1 Plan your Parisian visits in advance
Our Lady of Paris is the most visited Parisian monument / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos
Paris is packed with must-see monuments and museums like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or Notre-Dame, and plenty of people want to visit them just like you. So to save time in the queues, plan your trip in advance by buying tickets in advance on official websites. Beware, when you type the name of a site into a search engine, you may come across tour operator sites but not the official site. The rates on the official sites are the real ones (and cheaper than what many tour operators offer);
The Louvre is the biggest museum in the world / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: shutterstocks
Prefer the mornings for the big sites like the Louvre (although Friday night is perfect for getting a little less crowded) and the afternoons for strolling and shopping.
Some monuments are free, including access to Paris's magnificent bridges, including this one: the Pont Alexandre III / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com shutterstock.
Examples of time spent in monuments:
You should allow at least an hour for the major monuments, otherwise you won't really see anything.
- The Louvre requires 2H minimum, half a day is ideal.
- Notre Dame requires 2H.
- Versailles requires at least half a day, one day being the most optimal time (including the gardens and Trianon).
2. Pay attention to opening and closing times.
Please note opening and closing times / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : Jan Marcus Trapp de Pixabay
Be sure to look at the opening times and include your visit in them. If you arrive 30 minutes before closing time, it's not worth it. Many shops and museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays, so check the times in advance to avoid disappointment (e.g. Versailles is always closed on Mondays).
3. Paris on foot in comfort
Paris is very walkable, the highest point is 125 meters above sea level and it's Montmartre.
The best thing is to do as much as possible on foot, if only to better immerse yourself in the spirit of Paris and especially its architecture with whole streets, whole neighborhoods, riddled with so many beautiful, artfully crafted homes. Paris is big, but not so spread out, and you'll be surprised at how close the monuments are to each other. Obviously, prioritize comfort, even if it's not sexy, with shoes suitable for long walks. If you want to look your best, go back to your hotel to change and get dressed, even if it means taking public transport or a cab to get there (to a restaurant, for example).
You'll be doing a lot of walking in Paris. Choose comfort! photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Daria Obymaha de Pixabay
4. Use public transport in Paris
The Paris metro is the 2nd oldest in the world after London / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com: Andrew Becks from Pixabay
Frankly, Paris is well endowed with public transport with a metro, streetcar and bus lines.The metro is the fastest and cheapest way to get aroundwith the REC (it's the same ticket now). Always keep your ticket on you, and throw it away when you're out. The RATP app lets you have everything on your phone. The bus is a nifty way to get around Paris, cheap, and enjoying the view, especially if you have to get home from the restaurant in the evening. Paris also has a very nifty boat bus service that gets you around on the Seine and is affordable. Here again, you'll enjoy the view (Paris is so beautiful!) while getting around. Be sure to keep an eye on your bag, and even put it in front of you, to avoid tempting pickpockets;
5. Cabs, Uber, Parisian rules
You'll find cabs at specific stations (which are indicated) or by hailing them as you pass. You'll know if they're available if the light is green. If it's red, there's no point - the cab's already on the move. Don't forget to say where you're going straight away. Beware: some cabs will refuse if the journey is too short (less than 10 minutes, for example). They usually take credit cards, but it's always best to check. There may be an extra charge for large luggage or if there are 4 of you. The cost is always indicated during the ride on a screen visible from the back of the vehicle. If the driver doesn't let you see it, don't hesitate to demand to see it. The minimum cab fare is €7.30 in 2025;
A Parisian taxi / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
Examples of cab fares in Paris
A trip from the Eiffel Tower to Gare de l'Est in Paris will cost between €25 and €30 (in 2025). For airports:
- Charles de Gaulle Airport - Paris rive droite: €53.
- Charles de Gaulle Airport - Paris rive gauche: €58
- Orly airport - Paris right bank: €41.
- Orly airport - Paris rive gauche: €35.
These rates are indicative for 2025, but they give you an idea of the real price to pay.
