Welcome to Paris!
Paris is a beautiful city with lots of unique buildings, museums, and cafes. So you've chosen a wonderful tourist destination. A few tips follow to help make your visit enjoyable, productive, and enlightening.
WHERE TO STAY
First, you'll need to find a place to stay. Airbnb is fairly easy in Paris, and Google Maps gives a good indication of hotel prices to chose from.
Paris is a very safe city in general, though like most cities, it has its share of crime and begging. Look over crime maps and where the wealthy tend to accumulate for locations which might be safer than others.
Good regions to stay in red/orange... There is a round center in Paris which is safe to stay in. You'll want to stay in the heart of Paris where you are in Zone 1 of the Metro subway (or also called the "Metropolitan").
In general, it is safer to stay south of the Seine river than North, though again, Paris is a very safe city.
HOW TO GET FROM CHARLES DE GAULLE
The first thing you should do is download the app CityMapper.com. This app can give you instructions on how to use public transportation.
According to City Mapper, it can take almost an hour to get from CDG airport to the center of Paris by taxi. Public transportation can take between 1 and 2 hours. So prepare yourself for a journey getting to your place of rest.
You will likely be flying into Charles de Gaulle airport for most tourists since the Orly airport is more for domestic flights. Terminals 2A thru 2F are where most international flights will come and go. If you're connecting to a domestic flight to elsewhere in France, then you'll likely have to make your way to 2G. (Terminals 2G has a slightly different operating procedure than most airports. It's more like the procedure at most large train stations. You have to wait in a large hall with minimal food choices until your gate is posted on a large screen - typically 30minutes before departure. There are no announcements, so you must check the screen. But again, this is for most domestic flights out of terminal 2G. The other gates at Terminal 2 are handled the same way you're used to where the gates are posted way in advance of your departure time.)
The SNCF railway station is located between Terminals 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F.
It is served by the free CDGVAL shuttle train (from Terminals 1 and 3), the Paris Aéroport N1 bus (which stops at Terminals 2A, 2C, 2D, 2 E and 2F) and the Paris Aéroport N2 bus (which stops at terminal 2G, 2F).
If you're going to use public transportation, then the "B" train is the one you want. It should be able to get you into Paris in about an hour and a half. Just visit the service desk and ask for "Un voyage a Paris" and hop on Train B2 or B4. Both should get you into the heart of Paris's central Zone #1 with major stops at Gare du Nord, Chatelet, and Notre Dame. From there you can use City Mapper to help you select the next Metro to hop on and get you close to your final destination.
HOW TO USE THE METRO
The Paris Metro (short for "Metropolitan") is similar to subways in other major cities around the world.
- You need to know the station you're trying to get to
- See what Metro lines have a dot through your preferred station. This indicates that they actually stop there. Some Metro stations may have more of a bubble to indicate that they have tunnels you can walk through to get from one line to another.
- Once you know the lines you want to take, check the names of the end destinations for those lines. Each subway line is named by its END DESTINATION. There will be signs posted as to which stations the line actually stops at for you to check and make sure the station you want is on the subway you're about to take. And the same sign will be posted in the subway car, sometimes with indicating lights to tell you which station you are at and when you are arriving at your destination.
- Stay on the NUMBERED Metro Lines... This should keep you inside Zone #1 and your typical 1.90euro ticket will be good for all connecting lines inside Zone#1 until you exit the Metro system (Hint: Exit = "Sortie" in french).
Stop by Information to get a Metro map. Very handy the Metro Map. https://metromap.fr/en
LOCATIONS TO VISIT AND EAT AT
Finally, you've made it. Congratulations!
Relax!
Take two steps out from wherever you are and there'll likely be a Cafe :)
CAFE's
A few tips for Cafe living;
- I usually stand near the entrance and wait for a server to acknowledge I exist and ask where I can sit. Most locals will likely just sit down in open seats and get served.
- It'll take a little while to get service. It's best to have some mints on hand while you sit and wait. They will eventually serve you. Be ready to ask for everything you could possibly want so you maximize your time with the waiter. Ask for water - "de l'eau plat et froid" might be a phrase to master.
