FRANCE TRAVEL INFORMATION

PARIS BUSES AND TRAINS: Paris has a most friendly public transport system. There are few places in Paris more than 500 metres from a metro station. Tickets can be bought at any metro station and can be used on both buses and trains. Be sure to ask for a carnet dix, which is a block of ten tickets, and costs about 12 euros. When you are buying your tickets, also ask for a "plan de metro numero deux (2)." This map has the metro map and also the bus routes with the streets marked so you can easily plan your trip. You can also buy weekly tickets, which run from Monday morning to Monday morning. You require a small passport photo to go on your weekly ticket folder. We think it is often quicker to take the bus as metro changes can involve long underground walks, and besides, on a bus you get a real feel for your neighbourhood, its shops, parks and other attractions. On the metro, one ticket is good for a whole onward journey, no matter how often you change trains in the same direction. GETTING TO AND FROM YOUR APARTMENT BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Our apartments 1, 2 and 3 are between metro stations La Tour-Maubourg and Ecole Militaire on line No 8. You can also use the excellent bus route 69 to get to apartments 1, 2 and 3. It travels along rue St Dominique to the Louvre, the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and the famous BHV department store. The bus comes back along rue de Grenelle, so if you get off at rue Cler, you'll be very close to all three apartments. Apartment 4 is on metro lines 9 and 10, and is very close to the station Michel-Ange Auteuil. From the square at the station, you'll find bus routes 52 and 62. Route 52 is a joy, and travels to Opera via the Arc de Triomphe and the Boulevard Haussmann, taking in some of the most famous sights of Paris. See the Links page for a metro and a bus route plan. GETTING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT TO YOUR APARTMENT: 1. FRANCE You are very likely to arrive at Terminal 1 if you are flying in from Australia. Terminal 1 is in the form of a doughnut, and you should find your way out through Door 36. Directly across the road from Door 36 you'll see the Air France bus (coach) stop, which takes you to Etoile (also known as Arc de Triomphe) at a fare of around € 15 per person one way. Directly opposite where the bus sets you down at Etoile is a taxi rank. The fare to the apartments will vary depending on how much luggage you have, since you are charged a fee per item of luggage in addition to the fare. It's always a good idea to have the address written out on a card for the driver. We have found Paris taxi drivers fair, helpful and honest. If you are in apartments 1, 2 or 3, ask the driver to turn left into rue St Dominique from Avenue Rapp - or say your apartment is "pres de l'Avenue Rapp". Taxi drivers often know the streets so well that telling them you are going to 133 (cent trente-trois) rue St Dominique or to 22 (vingt-deux) rue Jean Nicot, will help them get you to the door without a hassle. If you are in apartment 4, you may have to give the driver a piece of paper with the address in rue Bastien Lepage, but also with "81, rue La Fontaine" in brackets - it's the same building. Drivers have to turn left from rue Donizetti into rue La Fontaine, then first right into rue Bastien Lepage. Your apartment has its entrance right next to the pizza restaurant. If you are lightly loaded you can catch the metro from Etoile. Buy a carnet dix (ten rides on the metro or bus) and also ask for the number 2 metro map ("plan de metro numero deux") as this has the train map and also the bus routes. Alternatively, you can use an airport pickup service. You must book in advance which can be made by E-mail in English (see numbers and addresses below). This costs about E26 for one, E32 for a couple and a little more if you are more than two. No charge is made for baggage. As you exit door 36 on your right there are a pair of elevators which descend to the departure area. The lifts open near door 16 and that is where you will be met. The driver will probably wait for you at door 16. There is a small parking area opposite where drivers are supposed to stay with their vehicle so you may have to look for the vehicle. If you know who you will use perhaps it is good idea to have a piece of paper with the pickup service's name printed on it. We use Airport connection: www.airport-connection.com Phone: 01 44 18 36 02 (0011 33 1 44 18 36 02) Or Yellow Van Shuttle: www.yellowvanshuttle.com Phone: 01 48 65 73 77 (0011 33 1 48 65 73 77) Fax: 01 48 65 71 84 (0011 33 1 48 65 71 84) Yellowvan will also pick you up from Orly, take you to Disney, Versailles, etc. Orly If you should come in through Orly, the Air France bus terminates at rue Esnault Pelterie. If you are lightly loaded rue Jean Nicot is a walk and the apartments in rue St Dominique a longer walk. In either case an easy taxi trip. For apartment 4 it is definitely a taxi trip. 2. LONDON Heathrow If your accommodation is on the Picadilly line take the tube. It is not fast but better than changing and about 5 pounds 50 pence per person. There is a Pullman service to Paddington which is nice and comfy, but costs 11 or 12 pounds per person and if you have to change definitely not worth it. We use minicabs. There are many minicab services. The driver waits at the exit from customs with your name on a piece of paper. The one we have used is Airport Direct: www.airportdirect.uk.com Phone: from Australia: 00 11 44 20 7263 3636/7272 0123, from London 020 7263 3636/7272 0123 Fax: from Australia: 00 11 44 20 7561 9278, from London 020 7561 9278 It costs 30 pounds to be collected from Heathrow and about 23 pounds to be delivered to Heathrow. Another one is: www.milesfaster.co.uk It cost 34 pounds to be collected from Heathrow and about 28 pounds to be delivered to Heathrow. Stanstead The train ride to Stanstead is about one and a half hours. Most of the discount airlines use this airport. 3.ROME The train service from Fumicino is excellent. It's about E8 to the city and the train goes every 10 minutes. We suggest you catch the train to one of the city stations (Trastevere or Ostiense) and then go to street level to take a taxi. There are airport pickup services operating at Fumicino but I have not used them.