So, this is apparently the most photographed station on the Paris Metro, though it probably has…read moremore to do with the entrance (which isn't unique) and not so much the pictures that are on the stairs as you descend. It's a nice station, but somewhat overrated.

The deepest station in all of Paris city, at approx 300 feet below the ground! Mmhmm…read more One of my favorite metro stations, primarily owing to the magic surrounding this station. Did you, dear reader, know that there was an actual abbey in this location during the Middle Ages? 300 feet below this station, there actually was. Gypsum (a soft stone) mines were ubiquitous back in the day. There existed a vast network of quarry tunnels, which, in time, did need to be filled by the city by high-pressured concrete. Needless, the mines closed in 1840's, The actual metro platform was built at bedrock, 285!! steps below Place des Abbesses (where the station is located).. yup! Each Art Nouveau stop was designed by architect Hector Guimard, and really define Paris as an art haven. The first metro opened in Paris in 1900!

This is the closest metro station to my apartment in Paris, and I have taken it every morning to go…read moreto work in La Défense. Usually on weekday mornings the trains are already pretty full by the time they get to Argentine, but a lot of people get off between Argentine and La Défense (especially at Porte Maillot) and there's reasonable standing room. Line 1 is also a mostly automated line, so the trains come very often and service is uninterrupted during transport strikes (although the trains get much more crowded). This metro station is also a very short walk from the Arc de Triomphe, so convenient if you want to visit that. There are 2 exits, each of which spits you out on either side of the multi-lane traffic of the Avenue de la Grande-Armée, so I'd pay attention to the best exit, although it's not hard to cross if you pick the wrong one. The exit "rue des Acacias" is best if you want to go in the direction of the place Saint-Ferdinand/Ternes/17th arrondissement. The station is reasonably clean, although there have been a few times where I've gotten off at the far corner of the platform and caught a whiff of urine. One time I had an issue with my Navigo and the woman working at the guichet was helpful and polite. Overall, a good station from which to access the 16th and 17th arrondissements, and the Arc de Triomphe.

The Gare de l'Est (East Station) is two train stations: one being part of the Paris Metro line,…read moreconnecting Lines 4, 5, and 7 and the other being the one of seven Paris mainline stations supporting TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) going to various cities in Europe. My nephew and I had planned a weekend trip to Luxembourg, and this station was the origination of the 2.5 hour high-speed trip, beginning early on a Saturday morning. We came from different places in Paris using Metro, and met up here. The walk from the Metro part of the station to the main central holding area takes a bit of time, with need to closely follow signs pointing to Gare de l'Est. About 24 minutes before the scheduled departure of our train, the platform number came up on the big board. At that point, we used the QR code from our purchased ticket to pass through the security gate of the platform. Then it was a long outdoor walk parallel to the train until one finds the correct car. We left right on-time. We came back to the same station from Luxembourg, and it was a simple matter of reversing direction back to the Metro side of the station to get back to our dorm/hotel.

Navigating thru this station is a nightmare once you arrive by Metro. Missed our train because of…read moreno clear signs and help available in the station. Had to exchange out pre-booked tickets and paid an additional fee for the same. Strongly recommend having a lot of buffer if you are planning on taking a train from here.

Originally named Palais Royal, Musée du Louvre was added in 1989 to emphasize the closeness of the…read morenew Louvre entrance. New platform screen doors were added in 2010. It services lines 1 & 7 for the Paris Metro system.

The French subway system is bad. Their ticketing system is extremely primitive and backwards. It's…read moreall tiny paper tickets that are easy to lose and the fare inspectors know it, so are very predatory. They need to join places like the US and UK in the 21st century.

So, this part of the city felt rather dodgy, but then again it does happen to be around the Gare du…read moreNord, and that part of the city certainly seems to be sketchy. However, it is Paris, and I suspect it has more to do with all of the tourists that land up around here, especially since it is just down the hill from Montmarte. Yeah, it turned out to be rather okay.

Named after the local military academy (well.duh) this is a fairly simple station with just 1 metro…read moreline running through it. That line is line 8, which was a line I don't recall ever using until I stayed near the military school. It does serve a few useful areas (Bastille, Republique, Opera and Concorde for example) but I guess my unfamiliarity with the line means that unless you are actually staying on the line, then there is usually a better way

Quality/Quantity - Now that we have been in France for over 3 or 4 weeks, we are experienced and…read morehave figured out their bus, train, and metro systems. Well we hope, lol. This trip was easy in and out! Ambiance - It is a major public train station for Montparnasse, so come early if you are not experienced. Crazy busy as expected. Service - Self service in this station. Price - 4.60 Euros; $5.50 US; very affordable. Owner Comment - Thanks for having affordable and smooth transportation with Inoui to Lyon.

There is one tiny elevator in the center. If you have a few bags, and don't want to cram on the…read moreescalator, you have to walk behind a few shops on the first floor before the Hall 4 entrance to find the elevator. Once inside, hold your breath. It smells like urine. Beware of people coming up to you to ask you random things. I had it happen a few times and it's a busy station! People are all over (kids, dogs, kids, suitcases). It's a busy place. The food selection is great and the shops are nice too. It's not the worst station or the best station I've been too. It runs on time and will get you to where you need to go.