There’s More to Paris than You Think!

Bonjour

This is our final week in Paris and I will be blogging on some different topics which I hope you will enjoy. Sometimes, the photos will be scarce but you can’t say I haven’t given you lots of eye candy since we arrived on May 23.

Today, I want to talk about what lies beneath Paris, what you can’t easily see and what may surprise first timers to the City of Light. There is SO much to visually entice you above ground…the pastries, the macarons, the café chairs, the fashion, the beautiful doors.  The list goes on and on. But beneath Paris is another world of function and interest.

Of course, everyone knows about the Metro, the best subway system in the world with 14 interconnected lines and 4 others under construction. The first line opened July of 1900 and is basically Line 1 today, referred to by some as the “tourist line” because it connects so many of the most visited areas.  There are 303 stops totally 136 miles in length. It is symbolized by the big letter M, not to be confused with McDonald’s!  Generally, it opens around 5:30 am and closes at 1am, 2am on weekends.  There are extended times on special days. Every stop is different and worth a day’s adventure for the price of one ticket (€2.50) to ride on a rainy day.

Beneath the Metro is the RER or local trains (pronounced phonetically Air-uh-Air). It stands for Réseau Express Régional  and is part of RATP (REGIE AUTONOME DES TRANSPORTS PARISIENS. There are five train lines (A-E). They are connected to major subway stations, always crazy busy as you go down, down, down below the Metro to enter. Whereas the Metro is primarily the city limits of Paris, the RER also goes to the suburbs and the airports. Personally, I hate the trains because they are grungy and complicated.  You really have to know how to read the lighted signs track-side to make sure your destination is on this route. We laugh when we read the signs that are inside of the train cars which say “Are you sure you’re on the right train?”  Often Bernie will say to me, “Oops, no, we’re not on the right train.”  There are some places where the train goes with much more ease than going by the Metro but it is definitely not my favorite! Don’t confuse this regional train system with the trains that are part of SNCF which is the national train system serving the entire country which you catch at the big train stations or Gares. Are you confused yet? Sorry, but it is indeed confusing. Take a taxi or an Uber if you’re unsure but it will be a lot more expensive. You ride the RER with the same ticket as what you use for the Metro in most cases!

Okay, if you’re still with me, they’re one or two more huge systems under Paris. One is the famous sewer system which I’ve never toured and never will. I’ll let you look it up. It’s quite famous and folks like Nat Geo have done specials on it. The tour takes about an hour and purportively quite “smelly.”

The final big system lurking beneath the streets of Paris are the Parking areas. You’ve walked by the entrances many times, perhaps mistaking them for a Metro entry. They are marked with the universal “P.”  Every major area of tourist interest has one. It’s also where the rental car companies store their inventory. It’s a real adventure to rent a car here as we have done many times.

The last thing I will mention are the catacombs in the 14th arrondissement which hold the remains of more than six million people. During the Haussmann period, things were turned upside down to make room for the large boulevards which meant that cemeteries were disrupted. It’s kind of sad but you can read all about the history when you go down under. Today, adventurous people find ways to get in and have parties! The ticket is 31 euros and definitely unforgettable. I do have photos from years ago but they are drifting somewhere in The Cloud and I can’t find them. So thanks to Wikipedia for these.

Alors, as the French say, that’s a brief look at the underground surprises of Paris. The catacombs are creepy but fascinating so don’t miss them.  Also quite cool on a hot July or August day.

Our weather has cooled a bit which is just super. Have a wonderful day!
L & B