Hello all, hope you can help me with this as I've tried googling and scouring different travel forums to no avail.
I will be staying in Paris in late February, and my hotel is La Demeure in 13e (nearest Metro station is Les Gobelins). I have tickets to watch the singer Bjork perform at the Grand Chapiteau, Cirque en Chantier: http://www.fnacspectacles.com//place-spectacle/manifestation/Pop-rock-Folk-BJORK-CIBJO.htm
I'm trying to figure out how to get from my hotel to Boulogne Billancourt, because someone told me that it's in the suburbs of Paris. Google Maps tells me to take the M7 from Les Gobelins and change to the M10 at Jussieu, getting off at the Boulogne - Jean Jaurès stop and walking to the venue. The directions on the Cirque en Chantier website are even more convoluted and confusing to me after running it through Google translate:
"City Boulogne Billancourt is served by several Metro stations: Pont de Sèvres (terminal line 9), Pont de Saint-Cloud (terminal line 10), Boulogne Jean Jaurès (line 10 ) Billancourt (L9), Sembat (L9) and Porte de Saint-Cloud (L9).
The two stations closest to the Grand Chapiteau are Pont de Sèvres and Billancourt. Upon exiting the station, follow a portion of the avenue du Général Leclerc and Rue Yves Kermen to reach the Seguin course that extends the bridge Renault and provides access to the Island (10 walking 15 minutes). From the metro station Pont de Sèvres, we recommend you take exit 1 and turn left at the street level to follow the platform to the stairs Georges Gorse."
Is anyone familiar to this area and can help give me advice that isn't quite so confusing? Thanks so much!
Getting to Boulogne Billancourt
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I haven't read through all of your post but it seems like you're not looking on the official websites for public transport in Paris. The official website is www.ratp.fr. Here is a link to an interactive map of the system:
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk
Since parts of that website are only in French you can also use the website www.vianavigo.com.
Thanks FMT, I initially tried the official website but as you said, parts of it were in French and confused me even more. But your second link was very helpful and I've figured out the way, which seems to be:
1. At Les Gobelins metro, take M7 to Jussieu
2. Change to M10. Take to Michel-Ange-Auteuil
3. Change to M9. Take to Pont de Sevres. Walk.
Glad you could work it out and I hope you enjoy the concert.
It will help to know the color designations for the métro lines, not just the numbers.
You're missing a vital part of the instructions. When you change trains there will be 2 directions you can do in.
At Gobelins take direction La Courneuve.
At Jussieu you want to follow direction Boulogne Pte de St Cloud.
At Michel-Ange-Auteuil you want to follow direction Pont de Sevres.
Direction is the same word in French and English so the signs will have that word on them.
Whenever I'm taking an unfamiliar metro route I write everything down on a piece of paper so I'm not standing around trying to figure it out while people are swirling around me.
Thank you for the useful pointers STCirq and adrienne, I will take along a metro map and detailed directions when I take the metro.
There are maps above the metro doors (on the inside of the train) showing the line you're on and showing intersecting metro lines. That way you can count the stops and follow the map and get off at the correct stop.
On the walls of the station you'll also see the word "correspondence" meaning transfer. That shows the entry to a tunnel for a connection. The ends of the lines are also marked on the walls.
Some train doors do not open automatically. If there's a little handle on the door or a push button on the side of the door you have to open the door yourself.
It's the easiest subway system I've ever used.