As
early as 1845 there have been plans to
build a subway in Paris. Even back then
Paris was a large city, and it needed
a way to get people from place to place
quickly and efficiently. Even today, over
one hundred and fifty years later, this
transport system remains an efficient
way of getting around what is easily one
of the busiest cities in the world.
Built under Fulgence Bienvenüe and
Hector Guimard (credited for the charming
Art Nouveau entrances) the Metro has 211
km (131 miles) of track and 14 lines,
shuttling 3500 cars on a precise schedule
between 380 stations (not including RER
stations), 87 of these offering connections
between lines. It is said that every building
in Paris is within 500 meters (3/10 mile)
of a Metro station. Roughly 6 million
people per day patronize the Metro, which
employs over 15,000 people.
In
fact many of the stations in The Metro
mirror the place under which they stop.
The stop for the Louvre is quite popular
by tourists (as it the museum on top of
it) the marble walls are lined with exhibits
and artwork. There are glass cases containing
various sculptures, all by a subway!
The Metro twists and turns like a snake
underground, and it is always handy to
have a map with you at all times. If you
do not speak French it is also a good
idea to have a well-marked tour book with
you so that you know where you are going.
Apparently there are many strikes, so
make sure that if you can you should ask
is some type of Metro shutdown is on its
way.
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