Specific Paris ??? for kerouac
 

or any others that live there.
Im looking for walking times and Metro/Bus numbers.
We can walk for 20 minutes with no problems.

1. How long does it take to walk from Rue Mouffetard to Luxemborg Garden?
2. What Metro/Bus would we take from Rue Mouffetard area to Eiffel Tower?
3. What Metro/Bus from Eiffel Tower to d'Orsay Musee?
4. What Metro/Bus from St Paul stop in Marais to La Fayette Galleries?
5. How long would it take to walk from Rue Mouffetard to Notre Dame?

Thanks so much everyone...

While you wait for Kerouac, per Google maps #1 is a 22 minute walk.

Doesn't it depend entirely on how fast you can walk? I walk about twice as fast as most people I know, so it takes me 10 minutes to get somewhere my best friend needs 20 minutes to walk. How far can you usually walk in 20 minutes?

1. less than 20 minutes
5. less than 20 minutes

For the other questions, I have a metro map printed in my brain but not a bus map (easily found on www.ratp.fr)

2. metro Monge or Gobelins to Opéra and then change to line 8 to Ecole Militaire
3. RER C from the Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel to Musée d'Orsay (RER C is currently closed in the center of Paris and replaced by a bus -- but it will be running again by the end of August)
4. metro St. Paul to Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and change to line 7 to Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette

Hmmmmm..how much per hour to HIRE YOU as a private guide while in Paris, Kerouac???? LOL

Hi jet,

For walking distances, www.viamichelin.com
For public transportation, www.ratp.fr

Enjoy your visit.

((I))
If you slowed down, you could walk for 30 min. :)

you can get walking and driving distances on www.mappy.fr

Mappy says it is 1 km (and 16 min walking time) from the "top" of rue Mouffetard to Notre Dame. That is the closest point, if you were at the bottom or near the eglise St Medard, it would be about 20-25 min if you walk at that pace. However, if you cannot walk longer than 20 minutes, I suspect you are walking slower than that. That is a steady but not real brisk clip of about 1.5 miles per hour.

Thanks for all the great replies.

Im a dork..What is the difference between RER and M on the metro map?

If you have a Paris Metro Pass, can you go on either of these?

M is the métro (subway). RER are the commuter trains. The often intersect. I've never used one of those passes, so can't help with that.

RER = réseau express régional (regional express network -- the express metro with only a few stops inside Paris, but it works with metro tickets)

I'm presuming this isn't an exercise walk but a sightseeing walk which always takes me at least double the normal time as I look around at the buildings, shop windows, people, etc.

If you're going to put blinders on and hoof it to Notre Dame or the Luxembourg Gardens you can easily do it in 20 minutes or less.

If you're like me and take my time and look around I would say 30 to 40 minutes to Notre Dame or more if you're starting at the southern end of rue Mouffetard and look at all the vendor stalls on the street, St-Etienne-du-Mond church, Shakespeare & Co., Hotel-Dieu, just to name a few things of interest along the way to Notre Dame. I've done this walk and it's taken me hours!

we wont be speed walking but will be taking picnic items with us to Lux Gardens. Dont want to carry too much if it is a long walk. or dont want wine to get hot :)
Sounds like we wont linger too much along the way. we will do that on the way back:)

thanks for metro info. the one time i was in Paris i remember that it was pretty easy to use once you knew which one you need.

I know that a lot of you like to picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens, but that appeals to me about as much as having a picnic in Grand Central Terminal.

There are lovely relaxing place to have picnics in the outer arrondissements -- which would also give you a chance to see areas of Paris that are undeservedly overlooked by many visitors.

Kerouac - would you give some specifics? If I wanted to spend the afternoon or evening in "any old town" off the beaten path, where should I go? Can you point me in the direction of nice area in which to wander, browse shops and eat (restaurant or picnic)?

I agree Kerouac, and because the Lux Gardens are so large, one has to know exactly where you are heading. I don't think there is any sitting on the grass allowed? Even when I walked from the Medici Fountain around the palace I had a uniformed lady barking orders and making sure I didn't go anywhere near the curb of the flower beds. I was really surprised!
May I suggest something: Go to the Lux Gardens with a little map of the layout. Where you see the Carousel and childrens playground, there are lovely seats around the Boulle Players under the trees. At least while you eat you will have some entertainment! Don't go anywhere near the pony track as the ground stinks of urine.
Maybe keep your picnic simple - just a nice baguette filled with yummmy stuff - I can't advise you about drinking wine or beer in public here, (I have never seen anyone picnic here either), so I wish you a happy time - please do tell us how it went!

Not kerouac, but:

Jardin du Bassin de l'Arsenal - 12e
Parc André Citroën - 15e
Parc de Bagatelle - 16e
Parc de Belleville - 20e
Parc de la Terlure - 18e
Paarc Montsouris - 8e
Parc de Georges Brassens - 15e
Parc Montsouris - 14e

Ha, StCirq, you eliminated my four principal suggestions:

Parc de la Villette - 19e
Parc des Buttes Chaumont - 19e
Bassin de la Villette - 19e
Parc de Bercy - 12e

Just goes to show that everybody has their special places!

Right now, the Bassin de la Villette is part of the Paris Plages operation (until August 20th), so it is quite crowded, but they have lots of picnic tables for people who arrive early, and it is lovely along the water.

The Parc de la Villette is massive and also has movies in the evening (in original version - often English) for 1€. Up to 10,000 people picnic under the stars as it gets dark. Lounge chairs may be rented, but you will fall asleep during the movie. (They use a giant inflatable screen.)

