VI    Getting around the Marais and Paris

On the bookshelf is a “Plan de Paris” which has all the streets and street indexes along with our favorite guides.  It is arranged by “arrondissements” going from the 1st in the center to the 20th on the very outside.  They are arranged in a pattern like that of a shell.   You are welcome to use the books during your trip.  We’ve found that sometimes the “Plan de Paris” finds a new home in people’s coat pockets or bags so please double-check for it when you check-out. Another source to look at is http://www.paris-anglo.com/
 

Metro, RER and buses – The Paris transport system is the only transportation many people need to get around Paris.  If you are taking two trips or less per day, your best choice is to buy a “carnet”, pronounced “car-nay” for around 10 euros.  These 10 little tickets are good on any bus, metro or rapid train (RER) in the metropolitan area.   You can buy these tickets at most "TABAC" (i.e. tobacco) shops or at the entrance of the metro stations.  You can't buy tickets on the bus.    The tickets are passed through little machines that read and encode magnetic information on the ticket to indicate their use.  Once you are in the metro system your used ticket lets you transfer within the system.  On buses, once you exit a bus, you can’t use the ticket again.  Good buses that travel in our neighborhood are numbers 29 (east – west) and 75 (north – south)


Bicycle – You can rent bicycles at various places including from the local transit authority.  The RATP (http://www.ratp.fr) has a bicycle program called "Roue Libre" which is located at Forum des Halles, 95 bis rue Rambuteau - 75001 PARIS  Tel : 01 53 46 43 77 - Fax : 01 40 28 01 00.    There are many other bike shops popping up in the area.  Paris is becoming friendlier to bikes including bike lanes but be warned that this is not Amsterdam where bikes dominate as the French are still adapting to them.  Be careful and attentive.

Rollerblades – Rollerblades are still hot in Paris and you can rent them at many local shops.  One of the most popular is near the Bastille. Friday nights there is a mass “roll” in the streets of Paris.  Ask the rollerblade shop about it.  You need to share bike lanes with bikes and sidewalks with pedestrians.  Be careful and attentive.

Walking – Wear a pair of comfortable shoes.  This is the best way to see Paris if you have the time.

Quick orientation of Le Marais – A good start is walking around the neighborhood.  If walk back down Rue Elzévir starting from #1 towards #5, you’ll come across rue des Francs Bourgeois.  Make a left and walk straight and you’ll arrive at place des Vosges.  Making a right off Elzévir and walking straight will direct you towards the George Pompido Center.  A left and quick right and you’ll come across the Seine after a few zigs and zags.

Necessities – You can find bakeries, dry cleaners, grocery stores, fruit stands, etc. along Rue de Turenne and Rue Rambuteau (which is an extension of rue des Francs Bourgeois).  For Rue Rambuteau, walk down rue Elzévir and make a right onto rue des Francs Bourgeois.  For Rue de Turenne, walk down Rue du Parc Royale until your reach it.


Web Cafés - We're sure there are new ones popping up everywhere but here are a few:

·         Several new ones around 50 rue de Roi de Siecle

·         Easy Internet Café - 31/37 Boulevard de Sébastopol

·         Web Bar - 23 rue de Picardie, 75003 Paris, Tel : 01 42 72 66 55

·         Akyrion - 19, rue Charlemagne, 75004 Paris, Tel :  01 40 27 92 07

Parking – Parking in the Marais is difficult.  The nearest parking garages are at the corner of Rue des Archives and Rue de Rivoli (near the BHV) and 132 rue du Temple.