We’ve been to Paris so many times and after each visit, we come home wishing we could have had more time to fit everything in. The city is absolutely packed with things to do. Over 50 million visitors each year descend on the City of Light to enjoy the ultimate weekend city break and it’s not hard to see why.
It’s a tourist’s city, with something to see around every corner. It’s seeing the streets you’ve seen in movies, the monuments that are instantly recognisable and the stories you’ve heard so many times – The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Phantom of The Opera, Les Misérables, Moulin Rouge, Ratatouille and even that scene from Superman 2. In this Paris travel guide, we share why we could visit every month and still find new things to do each time.
A Little Bit About Paris
Paris is the capital city of France and one of the largest urban areas in Europe. One of the world’s great cities and the centre of a former imperial power, Paris is rich in history, tradition and culture. It became known as the City of Light because of its early and extensive system of street lighting in the 19th century.
The currency is the Euro and the language is French.
Paris is one of the most popular destinations on the planet. Over 50 million visitors now visit the Greater Paris region each year. It’s home to the world’s most visited museum, The Louvre and Europe’s most visited theme park, Disneyland Paris.
Getting to Paris
Paris is one of the best cities in Europe when it comes to travel. Because it’s so central, you can get there from pretty much anywhere without too much headache, making it the perfect hub if you’re planning a bigger European trip.
- Charles De Gaulle (CDG) is the main airport and it’s usually where we land when flying with Aer Lingus from Dublin (there’s a direct route from Cork too). We find CDG easy to navigate because the RER B train takes you straight from the terminal to the city centre (Gare Du Nord). Don’t bother with a private transfer. The train is faster than sitting in Paris traffic and much cheaper! If you’re flying in from outside the EU, keep in mind that the new Entry/Exit System (EES) is live, so you’ll go through biometric checks instead of getting a physical passport stamp.
- Orly (ORY) is the city’s second airport. It used to be a bit of a pain to get to but it’s actually a brilliant option now because the new Metro Line 14 extension gets you right into the centre in about 25 minutes.
- Beauvais (BVA) is Ryanair’s base but be warned. It’s miles away (about 80km!). It takes about 75 minutes on a coach to reach the city so only book this if the flight is a total steal and you don’t mind the trek. We always use Omio to compare flight and train prices to see if the savings are worth the extra hassle.
Alternatively, the train is actually our favourite way to arrive if we’re already on the continent. There’s amazing train services to Paris from all over Europe, including the Eurostar from London and high-speed lines from Belgium, Spain and Germany. It’s much more relaxing than the usual airport drama!
Where to Stay in Paris
Finding somewhere decent to stay in Paris can be a bit hit and miss. If you go too far out to save a few quid, you end up spending half your holiday on the Metro. Stay right next to the big sights and you’re paying a fortune for a room you couldn’t swing a cat in.
The best approach is to figure out your priorities. For us, we wanted somewhere that was painless to get to from the airport and right beside a Metro station. We stayed at the Avalon Appart’Hotel and found it to be a brilliant little spot.
Now, don’t expect a ballroom. The rooms are compact (welcome to Paris!) but it was reasonably priced and clean. Best of all, it’s literally across the road from Gare Du Nord. This made the train journey from the airport a breeze and it meant we had the Metro right on our doorstep to travel around the city.
What to do in Paris
We’ll start by saying that beyond doubt, our favourite place to visit in Paris is Disneyland. There’s something really magical about it being in the heart of Europe where many of the stories we grew up loving were based. We’ve been to Disneyland each time we’ve been to Paris and instead of going on about it here, we’ll save it for a later blog post. Do go though. You’ll love it!
The Eiffel Tower
Night-time in Paris is stunning. They don’t call it the City of Light for nothing. The Eiffel Tower is fantastic in the dark and every hour, on the hour, it shimmers with thousands of little lights for five minutes.
Going to the top is one of those things they say everyone should do once in their lives and we would agree! However, here’s the reality check: You can’t just turn up and buy a ticket anymore. If you try, you’ll be standing in a queue for 3 hours (we aren’t joking).
You need to book a Skip the Line Ticket weeks before you go. This gets you a set time slot so you can breeze past the chaos. If you can’t get a ticket to the summit, the second floor still has incredible views so don’t stress too much!
Notre Dame Cathedral
Another must-see is Notre Dame Cathedral. It’s located on ÃŽle de la Cité, the island where Paris began. It gained worldwide notoriety because of the infamous Victor Hugo book (we actually named our dog Hugo after him!) and it’s easy to see how it made such an amazing setting.
We visited just a few weeks before the fire in 2019 and for a long time, it was heartbreaking to see it closed. But the great news is that it’s finally open again! Seeing the doors open and the spire back in the skyline is amazing. Entry is free but the queues can be massive, so get there early in the morning if you want to see inside without waiting for ages.
The Louvre
The Louvre is probably the world’s most famous museum and was recently the scene of all sorts of shenanigans in The Da Vinci Code. The building itself is a work of art and was once home to the French kings.
