LOCAL CULTURE

CABS

Taxis can be hard to find, especially at rush hour, at night, and on rainy days. Your best bet is to find a taxi rank marked with a blue sign, or to ask your hotel Doorman or the restaurant Maitre D' to call a taxi for you. A white light on a taxi's roof indicates the car is free. An orange light means the cab is busy. Most drivers will not take more than three people. Also, expect to pay an extra fee if someone sits in front, or if you place some heavy luggage in the trunk.

CAFE & RESTAURANT TIPPING

By law, all bills show "service compris"; that means the tip is included. You can leave a tip you decided with the amount that you think appropriated, this is not in percentage. But there is no obligation.

LANGUAGE

It usually helps if you make a little effort to speak a little French. A simple, friendly "Bonjour"; will do, as will asking if the person you are greeting speaks English.

METRO

Taking the metro is definitely the most efficient way to get around Paris. Fourteen metro lines and five RER (regional express network) lines crisscross Paris and its suburbs. It is essential to pay attention to the final stop on the line you are taking; it is that one that will indicate the direction you are going in. Look for the orange; correspondence; sign if you need to connect with another line. Look for the blue; Sortie; sign to find the station exit. The tickets can be purchased at machines or ticket counters in each station. Make sure to hold your ticket until the end of your journey, as inspectors may ask you for it. Metro service starts from 5:30am and continues until 1:00am.

SUNDAY

Although shops are generally closed on Sundays, regulations have been greatly relaxed in the past decade, and you will find a number of stores open then too, most especially in the Marais, but also in tourist areas and at museums.

DID YOU KNOW ?

OPERA HONEY

Above the two Paris Opera houses, hundreds of thousands of bees yearly produce two thousand kilos of honey. A 100 gram jar of honey available at the Opera houses boutiques and at the fine grocery store Fauchon, will set you back 16 euros.

THE VINEYARDS OF MONTMARTRE

Visit the small hill in autumn and you will be surrounded by the famous Grape-Harvest's party of Montmartre. The vineyards are an ancient landmark on the hill. Bacchus, the God of Wine had a temple here. The Abbotts had their own wine press close to Saint Pierre Church. On the first Saturday in October, the grapes are harvested by many important people including celebrities, delegations; Les Chevaliers du Taste-Wine; (the knights of Wine Tasting) from different French provinces. Always a most festive event.

VISIT OF THE SEWERS

For centuries, the main source of drinking water in Paris was the Seine river, which was also the main sewer. Constructions of an underground sewerage system began in 1825 under Napoleon. Today, Egouts de Paris is a smelly museum. Each sewer in the 2,100 km system is marked with a replica of the street sign above. Remember to bring a sweater, as it is always cool underground.