Le Métro

The metro was amazing and easy to understand and learn. I was in Paris for a week and mastered the routes by the second day. Granted, I found that walking around was more my thing but when I was tired, feet were hurting and stomach was rumbling, I was able to jump on the metro and get back to my hostel in no time. Also, I liked the little pink bunny rabbit stickers on the doors showing what would happen if you let the doors close on you. Not sure if those are still around

I was on a bus tour in Europe with the family. It officially ended in Paris. They gave us the option to pay a wad of extra money for them to take us to Versailles and Mont Martre on the bus.

We opted out of the additional tours. I bought Metro tickets for myself and the fam. We got to Versailles at about the same time that the rest of our tour group did. When we were finished at Versailles we hopped back on the Metro and arrived at Mont Martre way ahead of them.

Great for getting around Paris! Some of the stations are so close to each other that you can see the next one down the tunnel!

The Métro gets you everywhere in Paris. Too bad it closes during the night, we once had to run after dinner to catch the last one back to our hotel :) (yeah, too cheap to get a cab).

But the most memorable event in the métro happened on another trip. My boyfriend and I decided to drive to Paris from Antwerp, park in the suburbs and grab the métro into town. The 4 hour drive turned into 5 hours due to a traffic jam, and we were starving by the time we got into Paris. We grabbed the métro, but the crowds, hot air and iffy smell combined with my empty stomach made me lightheaded, and I fainted in the métro. Luckily my boyfriend was able to catch me, and he carried me outside at the next stop. I remember opening my eyes being slapped by a French woman, lying on a bench. Then a German couple offered my their bottles of water. Everyone was so nice! Then some security came along and they wanted to call the pompiers (??? aren’t those firemen?), but by then I just wanted some fresh air and food. So we went back to the surface and headed straight to the first patissier :) I still have a picture of me, incredibly pale, devouring an éclair.

Once you get the hang of it, it’s the only way to travel! My favourite station is definitely Concorde – those tiles on the walls aren’t just random letters; they spell out the Déclaration des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen. If you speak any French it’s very satisfying to actually make out a full sentence, plus an interesting way to pass the time waiting for the train.

I lived in Paris during the summer of ‘03. I just remember the stations being ridiculously HOT. Also, the transit workers were striking and I had to walk a few days. It really made me appreciate the metro even more!

Je me suis alle’ de l’Aeroport jusqu’au Gare d’Austerlitz.