Getting Around Paris, on Foot First

In Paris, the best way to get around is often not to need to. The city is dense, its great places sit close to one another, and a well-chosen neighbourhood makes most journeys unnecessary. It is one of the reasons we choose our apartments in the heart of Paris.

Here is how we suggest moving about, from the simplest to the most comfortable.

Walking, the first means of transport

Paris is a city on a walker's scale. The Palais-Royal, the Louvre and the Opéra are within walking distance of one another. The whole of the Marais can be crossed on foot, from the Place des Vosges to the Musée Picasso. On the Left Bank, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Luxembourg and the banks of the Seine fit into a single walk. Our neighbourhood guides show what each of our addresses puts within walking distance.

Walking also shows you what you miss underground: an open courtyard, a shop window, a terrace worth stopping at. Bring comfortable shoes; the cobbles of the Marais are unkind to thin soles.

The metro, for longer distances

The metro is fast and dense, and it comes into its own once you leave the historic centre: for Montmartre via Abbesses station, for La Défense, or for Versailles by RER C. Within the centre, it sometimes saves less time than expected, between corridors and changes.

Two precautions. Many stations have neither a lift nor an escalator, which complicates journeys with suitcases or a pushchair. And at rush hour, walking is better. A Navigo Easy card, sold in stations, saves queuing at ticket windows.

Taxis and chauffeured cars, for arrivals and evenings

For a departure or an arrival with luggage, a late return or a dinner across town, nothing replaces a door-to-door journey. Paris taxis can be taken at ranks or booked; chauffeured cars are ordered in advance.

One simple rule at the airport: never accept a ride offered in the arrivals hall by an unofficial driver. The calmest option is to book before you travel. Our concierge arranges transfers to and from the airport.

The bicycle, for clear days

Vélib, the city's bike-sharing scheme, is a good way to follow the Seine or cross the centre, which is flat. Bikes are unlocked through an app worth installing before you need it. Avoid it for Montmartre and the hills, and in the rain.

Choosing your address means choosing your journeys

The real luxury in Paris is spontaneity: deciding late in the day to dine on the other side of the neighbourhood, walking home, going out again for a last drink. That depends neither on an app nor on a pass, but on an address.

Our apartments are chosen for that first. You will find them in the collection; and for the arrival itself, our guide to reaching your apartment from CDG or Orly sets out each option.

The ACT 3 Team