Paris, one of the most beautiful cities you will ever visit, the City of Love and Lights!
In this Travel Guide of Paris, I will try to help you find the Best Places to Stay, the Best Places to Eat, and the Best Things to See and Do, to make your trip unforgettable.
All Information and prices are updated to 2024.
" A walk around Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life" - Thomas Jefferson
Table of Contents
Top Things to know about Paris?
When to Visit?: The coldest time to visit is from January to March, but it is the quietest and cheapest.
Enjoy the spring blossoms from April to May, or the warm to sometimes very hot summer months from June to August. This is the busiest and more expensive time to visit Paris.
Or visit in the fall from September to October, where the leaves start to change color and the Paris Fashion Week is in full swing.
For some seasonal cheer, visit from November to December.
Language: The main language spoken in France is French, but don't worry, many French people speak and understand enough English to help you out. Still, it never hurts to learn just a few words in the native language of the country you are visiting.
Your effort will be appreciated!
Currency: Throughout France and other European countries that are part of the EU, the Euro is the currency used.
Almost all hotels, restaurants and cafés accept payment with credit cards, but carry some cash with you just in case.
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How to get around in Paris?:Use the Metro, Bus, RER Train, Taxi or Uber. Get yourself the Navigo Découverte Card.
Safety: Paris can be a very safe place to visit as a tourist if you know which situations and areas to avoid.
Be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your belongings when in crowded places or when using public transportation.
Some areas to avoid at night: Gare du Nord and Gare de L'Est, also Châtelet les Halles in the 1st district.
Drinking Tap Water in Paris is safe.
Buying a SIM Card: Roaming in the EU is free if you have a EU SIM Card. If you are not from Europe, you will need a French SIM Card.
The four official mobile operators in France are Orange France, SFR France, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile.
The best place to buy your prepaid SIM card is at the Tourist Information of Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport, but keep in mind that prices are most likely going to be higher at the Airport as in the City Center.
How to get from CDG Airport to the City Center?
When we arrived at Charles de Gaulles Airport, we decided to take the train into the city. It is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to get into Paris.
We made our way from our Terminal to the RER B Train Station. There are signs all over the airport showing you the way.
When we reached the Navigo Service Counter to have our Navigo Découverte Card made.
With this card you can get from CDG Airport to the City Center, use it on all Public Transportation systems in Paris including the Funicular (a type of cable railway system, to get up to the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre) and also to get to Versailles.
You will need a photo of yourself in passport format, and the card will cost you €5.
Now you have to head to one of the ticket machines with Navigo written on them where you can top off the card with a Day, Week or Month price.
I topped off the card with a Week Pass. It cost €22.80 per Person. You MUST KNOW that the Week Pass is valid from Monday to Sunday, which means that if you buy it on a Friday, it will only be valid until Sunday and you will have to buy another one on Monday!
A Regular Ticket from CDG to the City Center would cost you €11.40 one way per Person. (The connecting Metro Line you use is included in this ticket).
The train takes about 40 minutes to the Gare du Nord train station. From there you can catch your connecting Metro Line.
A Taxi would cost you between €53 - €60 depending on where you are staying. Keep in mind that traffic can be very bad in Paris, so it might take you over an hour to get to your accommodation!
Staying in the Artist's District of Paris, Montmartre
Because we arrived in Montmartre in the late afternoon, we decided to just stroll around this beautiful Neighborhood.
We headed to the Funicular Station at the base of the Sacré Coeur, the Funiculaire de Montmartre - Basse. Thanks to our Navigo Découverte Card, the price of the ride up was included. Normally it would cost the basic metro fare of €1.90.
We went up the steps to the magnificent Basilica of Sacré Coeur and took a look inside......
Afterward, we walked to the Place du Tertre to admire the Artists at work.
On our way back to the Terrass Hotel, we stoped for dinner at the La Rughetta Restaurant, a very good little Italian Restaurant.
At the Rooftop Bar of the Terrass Hotel, we ordered a Cocktail and watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle in the distance.
Where to eat?
Right across the Street from the Moulin Rouge.
Order the Brioche Perdue (A type of French Toast with Caramel/Toffee Sauce on it.)
Just a few feet from the Moulin Rouge. Try their Onion Soup.
In a small side Alley of Montmartre, a very good little Italien Restaurant. Try the Penne al Arrabbiata.
Drinks?
in the Hotel Particulier Montmartre
Best Hotels in Montmartre
The rooms and suites are designed as artists' dressing rooms with studio lamps, director style chairs, travel trunk style storages, and metro tiles in the bathrooms.
