7.The Metro

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The Paris Metro is for me one of the greatest forms of transportation possible. Since I have not owned a car in over 14 years, I KNOW good vs. the bad. The Metro is a “good thing”!

Each ticket regardles of how far you want to go is about 80 cents. I do not how much they cost separtely, I have always purchased my tickets in a "carnet" ( sounds like: karna) Which is a group of 10 tickets. The cost is 9 euros. That's about $9.00US. You use one ticket for however long it takes you to get to your distantion. You will use this same ticket for your transfer , although you will not use it again, hold on to it, because sometimes the police do random stop checks.

As long as you do not backtrack, or actually exit the station all you need is one ticket. Unless you need to transfer to the RER, then you need to purchase an RER ticket. The RER tickets are yellow . The METRO tickets are green.

I think of the metro this way. There is a Paris above ground, and then there is the Paris underground. I do not mean this in a negative way.

There is a city under the streets of Paris. It is well lit, and clean. (Well, must of the stations are, and when you consider how many stations there are, that's a pretty big feat!) I think you will find some of it very charming... in a Victor Hugo kind of way.

If you should depart from the Lourve, you will most likely come across the accordion player, or some musician playing beautiful music as you head for the Lourve entry via the metro.

I have listened to them play, “ La Vie En Rose”, Carmen, and Figaro”. I look forward to it, each time I head for the entry way for Lunch at the Museum.

It's a good thing. It means you never have to walk far for a train. . The trains run about every 4-5 minutes, so you never wait long for one to come by.

The negative side is, although you never walk far for a train. You will travel many, many stairs, passageways, and tunnels to get there. I often think of the tunnels as “ant farm tunnels”. But, then Paris is a city for walking.

Sometimes, on the metro trains, “performers “ will board. I have seen them actually do a “Punch and Judy” puppet show, to playing an accordion, to shouting French Politics. Of course, they all end by asking for money, and you do as you would in the States.

You will come across some beggars, at some of the entryways. Many of them are on the route from CDG Airport). Do not stop, continue on, and do not stare. If you do, they may follow you. If you have been to San Francisco, you know what I mean.

When the train stops in front of you, and doors no not open, you must look for the handle grips to manually open them. Pull hard. If the doors do not open within 2-3 seconds after the train has stopped. It means the doors must be opened manually. Of course, some one could be on the inside and need to get out first, so they will open the doors first.

On some trains, the doors will automatically open, great! In addition, on some, you have to manually open them. There is really no way to tell, just wait 2-3 seconds, and you will know what to do.

Once on the train, check out the door, if you see a funny little silver bulb- crank-like handle, you must turn it for the door to open.

Usually the trains “ARE “ quite. The French are very reserved on the trains. Of course, they do not smile (they are French remember?).

The French are not known to smile at strangers. Therefore, they are not social on the trains. They tend not to make any eye contact at all. Do not be offended. Remember you are in their country and they have different customs than our own. It is not personal. It's just a “French Thing”.

Of course, on the other hand, if you would like a little attention…what to get their attention? Remember the French are very aware of what ever you are wearing. You may not see them notice you…. they noticed! Now, on the still another hand (you do have three don't you?) .If you crave a little attention that is more direct, see below.

The natives will gawk at you, if you board a metro car wearing, partaking of, participating in, or carrying any of the following:

Individual tickets are the most expensive. It is best to ask for “UN carnet, s il vous plait” (a book of ten please) (a canet is a book containing ten single metro tickets). A carnet is cheaper and it will save time since you now have ten tickets. If you cannot figure out the ticket vending machines, (I still can't). Buy the carnet.

Look for the glassed in ticket booths, they are easy to locate. Walk up to the window that says Ouvert means open ( available- Ferme means closed) and say, Bonjour, Je voudrais un cartnet ,s il vous plait. You will given a small stack of 10 green tickets. You can use your euros or credit card for payment.

Look for a slot on top of the stall box. Slip your ticket in , it shouldn't matter which side of your ticket you use, but I always slide mine in with the black stripe up. Your ticket will disappear and reappear at the top, pull it out , this will give you a little round green light that will unlock the stall to permit you to push through. If you get the red circle - it means you are using a ticket you already used, or you have placed your ticket in incorrectly. Regardless, don't try to figure it out, just use another ticket and pass through. You may have only put it in incorrectly, and you can try the ticket again later. Or not.

Some of the teller booths, close at different times, so if you do not have another ticket. You may end up doing what I have seen some of the natives do. “Jump the stalls” . Which is waaay tooo bold for my nerves.

It cost the same. No matter how far you are going. All “green” tickets are created equal. As long as you continue to go in the same direction, and do not back track, or exit the station, you will use the same ticket

You are likely to observe gate hopping. A fair amount of people jump over the turnstiles either to avoid payment or because they are too lazy to get out their Carte orange (monthly pass). You will often see, usually the guys, either jumps over the stiles, or they may even try to enter with you, as you are passing through the stile. They will sometimes do this in front of the teller. Let them, who cares!

Do not throw your ticket away, you may or may not need it for the exit (I have never had to use it for this) or you could be stopped and asked to show it (never has happened to me).

There are 2 names for each line. The name located at each end of the line , is the direction you will be going in, this is regardless of your stop. Your stop will always be between the two names.

Vincennes is at one end and Defense is at the other end of line 1. Once on the train. Look up near the top of the doors and you will find your stop somewhere in between these two stops. Line 1 may not be the train you want, but you get the picture.

OK, you have all these little green metro tickets. For some reason, you are saving them in your pocket. Look on the back, if there are black stripped lines on the back, it means they have already passed through the stiles. Some may have a time stamp, but most of them do not.