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so planning your days beforehand can save you aggravation. Museums are closed one day a week, usually Tuesday, and most stay open late at least one night each week. Store hours are generally from 10 AM to 7:30 PM, though smaller shops may not open until 11 AM, only to close for several hours during the afternoon. Most retailers are barred by law from doing business on Sunday, but exceptions include the shops along the Champs-Élysées, the Carrousel du Louvre, and around the Marais, where most boutiques open at 2 PM.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Paris is without question best explored on foot and, thanks to Baron Haussmann’s mid-19th-century redesign, the City of Light is a compact wonder of wide boulevards, gracious parks, and leafy squares. Happily and conveniently, there are more than five branches of the Paris tourist office located at key points in the capital:

Espace du Tourisme d’Ile-de-France (Carrousel du Louvre, 99 rue de Rivoli | 75001 | 08–92–68–30–00 in English [€0.34 per min] | www.pidf.com | Station: Palais-Royal, Musée du Louvre).

Office du Tourisme de la Ville de Paris Pyramides (25 rue des Pyramides | 75001 | 08–92–68–30–00 [€0.34 per min] | Station: Pyramides).

Office du Tourisme de la Ville de Paris Gare du Lyon (Arrivals, 20 bd. Diderot | 75012 | Station: Gare du Lyon).

Office du Tourisme de la Ville de Paris Gare du Nord (18 rue de Dunkerque | 75010 | Station: Gare du Nord).

Office du Tourisme de la Ville de Paris Opéra–Grands Magasins (11 rue Scribe | 75009 | Station: Opéra).

Office du Tourisme de la Ville de Paris Tour Eiffel (Between east and north legs of Eiffel Tower | 75007 | Station: Champs de Mars, Tour Eiffel).

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Bus Travel | Car Travel | Métro Travel | Taxi Travel | Train Travel | Bus Tours

BUS TRAVEL

The Paris bus system (54 quai de la Rapée, | Paris | 75012 | 3246 [€0.34 per min] | www.ratp.com) is user-friendly and a great way to see the city.

With dedicated lanes throughout the city allowing buses and taxis to whiz past traffic jams, taking the bus can be a pleasant way to get around. Buses are marked with the route number and destination in front and with major stopping places along the sides. The brown bus shelters contain timetables, route maps and electronic boards tell you when the next bus will arrive. Maps are also found on each bus. To get off, press one of the red buttons mounted on the silver poles that run the length of the bus and the arrêt demandé (stop requested) light directly above the driver will light up. Use the rear door to exit (some require you to push a silver button to open the door).

You can use your métro ticket on buses; if you have individual tickets (as opposed to weekly or monthly tickets), be prepared to punch your ticket in the gray machines on board the bus.

The best bet is to buy a carnet of 10 tickets for €11.60 at any métro station, or you can buy a single ticket on board for €1.60 (though the drivers may gripe about selling you one, so have exact change ready).

CAR TRAVEL

Driving is not recommended within Paris. Parisian drivers are aggressive behind the wheel and it’s often very difficult to park. Should you be driving into the city from elsewhere in Ile de France, the major ring road encircling the city is called the périférique, with the périférique intérieur going counterclockwise around the city, and the périférique extérieur, or the outside ring, going clockwise. Five lanes wide, the périférique is a highway from which portes (gates) connect Paris to the major highways of France. The highway names function on the same principle as the métro, with the final destination used as the route “name.”

MÉTRO TRAVEL

The métro is by far the quickest and most efficient way to get around and cost €1.60 each; a carnet (10 tickets for €11,60) is a better value. Trains run from 5:30 AM until 1 AM and 2 AM on Friday and Saturday (and be forewarned—this means the famous “last métro” can pass your station anytime after 12:30 AM on weekdays).

Stations