Travel Guide: Paris, France

How could you not love the city of love? Or as I like to think of it, the Pink Panther city (Inspector Clouseau anyone??). Paris is a lot of things, clearly, but boring is not one of them! If you want to read the live-action version of my most recent trip to Paris, you can find it HERE.

Otherwise, this is my complete guide for all you need to know before you yourself go to Paris!

Before You Leave

• Summary: Paris is the capital of France and its most populous city, with just over 2 million people. Paris is in the Northern part of the country and France is in the Western part of Europe. France has been part of the European Union since 1958.
• How to get there: If you fly, you’ll either fly into the Roissy Charles de Gaulle (north) or Orly (south). If you arrive by train, the main station is Paris Gare du Nord. A very common option is to take the Chunnel (a train from London to Paris that goes under the English Channel) which arrives at Gare du Nord.
• Language: French
• Currency: Euro (€)
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Politics: Semi-Presidential Republic (essentially means the head of the government is the Prime Minister, but the Council of Members is the main organ).
• Side they drive: Right
• Culture: Check out Hofstede’s culture comparison.
• Fun fact: There are more dogs than children in Paris (this is incredibly obvious once you notice!).

Transportation

• Metro, one of the largest underground systems. However, be sure to check on this before you go as there have been demonstrations that cause delays. Also, they don’t announce the stops, so pay attention! The best way to find your routes is to use Google Maps (if you start on WiFi, you can continue without it!) or the tourist website of France actually has all of the Metro stops, bus stops, and routes to take for major tourist places.
• Walking, its an incredibly walkable city, only taking about two hours to walk from the North to the South. We walked 40,000 steps one of the days we were there! It wasn’t as exhausting as it sounds because everything was so beautiful and distracting.
• Bike, oh how Parisian of you to rent a bike and give your feet a break!
• Uber, it’s not quite as reliable as in the US, but still available. We ordered them several times only to have them quit on us, so just be aware!
• Taxi, available, but expensive.

Paris is split down the middle by the Seine river. There are actually two islands in the middle, L’île Saint-Louis and L’île de la Cité. Note the things you want to do, if it’s on the North or South side, it will save you quite a bit of time!

What to See

North Side of the Seine

1. The Louvre: the biggest art gallery and museum in the world, arguably the greatest. The Louvre used to be a castle, which just adds to its beauty! Its biggest attraction? The Mona Lisa! Fun fact, Mona was stolen by Italian thief Vincenzo Peruggia in 1930. Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time to avoid lines. Pro tip: Get there early to avoid crowds.
2. Arc de Triomphe: you actually can go to the top of it, but you must purchase tickets. Many people say to spend your money on other views, but it’s always a great option.
3. Champs-Élysées: this is considered one of the most beautiful avenues in the world so you can be sure to find some incredible food and shopping here. This avenue leads to the Arc de Triomphe, is where the Tour de France finishes, and is where the Bastille Parade happens.
4. Sacré-Cœur: a Roman Catholic church! It’s free to enter and there is a free audio guide on their website.
5. Moulin Rouge: Paris’ cabaret (think the can-can dance, its where it originated!).
6. Palais Garnier: the Paris Opera house, absolutely STUNNING inside. It’s between 10-14€ depending on the exhibition.
7. Rue Crémieux: it is a residential street in Paris that has incredibly colorful buildings!
8. Montmarte Neighborhood: one of the more famous areas in Paris because, well, it’s classically Parisian.

South Side of the Seine

1. Eiffel Tour: what is more Parisian than the Eiffel Tour? Fun fact, it was the tallest man-made structure until the Chrysler building in New York surpassed it in 1931. Be sure to visit the classic carousel between the Champs de Mars and the Trocadero Gardens! Also, the classic tower pictures are taken from the Champs de Mars, for reference. You can go visit the different levels of the tower for an incredible view of Paris. From sundown to 1 am (at the beginning of each hour) it sparkles, so be sure to see it at least once!
2. Musee d’Orsay: a French art museum that used to be a railway station and is rated one of the best in the world!
3. Pont Alexandre III River Bridge: one side is the Champs Elysees and the other is the location of Napolean’s Tomb. It really is an incredible bridge that just screams “Paris” if you know what I mean!
4. Notre Dame: it’s actually located on the L’île de la Cité (one of the islands in the Seine). To date, it is the most visited place in Paris. In April 2019, it caught fire leading to a five-year restoration process. That being said, you’ll probably get a great view of it during construction, but don’t get your hopes up for an insta-pic!
5. Luxembourg Gardens: this is a must-do in the summer! Admission is free, bonus!
6. Sainte-Chapelle: don’t miss one of the most beautiful gothic-style chapels you’ll see. The stain-glass windows are second to none and will take your breath away. It’s about 11€ to enter, but is worth it!
7. Pantheon: Its also 11€ to enter, but the view of Paris (with the Eiffel tour in it!) from the back is incredible.
8. Catacombs: In the 18th century the overcrowding in cemeteries became a health concern, leading to what we now call the catacombs! The tour is about an hour and there are 243 stairs roundtrip.
9. Palace of Versailles: a little bit South of Paris, you’re going to want to make this a stop, especially the gardens! This is where Louis XVI lived in the 17th century and it’s still as beautiful as it was then. Its 20€ for full access. It will probably be more worth your trip to go during the summer months as everything will be in full bloom!

Here is an interactive map with all of the places I mentioned, so you can see where it is!

Where to Stay

Top Rated Upscale Hotels

Shangri-La Hotel

Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris

Le Bristol

Top Rated Affordable Hotels

Hôtel La Bourdonnais Paris

Hôtel Maison Athénée

Hôtel Malte – Astotel

Top Rated Hostels

Generator Paris

Les Piaules

The Loft

What to Eat

Paris is one of those places that has about as many top restaurants as there are people in the dang city, so most often, you can’t go wrong. HERE and HERE are some places that can recommend specific restaurants on where you are. Also, Travelocity has great options as well.

As I said, there are endless restaurants for all tastes, budgets, and desires. BUT if you’re going to Paris, here are the MUST try foods.

1. Macarons (or French Macaroon): one of the most iconic French treats. Ladurée is the most popular place to get them, with locations everywhere and all of the flavors!
2. Crêpe: I favor the sweet to the savory personally, but there is nothing like this thin French pancake! I think we had at least once a day while there. You can get them at carts just about anywhere, but go for a traditional creperie, they tend to be better!
3. Croissant: like crepes, there is a place to get them on just about every street corner or at any restaurant. They absolutely live up to the hype, trust me.
4. Baguette: another VERY French thing. Make sure to get one!
5. Éclair: this is similar to a custard-filled donut, covered in chocolate. Oh la la!
6. Steak Frites: this is basically just steak and fries, a very common French meal. NOTE: be aware that they tend to cook their steak (and omelets) on the rarer side. If you’re like me and like medium steak, make sure to order it medium-well.
7. Croque Monsieur: essentially a grown-up grilled ham and cheese (often they even put the cheese on the outside!). This was one of my favorite meals, even though I don’t love ham.
8. Escargot: snails. This is snails. It’s not uncommon to find people eating this as their whole entree, but more often its an appetizer. You just have to try it, for the record I really liked it.
9. Duck Confit: this is a dish that uses every part of a duck to create it. You can find this at a lot of higher-end restaurants.
10. Oysters: pretty self-explanatory! I actually really like oysters, although I know its an acquired taste!

Where to go to Church

1. Hillsong Paris: I loved this place SO much!
2. American Church in Paris

For now, this is all I’ve got! If you have any questions, comments, or anything to add, let me know below!

Au Revoir,

Katelyn