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Paris Travel Guide

While many who visit Paris for the first time fall in love instantly, it may be hard to get your footing, especially if you don’t speak the language. Some helpful tips will guide the way as you explore the city of love.

When to go: While the busiest times to visit Paris are in the late summer months, many locals and frequent visitors will tell you to wait until the crowds have died down a bit. September is beautiful, with a crisp bite to the air and plenty of sunlight. Museums and shopping areas are not as packed with fellow travelers, so you can try your best to blend in with the locals.

Be prepared to spend: The time is not great to go to Europe armed with American dollars. But once you accept that you’ll be paying upwards of $7 for a soda, it’s actually possible to manage your money wisely and still have some left over for the adorable boutique you come across on your mid-afternoon walk. Pay attention to menu prices when dining and consider if the trinkets your browsing are actually things you could easily pick up back home. The aforementioned soda seems to be the most overpriced thing commonly seen in Paris, but espresso runs aplenty.

Eat wisely: Whoever said that you had to go broke to eat well in Paris was obviously in the wrong parts of town. While the tourist-trap restaurants in the busiest parts of the city offer pricey choices for all three meals of the day, real Parisians know how to do it smart. For breakfast, skip your hotel’s continental spread and head to the neighborhood patisserie (there will surely be at least one within walking distance). Pick up a fresh croissant and coffee, settling down at some outdoor tables or taking it with you as you walk to your next destination.

For lunch and dinner, many of Paris’s restaurants offer a prix fixe menu, which is a set menu that usually offers three or more courses and sometimes wine. The menus are usually a great deal compared to ordering everything a la carte, and they usually offer their specialties (or at least tourist favorites).

During an active day, don’t feel like you have to pause to dine at a fancy restaurant for lunch. There are plenty of places to pick up quick, delicious meals and take it with you. The Jewish district in Le Marais has an impressive collection of falafel restaurants that feature walk-up windows for to-go orders, for example. The same goes for many crepe stands around the city. Or, you can always find yet another bakery or grocery store and pick up a baguette sandwich with ham and cheese, a cheap French delight.

Learn the Metro: To truly get the most out of your time and money, do as the locals do and walk or take public transportation around Paris. Taxis are very rarely needed, and the views are so gorgeous that walking is part of the charm anyway. The Metro is very easy to master, with clear maps and an easy ticket system. You can buy tickets at the machines in bundles, so you don’t have to worry about fishing around for your subway fare every time you want to get going. During peak hours the Metro can get intimidating with its pushy crowds, but just be as aggressive as you can while staying polite.

Get a Museum Pass: For visitors who are in Paris for some heavy-duty sightseeing, it’s worthwhile to purchase a museum pass. The pass is a card that allows entry into many of Paris’s main museums including the Louvre and the Musee D’Orsay. There are two, four and six day passes available, and many travel packages offer the passes as an add-on option.