Information. 7. RAILWAY STATIONS.
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5. Chemin de Fer de Petite Ceinture. — This line, known
shortly as 'La Ceinture', forms a complete circle round Paris (with a
branch to the Champ-de-Mars; through-trains), within the line of
the fortifications, and connects with the different railways in the
suburbs. For details, see the Appendix, p. 38.
Trains run in both directions every 10 minutes, and take 1 hr. 40 min.
to perform the circuit. The chief station of arrival and departure is the
Gare St. Lazare (see below), but trains also run from the Gare du Nord
(see below). There is no third class. The fares are 40 or 20 c. to the
first or second station from the point of departure (return 60 or 30 c),
and 55 or 30 c. beyond that distance (return 90 or 50 c).
Travellers may avail themselves of this railway, as an alternative to
the Me'tropolitain, to visit points of interest in the suburbs, such as the
Bois de Boulogne, Pere La chaise, and the Buttes-Chaumont, or to make
the complete circuit of the city. On every side of the town, however,
except tlie S.W., the line runs between walls or through deep cuttings
and tunnels. The seats on the outside ('imperiale') are scarcely to be
recommended; they are very draughty and exposed to dust and smoke.
The Chemin de Fer de Grande Ceinture, which forms a wide circle
round Paris, connecting the Chemins de Fer de l'Est, de Vincennes, de
Lyon, and d'Orleans, is of little interest for the tourist.
7. Railway Stations. Railway Offices and Agents.
The five railways radiating from Paris start from ten different
stations. For remarks on the French railway system, see p. xii.
The 'Indicateur des Chemins de Fer', the Indicateur Paul Dupont,
and the Livrets Chaix (p. xiii) give complete information regarding all
trains. — Hotels and Restaurants near the termini, see pp. 10, 19.
I. Chemins de Fer du Nord. Garb du Nord, Place de Roubaix
(PL B, 24; comp. p. 204), for the Lignes de Banlieue to St. Denis,
Enghien, etc.; and for the Lignes du Nord to England via Calais
or Boulogne, Belgium, Germany via Liege, etc. The booking-offices
for the trains of the Banlieue, except for the stations beyond St.
Denis on the Chantilly line, are in front; for the other trains, in the
arcade to the left. — Gare de la Ceinture et des Trains-Tramways,
to the right of the main station.
II. Chemins de Fer de l'Est. Two Stations.
(1). Gare de l'Est, or de Strasbourg, Place de Strasbourg (PL B,
24; p. 204), for the lines to Nancy, etc., to Germany vid Metz, to
Switzerland vid Belfort, and to Italy vid the St. Gotthard Tunnel, etc.
(2). Gare de Vincennes, Place de la Bastille (PL R, 25; V),
for the line to Vincennes.
III. Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest. Three Stations.
(1). Gare St. Lazare (buffet; comp. p. 208), between the
Rue St. Lazare, the Rue d'Amsterdam, and the Rue de Rome (PL B,
18). To the left are the Ligne de Petite Ceinture (see above); the
Ligne du Champ-de-Mars; the Lignes de Banlieue, serving St. Cloud,
Versailles (right bank), St. Germain, Argenteuil, and Ermont. To
the right are the Lignes de Normandie (England vid Dieppe or Le
Havre).
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