Some of the rooms offer views of the Eiffel Tower.
We booked the Classic Lodge Room for 2 Nights.
The Terrass Hotel has a great location in Montmartre. Just a 15min. walk to the Basilica of Sacré Coeur, a 10min. walk to the Wall of Love and about 6min. walk to the Moulin Rouge.
There are 2 Metro Stations nearby (about 10-15min. Walk), the Metro Line 2, Station Blanche and the Metro Line 12, Station Abbesses.
A little pearl in the middle of Montmartre with many cafés nearby. The rooms are small but cozy and modern. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
It's just a 10-min walk to the Metro Line 12, Station Abbesses or the Metro Line 2, Station Blanche.
A very small and very private Hotel with the largest hotel garden in the capital, a haven of greenery.
There are only 5 suites! So book in advance.
You can visit the hotel's bar or restaurant even if you are not a guest, but also here, book in advance.
A small Hotel in the heart of Montmartre, just a 10-min walk from the Sacré-Coeur.
There are many little Bistros nearby, a supermarket and a bank.
The Metro Line 12, Station Lamarck-Caulaincourt is just a few minutes walk away.
The rooms are small but very clean and the staff is very friendly.
The Arc de Triomphe
Standing on the western end of the famous Champs-Élysées, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe.
The tickets cost €13 per Person to go to the top viewpoint, where you will find some of the best views of Paris.
Free admissions for those under 18 and for 18 to 25-year-olds that are EU citizens.
It is open Monday to Sunday from 10a.m to 10:30p.m.
The best way to access it is to use the underground passage right next to the Big Bus Tour stop.
You must know, to get to the top, you have to climb 284 Steps! But don't worry, there are places to stop on the way up where you can go to the restroom, see some art and history about the Arc and even a souvenir shop.
There is an elevator, but it is reserved for the elderly, people with disabilities and those who are pregnant. And they, too, will have to be able to climb 64 steps.
Where to eat?
A great Morrocan Restaurant
Flowers decorat it's Entrance.
Best Hotels nearby....
Great location, just steps away from the most famous street in the world,
the Champs-Élysées.
The room concept is efficient and stylish.
They also have a great Rooftop bar.
Hidden Hotel 4*
This hotel is a cozy hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city, but still just a few minutes walk from the Arc de Triomphe.
It has 35 unique rooms where comfort is combined with luxury.
A Hotel inspired by nature.
The Eiffel Tower
One of the most iconic monuments in the world, the Iron Lady.
Find a nice spot at her feet and enjoy a Pick nick.
One can also buy a ticket to the top. The elevator to the second floor will cost €18.10 per Adult, and all the way to the top will cost €28.30 per Adult.
You can always choose the cheaper option where the lines are also shorter, the stairs!
These tickets will cost €11.30 per Adult to the second floor. Because there are no stairs to the very top, you can buy the ticket option to use the stairs to the second floor and then the elevator. This will cost €21.50.
Book your tickets up to a month in advance if you are planing to come in high season (June till August).
Travel Tip: Public Toilettes do not always work, so sometimes you have to go to nearby restaurant!
Every evening at dusk, the Eiffel Tower sparkles for 5 min at the beginning of each other until 11p.m.
What is the best way to enter the Louvre Museum?
The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world, with its iconic glass pyramids and famous works of art like the Mona Lisa.
Because of this, the Lines to get in can get very long and it can get very crowded.
The museum is open from 9a.m to 6p.m Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On Fridays, it is open from 9a.m to 9:45p.m and CLOSED on Tuesdays. It is also CLOSED on public holidays like on December 25th, January 1st and the 1st of May.
Tickets cost €17 per Person. 18 to 26-year-olds from the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have free admission.
If you want to explore the museum on your own in your own pace, then defiantly buy your ticket online in advance and avoid the group tours or guided tours.
Most visitors enter the Louvre through the main entrance by the glass pyramid.
There are three other entrances, the Passage Richelieu entrance, the Porte des Lions entrance and the Galerie du Carrousel entrance. This is my personal favorite way to enter, and it is where you can see the inverted glass pyramid.
You can get to this entrance through the Metro Lines 1 and 7, Station Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre, or from the outside.
It is to the right and left of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and heads down to the Carrousel Mall.
The Louvre Museum is huge, and it is easy to get lost, even though you get a map of the place! You have to plan ahead what works of art you really want to see.
If you get hungry or thirsty or need a smoke, there are two Cafés with a terrace inside.
The Café Mollien is located on Level 1 of the Denon Wing next to the red french paintings rooms, where the painting of the Coronation of Napoleon is.
