Rail Europe

Cycling in Paris can be considered an extreme sport -- especially with the need to navigate cobblestone streets, read French street signs and dodge erratic drivers. It can also be a wonderful way to see the city at your own pace, feel a bit more like local and get some exercise.

Arrive via the 8:25 on Sunday in time to take part in the Paris Respire, a weekly program designed to stop vehicular traffic and encourage people to walk, cycle or rollerblade. Streets and boulevards become car free and it is the perfect opportunity to discover the city of light by the light of day. The City of Paris recently introduced Velib, a bicycle rental service with over 750 credit-card operated bike stations and over 10,000 bikes at your disposal. Each bike has a bell -- in case you need to “toot your horn�? -- and a basket to hold your baguette or bottle of wine.

Midday

Your two wheel adventure begins in the Mouffetard area in the fifth Arondissment, which offers the bike enthusiast the tranquility of a vehicle free day, but with the visual stimulation of people-watching in the dozens of restaurants, shops and cafés, plus an open-air market. Make you way down rue Mouffetard, rue Descartes, rue de l'Ecole Polytechnique, rue de Lanneau, place Marcelin Berthelot and rue de Cluny.

Afternoon

Start your afternoon riding along the majestic Seine River. You can travel along either the left bank from Quai Anatole France to Quai Branly, both in the seventh Arondissment or alternatively ride along the right bank from Quai des Tuileries in the first Arondissment to Charles de Gaulle bridge in the twelfth. You will ride past some of Paris’ most treasured sites including the Tuileries Gardens, the Musée de Orsay, Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Ile St Louis and the Louvre.

If you would like to keep riding along the water, the route around Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th Arondissment can be quite lovely. Quai de Valmy, between rue Louis-Blanc and rue des Vinaigriers and Quai de Jemmapes, between rue Louis-Blanc and rue de la Grange-aux-Belles are reserved for bicycles and rollerbladers all day.

Details:

Velib
-bicycle rental
-Locations throughout Paris
-Rates start from 1 € for the first hour but go up to €7 for two hours -- you can ‘cheat’ the system and save a lot of Euro by purchasing a one-day pass for only €1, then use a bike for half an hour at a time before switching it for another one at a different station for free.

Mouffetard area -- Métro station: Censier Daubenton

A handy map of bike routes across Paris can be found here

Journey Time: 2hr20
Frequency: 15
Departure Station: London St-Pancras
Arrival Station: Paris Nord
Prices From: 106 (Economy) to 834 (Premier / Comfort Flexi)
(prices subject to change)

Uselful Links:

• http://www.en.velib.paris.fr
• http://www.paris.fr/portail/viewmultimediadocument?multimediadocument-id=18436

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