Paris Walk 01: Paris in Layers—Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie

Welcome to Paris. This book will help you discover what is, in our opinion, the greatest city in the world. These walks will introduce you to a city that you could spend a lifetime exploring. Consequently, the twenty-one walks we have traced are not an all-encompassing tour. Among the chosen omissions are many of the top tourist destinations that you will most likely visit anyway and which need no introduction from us (the Louvre, the musée d’Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe), as well as some other sights—such as the musée Gustave Moreau, la Villette, or the Paris sewers—that we hope you will visit on your own, either during this trip, or when you return in the future. Please note that each walk ends with some post-walk suggestions to encourage independent exploration.

In this introduction, we have assembled a few practical suggestions, arranged in no particular order, which may make your stay in Paris and your walks around the city more enjoyable. When you do the walks in this book, avoid going in large groups. A walking group of two or three is just the right size. Practice speaking French with your walking companions when possible. Loudly spoken English is both rude and a magnet for pickpockets.

Speaking of pickpockets, you should not be paranoid about them, but you should at least be aware that they are around. They sometimes work in groups—some will distract you while another grabs your purse. They often work in the métro; they wait until the doors are closing and, from the quai, grab the bag of a person inside the train, or they grab a sack from someone who has just passed through the turnstiles. Be particularly attentive in high tourist areas. Just use common sense: don’t carry a lot of cash, keep your bags closed and in front of you, and you probably won’t have any problems.

Be sure you bring walking shoes that you have already broken in, and if you want to look more French and less American, try to consider both style and comfort (i.e., avoid wearing something you might choose for mowing the lawn at home). You will walk much more in Paris than you do in the United States: walking from the hotel or apartment to the métro or bus, walking up and down stairs between stops, walking around in enormous museums, walking several blocks to get groceries, and another block to get a baguette.

A note on personal needs. As is the case in many big cities, there are very few public restrooms in Paris. Carry spare change (paid to the attendant at the entrance). If you stop for a drink at a café, look for the restroom in the basement.

You will notice that each walk starts and ends at a métro stop. We have chosen to do this since métro stops are marked on almost every map of Paris, and you will most likely be getting around Paris by métro. Depending on where you are heading, a bus or a short walk might be quicker. Early on in your stay, try to find your way to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, the tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, or the Samaritaine department store (when open) to get a broad view of the city. You will notice that many monuments are very close to one another, and Paris (compared to London, for example) is relatively compact. It may sometimes be quicker to walk a few blocks than to go into the métro and change lines twice.

Here are a few things to consider when visiting museums, monuments, and churches. First, if you are a student, when you enter a site that charges admission, be sure to ask if there is a tarif réduit pour étudiant. In addition, most museums offer discounts to enseignants (teachers), or are free on the first Sunday of the month and for anyone under eighteen. Many museums close at 5:00 p.m., especially during the school year. It is typical for museums to close at 6:00 p.m. during the summer months.

Next, if you plan to take pictures inside a building, look to see if there are any posted rules concerning photographs. Some museums prohibit flash photography (particularly of oil paintings and tapestries), and some do not allow photos to be taken at all. Some museums and churches require a certain level of sartorial sophistication. Finally, many churches prohibit wearing hats and shorts when inside, and you might feel out of place wearing flip-flops in the Jacquemart-André or perfume museums, for example.

Scaffolding is a part of the modern Parisian landscape that visitors must accept. You will often see scaffolding around prominent Paris buildings, with the framework moving from one section to another. Some buildings cleaned on a regular basis may be covered for months—or even years. The results, however, are often spectacular, as buildings covered by black soot and exhaust emerge from the scaffolding in their medieval splendor.

During your stay in Paris, you may almost count on a labour strike or two affecting your trip. Strikes are particularly likely to occur in the spring before everyone goes on vacation. The right to unionize and strike, granted by the accords de Matignon in 1936, was an important victory for the working class, and strikes continue to be part of the French social fabric. On the plus side, strikes are usually announced ahead of time and generally do not last for more than a day or two (just long enough for the unions to show the government they are serious). Strikes may affect schools, banks, public transportation, hospitals, or all of the above. If you keep up on current events by reading the Parisian dailies (Libération, Le Monde, or Le Figaro), the strikes may be inconvenient, but they will not surprise you.

~ Authors: Corry L. Cropper, Robert Erickson, and Marc Olivier

Edited by Susan L. Martin