Metro Exits

[Ellen]

When looking at a map and trying to plan an itinerary, how do you know which direction you will be facing when exiting the metro. When in Paris last time , I made many a mistake just by thinking I was facing one way, when in fact it was the other.
Do I have to go and have a look at a sign on a street wall or something to tell me which street I'm on?.

[GitteK]

Here's the #1 thumbrule for Parisian streets
(And do not listen to the administrative technicalities which some persons will try
and complicate things with. Because the below rules WORK in 9 out of 10 situations.)

1.
The streets that run parallel to the Seine have their numbers starting in the east going towards the west. So e.g. in Rue de Rivoli the lowest numbers are in the Marais, and the highest numbers are around Place de la Concorde.

2.
Streets that go perpendicular to the Seine have the lowest numbers closest to the Seine. So e.g. in Boulevard St. Michel the lowest numbers are up around the "Latin Quarter" and the highest numbers are down by Port Royal at the bottom of Jardin du Luxembourg.

3.
Even numbers are on your righthand side
Odd numbers are on your lefthand side

Conclusion:
So whenever you come up from a metro station and are absolutely clueless about which way to go
(and don't we all do that at least once per day !! ), you look at your map and then at the nearest housenumbers, by which you are now able to deduce which direction to take. It's really quite simple,
once you get the knack of it.

And then again: getting lost in Paris is impossible. Don't think of it as getting lost, there is no such concept. You simply ended up in another location than you expected - with all sorts of new and delightful pleasures waiting for you !!

[Truffaut]

Inside every Metro station, somewhere as you get close to the exit(s), you'll see a map of the neighborhood (not the map of the entire city). Each of the exits is very clearly marked and arrows show which way you'll be facing as you come up the steps/escalator. It's very helpful to take a moment to look at the map and figure out if you'll want to proceed straight ahead when you poke up out of ground, or if you'll need to do a u-turn.

When going someplace unfamiliar and using one of the larger Metro stops, Parisians will often call ahead to specifically ask which exit should be used. This is especially helpful for places around Bastille, Nation, République, Concorde, Châtelet, Etoile, Montparnasse, etc.

[denise]

:)When I decided to streamline my baggage halfway through my recent trip I discovered that YOU DO NOT NEED TO CARRY A MAP

Every metro station has a PLAN DE QUARTIER,inside/outside the METRO on the VELIB STATIONS and at the BUS STOPS.

There are often general (not detailed) city plans on the streets within the metro and bus stops".

I abandoned my heavy map book and managed with the above for the rest of the trip. It was actually better for me because I could see the large plans de quartier with my eyes!

I cannot take credit for this, the idea came from Inlovewithparis on TA.

Denise
Love from England

[Ellen]

Thanks for your replies, I must have been going around with my eyes closed last year, never noticed the maps at the exits.
Oooh!! 6 more weeks..
I agree Gitte about , 'it doesnt really matter anyway about getting lost'', there's always something new to see. I did however last time, go off the beaten track a bit as a result of 'going the wrong way'.
My trouble this time is I'm trying to 'convert' my hubby. He's never been before, and he's not one for queues and crowds, if he's going somwhere he likes to 'just get there'. Little impatient, love him to bits though and we'll only have a weekend, so don't want him to dislike it at the first hurdle. Having said this, I'm thinking, how could anyone not like Paris?.
Keep your fingers crossed for me that he'll be my future travel buddy to Paris.!!