Paris

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Paris
"City of Lights"
Country: France
Region: Europe
Eiffel Tower
More Information:
CS Group Wikipedia Wikitravel
City-Ambassadors:
Jerome , Julien , Caro , Marianne , Nicolas , Florine




Paris is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Ile-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris within its administrative limits (largely unchanged since 1860) has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006). The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005). The Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million, and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

Paris a big city with 11000 CouchSurfers which makes it the biggest city on CouchSurfing Worldwide!




Contents

HISTORY OF PARIS

Paris is more than 2,000 years old. Gauls of the Parisii tribe settled there between 250 and 200 BC and founded a fishing village on an island in the river that is the present-day "Ile de la Cité", the center around which Paris developed.

Known as Lutetia (Lutece) in ancient times, Paris was conquered by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, and existed as a regional center under the Romans and in the early Middle Ages. In 987, HUGH CAPET, Count of Paris, became king of France, and under his successors, the CAPETIANS, the city's position as the nation's capital became established. Often characterized as spirited and rebellious, the people of Paris first declared themselves an independent commune under the leadership of Etienne Marcel in 1355-58. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 was the first of a series of key actions by the Parisian people during the FRENCH REVOLUTION. Paris also played a major role in the revolutions of 1830 and 1848. In 1871, during the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR , the city was besieged for four months until France surrendered. After German troops withdrew, French radicals briefly established the COMMUNE OF PARIS. During World War I the Germans were prevented from reaching Paris, but they occupied the city during World War II from 1940 to 1944. Paris was again the scene of violence during the student riots of 1968.

Paris today maintains its importance, character, and charm, though its appearance is being transformed by structures such as the BEAUBOURG and by the ambitious grands projets building program carried out under the presidency of François Mitterrand. In addition to the La Défense arch and the Bastille Opéra, Mitterrand's projects have included the renovation of the Louvre by architect I. M. Pei, the La Villette complex on the northeastern edge of the city, and, in the southeast, the Bibliothèque de France, a great computer-age library.

Planning for Paris and the Paris Basin region includes consideration of large land areas in the Seine River valley all the way to the mouth of the river. New towns, parks, industrial locations, and expanded functions of existing towns are contemplated for this corridor on both sides of the Seine.

More informations about the History of Paris on the wikipedia:Paris !

WHAT TO VISIT? / TIPS / EMERGENCY CONTACTS

There are 20 differents districts inside of Paris, it divide the city in some kind of 20 town. Each district has his own townhall. You can find below a page for each district which show you all the places to visit in each disctrict, the tips to know about each district(free Internet/Wifi access, nice & cheap places to eat, the nightlife).

Free museums

Some museums are free every day, some on the first Sunday of every month, and some at other times. Check the tourism office list (French) for details.

More information

TRANSPORTS

Airports

The main Charles de Gaulle international airport[1] in Paris has three terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 are located adjacent to eachother, where as the main terminal 2 is located in another location, however the "CDGVAL shuttle train" transports traveller for free. Charles de Gaulle International Airport can be expensive for small luxuries and food.

Metro / Bus / Tramway / Local Train

The common transports (local train / Tramway / Metro / Bus) are shared by the company RATP.

Here are the tips

  • Always better to get a pass on monday as weekly pass for Paris are only valid from mondays till sundays. Thus this will make you save some money if you can plan your arrival a bit before the weekend.
  • Plan Rer (map of the RER (almost a train) which give you access to the Surburban Members), Zone 1 to 4: Starting from one of the city in those zone, it takes maximum 40 mn to reach Paris.CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP.
  • Last Metro : every night for all the lines the last metro leave from both side at 0:30am. It means that if you expect to use metro back to your couch at 0:30am you should be heading to the nearest metro station. Friday and Saturday night has 1 etra-hour: last metro leave at 1:30am.
  • Night buses: there is a night buses service all night long when métro and RER are shut down. They goes in the main suburbs city, are rather long, but still useful when you missed the last metro