- At the end, you'll again have to wave to the server and simply say "l'addition"... He'll nod and a few minutes later leave a bill... You must be ready with your card and ask him if you pay here or at the counter. Try to watch others who are paying to see if they get up and go to a counter or if the waiter comes out with the credit card machine. (NOTE: American credit cards will work in France, but since we were too lazy to implement the PIN idea for security, the server might have to ask you to come out back to sign the receipt old-school style. Not really a big deal, just letting you know.)
One last point, you can also get coffee and pastries or even sandwiches at small shops called "Boulangerie"... These are the bakeries with the freshest, best-tasting bread, but they are also great little shops to grab a cheap quick bite while on the go.
TOUR EIFFEL = EIFFEL TOWER
You'll find it is best for ALL activities in Paris to book a reservation ahead online. To do so for the Eiffel Tower simply visit their website... https://www.toureiffel.paris/en ... Save the pdf of your ticket on your phone and you're all set, though still prepare yourself for standing in line... and don't be afraid to ask people which line you're in.
If you're doing Paris in style, book one of the restaurants on the tower. But get ready for sticker shock. Just a bottle of Evian at the Jules Verne restaurant on the second deck will run you 9euros!
The tower is by far the most amazing tourist location that you'll hit in your lifetime. It's full of history and engineering. My personal favorite is the elevator, which was awarded to the American company, Otis.
From the Eiffel Tower, you have several other possible tourist destinations nearby, though lower in Wow factor compared to the tower;
TROCADERO
North of the tower, on the other side of the river Seine, is the Trocadero. The water fountain is beautiful to see and the view of the tower from this side of the river is impressive. In general, there isn't much to see here. There is a museum there if you've time, but there are also a LOT of beggers and trinket sales barkers there. However, out on the northwest corner is "Yorktown Square" named after the famous battle of Yorktown which created the United States. A statue of Benjamin Franklin sits there.
THE FIELD AT THE EIFFEL TOWER
The Champs de Mars (or Field of Mars, named after the Roman god of War) is a beautiful garden to walk through and take pictures of the tower. This link explains more of its history with one particularly tough day at the office for Lafayette which eventually ended the lives of Louis 16 and Marie Antoinette. https://www.parisperfect.com/plan-your-trip/things-to-see/parks-gardens/champ-de-mars.php At its far end is military school and possibly an art museum, though its confusing and not much of a tourist destination.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
If I had a choice where to go while in the area of the tower, it would be the long long long walk to the Statue of Liberty.
A scaled down version of the Statue of Liberty sits on an island in the Seine nearby. It is a bit of a walk, and there are unfortunately no Metro stations conveniently nearby. So it is way off the beaten tourist path, but it's the closest you're likely to be to it during your adventures in Paris. It is an impressive site though for those venturesome enough to go there. (Ironically, it is not the only Statue of Liberty in France. There is one in the musée d'orsay across the river from the Louvre. There is also one hidden in the gardens of the Jardin de Luxembourg. Both are original sculptures by Bartholdi... There is also a large replica out in his hometown of Colmar, France near Strasbourg. And Bartholdi donated a copy of the statue to a small village in the french south riviera where it sits today in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer. One fun thing to study when you stumble upon one of these versions of the statue is to look for the subtle differences as Bartholdi made various tweaks. Compare the face, crown, book, flame, and so on. My favorite subtlety is in the feet. The final version in New York has a broken chain at her feet to represent liberty, and I don't believe any of the original models or later replicas have this hard to see feature.)
LA LOUVRE
This museum is a must, and not just to say you saw the Mona Lisa (which the french call "La Joconde".).
There is a beautiful display of art from all over the world, as well as the large paintings of both the French and American revolutions.
As always, I recommend you book your tickets online and get to the area at least a 15 minutes to a half hour before your appointment.
