Paris is a global tourist destination, the heart of Europe. People arrive worldwide, so prime visiting time in the summer means crowds, premium prices, and lines. Bookmark Visit Paris for great information.
You want to stay in Île de France, the city center, which is historic Paris. You’ll be close to many places you’d like to visit. Staying in the Ninth Arrondissement was convenient for all the major sights to see. I prepared a detailed 7-day itinerary for touring Paris from this hub. And, following, are my top tips for visiting.
1. Learn the Language
This section is sponsored by Mondly, the language-learning app.
OK, so maybe you don’t need to be fluent, but it’s always a nice gesture to learn at least a few phrases of the language before visiting a foreign country. And the French, in particular, seem to appreciate tourists who make an effort.
We like the Mondly app because it teaches 41 languages the way you need to learn them – by listening to locals pronounce the words and focusing on phrases you’ll use in country.
For example, the French app will teach you how locals say key phrases such as:
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- Bonjour. (Good morning.)
- Merci. (Thank you)
- Bonne nuit. (Good night)
- Comment ça va. (How are you?)
- Tres bien. (Very well.)
- Je bois du cafe. (I drink coffee.)
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2. Know Essential French Words and Phrases
My personal experience is that Parisians appreciate you trying to speak their language.
When entering a shop, it’s expected you will greet the proprietor and clerks. “Bonjour monsieur” and “Bonjour madame” are the minimum.
I almost always started my conversations after the greeting with, “Pardon, ma français est terrible,” which means, “Pardon me, my French is terrible.” It always got a laugh, sympathy, and assistance.
3. How to Quickly Clear Customs and Immigration
If you’re not already a Trusted Traveler, you should be in TSA PreCheck ($78) for all your domestic flights. The international program, Global Entry ($100), is worth enrollment.
Why do I recommend it? With a U.S. passport, no visa is required for entry into France. Entering the country was simply standing in line at passport control. The French are very efficient.
Returning to the U.S. with Global Entry, there was no waiting in line, luggage was scanned, not inspected, and I was through U.S. immigration in minutes. It took longer to walk from the plane to Customs and Immigration than it took to go through the process.
If Paris is on the agenda for next year, apply right now.
4. Protect Your Money
Remember to let your bank and credit card companies know you’re going to Europe to avoid declined payments when using your cards. Even though there will be fees, upon arriving, find a bank ATM and use your debit card to ensure it’s working. U.S. cash is not welcome in France.
Before leaving the US, I purchased about €200 from my bank to ensure I had some ready cash. The exchange rate at the time only cost me $193.
Most places, particularly cafés bring WiFi-enabled card readers to your table, so you never have to surrender possession of your credit card. Virtually every store I shopped had “tap” readers, so my phone was my primary credit card and my wallet rarely left my zipper-closed pocket.
5. Reserve ‘Skip-the-Line’ Tickets
Decide in advance what sights to see and get timed entry skip-the-line tickets. You can buy them from ticket sites, but check the venue’s official website; the tickets may be more accessible and cheaper than through a broker.
You’ll pay a premium for line-skipping tickets, so the choice is to spend more to see more or stand in line. In May, there was a three-hour wait to take elevators up the Eiffel Tower and a five-minute hold with a timed entry ticket.
The line was an hour long at Arc de Triomphe and no wait at all with a timed entry ticket.
You may want to take sightseeing tours or a Seine River cruise, but self-guided lets you move at your own pace. Tours can be helpful for a day trip, such as Monet’s Giverny Gardens or the Palace of Versailles.
6. Judiciously Choose Guided Tours
At other sites, such as Opera Garnier, you’ll want to take a guided tour and learn its history and the meaning behind the paintings and carvings. Guided tours in Musée du Louvre, the Louvre museum will rapidly get you to the most famous masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa.
Bus tours are okay, and some are better than others.
Jake and Sarah from Savannah, Georgia, sat beside us at the Paris Auber outdoor café table. Learning it was a first-time Paris trip, we started sharing experiences.
“We took a bus tour that promised to hit several places we wanted to see,” Sarah said. “We saw them, but that’s about it. We were rushed through or around, then dropped at souvenir shops for a long time. It was not a good time.”
Wandering at one’s own pace allows much more time for a complete Paris experience, including talking with people at the ubiquitous outdoor cafes.
Sitting on the other side of Jake, Jean-Paul joined in, speaking English in a thick French accent.
“Those tours just want to take you to the shops because they get, how do you say it? Kickers.”
“Kickbacks,” corrected Jake.
“Oui,” Jean-Paul said. “Kickbacks.”
You’re an American in Paris, dance down the street, sing out loud while walking Champs-Élysée, and skip Disneyland Paris—you can do Disneyland in Florida or California.
7. Know Where You’re Going
I recommend adding a GPS tracking app to your phone to record your movements. AllTrails, GaiaGPS, or Strava are popular apps that have that feature. Recording where you’re going will also help you return to the hotel. It also records where you’ve been to match with photos taken on the trip.
8. Stay Near a Metro Stop
Paris has an extraordinary variety of hotels, pensions, AirBnBs, and resorts. Check reviews carefully and understand that French hotel rooms may differ from those found in the U.S. Location is very important.
Staying near Opéra Garnier, within one block of each of three Metro stations, was so convenient for subway or walking. The most straightforward transportation in Paris is by foot or the Metro.
We were less than 15 minutes from nearly all the significant Paris places we wanted to visit. For anything further or far from a Metro station, we used Uber.
Many European hotels have twin or double beds instead of queens or kings. In addition, ensure the hotel offers a private, in-room bathroom.
9. Overcome Jet Lag
It’s a real thing. There are many ways to combat it, but what worked for me was the advice of Jim Hamel, the leader of our photography group in Paris.
“I like to take overnight flights,” he said. “After dinner, I’ll take a sleeping pill, pull on some blinders and earplugs, and let myself fall asleep.”
Since you’ll arrive in Paris in the morning, after clearing immigration, it’s daylight to be enjoyed. Take a nap after checking into the hotel, but keep yourself going while the sky is bright.
9. Change Your Eating Habits
Parisians eat on a different schedule than Americans. Meals are later in the day. In the Ninth Arrondissement, finding an early-opening coffee shop was impossible. Even Starbucks didn’t open until 7:30.
The hotel served breakfast at 7:00, and I was the only person in the dining room until 7:30.
Restaurants open for lunch beginning at noon; most of them close at 1400 (2pm).
Restaurants open for dinner beginning at 1900 (7 pm). You should reserve in advance. Even if you see an empty table, it may be reserved for a little later in the evening. Most restaurants only have one service and patrons stay for a long time – like 2 or 3 hours. So the table is occupied all evening.
10. Watch for Pickpockets in Paris
The song goes, “Werewolves in London,” and perhaps it could be parodied as “Pickpockets in Paris.” They are so common it’s almost a romantic occupation in Paris. Pickpockets are everywhere and very sophisticated.
The State Department has a website with recommendations to avoid being a victim. In any situation where you find yourself being forced into distraction, bully your way through quickly or raise your voice, “Police.”
Number one on the list is to maintain absolute control and possession of your driver’s license and passport. I kept mine in a zippered inner pocket of my Clothing Arts pickpocket-proof pants. I learned about these pants while doing pre-trip research and decided to purchase several pairs. In the one situation where I was being swarmed, they protected me from sticky fingers.
Ignore distractions, ignore swarms, and move quickly from the areas. There are many tips on being prepared and responsive from sources like our partner, Trip Advisor.
