Paris, getting there & around

How To Get There

The Aéroport Roissy Charles de Gaulle is a major international hub, with daily flights connecting France to almost any part of the world. The railway has an extensive and efficient network that covers most of France ; TGV (train à grande vitesse) services to Brussels and Amsterdam are available. Britain and Ireland are connected to France by ferry services but the way to arrive in Paris in style and comfort is through Eurostar, via the Chunnel, and your car can ride on-board as well. Buses to Paris are available from other cities in Europe, but travelling around by bus within France isn't an option.

How To Get Around

Paris is best explored on foot and the famous Métro lets you get around quickly to points of interest. You can also bike around the city but you can't take your bicycle with you on the Métro, nor can you expect any special treatment from the locals. If time is of the essence, a river shuttle is not your best choice to cross the Seine , although they do the job quite well if you wanted to do some sight-seeing. Likewise, the city's bus system is not very efficient, but night buses (the Noctambus) are a welcome sight when it's late and the Métro has already closed for the day. The bus system covers most of the city but their schedules are limited; don't expect to see a bus on holidays or on Sundays.

When using the Métro, choose your travel passes to suit your itinerary. Daily passes are not always the best deal for your money; weekly and monthly Carte Orange travel passes may be a better value depending on the length of your stay.

Driving around the city is not recommended unless you happen to have some dormant aggression you need to release. Even then, you'll spend most of your time behind the wheel stuck in traffic anyway.

Paris is friendliest to pedestrians--just be careful when crossing the road, as drivers tend to ignore the concept of pedestrian crossings.

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