The other Café is the Terrasse Colbert located on Level 1 of the Richelieu Wing, near the Grand Salon.
Where to eat?
A little Parisian-style restaurant near the Louvre. Try the Sweet potato Gnocchi with mushroom cream sauce.
A casual cafe that serves sweet & savory Crêpes.
They also have Vegan options.
L'Île de la Cité
A small, picturesque Seine river island, one of the oldest districts in Paris. Here you will find the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle, la Conciergerie and the Flower Market.
The Notre Dame
It takes about 30 min to walk from the glass pyramid of the Louvre to the Notre Dame Cathedral.
The Metro Line 4, Station Cité, is the nearest stop to get to the Notre Dame. Nearby are the Metro Lines 1, 11 and 7.
Sadly, due to the fire in April 2019, the Notre Dame is closed to the public. It should be open again sometime in 2024.
The Sainte Chapelle
Because the Notre Dame was closed, we went to visit the Sainte Chapelle, just a few minutes away.
It costs €11.50 per Person to get in and admire the breathtaking Gothic architecture and the beautiful, up to 12 Meter high stain glass windows.
Where to eat?
A great place to try traditional home made french cuisine.
Try the Crème Brûlée.
Opera Paris - Palais Garnier
Explore the opulent Palais Garnier, considered one of the most opulent Opera Houses in the world with a vision of dazzling marble and crystal chandeliers, and the grand staircase.
It is also the setting for the famous Novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera.
Open every day from 10a.m to 5p.m except on days with performances.
Self-guided tours cost €14 per Person, and the After hour guided tour costs €22 per Person. Keep reading to find out if this Tour is worth the price....
The nearest Metro Lines are 3, 7 and 8, Station Opéra and Metro Line 9, Station Chaussée d'Antin — La Fayette.
Where to eat?
In the Galeries Lafayette Store. Try one of the many delicious éclairs.
Best Hotels in Paris
An affordable luxury hotel on a quiet street. It is near the Louvre Museum, Opéra Garnier and Pigalle Metro Station.
Great location, just steps away from the most famous street in the world,
the Champs-Élysées.
The room concept is efficient and stylish.
They also have a great Rooftop bar.
Hidden Hotel 4*
This hotel is a cozy hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city, but still just a few minutes walk from the Arc de Triomphe.
It has 35 unique rooms where comfort is combined with luxury.
A Hotel inspired by nature.
A boutique Hotel between the neighborhoods Bastille and Le Marais.
Chill out in their secret garden.
The Metro Line 8, station Chemin Vert is about a 5-min walk away.
Take a daytrip to Versailles
The city of Versailles is most famous for it's lavish Palace, the Château de Versaille.
The Palace of Versailles is open from 9a.m to 5:30p.m and tickets will cost you around €19.50 per person.
Here is also where you will find the world famous Hall of Mirrors.
The Estate of Trianon is open from 12p.m to 5:30p.m and tickets cost €12.
Tip: Buy the Passport with access to the Palace, Estate of Trianon and the Gardens for €21.50 per person.
The Gardens are open to the public from 8a.m to 6p.m.
If you really want to do something special......
How much did this Trip cost?
Flight from Vienna International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport cost us around €700 for two with just hand luggage.
Navigo Découverte Card cost us €56 for two people, topped up for a week.
The two nights we spent at the Terrass Hotel in Montmartre cost us about €730, including breakfast (We were there at the beginning of April).
Cocktails at the Rooftop bar of the Terrass Hotel cost between €20 to €30 for two people.
Dinner for two at the La Rughetta cost us about €40 including drinks.
Our visit to the Arc de Triomphe cost us €26 for two people.
Tickets to the Saint Chapelle cost us €23 for two people.
Lunch at the Restaurant Paul cost us about €40 including drinks.
The Opera After hour Tour tickets cost us €44 for two people.
Two éclairs from L’Éclair de Génie at the food court of Galeries Lafayette cost us about €12.
Dinner at The Family Restaurant near the Opera cost us about €45 for two people, including drinks.
Two tickets to the Louvre cost us €34.
Lunch at the Happy Caffe cost us about €25 for two people including drinks.
Drinks and other Snacks we had over the 4 days of our trip cost us about €50.
So all in all, this trip to Paris cost us about €2000. Please keep in mind that your trip to Paris could be a lot cheaper than ours!
* We paid for this Paris vacation out of our own pocket. All tips given are our own. Some links are advertising links. This means that, if you book something through these links, we receive a small commission. Every month we donate 20% of our earnings to an animal shelter, animal sanctuary or animal welfare organization around the world.
Thank you for your support!
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