They say you’d need a week to see everything properly and we can vouch for that. We took everything in at a brisk enough pace and were shattered after our 6-hour visit. There’s a LOT to see and even though we’ll freely admit to not being great art admirers, we still really enjoyed it.
One thing to note is that you need to book a time slot in advance. If you don’t have a booked slot, they won’t let you in. The Venus De Milo and Mona Lisa are the big hitters here (how very arty!) and they can both be busy. Don’t be afraid to gently shove your way to the front for a good look!
Montmartre & The Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
One of our favourite areas of Paris is Montmartre. It’s where the great artists once lived and worked. The Basilica of the Sacré-CÅ“ur sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. There’re a LOT of steps up to it so use your Metro ticket to take the Funicular railway up the hill instead!
The view from the top is amazing. The Pigalle area is nearby with more sex shops than you can shake a whip at, and the infamous Moulin Rouge. It’s actually a great area to stroll around at night as long as you’re vigilant and don’t stay too late.
The Catacombs
If you’re looking for a spookier side to the city, you have to visit The Catacombs. This is an underground ossuary which holds the remains of more than six million people in a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris’ ancient stone quarries.
It’s fascinating, eerie and totally unique. It’s definitely a change of pace from the glitz of the Eiffel Tower! This is incredibly popular. Tickets often sell out days in advance so don’t just turn up expecting to get in. You really need to book online before you go. If you’re a fan of dark tourism, this is for you!
Seine River Cruise
As we said at the beginning, it’s really hard to fit everything in when you go to Paris. One great option to save your legs is the Big Bus Tour which is brilliant for getting your bearings.
However, we think a boat trip on the Seine is a magical way to see the city from a different angle. Bateaux Mouches is probably the most famous of the companies offering Seine cruises. They’re located on the opposite side of the river to the Eiffel Tower. It can get really cold on the water in Winter though, so bring a nice warm hat!
Where to Eat & Drink in Paris
The food in Paris is AMAZING but you knew that already right (you watched Ratatouille). We found lots of nice restaurants and most were reasonably priced. Move a little bit away from the tourist spots though. We’re sure the waiter in a place we went to beside Notre Dame was wearing a mask, because it was daylight robbery.
Cards and phone payments are the norm here so you won’t need much cash, and for tipping, just rounding up the bill or leaving a few Euro is usually the way to go.
Our Restaurant Recommendation
We found a really lovely little place in Les Halles called Le Bon Pêcheur that we would totally recommend. Their salted caramel tiramisu did magical things to us. We’re tempted to fly there now just to get some.
Our Street Food Recommendation
We’re big fans of the crêpes they sell from the stalls around the city. They’re perfect to eat as you stroll around, taking it all in, especially in the evening. Grab a Nutella crêpe and wander down by the Seine!
Paris Travel Guide FAQs
Is Paris expensive to visit?
It definitely can be but it depends on how you plan your trip. Hotels near the major attractions and restaurants right on the main squares will cost a lot. However, the Metro is very affordable, many of the best sights (like seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle or wandering around Montmartre) are completely free and grabbing a crêpe from a street vendor is cheap enough!
How many days do you need in Paris?
To do it justice, you’ll want at least three or four full days. This gives you enough time to tackle the big museums like the Louvre, see the main monuments and still have time to just sit at a cafe with a glass of wine. If you’re planning to visit Disneyland (which is only 40 minutes on the train from Châtelet station) it’s probably worth pointing out that the big expansion is now open at the second park, Disney Adventure World. We used to do both parks in one day but it’ll be much harder to do that now so give yourself a day each for Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World.
Is it easy to get around the city?
Yes! The Paris Metro is one of the best underground systems in the world. It’s cheap, fast and covers almost every inch of the city. You rarely have to walk more than a few minutes to find a station and it’s very easy to navigate.
Do you need to speak French?
Not at all. While making an effort to say Bonjour and Merci goes a long way with the locals, you’ll find that almost everyone in the hospitality and tourism sectors speaks fantastic English.
When is the best time to visit Paris?
Spring and autumn are probably the sweet spots. The weather is usually lovely for walking around and the crowds aren’t quite as mad. Summer can be absolutely roasting and Disneyland is JAMMED during the school holidays. Winter is freezing but seeing the city covered in frost is pretty magical! The Seine River boat tour on a cold day in January can be pretty miserable, speaking from experience!
Why Paris is the Ultimate Weekend City Break
There’re so many other amazing sights to see in Paris like The Palace of Versailles, the Luxembourg Gardens (Speaking of which, if you fancy visiting the actual country instead of just the gardens, check out our ultimate Luxembourg city travel guide!) or the Musée d’Orsay but as we said at the very beginning, it’s just really hard to fit it all in.
It’s a city full of familiarity and yet surprises around every corner. It will keep giving until you return, asking for more. Everyone should see it in real life at least once. However, it’ll become clear pretty quickly that once is never enough.
I have these dream of visit France since 1992 it seems that is going to happen pretty soon .
I been planning for years but lately I been having a lot of interfere.
Anyways it will happen is one of my Favorite City is on the Bucket list.