In practice in Paris
When to go
Every season has its individual charm in Paris!
Even if this autumn is grey- this merely adds to the mood of Baudelaire’s poetry. In the summertime the temperatures are mild with an average of 19°C/
However it would be best to avoid the month of August when cultural activities and many shops shut for the month- like the many Parisians who leave the capital en masse and for whom staying in the city simply isn’t an option.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Low:
High: |
2°C
6°C |
2°C
8°C |
4°C
11°C |
7°C
15°C |
10°C
19°C |
13°C
22°C |
15°C
24°C |
15°C
23°C |
12°C
21°C |
9°C
16°C |
5°C
10°C |
3°C
7°C |
Transportation
Transport links Airports/Stations/City Centre.
Airport: There are 2 airports in Paris Orly and Charles de Gaulle.
Taxis
In order to get to the City Centre, you could take a taxi for journey’s from Charles de Gaulle you should allow at least 45€ and at least 25€ from Orly.
Public Transport.
From Charles de Gaulle (also known as Roissy) the simplest way to reach the City Centre is the RER train system. A ticket costs in the region of 8€.
For further information and details regarding the subsequent line changes in order to reach your final destination as well as to work out your specific itinerary visit www.ratp.fr.
You could otherwise take the RoissyBus (for 8€60) which takes to you ‘Place de L’Opéra’ or the coaches provided by Air France which would drop you at the ‘Place de L’Etoile’ at the top of ‘Avenue Carnot) or Porte Maillot. (14€ one way or 20€ for the return trip)
From Orly you could take the ‘Orlyval’ (which takes you to ‘Antony’ Station from where you are then able to catch the RER B to Paris city centre. ) for around 9€. Otherwise, the Orlybus takes you to Denfert Rochereau (where similarly you are able to catch the RER B and the line 4 or 6 of the metro for a fee of around 6€. If not the Air France coaches take you to the stations of Montparnasse, Lyon, Invalides or Place de L’etoile (for 10€)
For more information :
regarding the RATP coaches : http://www.ratp.info/orienter/aeroports.php
regarding the Air France coaches: http://videocdn.airfrance.com/cars-airfrance/
Public Transport:
Public transport is extremely efficient in Paris, the metro system includes 16 lines and covers Paris well. Although the system (other than the lines 1 and 14) can be said to be somewhat dilapidated and its fair to say that it doesn’t always smell very pleasant during rush hour.
The bus system also works well and efficiently.
For further information regarding public transport in Paris: www.ratp.fr
Prices of Public transport :
It is worth knowing that the price of public transport in Paris depends on the zones in which you are travelling. Paris and its suburbs are divided into concentric zones. Paris (city centre) is zones 1 and 2 and the price of a metro ticket is 1€60. The type of ticket you purchase depends entirely on the amount of time you intend to spend in Paris, for a weekend in the city a Mobilis card is the best option- 1 day is 5€80.
If you are staying for a week, you should chose a weekly Carte Orange for zones 1 and 2 which costs 16,80. These cards are valid for the Bus, Metros and RER.
Taxis :
Taxi drivers in general are regarded as quite unpleasant in Paris, however do not let this bother you ! The price of a journey in Paris rarely is more than 15-20€ and generally speaking will be more like 8€-15€ with a standard minimum charge of 6€.
Vélibs:
If you would like to travel around Paris on a bicycle it is strongly advised to use the available ‘Vélibs’
This is a system of free self-service bicycles which has recently been put into place in Paris. The stations are numerous; if there are bicycles available you can to rent them using a credit card and simply return the bicycle to any other station in the city.
Each time you rent a bicycle in this way the first half an hour is free from which time the price rises fairly rapidly- 1€ for the following half and hour, 2€ for the 3rd and 4€ for the following. Be advised that these bicycles are snapped up quickly on sunny days in Paris!
For further information please refer to the site : http://www.velib.paris.fr/
Museums and tourism
The Paris Museum Pass:
A pass is available for 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days for a price of 30€ 45€ or 60€ respectively and gives you access to the city’s main museums. The length of this pass starts as soon as it is used for the first time.
However this pass does not include any necessary transport, one of its advantages however can be said to be that you avoid the potentially long queues for tickets at the larger museums.
You are able to buy this pass online, at the airports, in Tourist Information centres and in certain Museums.
Site : http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php
Electricity
220 V, 50 Hz,Phone prefix and Area codes
+33
Time Zone
GMT +1
Visa
Citizens of Member States of the European Union do not need a visa. They should be in possession of an identity card or a valid passport.
Currency
EuroTipping
The service is usually included in the bill however a tip of between 5 and 10% is appreciated.
Local customs
The shops are closed on a Sunday, apart from those on the Rue des Francs Bourgeouis, the Champs-Elyséees and Bercy Village
After 11.30pm the Champs Elysees is best avoided.
Be careful to watch your belongings on crowded carriages and in busy tourist locations.
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