Reading the map is a bit tricky, and the interior has few windows you can look out that help you get your bearings. You have to look closely at the stairwells and make sure you are walking up and into the gallery hall you think you are, or else you'll get disoriented and lost... This old palace is absolutely enormous. (Essentially, this museum was the last palace in Paris for the french kings. Louis 14 moved the whole operation out to Verseille and this old building eventually became the museum you will be walking and walking and walking through... you will not be able to see everything in a day but you'll get the jist of it. It's an enormous facility.)
CAFE LE CORONA
Or also called Cafe des Arts... Nothing really special about the cafe, it's just that if you're on the east end of the Louvre, it's a good quick place to grab a bite before the long walk in the Louvre. I thought the food was great and the service excellent, but for some reason it has low reviews on Google. They were one of the several Cafes in the city that placed Teddy Bears in the seats during the slow period of covid, and with luck you may still find a few of the cuddly creatures sitting next to you.
LES TUILERIES
Not to be outdone in size, the massive Louvre also has an even more massive garden for the former monarchs. Les Tuileries goes on forever. Walking it will exhaust most tourists.
In it, you will find a working amusement park, la Fete Foraine des Tuileries, with numerous rides and snack shops.
From center of the Les Tuileries, you can see on one end the glass pyramid at La Louvre, and on the other end La Place de Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Grande Arche de la Defense. You have to squint to see the last arch from here. It is a giant square shape way in the distance, and you may only see a small part of it through the center of the Arc de Triomphe.
LA PLACE DE CONCORDE
This busy rotary is literally the world's largest sundial. It was a gift from the Sultan of Egypt to King Charles 10, apparently for helping to translate it (I'm sure there has to be more to the story, but perhaps not). The location is also the central square where the guillotine was used on Louis 16 and Marie Antoinette. So to calm some of that history down, they put this egyptian monument there.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE
This should be an easy metro ride for even the novice tourist, and it can be a quick stop-and-go kind of monument. Just walk along the Champs Elysees toward the monument, and take the stairs down to get safely under the rotary. There will be a line below waiting for tickets to get to the top of the Arc, but you can pass around it and simply walk up to the base of the Arc for free. There are numerous etchings on the arch commemorating wars of the past, and there is the flame for the unknown soldier. Often at 6PM or 6:30 each night, there are volunteer veterans who perform memorials to fallen soldiers.
LA GRANDE ARCHE DE LA DEFENSE
This is a very far journey for most tourists, and one you can forgive yourself for skipping. But if you've spare time, it's a really impressive structure. "La Defense" is the of the skyscraper district on the outskirts of Paris. Paris has tried to maintain its original look and prohibit tall buildings, with a few exceptions. So this district was created for business. And the enormous concrete arch should be visible all the way down the Champs Elysees, behind the Arc de Triomphe.
NOTRE DAME
Currently under renovations after the fire, this is still an impressive structure to see from the outside, and there are interesting cafes and museums in the vicinity of the island this cathedral sits on.
DEPORTATION MARTYRS MEMORIAL
You can walk around the outside of Notre Dame and along the way you may find a statue of Pope John Paul II. Make your way to the end of the island, and you will find a memorial to another dark time in history.
EGLISE SAINT-SEVERIN
Since Notre Dame is closed, this cathedral nearby will do for a quiet religious moment in your tour of Paris. Plus there are numerous restaurants hidden in the alleys around this area.
THE ABBEY BOOKSTORE
If you're in the area, this is one of those classic french bookstores. Small, cramped quarters with books piles making narrow walkways, this bookstore has a kind of Harry Potter Diagon Alley kind of feel to it. Enjoy!
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CRYPT OF THE ILE DE LA CITE
If you're still in the Notre Dame area, this is a small museum showing remnants of Roman ruins, and history of Paris and Notre Dame. If you really want to be scared underground though, I recommend the next one -
CATACOMBS OF PARIS
You'll want to book your tickets online for this, and then ask people constantly which line you're supposed to be in, as the logic for how they organize the line is something only the management there understands. But once you get in, you'll enjoy the long walk down down down and through the narrow passage to the Catacombs. If the claustrophobia doesn't get you, then the piles of bones might. For me, it was realizing that Paris is literally held up by stones that were stacked into make-shift columns. That was scary enough for me. It can be quite cool down there, so dress appropriately.
