James

Honeymooners (early-30's) arriving in Paris in early August and are wondering if it is worth getting the Paris visite card.

I've seen some of the arguments in this forum, and am really wondering if it will save us from any hassle.

We'll be arriving by plane, staying for 6 nights near Jardin des Tuileries (inbetween Place de la Concorde & the Louvre).

Then taking the eurotrain over to London.

We plan on mostly walking (if suggested), but are concerned about getting from the airport & getting to the train station as well as taking inter-city transportation some of the time.

Are taxi's expensive?

Can we / should we just take train / bus transport to & from while carrying our luggage?

Thanks for any input.

Gretchen

Taxis are not expensive. The Metro is a breeze to use. The Paris Visite card is a rip-off, particularly if you buy it before you get to Paris. If you are arriving before Wednesday you could conceivably buy a Carte Orange which would give you unlimited Metro and bus use for just a bit more than the carnet of 10 Metro tickets. The CO requires a small head photo and costs about 13E. It is also good for buses which can be fun to use. So far as getting from the airport, take a taxi (marked Taxi Parisien--others are gypsy cabs and will overcharge). It will cost about 45E to your hotel but it is THE way to get a good start on your honeymoon in Paris. Negotiating public transport with
luggage is difficult for a first timer. A taxi from your hotel to the Gare du Nord for the Eurostar will be quite inexpensive probably--10E?

Michel_Paris

James,


First, a useful site:

http://www.ratp.fr/ParisVisite/Eng/Pla_q/f_pla.htm

In my case I've been 7/8 times. I don't tend to have more than one piece of luggage and one carry on. I've landed at CDG as well as the Gare du Nord (Eurostar). From the Airport I have taken the train (RER)(~7E) which takes me to the center of Paris. There are several RER stops in central Paris. The RER ticket lets you on to the Metro. I have used the St Michel one in order to get to my Left Bank Hotel. The train stations interest with the Metro, so you can/would trasnfer from one to the other. In your case, I'm guessing Chatelet then Metro it to Louvre. Quite a bit of walking, so if you have lots of luggage...I have also taken the Roissybus from T2 (~7E) to the Old Opera (Opera Garnier). Metro access is there, from there two stops to Louvre.
Other choice is the Air France bus (~10E) which takes you to Etoile (Arch de Triomphe). Metro access is there, from there 5 metro stops to Louvre. Have never cabbed it. I guess the important questions are: do you want to do some walking, do you want a cheap ride, or is your preference to not have to worry about tickets, finding stations and the hotel, etc..

mamc

Just came back from Paris and highly recommend the Carte Orange. It has gone up in price a little from 13 Euro (about 16 if I recall correctly) and, much to my surprise, no longer requires a photo. If you have much luggage, I wouldn't recommend using the Metro to and from the airport. There are lots of stairs in most Metro stations. On the other hand, if you have minimum luggage, Metro will take you almost everywhere quickly and efficiently.

mkf99

To get from CDG to the city, try www.parishuttle.com. I used this and it costs around 30-35 euros. The metro is very efficient and easy to understand.

Travelnut

mamc, did you purchase your Carte Orange from a person or a vending machine? Just wondering, since it really is 2 parts - the ticket and the id card. You should only use the ticket if you already have the id card. (unless things have REALLY changed!)

spacea

We made reservations using a toll free no.When we got to cdg we called them then after picking up our luggage we went outside as instructed and caught the shuttle that took us to our hotel. Very reasonable I think about $30.00. Dont remember the name but I am sure someone on this board could tell you.

SandyR

James... we stayed in the same area you'll be staying and found it very convenient to all the sights. Took the on-off tour bus the 1st day, then walked everywhere. Be sure and have a hot chocolate at Angelina's, across from the Tuillerie Gardens... words can't describe how heavenly it was! We walked to the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Opera Houe, Place de Concorde... and the St. Germain area, found a shortcut across the Gardens and over the Seine, fast and easy. We were there in August, too, and there were carnival rides set up in the Gardens. Every night we walked through and watched the activity. Congratulations and have a wonderful trip.

amelia

James: Please heed Gretchen. You're on a honeymoon, right? From the airport, either get the shuttle or a taxi--forget the metro (it's the prime line for pickpockets in the summer and why risk your honeymooon because of just one stinking decision to be frugal). Plus one staircase (and it will be mostly likely three to four) could ruin your back for the rest of the trip. Taxis run 40-60 depending on time/traffic--won't break your bank or your back or ruin your marriage.

However, riding the metro for the rest of your stay, that's another matter. Ride to heart's content day or night. It's a bargain whether you're doing pass or tickets. If you're inclined to do a pass, then the orange card is your baby (Paris Visite is the "let's take money from these out-of-town people" pass). But quite frankly, most of us oldtimers just buy a pocketful of tickets (un carnet=ten) and refuel when needed during the dryer summer months. The weather will probably be great and you might only want to give the metro a nod now and then. Paris is the ultimate walking city.

