Paris RER B Question
 

I am considering taking the RER B from CDG. Can anyone tell me how many flights of stairs I would have to climb at Saint Michel-Notre Dame - Exit 5? I am wondering if this is feasible with luggage.

Thank you.

A year ago the topic of an elevator at Saint-Michel was discussed here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-st-michel.cfm
I checked the website mentioned by StCirq http://www.transport-idf.com/infomob...Action=VALIDEZ which indicated that an elevator for the disabled is now available at the Metro/RER station. A TripAdvisor discussion located the elevator at Sortie 6. Perhaps better informed members can offer first-hand guidance.
The blog www.parisbytrain.com is another place to turn to; its moderator, Ben, is knowledgeable and might answer your question.

I don't really remember, to be honest, but it's usually 2-3. I guess my response is that iof you have to worry about it, it may be a problem and your luggage may be too much.

Elevators for the disabled are not usually supposed to be used by anyone just because they don't want to use the stairs, you are supposed to be disabled if they are marked that way. I don't know how the elevators are marked at that station, I've taken some elevators at certain RER stations that are not marked as being only for the disabled. However, I was in one French museum and about to use the elevator and was chastised for it by some museum matron as she pointed out the sign that it was for the disabled to use. I hadn't noticed.

Actually, they are marked in the transportation system "priority for the disabled" rather than "reserved for the disabled".

Yikes; I did this with a roll aboard bag as recently as November, and for the life of me, I can't remember. I also can't remember which exit I used, but it was an exit discussed here as having a taxi stand right outside the door. To the best of my memory, which isn't good at any time, we rode an escalator from the platform level to the street level.

I was carrying a 19" rolling bag, and a large purse type thing. My husband had a 21" bag and a big camera bag. We were fine on the escalator. If there had been stairs, or more than one short flight, it would have been uncomfortable for me, and I would probably have remembered that. Discomfort, I tend to remember.

Thank you all for your helpful links. It sounds like there is an escalator all the way to the street. I will report back.

The escalator that goes to street level is the Notre Dame exit on Ile de la Cité. Go to the far end of the train to take that exit. However, if you are really going to Saint Michel rather than Ile de la Cité, it is the very farthest exit from Place Saint Michel.

Thank you. I am going to the Hotel-Dieu, so that is the exit I want. I appreciate your help.

That exit will put you just 10 meters from the entrance.

Hi,
I am back from Paris and reporting that taking the RER B between CDG and Saint Michel - Notre Dame was fairly painless. I had asked a friend returning from Europe to bring me 20 euros in coins in case I needed them to buy tickets, but on our way through the airport we passed a counter where we were able to purchase the RER tickets without resorting to the coins. We had to carry our luggage down one last flight of stairs, but I believe there actually was an escalator that we missed. At Saint Michel - Notre Dame there were escalators going all the way up to the street - much to our relief.

On the return trip, however, we had to carry the suitcases down two flights of steps before we came to an escalator. Also, there was no one in the ticket booth and the machines did not like our credit or debit cards, so we got to use the euro coins after all.

We kept looking for the lift and never found it as our hotel was off the boulevard St. Michel!

the ones signposted St. Michel involved stairs and walking along the RER C platform fighting all the people getting on and off the trains to Versailles.

so definitely use the Notre Dame exit.