TOUR MONTPARNASSE
This is the only skyscraper that was allowed to be built in the city. There is a restaurant (Ciel de Paris) there at the top which has an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower and is fairly well priced considering its awesome location. You must make a reservation by calling it's Parisien telephone number. They usually speak english, but the real challenge is calling and not getting the darned answering machine. This might be something your hotel concierge can help with if you have one. I recommend getting up early and doing breakfast there. It's a nice price and good way to start your day exploring this southeast area of Paris. When you get out of the Metro/Train station there, make your way to the North door, the one in the shadow. That has the security check and elevator to get to the restaurant.
PANTHEON
Also in this area a bit away from Notre Dame is the Pantheon. A beautiful building housing the remains of many notable french citizens. Voltaire and Lagrange are two that stir emotion in me, but the list is long and the stories for each are worth much more time than you as tourists probably have. So enjoy the statues.
LE JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG
Not a high priority target for tourists, but just to reiterate, they have an original Bartholdi Statue of Liberty just sitting there on the west side of the gardens. (Doesn't everyone have an original Bartholdi Statue of Liberty sitting in their garden?) Okay, they're not stupid... they've taken the real one away somewhere and placed a replica as I understand it in my broken french, but still cool to see if you're walking in the area.
LES INVALIDES and THE TOMB OF NAPOLEAN
For me personally, I think this is one you can forgive yourself if you skip, but still it's a beautiful museum if you like knights with shining armor and want to see the tomb of Napolean. I'm not personally a big fan of the old emperor but I get the allure.
PETIT PALAIS and GRAND PALAIS
Another museum awaits for you to explore in this area on the other side of the garden of Les Invalides. Again, I think you can forgive yourself for skipping this if on a time crunch. The Grand Palais (with its notable glass roof) is closed for renovations
BATEAUX MOUCHES
This boat tour on the Seine is a traditional touristy thing to do but lots of fun the first couple times you go under the bridges of paris. Again, book ahead online... big crowds at all the tour boats! If you book it just before sunset, you might get lucky and have great pics of Notre Dame while there's still light and then see the Eiffel Tower as it just gets lit up for night. But anytime is a good time for a boat ride on the Seine.
SACRE COEUR
A magnificent cathedral on the only hill overlooking all of Paris. Really spectacular. I highly recommend the hike. Try to hold on to your metro ticket, you might be able to reuse it if you can find the Vernicular to take you up the hill... otherwise, enjoy the walk. There are numerous cafes and tourist shops in the area too to visit.
OTHER
If you've time, a few others to consider;
- Palais Garnier - A beautiful old Opera House and museum.
- Centre Pompidou - A world class modern art museum
PALACE OF VERSAILLES
And then there's Verseille. Getting here can be a bit challenging. The metro might get you there unless its under repairs like when I tried to get there. So there's also a train you can take from Gare de Lyon. Once there, you will see why the old Sun King, Louis 14, wanted to consolidate power there. It's enormous, much more elbow room than his previous shack, the tiny Louvre. And the walk out to his lake is literally impossible in the course of the day if you ask me. So the giant maze-like garden will usually suffice for most visitors. If you book ahead with a guided tour, you can hear more of the history and see a few more of the rooms. Regardless, it's a big place the king used to party in... until his grandson was dragged out of there.
FINAL ATTRACTION - PICPUS CEMETERY
Sure you can venture off to a remote northeast section of Paris and try to find the Tomb of Jim Morrison for those of you who loved the Doors, but for real die-hard tourists, try Picpus Cemetery in a remote southeastern part of the city. It is only open 4 hours a day and is very small, but a surprise awaits American tourists looking for a real connection to the past. You'll definitely see American flags in this cemetery.
If you are going to visit Jim Morrison over at Pere Lachaise cemetery, at least pay respects to Joseph Fourier for me while you're at it.
