We will arrive in Paris on a Friday morning and (unfortunately) leave the following Wednesday. From the posts I've read, I conclude that the Carte Orange would not be very practical choice? We're staying near the Cimetiere Montmartre. Thanks!

No, I don't think it will be worth it. If you have a particular day that you know you will be using the Metro or bus a lot, you could consider the Mobilis for a day--4 trips would be the break even point. And if using the bus, you can't get a transfer if you have to change buses, so that would count also.

Anyone in your party under 26 should buy a <i>Ticket Jeunes</i> for the weekend days. They're cheaper than anything else except child tickets.

Note that a <i>Carte Orange</i> for Zones 1 &amp; 2 costs 15.70&euro;, which is only 4.90&euro; more than two <i>Mobilis</i>. If you need more than 3 rides on Wednesday, get a <i>Carte Orange</i> on or before your first ride on Monday. You will need a 1&quot; square ID photo when you buy it.

Otherwise, buy single tickets for Wednesday (a <i>carnet</i> of 10 is cheaper).

&quot;Leaving on Wednesday&quot; usually means no sightseeing and just getting to CDG or a gare. So probably no Metro/bus use.
To make the CO &quot;pay off&quot; for Monday and Tuesday would require a LOT of Metro/bus use--maybe 7 trips/day. The Mobilis recommendation would be for ANY day from Friday to Wednesday.

As I have often stated, the bottom line is this: if you can anticipate needing more than 13 &quot;t&quot; tickets* <u>total</u> during a calendar week (Monday through Sunday), then the <i>Carte Orange</i> is your most economical choice. It is thought (although no empirical proof exists) that you can even buy one on Friday and use it through Sunday.

* One M&eacute;tro/RER trip consisting of any number of legs, or one bus leg.

They've refused to sell a weekly carte orange to me on Thursday... But you can still try.

It would give you tremendous freedom to hop on buses and the metro without stopping to buy tickets...

Weekly <i>Cartes Oranges</i> are on sale Friday through Wednesday for the week beginning on the intervening Monday. Don't bother asking on Thursday.

Have just logged in and this is my first post and thankfully this site is just what I need. I have daughter in HS school north of Paris and we are meeting her soon - 7 total. We have planned it so we get in on Thursday before Christmas, pick her up by car (? help) and stay at a hotel in Paris until we all fly to see family near Cannes for New Year's. It has been a long time since my year abroad so this is VERY helpful.