Passes

There are some public transport passes in Paris: Weekly, Monthly and yearly:

  • Weekly: Good idea if you stay from 3 days. (or 2 days and if you took the subway a lot).
  • Monthly: Think about it if you re planning to stay over 2 weeks.
  • Yearly: :D

There is also a pass for 3 days for three zones. When travelling between UK and Paris the international train usually costs less and is friendly to the environment. Never take a pass at the Airport! (Only "Zone 1" to "zone 5" pass). Instead, take a single way to the station of your host (don't use automat, ask the kiosk for a ticket), and from there, take a pass. Ask your host in which zone he is living and ask for a pass "zone 1 - Zone X (of your host)"

Map of the Local Train's (RER) & Metro's Network

Le Velib (The Bicycle)

Velib web site

Vélib is a "free" bike system that anyone can use in Paris, provided one has a credit card with a chip. BUT if you do not understand the rules, it may be very expensive instead of being almost free. Here's what you should know in order not to get trapped by the Vélib' system :

In order to use Vélib' bikes, you have to allow the Velib system to debit your bank account with the cost of your subscription AND of each travel you'll do with a Velib bike during your subscription time. The subscription fee is cheap : 1€ for 24h, or 5€ for 1 week, and during your subscription time, you can use a bike as many times as you want (but only one at a time, of course). Each travel will be charged to you according to its duration : it can be free, for a short travel, or outrageously expensive for longer travels.

By "travel", you should understand the time spent between the moment you pick up a bike from a Velib' service point and the moment you drop it off at another Velib' service point. (There are hundreds of Velib service points, everywhere in Paris Watch the Map)

Each time you pick up a bike, the central computer of the Vélib' system starts metering the time you keep the bike with you, until you drop it off at any Vélib service point. Here's how the cost of your travel will be worked out : - the first half an hour is free - the second half an hour costs 1€ (even if it's not entirely used : for instance, a 31 min travel will cost 1€, exactly like a 59 min travel) - the 3rd half an hour costs 2€ - the 4th half an hour costs 4€ - each one of the following half hours costs 4€

For example, if you pick up a bike at 7:02 am, and ride it all around Paris, fastening it to trees whenever you take a stop in order to visit a monument or have a drink, and then drop your bike off at a Velib service point at 22:35 at night, here's what will be charged to you : the travel time will be 32 half hours (real time included between 15h1/2 and 16h), which will cost

0 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4.... = 119 € !

BUT if you only use Velib bikes to go from a place to another, and drop them off at Velib service points each time you stop somewhere, and provided each trip lasts less than 30 minutes, you can use as many bikes as you want, for free (except for the 1€ or 5€ of subscription).

PHONES

Public phones in Paris streets do not use coins, even if you can still find some in bars or hotels. Instead, you must buy a card from a newspaper vendor or shop vendor. They cost about €7. Keep this in mind when attempting to contact your host.


COUCHSURFERS

Antoine is living really close from Paris and will be glad to show you around if contacted well ahead your arrival. There are 6 city CS ambassadors in Paris: Jerome , Julien , Caro , Marianne , Nicolas , Florine

Meetings

There are regular meetings. A weekly meeting is held every mondays from 8pm at the Lions Bar, 120 rue Montmartre, metro Chatelet (line 1) or Bourse (line 3). You can find a location map [2].

Regular other local meetings take place a few times a week (going for drinks, picnics and various events) - go check the Paris group to find out! This group is popular amongst Parisian members so it might be a good option to get in touch with the Parisian CS community, get any information/tips you need and plan ahead for a trip in the beautiful "City of Lights". You can find the whole schedule here

The yearly big meeting of Paris is the Paris Rendez-Vous in June. There is also the biggest CS event in the World in Paris for the New Year Eve.

