancourt flea market can be reached quickly from the Montmartre neighborhood which borders St. Ouen (but you can just as easily hop on the #4 Metro line from as far away as the Left Bank). Pere Lachaise Cemetery is located in the last arrondissement, the 20th, completely to the east of the city center. No matter where you choose to stay, the Metro in Paris does an excellent job of getting you to any parts of the city. If you don’t feel like taking the Metro and you enjoy walking, you’ll be able to walk to many of the major sites (except Montmartre, which is too much of an uphill hike for most people, and Pere Lachaise, which is just too far from the city center). The bus system is almost as good as the Metro (during the day). And now there’s Velib bike rentals that adds a new dimension to city transport. Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed one arrondissement is missing from this summary – the 17th arrondissement in Paris’s northwest. This is a residential neighborhood which is very Parisian. I am sure of this because our friend named France grew up here. She thinks this is the most Parisian part of Paris, and it must be because you will rarely find it a guide book. So we will respect the 17th’s privacy – at least until I find something there that I can’t resist sharing.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

Paris Transportation Guide

Paris, like most dense cities, is most easily conquered using public transportation. There are even many people who live in Paris and don’t own a car. Most visitors to the city are smart to avoid renting a car and sticking to public transportation to get around – but if you’re planning lots of day trips into the countryside, to places where train and bus service is more sporadic, then having a rental car for some portion of your Paris visit might be a good option for you. In order to figure out the best strategy for your particular trip to Paris, have a look through this list of all the various ways to get around in Paris. >> Many people looking to master the transportation in a city are also looking for other travel-planning advice – which is why I’m happy to point you to our helpful visitor’s guide to Paris, complete with links to just about every subject you could wish for. >> And if you’re looking for specific tips on how to get from Paris to other places in France and Europe (or vice versa), skip ahead to this section. Train Travel In & Around Paris France’s train system – the SNCF – is one of the best in the world. Trains normally depart and arrive on time, and theTGV or Tres Grand Vitesse (the country’s bullet trains) move smoothly and cut your travel time between big cities in France as well as European capitals.

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more Second class accommodations on France’s trains are so comfortable that there’s really no need to opt for first class. The only negative here would be some of the WCs, which are not always kept in spotless condition. Trains that have meal service will show a knive and fork on the departure board (this might be as simple as an ambulating sandwich cart, however), but don’t rely on meal service on all long train rides – it’s usually a good idea to carry a bottle of water and a little snack with you, just in case. Paris, as you might expect, is a major hub in the SNCF network, so it’s exceptionally easy to get from Paris to other destinations in France as well as cities outside the borders. This is handy whether you’re in Paris as part of a bigger tour of Europe or whether you’re just hoping to take a day trip or two outside the capital during your visit. >> For trips beyond Paris, also check out this information about train travel in France Train tickets or a Eurail Pass? You have two options when it comes to train travel in France – either you’ll arrive in the country with your Eurail Passand be using that instead of train tickets, or you’ll be buying train tickets as you go. It’s important to do a bit of math well before you leave home to see if you’ll save money with a Eurail Pass (if you’re taking a few day trips or traveling to several cities in addition to Paris, it’s likely you will save money with a Eurail Pass), but if you get to Paris without one you can always buy tickets as you need them. When you’re weighing your options in the Eurail Pass v. train ticket debate, here’s what you need to know: • How much are train tickets for the trips you want to take? • What’s the cost-per-day of each Eurail Pass you’re considering? • How set in stone is your itinerary?

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more

It’s easy to figure out what tickets cost for the trips you’re taking by looking up those routes on the SNCF website (don’t worry about plugging in exact dates). And you can look up the costs of the various Eurail Passes that include France, dividing the cost of the pass by the number of days it’s good for. If the per-day cost is less than the tickets you’d buy, then a Eurail Pass is likely to be the better choice. If, on the other hand, you don’t have any fixed plans and aren’t sure whether you’ll be taking one day trip, five day trips, or none – then the flexibility you require may not make a Eurail Pass a good deal. You need to be sure you’ll use the days on your pass in order to make it worth buying. Buying Train Tickets in Paris

If you’re traveling without a France Railpass, then you’ll need to buy train tickets for each train trip you take. Thankfully, the days when you’d have no choice but to wait in long lines at the ticket counter are gone. You can still wait in line, and they’re not typically as long as they used to be, but if you’re comfortable buying tickets using an automated machine you can usually get what you need and get on your way much more quickly. Here’s how to use the automated ticket machines in France’s train stations: • Click the British flag for directions in English. • Choose your destination and departure day. • You have options for regular tickets, senior rates, excursion rates, etc. look up the various

