Visiting France

Paris Transportation: Metro Guide

Paris Metro

Paris public transportation is efficient and easy to use and offers great value for money in a city where taxis can be expensive. Here are some tips for making the most of the Paris Metro and RER (suburban rail):

Paris Metro Guide
– The Paris metro has 16 lines, numbered 1 to 14, with two sub-lines, the 3bis and 7bis. Each one is color coded so that it’s easy to identify them on a map and on station signs.

– Start and end stations are used to identify which direction a line is going (e.g. “Line 1 to La Defense”)

Paris RER Guide
– The Paris RER has 5 lines, lettered A to E

– The lines connect to metro stops in the city center, and are useful for trips both within the city and farther away (like the Paris airports and Versailles)

– Be careful when boarding a train, as not all trains stop at all stations. Check the signs on the platforms carefully to make sure that your train will stop where you need to get off.

Use the RATP website for:
– Mapping a route to your destination

– Full maps of the Paris metro and RER

– Information on Paris metro ticket prices and passes

If you speak French, the French version of the RATP website has more detailed and extensive information.

Paris Metro and RER Tickets and Passes
Within the city center (Zones 1 & 2), Paris Metro and RER tickets are interchangeable and are valid for unlimited transfers for their duration. Metro and RER tickets for the Paris outskirts and suburbs vary in price by distance.

Single Journey on Paris Metro or RER:

– Purchase ticket at a machine or booth in any Paris metro or RER station.

Multiple Journey on Paris Metro or RER:

– Carnet: A packet of ten single tickets; purchase in any metro station for a discount on the price of buying 10 individual tickets.

– Paris Visite Pass: A card for 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days in zones 1 to 3 or 1 to 5 (each day begins at 5:30am and ends at 5:30am the following morning). You can purchase the pass in any metro station, airport, or participating hotel / tour operator.

– Passe Navigo: Smartcard for the Paris metro. This is a good choice if you are visiting Paris for an extended period of time and plan to use public transportation extensively while you are there.

36 Hours in Paris

Palais Royale

There is never enough time to see all that the City of Lights has to offer, but spending 36 hours in Paris is a good place to start.

Depending on your interests, you can begin your visit with breakfast at Cuisine de Bar, a great little cafe near St Sulpice. Once you have eaten, take a stroll through St Germain, visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Pantheon, and the shops and markets along Rue Mouffetard.

From there you could spend an afternoon at one of the city’s top museums like the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, or the Centre Pompidou. If you’ve already seen them on a previous visit, there are plenty of smaller museums in Paris that are worth visiting. A few of my favorites are the Musee Rodin, the Musee Picasso, and the Musee Marmottan (for Impressionism). The Musee du quai Branly is another good choice for those that like indigenous art.

Exhausted from exploring museums, take a break at one of Paris’ best cafes or in one of the city’s parks.

Once you are refreshed, go for some shopping along the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, at the famous grands magasins, or in the city’s top boutiques.

After a long day of walking, you’ll have worked up an appetite. You can go to dinner at one of the city’s many great restaurants to refuel. Use this restaurant map to find one nearby.

If you still have energy left after dinner, you can explore the city’s nightlife scene. Paris has a great variety of bars and clubs to choose from, whether you want a quiet drink or a big night out.

The next day you can explore some of the city’s top neighborhoods. From Montmartre to the Canal Saint-Martin, there is more than enough to keep you busy for a day. If you get hungry, head to the rue des Martyrs, a street full of cafes, restaurants, and patisseries.

If you haven’t done so yet, you can also visit the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacre Coeur, or the Notre Dame for great views over the city.

When your 36 hours in Paris come to a close, head to one of the many locations of Relais de l’Entrecote to have a classic farewell steak frites for dinner before heading home.

Top 4 Art Museums in Nice, France

Matisse Museum in Nice

Most people visit Nice for the beaches, but the city has its share of cultural attractions, too. Below is my list of the top 4 art museums in Nice:

1. Fine Arts Museum / Musee des Beaux-Arts
Address: 33, avenue des Baumettes, Nice, 06000, France

Housed in a 19th century mansion, the Fine Arts Museum in Nice boasts of a collection of over 6,000 works from the 17th century to the mid-20th century. The museum showcases works by French and other European artists, including Rodin and Picasso.

2. Modern and Contemporary Art Museum / Musee d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain
Address: Promenade des Arts, Nice, 06364, France

Nice’s Modern and Contemporary Art Museum, or MAMAC, showcases American and European art from the 1960s to the present, including New European Realism and American Pop Art.

3. Matisse Museum / Musee Matisse
Address: 164, ave des Arenes, Nice, 06000, France

The Matisse Museum houses many great works by Matisse, who lived in Nice from 1918 to 1954. The Matisse Museum’s permanent collection includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, and some of the artist’s possessions. The museum is located right next to the Roman ruins, which are also worth a visit.

4. Chagall Museum / Musee Chagall
Address: avenue du Docteur Menard, Nice, 06000, France

The Chagall Museum in Nice houses a great collection of Chagall’s paintings, engravings, Old Testament gouaches, lithographs and stained-glass windows. Chagall himself was involved in the design of the museum, and the space compliments his work beautifully.