< Introducing Paris
Getting Around Paris
Scootering under the Eiffel Tower
Paris has an excellent public transport system. The Métro is fast, efficient and extensive, although, for a family, buses are by far the easiest way to get about and offer great views of major sights into the bargain. Paris is a compact city that is a pleasure to explore on foot, just so long as a buggy is available when little ones get tired. Driving in the city centre is not recommended, and even far-flung sights can be reached by RER or SNCF rail services.
Buses and trams
Buses run from 6:30am to 8:30pm, with some routes running until 12:30am. A few routes have a night service. There are limited services on Sundays and public holidays. Some routes are very scenic, notably the 29, 69, 95 and 96. On boarding, tickets must be punched in the box next to the driver. Three modern tram lines operate in the suburbs. A bus map is available online and in Métro stations. The RATP public transport company website is a useful resource for journey planning.
Métro and RER
Métro trains run from 5:30am to 1am the next day, and till 2:15am on Fridays and Saturdays. The 16 individual lines are numbered, and signposted for the terminus in each direction. Métro stations are easily identified by their logo, a large, circled “M”, and some of them have charming Art Nouveau entrances.
The suburban rail service, the
RER, also runs from 5:30–1am through Paris and into the suburbs. The lines are named by letters of the alphabet. Each line has branches, and each branch is numbered (C1, C2, etc). Within the city, the RER is faster than the Métro, but stations are further apart. The RER really excels for trips out of town, especially to the
Château de Versailles and
Disneyland® Paris, and for airport connections. RER stations all displaya blue “RER” logo on a white background in a blue circle.
Suburban destinations are also served by the national rail network SNCF. When using the SNCF service you must punch your ticket in the yellow composteur machine on the platform before you board.
Both Métro and RER lines are identified by colour, but on maps the RER lines are bolder. Maps can be found inside all stations. Signs on all platforms indicate the direction by naming the final destination of the line, and display the number of the metro line or the letter of the RER. Within Paris, RER line C links the
Eiffel Tower with
Notre-Dame.
Double, side-by-side buggies are impossible to use on Parisian public transport. Quick-folding buggies will make life considerably easier on the Métro, which has entrance gates that are difficult to negotiate with small children, and lots of steps. If you have two small children, it is best to use a buggy with seats one behind the other. On Métro trains watch out for the doors, which spring open and close rapidly. Be aware, if you have small children, that certain stations, notably Montparnasse–Bienvenüe, involve a lot of walking. If you happen to travel on the driverless line 14, be sure to take the front carriage so that the kids can play at being a train driver.
Tickets
The same tickets are valid for the Métro, RER in zone 1 and buses in zones 1 and 2. They are also valid for the Montmartre funicular. Single tickets are sold in Métro stations, at news stands and in tobacconists (look for the red, lozenge-shaped tabac sign), but a block of 10, a carnet, available at Métro stations, is more economical. Children over four years old must have a child ticket. At 10 years an adult ticket is required. Each ticket is valid for 90 minutes, no matter how many transfers are made, but cannot be used for transfers between buses and the Métro system. There are on-the-spot inspections, so hang on to your tickets. Tourist travel passes, called Paris Visite, are available for adults and children, giving unlimited travel on the Métro, buses and RER within Paris for between one and five days. However, they are only worth buying if you plan to use public transport extensively. For more information consult the Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris website.
Driving
It is not necessary – or ideal – to have a car to get around the city. If you do bring your own car to Paris you will need your driving licence, plus its registration and insurance documents. Carry these with you at all times when driving.
While RER and SNCF will get you to most out-of-town destinations, car hire is a useful option for exploring the countryside around
Fontainebleau. Expect to pay €100–150 per day. The best deals are online, booked and paid for in advance, and all the main companies have offices in Paris. Alternatively,
Autolib’ provides a public self-service car rental system. To hire a car, you need a valid driving licence and passport, and most firms require a credit card. International driving licences are not needed for drivers from the EU, North America, Australia or New Zealand.
The French drive on the right and must yield to traffic merging from the right, except for cars already on a roundabout, which have right of way. The exception to this is the
Arc de Triomphe, where cars must give way to those coming from the right on any one of the 12 roads that enter it. There are no road markings here, either, so a twirl around the famous arch will test your driving skills to the limit. Children under 10 must not travel in the front seat but backwards-facing baby seats are allowed. Bring seat belt adjusters for young children.
