Originally Posted by
Mountain Trader
I don't disagree, but I note that I don't know exactly where the Nation bound #26 stop is and I would not want to walk around outside Gare du Nord with luggage late at night looking for it.
ratp.fr's maps are your friend: the stop for the Nation-bound 26 is right in front on the station, on an island on place Napoleon III in front of the Mercure Terminus Nord (street view in google maps will give a physical view of the bus stop).
Also the OP should know that buses that late usually run every 20 minutes or so, and be aware of when to signal the bus to stop.
Ratp buses nowadays have both visual and aural indications of stops. Bus route maps are also available on ratp.fr (
Link to route 26 map) as well as timetables (click on
afficher les horaires de la ligne from route map page). If the OP becomes remains alert two or three stops before the required stop (l'Ermitage, in his case) and press on the request stop button just after passing the previous stop (Jourdain), there should be no problem.
Plugging in the itinerary from gare du nord to square pixerecourt in ratp.fr at the relevant time and specifying 'bus/tramway' and 'least walking' in advance search should give the routing with the 26 bus, with maps at both ends.