Travelling in france?

Question

Me and my friends are going to travelling to paris using some bus tour. what they offer is city tour at 12 eu and night cruise at 9 eu. However we're planning not to take it.

if we want to travel the city alone, what is the best way and route?

is it possible travelling by foot? i also thinking about the batobus, is it a good idea to travel using batobus for 1 day (12 eu). Pls give me your suggestion and advice

Answer 1

Buy a 2 zone carte Mobilis (valid for the day on all public transportation - except tour buses). You can use this to get around Paris very easily.

For the third day I advise you to go and see Versailles and it's park. It's really a lot better than Fontainbleau and Euro Disney. Both the latter are a little way outside of Paris so you could end up wasting valuable time getting to them.

Versailles is a lot closer.

Bonne visite

Answer 2

I'm french living in Paris. Nothing to add to Riffilian.

One tour on the boat bateau-mouche are better than batobus., because there are explanations on Bateau-mouche and not on Batobus, bat batobus is good if you want to stop somewhere to visit and continue visiting after.

Just too choose for your 3rd day, Versailles is the best, don't miss absolutely.

Eurodisney is only for amusement and not typical french.

Fontenaibleau is not so good than Versailles.

Answer 3

Walk to visit Paris.

Take the train to go to Disneyland.

Take the "bateau-mouche" (boat on the Seine) at night to enjoy Paris by night. Get a map and create your own trip, Walking in Paris is a pleasure by itself. Enjoy it.

Answer 4

Paris is a relatively compact city and walking is a very good way to see it.

Assuming you are young, healthy, and have no personal mobility problems you can see the majority of major tourist sights in a day or two of walking.

Here is the route I usually suggest for doing this:

Begin at the Place Tracadero  (metro stop Tracadero on either line 6 or line 9.



Across the Seine you will see the Eiffel Tower. Walk down and cross the river and have a look. Its really not worth going up. There are usually long lines and the view is really not that good. Turning your back to it you will see a large park. This is the Parc Champ de Mars.



Walk thru the park to the Ave. de la Motte Picquet. which will cross your path at 90 degrees. You will see a peace memorial and across the street the Ecole Militaire.



Turn left and walk up the Ave. de la Motte Picquet to the corner where the Ave. de Tourville crosses. Turn right and continue a few blocks and you will see the Invalides on your left. This was built by Napoleon as a hospital for his wounded troops. The French army museum is here. There is a large church on the right side of the grounds which houses the tomb of Napoleon and of his son the King of Rome. Both buildings are open to the public.



Continue down the street to the Blvd. des Invalides and turn left. the Rodin museum will be immediately to your right (cross street is rue de Varenne). When you get to the rue de Grenville the street you are on a street that takes a jog to the left and changes name but simply continue in the same direction until you reach the river.



Across the river you will see the Grand and Petit Palais, huge art deco exhibition halls.  They’ve recently been refurbished to the condition of their glory days a century ago when they were built. Crossing the river to your left is the Pont Alexander III, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. (If you've seen the movie "Desirée" this is where Michael Rennie play Marshal Bernadotte meets Jean Simmons playing Desiree Clary)



Turn right along the Quai d'Orsay and the French National Assembly will be on your right. Continue walking and the Musee d'Orsay built in a refurbished train station will appear. This houses the Impressionists and is thought to be the best of the Paris Museums.



Keep walking and the Louvre will be seen across the river. When book stalls along the Seine begin to multiply you'll have reached the Latin Quarter and you will see Notre Dame in front of you.



Look for the Pont Neuf (the "new" bridge although its actually the oldest bridge in Paris) and cross over to the Ile de la Cite on which Notre Dame stands and which is where Paris began.



Once you're over the bridge you'll see a little park to your left. This is where Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar was burnt at the stake. The little Tavern Henri IV that you will see to your front and slightly right is a nice place to stop for a glass of wine by the way.



Now just head for Notre Dame along the river. You'll pass Saint Chapelle on your left built by Louis IX in the early 13th century to house the Crown of Thorns and part of the True Cross. The original building is now surrounded by the buildings which house the Courts.



Continue on to Notre Dame. Entrance is free as this is a "working" church. This is the first place I go when I arrive in Paris. I also always light a candle at the Statue of the Virgin Mary in thanks for being in Paris again. (Odd given that I'm not a Catholic but what the heck).



Continue on past Notre Dame and at the tip of the Island you'll find the Memorial to the Deportees. Take a moment to visit. It’s a moving experience.



Next cross the river on the Pont d'Arcola. (Just follow the bend of the Island around). On your right is another small island, the Ile St. Louis. This has some gorgeous architecture and is the home of Berthillion, the iconic ice cream maker but it can wait till your next visit.



When you cross the Pont d'Arcola you'll see the ornate city hall (the Hotel de Ville) to the front and right. Turn Left and walk along the river. As you pass the second bridge you'll see the Conciergerie back on the Isle de la Cite on your left. This is where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before the Revolutionaries cut her head off.

Take a right on the rue du Pont Neuf and walk until you reach the Forum Les Halles. This modernist shopping center stands on the grounds of the former main market of Paris (since moved to the suburbs). Turn left and you will see the Church of St, Eustache, a 16th century construction, across the area of the Forum (which is primarily under ground)

Turn left on the rue du Louvre and in a  few more blocks the Louvre will again come into view. You’ll cross the rue de Rivoli, a high end shopping street and see an entry into the Louvre complex.



As you pass thru the first courtyard the now famous (or infamous) glass pyramid by Chinese American architect I.M. Pei will appear and beyond that the Arc du Carousel. This is a smaller triumphal arch that more or less lines up with the Arc de Trimphe and the modernist Arc de la Defense on the western edge of Paris.



Continue walking and you'll be in the Jardin des Tuileries, all that remains of what was once the site of a palace built in the 16th century by Catherine de' Medicis, widow of King Henry II. (The palace burned down in 1871).



You'll exit the gardens at the Place de la Concorde. This is where the guillotine stood in revolutionary days and where the King and Queen along with hundreds of other Royalists were executed. Today there is an Egyptian obelisk on the spot.



On the other side of the Place de la Concorde is the beginning of the Champs Elysee. The Elysee Palace, the official residence of the President of France will be on your right. You can walk along the Champs to the Arc de Triomphe (or you can take Metro line one which has a station at the north side of the Place de la Concorde).



Either way you have now just about completed a grand circuit of the sights close to the Seine.