Taxis
Taxis can be hailed on the street but may not stop. Station de taxis or taxi ranks are marked with a blue sign. A white or green light on the taxi roof means it is available. Rates are based on the zone and time of day and there is a basic flag-fall charge as well, plus an additional charge for luggage. Many taxis will take up to two adults and two children only. There is no need to tip, but rounding up the fare is expected. A lot of drivers seem to have been inspired by the cult Luc Besson-scripted Taxi movie, so fasten your seatbelts!
Taxis at a taxi rank outside Gare du Nord
Chauffeur Services Paris
0147522223
0668561688;
www.csparis.com (services include stretch limos and tours)
Walking
The main sights of central Paris are so close together that adults will be tempted to walk from one to another. However, an exhausted, fractious child soon takes the fun out of a stroll. Bring a pushchair, even if the children have almost outgrown it, or hop on a bus. Be extra vigilant when crossing roads, and never assume that even a clearly marked pedestrian crossing will be respected.
Parking
There are numerous municipal car parks, most of which are open 24 hours a day, but which can cost up to €20 per day. Street parking is cheaper, but scarce, and you can expect to get a few bumps and scrapes. Street parking is often free over the weekend, after 7pm and in August, which is probably the only good time to have a car in Paris, as the city is relatively quiet. Never park where signs read Parking (Stationnement) Interdit, across delivery bays (marked Livraison) or on a taxi rank, as your car may be towed away. If this does happen, go to the nearest police station. Expect to pay a fine as well as a charge for every day the car is held.
By bike
Paris is an easy city to cycle in as it is generally flat, relatively small and has over 400 km (250 miles) of cycle lanes.
Vélib is the municipal bike-hire scheme. The bikes are only for use by over 14s, however, and require a credit card with chip and pin. The website has a downloadable map of cycle lanes and details of when certain streets are pedestrianized. If there is a cycle lane you must use it or risk a fine. If you have small children, take to two wheels on Sundays and public holidays, when streets are pedestrianized in the scheme “Paris Respire”. If you feel that cycling with kids in a strange city is too risky, consider hiring bikes in the safe settings of the
Bois de Boulogne or
Bois de Vincennes. But if you still want to see the sights on two wheels, the best option is a guided tour by bike.
By rollerblade
Parisians are absolutely crazy about Rollerblading and there are often organized mass excursions on blades on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, which are great fun for families with older children.
Roller Squad Institute
0156619961;
www.rsi.asso.fr (family tours on some Sun afternoons)
Guided tours
A bus tour is a good way to introduce kids to the sights of Paris, especially at the beginning of a first visit to the city. That way, they can be involved in choosing what to see and do. All bus tours have multi-lingual commentaries. Open-top buses are the most fun, as long as the weather is good. L’Open Tour is a hop-on-hop-off service with tickets valid for three days, or Les Cars Rouges offers a nine-stop ticket valid for two days. A night-time tour is a magical and unforgettable experience. There are lots more unusual ways to tour the city. Among the most fun is in an old Citroën 2CV, through Paris Authentic. Your guides are all enthusiastic young Parisians, but do not be surprised if your car breaks down and you have to get out and push. Touring Paris in a horse-drawn carriage will make most little girls feel like a princess, while everyone can pretend to be secret agents flying over the city in a helicopter. The views are breathtaking, especially at sunset. Not a Tourist Destination runs tours packed with “insider” tips on themes such as shopping, nightlife and food, as well as tours for kids. There are other companies offering special guided tours for children and/or families, too, often involving activities such as a treasure hunt.
L’Open Tour’s open-top bus on a circuit of the city
Ixair
0130088080;
www.circuit.ixair.com (flights from 25 mins; departures from Le Bourget or Heliport de Paris)
French Adventures
0146801766;
www.frenchadventures.com (private tours for children or families, including treasure and scavenger hunts, games and workshops in French only)
Muses et Musées
0678489949;
www.musesetmusees.com (self-guided activity and discovery tour leaflets to purchase online; ages 7–13)
Paris d’Enfants
0148749280;
www.parisdenfants.com (40 activity-led tours for families with 5–12 or 11–15 year olds; self-guided tours with booklet and colouring books in French only)
Parisphile
0140347157 (tailored guided tours for kids)
Arrondissements
Paris is divided into 20 numbered districts called arrondissements. The numbering begins in the city centre and radiates out in a clockwise spiral, with the first four on the Right (north) Bank of the Seine and the next three on the Left Bank. Every street sign has its arrondissement number above the street name. Parisians usually refer to areas by their number, and this number forms the last two digits of Parisian postcodes.