You are going to have a great time. I like it that you're in your 30's. You'll know how to make the most of it! Enjoy, enjoy!

MD

We bought 5-day passes in 1999 for about $25US each. I thought I read somewhere that Orange Card runs from Sunday to Sat. or some such. The plain 5-day pass works fine (even once it's been washed in the laundromat, ha ha).

We were about to buy a 5-day museum pass at Napoleon's Tomb when the guy there said "don't bother, all the museum workers are on strike." He was right. We saw Versailles and several other places, but the most big museums were closed. With the unrest there at this time, I would wait til you get there to commit yourself. (Heck even the Metro is erratic now...)

RonZ

My advice is to simply take a cab to your hotel. Have the address written on a piece of paper to show the driver if you can not clearly say it in french. There will be a charge for luggage in addition to what is on the meter.

Amy40

We just got back from a week in Paris during various strikes. Being centrally located, as we were and you will be, means that walking is a good alternative to problematic mass transportation. Metros and buses were running sporadically and when they did show up could be VERY crowded. We used a carnet (only bought one for the two of us all week) on both buses and metro. Also, beware the museum hours. Evening openings were often curtailed by the strikes. Don't count on anything...except for the beauty of Paris.

Christina

I was wondering about mamc's comment also. They have required photos on Carte Oranges forever and ever and I just would be amazed if they didn't require it any more. It's for fraud reasons -- without the photo, more than one person could pass around a Carte Orange to be used by several. Sure, they don't usually check, but they can and people know it and if you don't have the ID card, you can be fined. YOu can buy a replacement coupon from a machine or from a person once you have the card, but it isn't legit.

As for the price, that varies depending on no. of zones -- if you bought 3 zones that would be about 18 euro, but the 1-2 is still priced at 13, I thought. The RATP web site does not mention any price changes or that the Carte Orange has changed. The SNIF (Syndicate Nationale des Transports d'Ile de France) regulates metro ticket fares and raises them July 1st each year. I think that may even be a law (certainly customary), so for them to raise them pre-July would be very unusual. I just looked at their web site where they announce the raise in ticket price each year (called hausse annuelle) and it doesn't name the one for 2003 yet. It is usually announced around June 19-21st.

Well, I'll find out in a little while when I go. Sorry to be skeptical but I've just read nothing in the French press or from the officials on this matter and usually raising metro ticket prices is a big deal. I just thought that could mislead people if it is a mistake. Some people have posted on this board before telling people they don't need the orange ID card, but it wasn't true, they were mistaken (and just got lucky they they were never checked).

mamc

We purchased our cartes orange from a person. There was a small plastic folder with a ticket and another card with a place for general information such as name and start date. The card was included with the ticket but there was no need to fill anything out to get the ticket. Very quick and there is no longer a picture involved. We were never asked to show the "identity card".

Travelnut

Hi, mamc. . . We used the C.O. last Oct - they just handed me all the stuff, too, but you are still supposed to affix your photo onto the id card yourself. Even the image of the card on www.ratp.fr displays it with a photo affixed to it.
Don't mean to belabor the point, but the C.O. is recommended often here to new travelers, and we all want to pass on information that is as accurate as we know it to be.

Gretchen

And there is one more thing that is supposed to be done--you are supposed to write the number that is on your CO cover (the one with the picture!) on your ticket. It needs to be a matched set if it is examined by the RATP police. I don't think we did that with our first one, although the very nice clerk may have done it for us--as she also cut our picture so it would fit and put it all together for us. We must have looked very clueless!

Kay

James:

I just returned last week from a month in Paris ; I rented an apartment on rue Cler (near the Eiffel). The Carte Orange is easy to get and makes travel a lot less expensive and easier. On rainy days I used it to ride the buses from one end to the other, just so I could see different parts of Paris. I was checked by officials in the Chatelet station who were asking to see all passes and tickets, so it does happen.

Hopefully you will not be inconvenienced too much by the strikes. We tried 3 times before we found the Picasso museum open. But there is always an easy alternative if you find the strike has closed something.

Your location sounds very central so I am sure you will be able to walk alot. I hope you will love Paris as much as I do. Have a wonderful honeymoon. Kay

LVSue

I returned from Paris on May 10, and when we bought our Carte Orange (from the Metro ticket window), we gave them the picture which they affixed to the card. The coupon (ticket) still cost 13.25 at that point. What do you mean, Mamc, that you bought it from a person? (And the CO runs from Mon-Sun, but you can't buy it after Wed)

LVSue

By the way, I also recommend Parishuttle from the airport. Mention Fodor's and you can usually get a little discount. Contact the manager Mark Harris for information: [email protected]

scumpy

I was riding a bus on my Carte Orange when four transit police offices boarded and asked to see everybody's proof of purchase. Cost was 13.25 Euro, and it required a photo, May 2002. The non-English speaking man in the Metro booth put it together for me after I indicated I did not how to do it.