Couchsearch Tips

Paris is one of the smallest capital in the world : London : 1600 km2 / Roma : 1300 km2 / Berlin : 900 km2 and Paris.... 105 km2 ! And Its probably the first destination in the world for travelers. CS members in the heart of the city receive every day enormously of requests.

When looking for a couch don't hesitate to request it from CSers that live in the suburb!! The Parisian public transport system is said to be one the most efficient in Europe which means you can stay 50kms away from Paris and still make it downtown in less than half an hour. Metro lines go to zone 2 e.g. cities next to Paris (Saint Mandé, Vincennes, Boulogne, Courbevoie, Montreuil, etc.). Suburban members getting far less requests than central ones your chances to get positive answers will rise dramatically. Flats are bigger, there are houses, gardens, forests, woods, castels, all this in 20' of the center ! Its cool ! And its Parisian life too (2 million inside, 9 millions in suburb : we live together !). And many CS indicate with precision how long is train for center town.

To give a rather quick example, you should search for members in Ile de France and by latest login dates.Those two factors combined, will give you a great lot of good members outside of paris. Or directly use this page of results

La RATP is the company that provides transports within paris and towards its suburbs. they have an english part available so you can check your itinerary there.

Emergency Couches Available

Antoine : you may contact me on +33680435705 but not after midnight as you wont be able to make it from paris to chelles. last train leaves gare du nord (magenta) station at 00.45am and a bit later on weekends. memorize me to come to my place

LAST MINUTE COUCH REQUEST IN PARIS

CHECK THE GROUP HERE

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

  • Police Station:

Police-secours : 17
• 1st district: 01 47 03 60 00 • 11th district: 01 53 36 25 00
• 2nd district: 01 44 88 18 00 • 12th district: 01 44 87 50 12
• 3rd district: 01 42 76 13 00 • 13th district: 01 40 79 05 05
• 4th district: 01 40 29 22 00 • 14th district: 01 53 74 14 06
• 5th district: 01 44 41 51 00 • 15th district: 01 53 68 81 00
• 6th district: 01 40 46 38 30 • 16th district: 01 55 74 50 00
• 7th district: 01 44 18 69 07 • 17th district: 01 44 90 37 17
• 8th district: 01 53 76 60 00 • 18th district: 01 53 41 50 00
• 9th district: 01 44 83 80 80 • 19th district: 01 55 56 58 00
• 10th district: 01 53 19 43 10 • 20th district: 01 40 33 34 00

  • Health Urgency:

SAMU : 15

  • Hospital:

