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.


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.