We took the bus everyday, everywhere. You certainly see more of the city. Enjoyed it more than the metro. Using the bus takes a bit of studying the numbers, the routes, etc. Best to have a travel card for a number of days. But you don't really need one. Study the bus map. French citizens would stop and help us when needed. Our ten days in Paris were wonderful.

Here's a guide that will make you a Paris bus aficionado: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34987572

I agree completely! Discovered the buses on my 6th trip to Paris and will never go back to the Metro!

Pick up a guide to the buses at any newsstand and explore the city.

My experiences were the same as those Thomas reported. I got help from many people. The bus riders seem to be a different breed of cats relative to the Metro riders.

I always took the bus except when the Metro seemed to be the better choice because of time and distance.

The major time the RER was the indicated means of travel was when we went to Versailles.

I fully agree: Taking the bus lets you see! Walking lets you see even more. Without walking some, I would have missed all kinds of sights.

One of the most amusing anecdotes I can tell involved a stroll along the Champs du Mars. A young hot shot on a skateboard sideswiped an older lady (my age possible). She was not injured, in fact, she did not even lose her balance. The young hotshot was separate from his skateboard.
The woman took control of the board and delivered a severed tongue lashing to the young man. I have no idea what she said but I understood the meaning quite well. She culminated her tirade by administering a kick to the skate board that sent it hurtling down the stairs toward the Seine.

Unfortunately, the skateboard kick lacked the authority of one delivered by Michelle Akers or Mia Ham and the board did not quite make the river.

The hotshot seemed unfazed by being chewed out. He retrieved his wheels and continued on his way.

My wife and I were hoping for a splashdown, but we hoped in vain.

We love the buses too. Especially as last time in Paris we were on RER B line, which was fabulous, but seemed to involve changing trains at Chatelet fairly often and that station is so huge, you might as walk to wherever you are going!!

Another bus lover here. The RATP website has an itinerary planner , just put in your starting address and your arrival point and choose bus. Pick up a copy of le petit Parisien 3 plans ( metro, bus and address) par arrondissement.

"Le Bus," little blue booklet, has all of the routes overlaid on maps of the city.

So does this map (free from RATP):

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...eur&fm=pdf