I am young enough to remember public transportation in Paris before the RER was established. At that time, the fastest way to cross the city East to West was to use métro Line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot. It’s still a favorite among visitors since it perfectly slices the center of Paris and stops at many of the “three-star” attractions like le Louvre, le Palais Royal, la place de la Concorde, les Champs-Elysées, and l’Arc de Triomphe.
For a change of pace and scenery, I invite you to use Line 6 between Nation and Charles de Gaulle-Etoile. Assuming the RATP is not on strike, of course… Although it takes a bit more time than the direct route offered by Line 1, almost half of this line is aérien: running above ground instead of tunneling in the dark, it gives you excellent views of the Seine, several monuments, and diverse architectural styles of apartment buildings.
As you can see in my video, the moment parfait on this line is arguably the section between Bir-Hakeim and Passy. Take a seat on the right side of the car and you’ll get a spectacular look at the Eiffel Tower and the Seine as the métro crosses the river on viaduct de Passy. Day or night, it’s quite a treat.
This is the first of my Moments Parfaits videos but I’m preparing several “flicks” and accompanying stories; I’ll upload them in the very near future. Tell me what you think and watch this space!