Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To all these scammers, simply say “no” firmly, don't apologize, don't smile, and step
away purposefully.
Pedestrian Safety:
Parisian drivers are notorious for ignoring pedestrians. Look both
ways (many streets are one-way) and be careful of seemingly quiet bus/taxi lanes.
Don't assume you have the right of way, even in a crosswalk. When crossing a street,
keep your pace constant and don't stop suddenly. By law, drivers are allowed to miss
pedestrians by up to just one meter—a little more than three feet (1.5 meters in the
countryside). Drivers calculate your speed so they won't hit you, provided you don't
alter your route or pace.
Watch out for bicyclists. This popular and silent transportation may come at you
from unexpected places and directions—cyclists ride in specially marked bike lanes
on wide sidewalks and also have a right to use lanes reserved for buses and taxis.
Bikescommonlygoagainsttraffic,asmanybikepathsareonone-waystreets.Always
look both ways.
BusyParisiansidewalksaremuchlikefreeways,soconductyourselfasifyouwere
a foot-fueled-car: Stick to your lane, look to the left before passing a slow-moving
pedestrian, and if you need to stop, look for a safe place to pull over.
Medical Help: The American Hospital
, established by a group of American expat doc-
tors, has English-speaking staff (63 Boulevard Victor Hugo, in Neuilly suburb, Mo:
Porte Maillot, then bus #82, tel. 01 46 41 25 25,
www.american-hospital.org
)
.
SOS
Médecins
(SOSDoctors)isaterrificservicethatwillsendadoctortoyourhotelroom
forareasonableprice(housecallstohotelsorhomes,usually€50-70,tel.01470777
77).
Museum Strategies:
TheworthwhileParisMuseumPass,coveringmostsightsinthecity,
is sold at museums and monuments, as well as TIs and FNAC stores (no surcharge).
Avoiding Lines with Advance Tickets:
If you don't purchase a Paris Museum Pass,
which allows you to skip most ticket lines, you have other options. Throughout Paris,
TIsandFNACstoressellindividual
“
coupe-file
” tickets,
lettingyouusetheMuseum
Pass entrance at sights. TIs sell these tickets for no extra fee, but FNACs add a sur-
charge of 10-20 percent—often worth it, as these stores are everywhere, even on the
Champs-Elysées (ask your hotelier for the nearest one). Although the lines at FNACs
and TIs to buy these tickets can be just as long as ticket lines at museums, for sights
that can have very long waits (such as the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, and Monet's
gardens at Giverny),
coupe-file
tickets can be a good idea.