ARMAND-TROUSSEAU - 26, avenue du Docteur Arnold-Netter - 75571 PARIS Cedex 12 - Tel. : 01 44 73 74 75
BICHAT - CLAUDE-BERNARD - 46, rue Henri-Huchard - 75018 PARIS - Tel. : 01 40 25 80 80
BRETONNEAU - 23, rue Joseph-de Maistre - 75885 PARIS Cedex 18 - Tel. : 01 53 11 18 00
BROCA - 54-56, rue Pascal - 75013 PARIS - Tel. : 01 44 08 30 00
BROUSSAIS - 96, rue Didot - 75674 PARIS Cedex 14 - Tel. : 01 43 95 95 95
COCHIN - 27, rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques - 75679 PARIS Cedex 14 - Tel. : 01 58 41 41 41
FERNAND-WIDAL - 200, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis - 75010 PARIS - Tel. : 01 40 05 45 45
HOPITAL EUROPEEN GEORGES-POMPIDOU - 20, rue Leblanc - 75908 PARIS Cedex 15 - Tel. : 01 56 09 20 00
HOSPITALISATION A DOMICILE - 14, rue Vésale - 75005 PARIS - Tel. : 01 55 43 68 00
HOTEL-DIEU - 1, place du Parvis Notre-Dame - 75181 PARIS Cedex 4 - Tel. : 01 42 34 82 34
LA COLLEGIALE - 33, rue du Fer à Moulin - 75005 PARIS - Tel. : 01 44 08 30 00
LA ROCHEFOUCAULD - 15, avenue du Général Leclerc - 75674 PARIS Cedex 14 - Tel. : 01 44 08 30 00
LARIBOISIERE - 2, rue Ambroise - Paré - 75475 PARIS Cedex 10 - Tel. : 01 49 95 65 65
NECKER - ENFANTS MALADES - 149, rue de Sèvres - 75743 PARIS Cedex 15 - Tel. : 01 44 49 40 00
PITIE-SALPETRIERE - 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital - 75651 PARIS Cedex 13 - Tel. : 01 42 16 00 00
ROBERT-DEBRE - 48, boulevard Sérurier - 75935 PARIS CEDEX 19 - Tel. : 01 40 03 20 00
ROTHSCHILD - 33, boulevard de Picpus - 75571 PARIS Cedex 12 - Tel. : 01 40 19 30 00
SAINT-ANTOINE - 184, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine - 75571 PARIS Cedex 12 - Tel. : 01 49 28 20 00
SAINTE-PERINE - ROSSINI - CHARDON-LAGACHE - 11, rue Chardon-Lagache - 75781 PARIS Cedex 16 - Tel. : 01 44 96 31 31
SAINT-LOUIS - 1, avenue Claude-Vellefaux - 75475 PARIS Cedex 10 - Tel. : 01 42 49 49 49
SAINT-VINCENT DE PAUL - 82, avenue Denfert-Rochereau - 75674 PARIS Cedex 14 - Tel. : 01 58 41 41 41
TENON - 4, rue de la Chine - 75970 PARIS Cedex 20 - Tel. : 01 56 01 70 00
VAUGIRARD - GABRIEL-PALLEZ - 10, rue Vaugelas - 75730 PARIS Cedex 15 - Tel. : 01 40 45 80 00

  • Fireman Station:

Sapeurs-pompiers : 18

  • Embassy:
  • Emergency Doctor:

SOS médecins (24h/24) : 36 24
Urgences médicales de Paris (24h/24) : 01 53 94 94 94
Garde médicale de Paris : 01 42 72 88 88

Pharmacie 24h/24:
84, av des Champs-Elysées 75008 - Tel : 01 45 62 02 41
6, place Clichy 75009 - Tel : 01 48 74 65 18
You can know the local pharmacie open during the night by calling the local district Police Station.

WORK IN PARIS

For English speaking jobs and work in Paris, check out JobsinParis

LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS

INTERESTING LINKS

MY PARIS

Index here at the places you like the most and where you are sure you will absolutely have a great time would it be for just hanging out with your guests or partying it up paris style till dawn.

  • WHERE TO EAT

1/ Le Bambou , Vietnamese Cuisine The best place in China Town (the 13th district) to eat Pho. To go there check the map. The only restaurant i saw people waiting outside when it was raining !
2/ El'Picaflor , Peruvian cuisine , check the map here. 3 course meal at 19.80€. try the pisco cocktail as an appetizer and you wont regret it.

  • WHERE TO DRINK

1/ L'Objectif Lune, Quartier Bastille (Metro Line 1,5,8). If not the best Mojito and really cheap (3.80 euros during happy hours for all cocktails and 3 euros for a pint of lager). The bar opens at 6pm and the happy hours are over at 9pm. check out the location map

  • WHERE TO PARTY

1/ La Fléche d'Or, To enter this really cool place, you will be ask on opening day to pay 6 euros (against a voucher for a drink of the same price). To check the programmation, go Here and the closest metro is either Porte de Bagnolet or Alexandre Dumas. MAP HERE

  • WHERE TO SLEEP

1/ HostelWorld.com (search engine)
2/ Gomio.com (search engine)
3/ Hôtel Formule1
4/ St Christopher's Paris Hostel
5/ 3 Ducks Hostel
6/ BVJ Hotel
7/ Auberge de Jeunesse D'Artagnan
8/ find a roommate to rent a flat in paris for a week

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