Public Transportation in Paris?

Question

I will be visiting Paris from 22-Dec to 25-Dec along-with my family (total 2 adults + 1 child). We would be staying in one of the hotels along rue de Marivaux. I have done some study on the Parisian public transport and wanted some advice on what would be the most economical way to travel around Paris (meaning should I buy a 10 ticket bunch at a time or some visitor's pass (Paris Visite), etc.).

We are planning to visit the following places:

1) The Eiffel Tower

2) The Louvre

3) The Champs Elysees

4) Notre Dame

Please reply at your earliest.

Best Regards.

Answer 1

If the weather is good - I'd walk from Notre Dame - to the Louvre, along the rue de Rivoli to Place de La Concord - then along the Champs Elysees to the Eiffel Tower.  Stop along the way and have lunch or a coffee on the Champs.  You'll see much more that way and work off all that cheese and pastry!

Answer 2

Yes, the 10-ticket bunch is more than enough for 3 days. Each costs 11.10 € for adults (5.50 € for children under 10). Children under 4 travel for free.

I don't know how old your child is and how easy it will be for you to walk but your hotel is close to the Louvre so you won't need to take the métro to go there. If all 3 of you are good walkers you could even:

- share a 10-ticket bunch + 5 tickets = 18.60 € total / 5 single trips each. If your child is 4-9 years old, buy one full fare bunch + one discounted bunch = 16.60 € total / 5 single trips each (+ 5 unused discounted tickets)

- share two bunches between the three of you = 22.20 € total /6 single trips each (+ 2 unused tickets).

Paris is a very walkable city for fit people and walking is the best way to enjoy it. Of course if your child is very young it is not as easy.

The Paris Visite 3-day passes are 19 € for adults and 9.50 € for children aged  4 to 11 so it's 3 X more expensive (to be honest, they are so not worth it that I tend to consider them tourist traps). The pass would get you discounts on some sites listed below but I really don't think it would be worth it based on what you are planning to visit:

http://www.ratp.info/touristes/index.php...

EDIT: a lot of places will be closing early on the evening of the 24th and will be closed on the 25th, so plan your visits accordingly. For opening days and times of monuments and museums, check http://en.parisinfo.com/museums-monument... and http://en.parisinfo.com/guide-paris/dail...

I know that boat trips on the Seine and the Eiffel tower are open every day including holidays.

Answer 3

Get the ticket bunch. You can easily walk from your hotel to the Louvre, The Champs or Notre Dame, it's not a long walk.

Oh, and here's a little advice for the Louvre: do not enter the museum by the pyramid, there are doors on the side of the palace. Enter the Carroussel du Louvre, get you tickets at a tabac (where they sell tobacco and newspapers) and you won't have to queue to go inside the museum.