Oh, I just noticed that you wrote Montsouris instead of Monceau for the 8e. (But I wouldn't want to picnic there anyway! :) )

I like Monceau well enough, but I think Montsouris is prettier!

Bercy - haven't been. Meant to go there on last trip, but got hung up at the Centre Pompidou for many more hours than I'd anticipated because of stunning exhibits.

Buttes Chaumont - like it, but it's always been startling crowded when I've been there.

Villette - can't say as I know it at all. I suppose I might have come across it on various visits to the Cité de Science, but I have no recollection.

I like Montsouris very much, also, but I also like Parc Batignolles, also -- it's not really that far from Monceau. I think most folks like Lux Gardens because it is close to where they are and about the only one they see other than Tuileries (which isn't that comfortable in many ways). I think you are allowed to sit on the grass at Batignolles, but might be remembering wrong.

Parks have signs when you aren't allowed on the grass, they are all over Lux. Gardens. (pelouse interdite)

What about drinking wine at parks? Can you in Paris?

we plan to have simple picnic of bread, cheese, and wine.

can we sit by boulle players at Lux and enjoy our picnic?

feasible to take RER st Michel and walk to Rue des Ecoles? Any picnic park nearby?
Lux but any smaller parks nearby?

- jetsetj, I would love the answer as well! I know folks have had wine on the Champs de Mars below the shadow of the Iron Lady, but when we attempted to drink a glass of wine in Rue Dequesne on the "porch" of the hotel we were not allowed to bring the wine bottle with us! Never understood that 'till this day. We were sitting down at a table , yet no wine bottle allowed! Sorry I know that is not a park question but I am very puzzled by the laws in Paris - maybe Kerouac has the answer?

I have taken wine to the Tuilleries and have never been questioned. Is it not allowed in some public park areas? Le Bon Marche good for picnic provisions? Any place for picnic along Canal Martin?

It is forbidden NOT to take wine to parks -- except two places, depending on the mood of the day: the Champ de Mars, which has had 'problems' with drunken teenage 'riots' and the Jardin des Halles, which is a main hobo hangout. The rules are rarely enforced, but they exist to be able to get rid of 'undesirables.'

Commercial establishments of course try to prevent people from doing a 'BYO'.

I have always found it amusing when going to the summer movies in the Parc de la Villette, which has a security check for that event. They will confiscate certain knives, but they will let through corkscrews and other very sharp knives if you happen to have a big salami in your bag and a half dozen bottles of wine or some other item of that ilk. :)

As for public drinking check out:http://www.theparisblog.com/public-drinking-ban

I just read this and thought id share...

In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in Fench;
I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
~Mark Twain

It looks like we should pour wine into plastic pop bottles before we arrive at the LUX. No one will know the difference then. no harm.no foul.

HELP !!
I need everyones opinions here..

Ok here is the deal. I was prepared to spend $203.00 on a one hour carriage ride for DH and myself in Paris. Now I am having second thoughts.

I want something different that is memorable and romantic.
We plan on going on Seine cruise. I want something more.

If you had $200 and your sweetie, what would you do in Paris?

You're a much better judge of what your husband would find special and romantic but if I had set aside that money, I would go to the Ritz Bar (either the one right near the front door or the Hemingway Bar in back) and have a couple of glasses of champagne or a martini. That would eat up your $200 easy.

I have no idea though if that would be a memorable occasion for you. A carriage ride is something that doesn't appeal to me so this may not at all appeal to you.

Good luck in your search!

The Ritz Bar would not impress me visually, since there are so many bars that look the same. I have no sentimental attachment to such a place; it's not as though I was recalling wild nights I spent with Hemingway and Diana Spencer there.

Frankly, one of the things that I have found the best is a drink at sunset at the bar on top of the Concorde Lafayette Hotel at Porte Maillot. It's only about 30 floors, but the view of the Bois de Boulogne is very nice, and it is wonderful to watch Paris light up slowly.

anyone else with ideas for romantic time in Paris.

You are in Paris, EVERYTHING will be romantic! I find going to the grocery store, sharing a crepe (banana and nutella), romantic. Since you are going to be on the 7th, may I suggest one of Christian Contant restaurant? My personal favorite is Les Cocottes.

Have a great time!

i looked at Cafe Constant a few days ago.
what is the difference between that and les Cocottes?

thanks

Yikes, OMG! Data overload! I'll be arriving in Paris this Thursday (Aug. 27) to spend a week there; haven't been since 2001 April and am so looking forward to this trip. Staying near the Arc (previously I was always in more central locations) and looking forward to running (or speed-walking) in or near Parc Monceau while there. Most of the above comments which I've just read today (Tuesday) are intriguing, to say the least, and I'll probably print out some if not all, for reference.

Many thanks to all!

Who needs romance when you have Paris?

musicalb, hope you have a wonderful time. please give report when you can.

here are the 3 cafes/restaurants we are thinking of visiting.
Angelinas
Cafe Constant
Chez Nico

we will mostly eat in our apt.
Can anyone suggest names of good cheeses that can be sliced.

"The Parc de la Villette is massive and also has movies in the evening (in original version - often English) for 1€. Up to 10,000 people picnic under the stars as it gets dark. Lounge chairs may be rented, but you will fall asleep during the movie. (They use a giant inflatable screen.)"

Is this every night?

This year it was from 15 July to 16 August. Similar dates every year, every night except Monday.