Beware of canvassers and fake cabs when you arrive at the airport! photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com: depositphotos.
Uber? Go to the app
And only on the app.
Never follow people who hail travelers
Whether you're at the airport or the train station, never go with someone who's been hailing you and tells you they're a cab. You're in for a big surprise on the bill. In fact, these people are neither cabs nor Uber, and they often don't have the right to transport people at all. As a general rule, if you're a cab driver, you go and find him or her, and if you're an uber driver, you go through the app;
6. Get lost !
Paris is full of streets and treasures, get lost with pleasure! image chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Pexels de Pixabay
You'll find a much more typical Paris if you go a little away from the big sites. Not necessarily far, in fact, but not on the spot itself. For example, to find a good typical restaurant, if you're on the Champs Elysées, you'll find some at more affordable prices and with a better-quality menu two or three streets behind the tourist site. You don't always have to go to the patisseries recommended by the guidebooks. You'll find tasty croissants in rather ordinary bakeries. The number of customers is often a good indicator;
The best pastry shops or croissants are often in Parisian neighborhoods rather than in tourist areass / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : Pexels de Pixabay
If you've rented an apartment, now's your chance to cook. There are plenty of culinary websites for French cooking, and you'll find everything you need even late at night. There are some great markets in Paris too! For example: le marché des enfants rouges, in the 3rd (39 rue de Bretagne) or le marché Bastille, boulevard Richard Lenoir in the 11th. There are some thirty occasional markets in Paris,you'll find the list here.
7. Be attentive or even cautious
Beware of pickpockets / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
As in all big cities, be careful. Keep an eye on your belongings, especially on public transport or in tourist areas. In tourist areas, in fact, as soon as someone approaches you with a piece of paper, a game, or seems to want to sell you something: say no and walk further away! This is often the starting point of a scam. This is particularly the case on the Champs de Mars, around the Eiffel Tower, in Montmartre, in front of Notre Dame, on the Champs-Elysées etc.... Similarly, avoid buying things to eat from street vendors, they're often not authorized to do so and the products aren't often squeaky clean. Same goes for souvenirs sold on the sly. Not only is it forbidden, but you have no guarantee that they meet safety standards. The best thing is to go to the shops around. Avoid touk-touk, which often don't meet transport safety standards.
Beware in the busiest tourist areas, they do not, alas, attract only tourists / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
8. The price is always displayed
French law is clear:a price is always displayed. If it isn't, it's not normal. Likewise, we don't normally negotiate prices (although we increasingly do).
9. Don't forget to visit Paris at night
Paris, at night, is a marvel / photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: netfalls via depositphotos
Paris is nicknamed the City of Light, and it's not for nothing. It's magnificent at night too. You'll experience many emotions discovering it at night, for example walking up the Champs-Elysées from Concorde, or strolling along the quays of the Seine. Don't miss out. So, even if the day is exhausting with sightseeing and noise, always save a little energy for the evening. Especially to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle, five minutes at the start of every hour of the night.
The Eiffel Tower is magical at night. It even twinkles for 5 minutes at the beginning of each hour of the night / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : scooterenglasias de Pixabay
10. Politeness and the French language
The French are always sensitive to politeness, so always be polite. We say "bonjour" when we enter a small enclosed place (for example a café, a boulangerie...). If you're a foreigner, we'll be grateful if you make the effort to speak French even if we correct you in pronunciation or words. The French don't correct out of a spirit of superiority; in fact, it's more a way of showing you consideration, even a little affection (if we don't care, we don't actually say anything!).
Always say "merci" to the waiter and remember to tip / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
French basics useful in Paris
- Bonjourv(when you greet before 6:00 pm)
- Bonsoir (when you greet after 18H00).
- Au revoir (when you leave).
- Merci (to thank) or I thank you.
- S'il vous plait (when you ask for something.
And we no longer say "garçon" too much to call the waiter at the café or restaurant. A "monsieur" will be more than enough (and appreciated).
