Queuing a.k.a. standing in lines and other Paris, France Warning Or Danger Tips

1. Queuing at the Orsay Museum,

Door A

by Nemorino , 3 more photos

Most of what I do in Paris involves little or no queuing, so I can't speak from personal experience, but I have recently come to realize that for some people the queuing situation in Paris can be a huge problem.

Imagine an unprepared tourist coming to Paris in the summer for a two-day visit in hopes of visiting five or six of the most popular tourist attractions. That person could easily spend five or six hours (or more?) doing nothing but standing in lines to get into the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the towers of Notre-Dame, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Orsay Museum, the Orangerie and a boat ride on the Seine.

Of course there may people who enjoy queuing. If you are one of these, please don't let me spoil your fun. But if you are a queuephobe* like me, I do suggest that you take precautions to reduce queuing time, so as not to completely spoil your Paris visit.

If you are an early riser, you might try arriving at some of these places first thing in the morning. I have never tried this (not being an early riser) but I'm told it can help.

For the Eiffel Tower you might want to wait until they start their promised online booking system, though I don't know when that's going to be.

For the Sainte-Chapelle you could go to an evening concert instead of lining up for a long wait during the day.

For the museums you might consider getting a two-, four- or six-day Museum Pass. In August 2008 I went to the fnac store at Forum Les Halles and bought a four-day Museum Pass which I used from Wednesday through Saturday. It didn't save me much money, because I also had other things on my agenda besides museums, but it did save me hours of queuing time, so I can highly recommend it.

Since most of the museums are closed on Mondays, a six-day Museum Pass would only make sense if you could use it from Tuesday through Sunday.

For more details on the Museum Passes, please have a look at breughel's tip about them, or tiabunna's.

*Queuephobe I think is a word I made up myself, but I haven't quite decided on the spelling. Queuephobe or Queuophobe? But not Queueophobe, that looks silly.

Second photo: With my Museum Pass I didn't have to join the long queue at Door A of the Orsay Museum, but walked right in here through Door C, Reserved Access.

Third photo: Waiting in line at Sainte-Chapelle.

Fourth photo: Four-day Museum Pass.

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Warnings Or Dangers: Pedestrian crosswalks

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Written by Nemorino

on Jun 28, 2006

Pedestrian crosswalk in Paris

by Nemorino , 1 more photos

It's a wonder more Germans aren't run over in Paris, because in Germany these zebra stripes painted on the streets mean that pedestrians have the right of way, no matter what. When a German town or city installs traffic lights at an intersection it is required by law to remove the zebra stripes, so as not to send out contradictory signals.

But in most of the neighboring countries, such as Austria, Switzerland and France, these zebra stripes mean merely that pedestrians may cross here as long as there is no red light to stop them. Germans are understandably confused by this, and are often outraged when motorists fail to stop for them or even honk for them to get out of the way.

(And how is it in your country? What do the zebra stripes mean there?)

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Warnings Or Dangers: Fires

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Updated by Nemorino

on Jul 2, 2006

1. Fire in Rue de la Trémoille

by Nemorino , 3 more photos

In the news lately there have been some reports of bad fires in Paris. I don't know if there are really more fires here than elsewhere, but maybe there are because of all the old firetrap buildings.

I happened to see this small fire as I was walking around the block waiting for the box office at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees to open (they don't open until 13.00).

As far as I know this fire did not do much damage, and did not affect the theater.

Second photo: Here the sapeurs-pompiers have extended a ladder up to where the smoke is coming from.

Third photo: I must admit I started getting dizzy just watching this fireman in full regalia climbing up the ladder.

Fourth photo: I don't know what his mission was up there, except maybe just to look at the fire and report what he saw. He didn't do anything that was visible to me. Just started back down after a while.

Update: Unbeknownst to me, VT member anagrettel was in Paris the same time I was, and she says she "saw the same 'fire' or what seems like it" because she was eating a delicious pannini at Pomme de Pain across the street when it happened.

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Dog Souvenirs: None of that in your home?

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Updated by Nemorino

on Jun 29, 2006

Poster on a garbage truck

by Nemorino