Paris - Metro

Our hotel was a little out of the way, in a town called Clichy in the suburbs of Paris. Still though, thanks to the wonderful Parisienne metro service (for all their faults, they are pretty good at building stuff), nowhere in the city was more than 15 minutes away from us.

We got a 3 day unlimited travel pass each, for around €35 each, which was amazing value and highly recommended if you visit, unless you get a hotel right in the centre. The metro is pretty much like the London Underground, though it occasionally goes above ground, and is a lot cleaner and nicer smelling, in my experiences anyway. On the downside, it's got a hell of a lot more French people in it than the Tube though...

Vying with #1 recommendation for the trip to Paris, from all sources, were 'Visit the Eiffel Tower' and 'Watch out for pickpockets on the Metro'. Admittedly there were a few dodgy characters around, and our 1996 guidebook (which had such wonderful lines as 'The towers at Notre Dame are due to open in 1997, so phone for details') went missing at one point - but I wouldn't be overly worried about this. So long as you keep a hold on your bag, you should pretty much be ok - all the French people were pretty lax about holding onto stuff.

There were a few Oliver Twist style beggars, who'd tell a tale and then go round to collect on the strength of it - and also some buskers who'd play a tune instead of talking, but this just lent the place a bit of character.


_{The Louvre metro station}

Some of the stations are themed, which is really cool - the Louvre's main metro station is obviously awesome - I can't remember the other one I really liked, but it had massive mosaics all over the ceiling. The trains are also a bit themed too; If they have buttons to open the doors, nice seats and announcements, you're going to a nice part of the city; If they have rusty handles to open the doors, ripped posters and oddly stained seats, then the street you get out on is going to have water pouring down each side of it because there's no drainage.

The problem with that street was that we knew it was near somewhere touristy, but weren't exactly happy about getting the guidebook (aka, crosshairs) out to find out how to get there. Doing so on the steps of a bank seemed the best comprimise, fortunately it was a short walk till we heard the sweet tones of a retarded American.

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Part of the Paris series of posts.