Travelling in and around Paris, Hints and Guidance

[Roman]

Mod Edit: With many of us heading towards Paris in October and for some, it is the first time, it is only natural some may have concerns about travelling in and around Paris. This thread can be used so that people can post guidance and tips to travelling in and around Paris.

If you have a question or concern in relation to travelling in Paris, feel free to raise them.

(edit: direct link to Google map of Grand Rex: you guys can use this to find your bearings from where you are staying, etc)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=1%2C+bd+Poissonni%C3%A8re,+75002,+France&ie=UTF8&om=1&iwloc=addr
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Someone asked about how to get "downtown" from the airport. Here's a little info:
The question was if it is ok to take the metro/train from the airport with luggage. I said: I think that's fine. That's what I did. However, you can't take the metro. You must take the RER B train from the airport which means you must find the elevator that goes down a level or two (not necessarily obvious) and then take the tram to terminal bla bla. Sorry I don't remember which terminal is which to get to the train. You must buy a ticket for that train to get to Paris. You can use a machine or buy from the person in the booth. Machine is probably easier if you have the coinage. The machines may not work with an American credit card. I can not buy metro tickets, for example, from the machine with a card.

Once you get to Gare du Nord, get off and then take the métro. You can buy metro tickets from machines or whatever too; however, you should be able to get right off the RER and onto the métro without getting another ticket.

This site might help : http://www.ratp.fr/

[ggin]

Sorry I don't remember which terminal is which to get to the train.

I looks like it is Terminal 2:

The rapid RER train service links Charles de Gaulle Airport with central Paris . Trains run every 15 minutes (eight minutes in peak periods) and the journey takes approximately 35 minutes. Line B runs from the TGV station at Terminal 2 to Gare du Nord, Châtelet-les-Halles, Saint-Michel and Denfert-Rochereau, with connections to the metro.

Source:
http://www.paris-cdg.com/transportation.html

Also I found this map:
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/84e7c3aedb247dda4c765aa5911cc9692g.jpg (http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=sdzxliugcdv&thumb=5)

[AlphaDevil2]

From Charles de gaulle airport you can also take the Roissy Bus (nicknamed the Opera bus) and that will drop you off opposite the Opera Garnier which aint far from the Rex (its a "one stop" bus route so you have no fears about missing the stop).

If you are staying near the Opera Garnier this may be another alternative, probably the one I will take as its only 5-10 mins away from my hotel. There are drawbacks it is slower and traveling can take up to an hour, but if you are not worried about the time it could be a viable alternative. If I'm right a ticket costs 8.50 euros and you can buy tickets either from a machine or from the driver directly when you board.

[Roman]

Ok, well I hope that anyone who would like this information actually finds this thread some day.

Here is some information about how métro passes work. For this less than one week trip in October, I'd recommend just getting a package of 10 tickets - un carnet de dix billets (which you can only pronounce if you know some French anyway, though they will probably know English anyway).
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/01/au_revoir_carte_1.html

[william hall]

I have used the Roissybus in the past and found it a simple way to get to central Paris. The trip takes maybe 45 mins but you get to see some of Paris on the way in so i would recommend this for anyone staying in the Opera district.

[chiew]

yum.. toasted raisin bread with french butter :D

haha, right, i understand that many of use will be staying at the hotel d'espagne?
will there be 'AF Tours' for paris? :) would be fun, no?
and this trip being new to most people, perhaps we could discuss places to visit etc?
you know, important places...like where lili shops, eats, works out, take anny-lee, that kinda stuff :D and of course eiffel tower, places to eat etc..
just a thought, heh

[Roman]

Well, maybe one can go take a look at la tour Eiffel, but it takes too long to go up. Seriously. I spent at least half a day doing that - like from 11:50am to 5:30pm one day. Though, there will probably be less tourists at the end of October. Hmm. Don't know. There are other places to go. Just to look at the mall itself from the outside, Les Halles is pretty cool. Place de la Concorde? I don't know. Have to think about it more. Versailles is really cool to see, though not right in Paris. For the ticket that covers everything it was 25€, but it was worth it when we went.

[Orion]

It would be great if we could all meet up and just do a "walk about" prior to or after the concert. . .

. . . it would be a chance to hang out, and with those numbers, be noticed too! ;)

Lili forever!

[Roman]

It would be great if we could all meet up and just do a "walk about" prior to or after the concert. . .

. . . it would be a chance to hang out, and with those numbers, be noticed too! ;)

Lili forever!I like the sound of that, but yes, we should probably pick places to go, especially if we have large numbers. You know how hard it is to get a group to agree to do something at the same time. And, this promenade will have to be the day before or the day after (at least). I think we'll all be busy in one place the day of.

Probably the best thing is to meet at a hotel and do a bit of a spiral around the area and maybe stop by some restaurant or other early in the meal time (if there are many of us) so that they still have seats available.

And Ronny, as you will know half of Paris by then, invite all your friends to go. It would be cool to walk around with like 20 or 30 people and say it's the Alizée international fan club group. That would get some people's attention - not something to be completely forgotten soon. And for god's sake wear some Alizée gear so people see it rather than just a random bunch of blokes! (guess that means everyone needs to buy Alizée jackets hint hint :))

Oops, now this has become part of the planning thread.