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more categories on the SNCF website before you get there so you know which one to buy. • In second class you’ll be asked whether you want ‘galley’ or ‘compartment’ configuration. The galleys are aisles of seats similar to airplane configurations while the compartments are traditional train compartments composed of eight seats facing one another. This configuration is better for conversation but less useful if you’re bringing excess baggage (the baggage racks are too high for short people). Don’t forget to validate your ticket before you board your train! Look for the little machine to “composter” your ticket, which stamps it with the date, and then you can get on the train. If you’re on a trip that required reservations – or you just bought reserved seats anyway – you’ll need to look for whatever car and the particular seats you’ve reserved. Otherwise, if you just bought a ticket but don’t have a reserved seat, you need to hunt for a seat in the class you purchased that’s not already spoken for. Train Stations in Paris Paris has several major train stations, and it’s important to know which one your train arrives into or departs from. In some cases (i.e. Spain), you may depart from one station and return to a different station in Paris. Each station is also close to a Metro station and other public transportation, in case you need to get from one station to another, but it’s easier if you can avoid that cross-town trek. Paris’s major train stations are: • Gare du Nord (Eurostar from London) • Gare de l’Est (Trains for Germany) • Gare St. Lazare (Normandy) • Gare Montparnasse (Brittany, Chartres, Bordeaux) • Gare d’Austerlitz (Spain)

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more • Gare de Lyon • Gare de Bercy (Italy) >> More information about Eurostar which connects Paris to London (Gare du Nord, Paris & St. Pancras Station, London), and tips on your other options of how to get from Paris to London

City Transportation The Metro

Paris’s subway system called the Metro is an institution. It’s the quick, inexpensive way to get around town. Generally, theParis Metro is reasonably safe – watch out for your personal belongings in the same way that you would do so in any major cosmopolitan city. Be aware that getting in and out of Metro stations almost always involves stairways, and even when there are elevators there may be a section with a couple steps as well, so it’s not ideally suited to people who have difficulty with stairs. ‘Seeing eye’ dogs are allowed in the Metro – and anyone accompanying visually impaired travelers can ride for free. The current price for a single ticket is €1.70 and €12.00 for a set of 10 tickets called a ‘carnet.’ The official RATP Metro site has details on all the tickets available, including

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more transportation passes, and here’s our guide to the various options for Paris discount cards (again, including transportation passes). >> Learn more about how to use the Paris Metro and be on the lookout for the most beautiful Paris Metro stations RER Trains While you may spend your whole time in Paris riding the underground trains and never know when you’ve hopped on an RER train vs. the regular Metro, it’s a good idea to know about them. Within the Paris that most tourists are spending time in, they’re interlinked with the Metro lines to such a degree that many share the same stops and will take you to the same places. But they also go far beyond the borders of Paris – to places like Versailles and Disneyland Paris, as well as Charles de Gaulle Airport. If you’re riding any of the five RER lines within the city center, all you’ll need is the same ticket you’ll use on the Metro, so that part is simple. It’s when you leave the city and head out for a day-trip somewhere that you’ll need to get a special ticket. >> Learn more about how to use RER trains in Paris Buses in Paris Even below the RER on most tourists’ radar is the network of buses in Paris, but depending on where you’re staying you might find that the most convenient form of public transportation from your Paris hostel‘s front door is a bus rather than a Metro stop. So it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the buses, especially if you’re going to be staying

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Paris transportation guide. Train, subway, car rentals and more in or visiting any of the areas that are well-covered by bus lines. >> Learn more about how to use buses in Paris Driving in Paris As mentioned above, if your trip to Paris also includes day trips into parts of France that are less well-served by public transportation, then renting a car in Paris may be a good option for you. Keep in mind, however, that driving within Paris can be a headache – especially when you don’t know your way around all that well – so you might want to avoid some of that hassle by renting a car at Versailles instead of within the Paris city limits. Next on your list of things to know before you get behind the wheel in Paris is what France’s driving laws are. You may be familiar with some of them, but some will likely be things you hadn’t thought of – and you don’t want to be introduced to a law by the French police officer telling you how you just broke it. Another reason to click through to that link about driving in France is that the article includes some estimated drive-times from point to point in the country, which is handy whether you’re doing a day-trip from Paris to somewhere nearby or whether you’re setting off on a tour of the whole country. If you will be driving a car in and out of Paris, you’ll also need to familiarize yourself with where and how to park in Paris, too.

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