Questions about Eiffel tower and Champs Elysees

[alexandra uk]

We've decided that we'd like to have a trip from the parks one day to have a walk down the Champs Elysees, and we'd like to go up the Eiffel tower.
We wouldn't be interested in any of the organised tours as these are the only two things we want to see. So my questions are - Would it be better to go in the day time or does it all come alive and look prettier at night ?

Also, after getting the RER into Paris is it easy enough to get the metro to the Tower or the Champs Elysees, and is it easy enough to buy tickets (I don't speak any French).

Thanks in advance

 

[KK Cat]

The Eiffel Tower is open until 11 p.m. If you can time things so that you go up the tower just before dusk, you get the best of both worlds, plus the added bonus that the queues to get in are gone (mostly anyway). I have been up the tower a few times, and the time we went up in brightness and came down in the dark was my favourite.

If these are the only 2 things you want to do you could go into Paris around lunch time (trip is about 40 mins). You can take the RER straight from Disneyland Paris and get off at the Arc de Triomphe (RER Ch. de Gaulle-Etoile), and then walk down the Champs Elysees. I would however recommend climbing up the Arc de Triomphe first and taking in the view from the top, it is a really great way of appreciating the layout of the streets, like the spokes of a wheel with the Arc at the centre, and you can look straight down to the Louvre down the Champs Elysees and then back in the other direction out to La Defense.

You could then take your time walk down the Champs Elysees towards the Louvre. How far you walk down this way will of course determine which metro you get back to the Eiffel Tower , but you can see the maps at www.ratp.fr

I intended to do this very thing last week when we were in Disney, but the philistines of children with me preferred stay in Disney Well, it's a good excuse to go back!!

Regards
Anne Marie

 

[alexandra uk]

Thanks Ann Marie - Thats a big help
I'll take your advice and go at around lunch time to walk down the Champs Elysees first, and then on to the tower.
Is it possible to walk from the Champs to the Eiffel Tower or would we have to get on the metro ?
(I really am quite worried about using the metro over there I'll be like a fish out of water )

 

[KK Cat]

It is possible to walk to the Eiffel Tower from the Louvre, it is probably about the same distance again as the length of the Champs Elysee, both are more or less on the banks of the Seine.
I love walking myself in a "strange" city, because I love just looking around.

The metro in Paris is however extremely easy to use, I see you are from the UK, have you used the London Underground, it's much the same once you have the little map in your hand. I'm from rural Ireland, and not used to public transport and I had no problem at all (so long as you know Sortie means Exit You can get a one day ticket for the whole system (Mobilis) at Disney and this will do you on both RER and metro.

To keep it reasonably simple you could get off RER (line A4) from Disney at Ch. de Gaulle Etoile (Arc de Triomphe), then walk down Champs Elysee towards Louvre. Still walking cross the river near Louvre and take RER line C from Musee D'Orsay for 3 stops heading west (trains going to Versailles or St Quentin) to Eiffel Tower. After doing the tower you can get metro line 6 from Bir Hakeim near tower (assessable from same RER station) back to Ch de Gaulle Etoile (Arc de T) and change back onto line A4 for Disney (Marne la Vallee/Chessey), ensure it's line A4 you get.

Regards
Anne Marie

 

[alexandra uk]

Thanks Ann Marie - thats great, I've copied it down into my Brit's guide that I'll be taking with me. It'll really help to have my route mapped out for me.

You certainly know your Paris transport

I've used the London underground many times which I found ok. The only thing bothering me about the metro is that its all in French, and if I was to get on the wrong tube it would be a nightmare.
I love walking in a strange city too, especially when the weather is nice.