[Joseph18]

I like the sound of that, but yes, we should probably pick places to go, especially if we have large numbers. You know how hard it is to get a group to agree to do something at the same time. And, this promenade will have to be the day before or the day after (at least). I think we'll all be busy in one place the day of.

Probably the best thing is to meet at a hotel and do a bit of a spiral around the area and maybe stop by some restaurant or other early in the meal time (if there are many of us) so that they still have seats available.

And Ronny, as you will know half of Paris by then, invite all your friends to go. It would be cool to walk around with like 20 or 30 people and say it's the Alizée international fan club group. That would get some people's attention - not something to be completely forgotten soon. And for god's sake wear some Alizée gear so people see it rather than just a random bunch of blokes! (guess that means everyone needs to buy Alizée jackets hint hint :))

Oops, now this has become part of the planning thread.


Thet is very good idea I like it:thumbup:

[chiew]

and i read that, most of us AF members with be in paris the whole week of the concert (mon-fro).
perhaps we could plan a few events for each day, except thursday of course, we'll be queueing all day :D
i assume that in paris, we're after the sites and food?
now, who's gonna be our tour guide :P

or, let's all put together a list?
who's up for it..

[Alexx89_Rom]

and i read that, most of us AF members with be in paris the whole week of the concert (mon-fro).
perhaps we could plan a few events for each day, except thursday of course, we'll be queueing all day :D
i assume that in paris, we're after the sites and food?
now, who's gonna be our tour guide :P

or, let's all put together a list?
who's up for it..

Especially after the food !!!!!!! ... Can't wait to taste french specialities...Yummy !

[chiew]

I jsut read the mexican tour thread and...
come on guyuch detailed plans when they were there!
and this is paris! alizee's homegrs! they had sound!
let's make this trip one for the books!

sun - some museum
mon - tour eiffel
tues - louvre
wed - arc de triomphe
thurs - Alizée's concert!
fri - versailles

now im not familiar with paris and this is prob not the most convenient.
let's all start contributing. feel free to edit.

hw about good restaurants?

(should this be in the grand rex plannin thread? heh)

[Roman]

I jsut read the mexican tour thread and...
come on guyuch detailed plans when they were there!
and this is paris! alizee's homegrs! they had sound!
let's make this trip one for the books!

sun - some museum
mon - tour eiffel
tues - louvre
wed - arc de triomphe
thurs - Alizée's concert!
fri - versailles

now im not familiar with paris and this is prob not the most convenient.
let's all start contributing. feel free to edit.

hw about good restaurants?

(should this be in the grand rex plannin thread? heh)
Yes, this should be in the planning thread.

I don't think I understood much of what you said in that first paragraph, but the other line-up looks fine. As for museum, honestly, I'm not that into museums, but Versailles was great and is a museum. So, it also depends on how much walking one can do. I just got back from running down to the Hôtel d'Ville and then down to Pont Sully where they were having kind of a rock concert thing sort of (no musicians by the time I got there, but a D.J. and she was rocking the crowd pretty good). Then across the Seine and over to Notre Dame which has been taken care of and is looking very pretty right now all clean and white. I will probably go up before I leave here. Anyway, there was various entertainment around there - prestidigitators, jugglers, skaters jumping a bar with a ramp, and then ran back home after stopping at the HdV again. That was a nice walk. Also walking up and around Montmartre near dusk or when ever, I suppose, is nice too. Again, I don't know how it will be during Oct, but one can spend a day just going up the Eiffel tower, but yes, you must go look at it at least.

L'Arc de Triomphe is also pretty cool. I'd recommend going to see that and the 12 roads that issue forth from it. I don't know if the weather will support any picnics, but that would be nice too. I've had a few nice picnics here, like on the Pont des Arts which is for pedestrians and there's always a bunch of people there (ok, like everywhere).

[chiew]

HA HA! im sry!!
honestly i didnt realise i wrote that. as in the parts that didnt made sense.lol
what i meant was, mexico had such good planning, lets make this paris trip even better! because its Alizée's home too.

and perhaps in the other thread, we should start planning where to go then. as for museums, at least we check out the famous ones, it is history-rich paris after all!

(onto the other thread then)

[lapinschous]

The finest thing that could ever happen in France would be Alizée singing in Versailles under the moonlight ... being a fan of architecture and woman's anatomy i keep dreaming about this scene... But let me tell you that going to Paris without visiting Versailles, would be like visiting new york without seeing Time's square ! ^^

[Jenny_HRO87]

But let me tell you that going to Paris without visiting Versailles, would be like visiting new york without seeing Time's square ! ^^

oh Versailles is beautiful! We were there in March 2009 (when we went to Paris even if the Grand Rex concert was finally cancelled) and we had perfect weather and it was amazing!

I guess we will go to Versailles next weekend but to be honest everything is a lot more beautiful in summer, even Versailles... why do the Enfoirés concerts always have to be in winter? I'm sure it's still a nice place to take a walk and also the castle is beautiful but winter is not really the best season to visit the park... if it's open!

But hey if I'm not totally wrong I don't even have to pay for it because because the page says you don't have to when you're under 26 and a citizen of the EU.... so why not go there.... to be honest I can't remember if it was always like this. I'm not entirely sure if I paid something 3 years ago or not...

[lapinschous]

You're perfectly right, all EU citizens under 26 get a free ticket , i went there 5 times for photoshoots with my girlfriend and other girls , and we didn't pay a dime :)

[Gursorne]

very nice topic, i will be back.