Traveling on the Paris Metro (Subway)
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Easy as tarte!
Traveling in France? You will LOVE the Paris Metro, even if (like me) you are from an area of the country that does not have subways. It is incredibly easy to use with just a few quick tips. But first, check out some of the fun (and funny) sights that could entertain you as you wander below the streets of Paris. Bon voyage!
And you thought the metro was just about transportation
Musicians and performers of all kinds spend time entertaining in the metro as a way to make a little extra money. Some talented - some well...... Enjoy!
Part 1 - Understanding the maps
Steps 1 & 2 - Where do I go from here? How to get from point A to point B
Step 1 - Where am I going? Using a metro map (two links are provided below), locate the metro stop for the location you wish to visit. If you are in Paris, you can usually get a metro map from your hotel or at the Galleries Lafayette.Step 2 - Where am I now? Figure out which metro stop is the closest and how to get there by foot. If you are able to communicate, simply ask. Every Parisian is very familiar with the Metro.
Step 3 - How do I get there?
Once you have figured out which will be your metro stop, look at the line or lines that your stop is on. Find the location you wish to visit. Now, find where these two lines intersect. From time to time, you will actually have to take 3 metro lines, if the two lines you are using don't connect. Follow each line to the end, and look for a number in a circle that is the same color as the line. That is the line number.
Step 4 - Which direction?
In the Paris Metro, there are many, many directions to travel and oddly enough, none of them are north, south, east, or west. Directions have a different meaning in the metro. To figure out which direction you are traveling, follow the line to the end in that direction, and look at the word or words written beside the line number. That is the line direction. Remember that word! Fun stuff for Walking, exploring, and understanding
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The best yet
OK - this one is my personal favorite. Notice the tones in the background as the doors get ready to close. Also, where else in the world could a subway ride be this cool? Enjoy! :-)
Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip
N7 Live in the subway , cold parisian folks get slowly but surely turned on by the guys , perofrming feel in the air tonight Right on
Runtime: 5:12
3186549 views
10 Comments:
Part 2 - Actual Metro travel
Step 5 - How do I get in there?
Congratulations. Now you are ready to tackle actual movement! To enter the metro, you must have a ticket. You can buy these individually or in a carnet (car-NAY), a set of ten. They are cheaper by the carnet, so if you are in a group or know you will be traveling on the metro several times, that is probably the way to go. You can either go to the window and buy your tickets or you can use the automated machine. I suggest the machine for non-French speakers, because I believe you can change the language to English. (I won't guarantee that, however, since I've never tried.) Once you have your ticket and are ready to enter the gate, insert your ticket, with the stripe down, into the gate. The gate will not open until you take your ticket. If you have a large bag or a small child, I suggest putting it/him/her through in front of you. Once you are in the metro, keep your ticket until you exit. This is your proof that you paid, and did not jump over the stile. Ticket checks are rare, but they do happen, and as long as you have your ticket for this trip, no problem. Step 6 - I know where I'm going, NOW what?
Using the path you have already charted, go to your destination. If you forget your way, there will be maps in various locations. There are many signs in the Metro. Look for your line number AND the direction in which you will be traveling, and follow those signs. It is important to look for both, since there are different platforms for trains traveling in different directions. Once you are on the correct platform (you can usually double-check this with signs hanging above the platform), you are ready to board the train. Step 7 - Boarding the train.
When the train arrives, wait for others to exit and then board the train. If the doors don't open, either press the button on the door, or pull the lever upward, and the doors will open. Doors close automatically. Before they close a warning tone sounds. If the tone sounds, you only have about 1-2 seconds to get completely on or off the train. Otherwise, as our rabbit friend demonstrates, you "risk getting your fingers pinched strongly" Step 8 - Are we there yet?
Exiting and transfers. If you are making a transfer, simply use the signs to locate your next train. Remember to pay attention to the DIRECTION of travel, as well as the line number. No additional ticket is required for transfers. If you are exiting the metro, follow the signs that say "sortie" and lead you back to gates. Sometimes, you will need to insert the same ticket again, sometimes the gates will open automatically. When you have exited the metro, your ticket is invalid. Throw it away, so you don't get used tickets confused with unused tickts. Congratulations! You have now successfully navigated the Paris Metro. Keep it up, and soon, you will be hopelessly enamored of its practicality and ease of use.
Helpful links for using the metro
- Paris Metro Map
- A large map of the Paris Metro - Use this while reading the instructions. It will make much more sense.
- Paris Metro Map 2
- Easier to view on screen
- Fascinating Metro Facts
- History buffs - this is for you! Lots of history and trivia on the Metro.
- Paris Metro
- More info and a few useful links.
Paris Metro user review
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Metro stops for the top tourist attractions in Paris
So now you know how to get there, but where do you go? Here are possible metro stops for several top spots in Paris. Please remember that sometimes several metro stations might work for a single monument.
- The Eiffel Tower (Does this one really require an explanation?)- Bir Hakim/Trocadero
- Sacre Coeur (A beautiful mosque-like church set on the highest point of Paris) - Abbesses
- Arc de Triomphe (The triumphal arch build by Napoleon to commemorate the victories of - Who else???? - Napoleon)- Charles de Gaulle Etoile
- Champs-Elysees (ONLY the most famous street in France, possibly in all of Europe)- Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Georges V, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Concorde
- Place de la Concorde (Where they guillotinned all those nobles during the Revolution) - Concorde
- The Louvre (Arguably the world's greatest art museum) - Louvre Rivoli, Palais Royale Musee du Louvre
- Notre Dame (The bells! The Bells!)- St. Michel Notre Dame
- Musee d'Orsay (The great museum of 19th Century Art that houses a most incredible collection of Impressionist Art) - Solferino
- Pere Lachaise Cemetery (Many, many, many celebrities from all over the world are buried here, but it is Jim Morrison who probably draws the most interest) - Pere Lachaise (not necessarily the best choice), Gambetta, Phillipe Auguste (closest to MAIN entrance, but this cemetery is HUGE!)
- The Paris Catacombs (Over a kilometer of bone-lined subterranean passageways. Reportedly used extensively by the French Resistance during WWII) - Denfert-Rochereau
- Opera Garnier - (You know, the one that inspired "Phantom"!) - Opera
Show everyone you're hooked on Paris!
Other links on traveling in France
- Traveling in France
- This is one of the most amazing and comprehensive lenses I have seen. Pretty much anything you ever wanted to know about traveling in France.
- Paris Railways
- The website for the RATP - the regional railway for Paris. Information on day passes and the suburb trains - which are different from the Metro but often share stations, available here. Just click the British flag at the top to switch to English
- French National Railway Society
- Trains throughout France are awesome: prompt, clean, and convenient. Again, click the British flag at the top of the page if you need the English version.
New Guestbook
rms wrote...
Nice work on this great topic and lens. I've never had the pleasure of traveling in France.
Posted July 15, 2008
chefkeem wrote...
Great start on Squidoo with your lens. Welcome and good luck with all your endeavors.*****
Posted July 13, 2008
MuddyLaBoue wrote...
Nice lens! People who travel on trains in France should be forewarned that the "controlleurs" who check tickets don't take any excuses, and citations are expensive... 25 euros or more. Travelers should know where they're going and how far their tickets are valid. Otherwise, a Mobilis could be the answer... go anywhere in the designated zones, all day, for about 10 euros, depending on the zones. Check my lens (Go2France) under "Getting Around in Paris" or see the SNCF website.
Posted July 09, 2008
by realtychic
Bonjour! My name is Jill and I'm a French teacher in Indiana. I fell in love with France and the French language in high school, and never looked ba... (more)
