mollmatt

I am taking the RER B from CDG to Chatelet les Halles and have read that this station is "difficult" to navigate, to say the least... I'm hoping that someone will be kind enough and give me very specific directions, i.e. "turn xxx once you exit the train, walk to xxx escalator/stairs on the xxx, go up xx flights, turn xxx, look for xxx sortie, go up to rue de xxx etc....(xxx meaning left/right/# etc.)
Almost like "Chatelet les Halles for Dummies". I've read some horror stories about this station but am hoping that with some help we can make it out alive...

My destination is 10 rue Simon le Franc which is east? of the Pompideau. It appears that exiting on rue Pierre Lescot is the best, correct? I think we can make it from there walking the 10 minutes or so it appears to be from the RER station. Thanks!

Michel_Paris

Chatetel is not complicated, more "intricate" if you need to change Metro lines. Since so many lines cross at this station if you are switching, you could need to go up and down multiple sets of stairs/escalators.

In your case, your destination is East, so if Exit Rue Ballard, go south (right)to Berger, east (left) along that until rue Beaubourg then north (left)to Simon. If exit on Berger, turn left and follow above.

Enter your info at mappy.com for a good map of the area around station and Simon.

As a P.S I always have a good map (not tourist map) of Paris whenever I leave my hotel. Invaluable for when you exit Metro to get your bearings (though there are maps of the quartiers at most (all?)stations) plus helps to find shortcuts and getting 'unlost'.

Christina

I doubt if anyone is going to be able to give you directions like that for the interior of the station. You'd have to know it awfully well (maybe someone does who takes it every day, but directions like that can often be wrong, in my experience, a lot of people make mistakes in giving directions). There's nothing that unusual about it, there are signs -- just look for them and follow them to where you want to go. It's just big, that's all. I don't think it is "difficult" to navigate in the sense that it is a maze, it's just large so you may have to go quite a ways if you are transfering lines or something.

mollmatt

So if I am not transferring from RER to Metro lines, just leaving the station, it's not that complicated? Michel Paris suggested I exit using the rue Ballard exit but that seems to be on the opposite side of the direction I need to be heading. Looking at my map, isn't better to exit the station to come out on Pierre Lescot? Maybe this isn't possible from the RER B line? Can someone clarify?

StCirq

My personal rule of thumb for Chatelet is get out of the station any way you can as quickly as you can and do your navigating above ground.

opaldog

I would look for exit signs for rambuteau and just walk down rambuteau toward the pompidou and past it and hang a right. From there you can consult a map and should be able to find it easily. I feel that when in the metro you should just logically follow the signs. I have found the stations to be well marked. We always use the RER from CDG and get off at Chatelet, the same as you will be doing. Don't be afraid, there's nothing to fear.

Nikki

Once you are out on the street, it is always much easier to navigate than it is inside a station underground. Unless I am changing trains (or unless I know a station really well), I find it most efficient at any larger station to just exit at the nearest point. That way you avoid all the long corridors, ramps and possible ups and downs you might encounter to get to the exit closest to your destination.