The Paris Métro
I love the Métro in Paris. Probably because I fell in love with a French guy down in the Métro the very first day I arrived in Paris. It was love at first sight for both of us and made my three day visit turn into a 35 year odyssey! But, enough about my stroll down memory lane!
The Paris Métro is one of the easiest subway systems to understand, but I won’t go into detail about how to find your way around in this labyrinth. I suggest you just go down there for the experience! Especially during the colder months, the Métro becomes a warm underground city all its own.
There are vendors, artist, singers, and musicians at most of the larger stations such as Châtelet, Gare Montparnasse, and the Opéra. A few years ago it became necessary to pass an audition with the RATP in order to be able to entertain in the Métro. How well that has been enforced is not really clear. I’m just glad that when I was young and I use to play my guitar down there, it was open to one and all. I would have passed the audition to play, but they would have thrown me out if they had heard me sing!
If your stay in Paris is a short one, I’m sure you’ll prefer to see the sights from a bus, but do take the Métro at least once or twice. Not only will you get to your destination a lot faster, you’ll also become a part of this frenzy of people rushing from one place to another. That is unless you happen upon a wonderful jazz combo; or a group from South America playing fabulous Indian music, or perhaps a singer accompanied by an accordionist doing all the old French standards and you’ll feel like Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina.
Parisians and tourists alike will pause to listen to, and appreciate the artistry flowing through the corridors. It’s a moment in time that stops and everyone seems to forget that they had to hurry off somewhere. When you climb back out onto the street you’ll understand what I mean. It’s a whole other world down there.
Buy a carnet, which are ten tickets sold at a cheaper price than buying single tickets. You’ll find that you will definitely use all of them. Or you can buy a 1, 2, 3, or 5 day pass. Otherwise, if you’re staying longer, there’s a weekly or monthly pass called the Carte Orange. Your tickets are good for the bus and the Métro and certain lines on the train within the city limits and nearby suburbs.
Some great stations to visit: the M° Louvre-Rivoli, it looks like an extention of the famous museum! M° Varenne, a replica of Rodin’s The Thinker is down there, if you don’t have time to go to the museum! (By the way, the Rodin Museum is free every first Sunday of the month.)
Cross over from the métro station Bir-Hakeim to Trocadéro or vice-versa and be sure to have your camera ready, you’ll have a great view of the Eiffel Tower. (The view will be on the right-hand side. From Trocadero to Bir-Hakeim the view will be on the left.) At M° Abbesses and M° Porte Dauphine, the beautiful entrances are the attraction.
Line #14 whose terminus is Bibliothèque François Mitterrand is the newest addition to the Métro system which is run automatically by computers! Yikes, there’s no one driving the train! Have fun!
Photo credits: flickr
Tags: b5media, City-of-Lights, European-Travel, france, guide, paris, Paris-Metro, Paris-Traveler, travel, VacationRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Getting Around, Things To See & Do
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