The Nightlife Blogger: From The Barstool
On my first trip to Paris, I walked everywhere until my feet hurt. On my next visit, I took the Metro and discovered it was surprisingly easy to learn — until it came time to find the right tunnel out and get back onto the street.
The first time I went to Paris, I did not use the Metro.
I was, I have to admit, a bit intimidated by riding it. Or more to the point the idea of riding it. I was visiting from Los Angeles where the car culture rules the roads and the public transportation system is as confusing as the freeways (for non-locals) and is about as efficient as trying to drive the 405 at rush hour.
So I walked everywhere. And when I got tired I stopped at a cafe and had a glass of wine. This seemed like a good idea at the time but as anyone who has been to Paris knows, it’s not a sustainable plan. Paris is a big, spread-out city and even when you see a landmark – Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral – it can take an hour to get there. And that’s if you can even find it. My shoes wore out, my feet swelled up and I limped my way from cafe to cafe.
On my next visit, I was determined to learn – and take – the Metro. And, much to my pleasant surprise, it was easy. So easy that I felt foolish for trying to walk the city the first time. Before leaving my hotel room, I would Google where I was and wanted to go and go to the closet Metro station.
I had the foresight to buy the multi-day pass and one that covered the arrondissements where I would be traveling. I’ll dispense with all the details here and direct you to this guide to riding the Paris Metro and focus more on the experience.
I was pleased to see there was an attendant at every gate. The people staffing them were always very friendly and helpful. What about that rude French people stereotype? I saw no evidence of it. Of course, being a USA Southerner, I was polite, said “excuse me” when asking a question and finished with a “thank you” when provided the information.
All that being stated, it did take me a few times to realize the gates don’t open automatically, that you have to push them. From that point, the only confusion I had was occasionally standing on the wrong side of the tracks. But that was easily solved.
Riding The Paris Metro Trains
For the most part, I found this a breeze. I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of it.
Sometimes, tho, I could not believe more people were allowed on board. I mean here’s a train already so packed that people’s faces were pressed against the windows and yet when the doors opened more people would pile onto it. I was swept into it and one time, was so close to a small elderly woman that I had to grab a firm hold of the overhead railing to keep from dry humping her.
I could barely take a full breath for two stops. That was around the tourist-heavy Arc de Triomphe / Champs-Élysées stop.
Confusion At the Conclusion
The most difficult part of riding the Paris Metro is something that would seem to be the easiest: exiting it.
This is because there are four walkways and nobody around to ask. So I walked out onto the street with the confidence of a well-traveled person only to stop in my tracks.
Have you ever been to Paris? The city has HUGE buildings. They take up several city blocks. This takes some getting used to for a visitor from the States. In America, our big buildings are skyscrapers but these are gargantuan structures – the Paris Opera alone takes at least 15 minutes to walk around it and the Louvre is ridiculous – and it takes some getting used to the scale of everything.
Plus, there are not well-organized blocks and only one main street. Instead, here are endless little side streets at angles in every direction. So finding your destination takes quite a bit of effort and determination. I once spent more than an hour trying to find the famous Harry’s New York Bar, creator of the Bloody Mary and other cocktails. Had I known the route ahead of time I could have been there in two minutes.
Well folks. that’s Paris.
So you have one of two choices: get frustrated and hate Paris or just shrug the shoulders and say “C’est comme ça,” which means “It is like that” and deal with it.
Is It Better To Walk Paris or Take The Metro?
The best way to get around Paris is to do a combination of both. Just don’t be in a hurry because once you get out of the Metro and pointed in the right direction it can stil take some time to get to your destination.
The Nightlife Blogger is the bar columnist for PubClub.com, is an award-winning journalist and expert who has covered destinations, events and bars for more than two decades.
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