When you mention France, the first thing that comes to mind would be Paris for sure. Paris is named “The city of love” by many writers, poets, and musicians as well, since they all found inspiration from the beauty of this city. Paris is definitely the first place you need to visit in France, you can aim to spend between 3-5 days there and it would be enough.
10 Top Things To Do In Paris
1. Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tour)
The Eiffel Tour is definitely a must do when in Paris since it is one of the most iconic monuments in the world, your trip to Paris will not be complete if you don’t visit the Eiffel Tour. Nothings beats the Eiffel Tour to be honest, I visited Paris twice and the Eiffel Tour never ceased to amaze me, so it is obviously a must visit when in Paris. The view from the top is absolutely breath taking, I took the glass-walled lift going up but then took the stairs when going down and it is definitely worth it. To be honest you would probably reach a point where you just get used to seeing it, but you have to see it first to reach that point :)
Be aware that this is the most crowded area in Paris. The Eiffel Tour is open from 09:30 until 22:45. Be aware that maintenance work is carried out on the top every year from January the 3rd until February the 4th, so during this time you can only access the first and second floors with stairs.
The tickets of the Eiffel Tour would depend on what you want to see but most tickets include the glass-walled lift. Tickets to the second floor cost €17.10 while tickets to the top cost €26.80. If you are fine with taking the stairs, then you will find cheaper tickets.
2. Arc De Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe sits in the middle of a huge square at the western end of The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, which is the most famous street in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe was finished in 1836 and it honours the armies of the revolution and the empire, and this can be seen in the carvings on the stone. You will find a small museum that tells the history. You can climb to the top of The Arc de Triomphe, which I did twice and it fun both times. You will climb nearly 300 stairs and you will be welcomed by a viewing platform with amazing views over the city, you will definitely love doing it during the sunset and watch the beautiful sky at that time from the top.
The Arc de Triomphe is open from everyday during the year from 10:00 until 22:30. Tickets cost €13.
3. Musée Du Louvre (Louvre museum)
The Musée du Louvre is definitely the most famous museum in the world, and it is a must visit in Paris. The Louvre Museum contains more than 380,000 objects and displays 35,000 works of art in eight curatorial departments with more than 60,600 square metres, and to be honest it a long time to actually see everything in it. It is definitely worth visiting especially if you love museums, but even if you don’t, you will still enjoy it. You don’t have to see everything of course, but if you want to do so, then aim to spend at least 3 hours there. Of course, I have to mention the fact that you would be able to see The Mona Lisa panting there, but be aware that the surrounding area is nearly always busy since everyone wants to see it as well.
Musée du Louvre is open from 09:00 until 18:00 except on Tuesday as it is closed that day. Tickets cost €17.
4. Pont Alexandre III (Alexandre III Bridge)
The two sides of Pont Alexandre III are separated by The Seine, and it is one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris. The Pont Alexandre III is not only known for is amazing architecture, but also for its central location. The bridge is filled with a lot of pillars that are topped with gold-winged horses, and it is lined with old-fashioned lamps. Walking along the bridge you will be able to see both the Eiffel Tour and The Grand Palais. You can take a boat tour to learn more about Paris and be able to see all the beauty this city has to offer.
5. Musee D’Orsay (Orsay Museum)
You will be able to reach Musee d’Orsay after you cross Pont Alexandre III as it is about a 10 minutes walk from there. This museum was once a station and it is definitely impressive and mesmerising from the outside, but the interior is breathtaking with its arched glass roof covering. You will find a lot of amazing collections of artwork wether that’s traditional or modern art, you will definitely find something to enjoy there.
Musee d’Orsay is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 until 18:00. Tickets cost €16.
6. Cathédrale Notre-Dame De Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral)
You can see the beauty of this mesmerising cathedral without the crowd if you arrive before 08:00 as the sun would still be behind the cathedral and the square would be nearly empty. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the most iconic places in Paris and it is a must see. The sad part is that since the fire in 2019, most of the cathedral is still closed for repair so you won’t be able to go inside and explore. However, you can still visit the square of the cathedral and admire its beauty. Even though you can’t go inside, it is still worth seeing.
7. Montmartre
Montmartre was once a small village located on the hill, but it now became the 18th district of Paris. Montmartre is one of the most charming and prettiest villages in France, and it is a worth visit, and as mentioned if you are looking for cheap accommodations then you will find plenty in Montmartre. Many poets, musicians, and artists would come here in order write or paint since they get inspired but the beautiful scenery.
You will also find Rue de l’Abreuvoir which is known to be the most beautiful street in Paris! The street is located on the charming hills of Montmarte, and you can easily take a morning stroll or walk and enjoy its beauty. Be aware, that since this street is famous; it will obviously be very busy.
The world famous Moulin Rouge is located in Montmarte, and since Montmarte is know for its windmills, Moulin Rouge is one of the most famous windmill there.
8. La Basilique Du Sacré Coeur De Montmartre (The Basilica Of The Sacred Heart Of Paris)
The Basilica of Sacré Coeur is the most iconic thing in Montmarte, it is a stunning white church that sits in the top of the hill looking over Paris, and you need to climb up the zig-zagged stairs and cobbled streets in order to reach it. To access the central dome, you will need to climb over 300 steps of stairs to the top for the best view.
La Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre is open from 06:00 until 22:30. The opening hours for the dome are from 10:30 until 20:30 during the summer and from 10:30 until 17:30 during the winter. It is free to enter! However, make sure to arrive at around or before 08:00 in order to avoid large groups of people or tourists.
9. Le Marais
Le Marais is on of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Paris and it is a must see. You will find a lot of restaurants, vintage shops, luxurious and ancient squares, and much more!
10. Disneyland
This is honestly the thing you need to do the most in Paris! I absolutely loved it and it was one of the best experiences in Paris for me. However, you need to spend a whole day there, so if you plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Paris, make sure to add an extra day just for Disneyland, trust me it is worth it. The atmosphere and everything there is simply magical, and I had so much fun there. You would need to spend 2 full days there in order to explore everything, but you can still spend a full day there and enjoy it and won’t feel like you missed out on something. You can simply reach Disneyland Paris by metro and get out at Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy. Visit their website here in order to know everything you need to know before visiting.
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📱 Buy A Travel SIM-Card
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How To Get To Paris
It is easy to get to Paris by plane at the Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports, you can easily find international flights from all over the world to get there. You can find cheap flights on WayAway. Also, if you are in Europe, you can easily find train and buses through Omio, FlixBus, and Kiwi.com. My favourite app to use whenever I am in Europe is Omio!
How To Move Around Paris
Once you reach Paris, the airport is connected to a train station so it easy to get into the city from there. When moving around the city you can get the metro or the tram, you can buy tickets from any metro station or from a tram stop, you will find ticket machines at each stop.
The metro has over 300 stations so you will be able to go to where you want easily, and as mentioned you don’t need to only use the metro you can also use the tram or even the bus, it depends on what’s easier for you.
Best Time To Visit Paris
The best time to visit Paris would be during the Springtime, between March and May since it is the best and most pleasant season. If you want to visit during the summer time, then you can visit between June and August, and the winter would be between October and November, be aware aware that during those two months in the Winter; it starts getting wet and cold but the weather is still good to visit.
However; it gets crowded during those times, so if you are travelling on a budget and want to avoid the high-season, then you can visit between December and February, but be aware it is off-season because of the Winter weather and the cold.
Accommodations In Paris
If you want to stay in the best area in Paris, then that would be Le Marais since you will have access to everything right near you such as restaurants, shops, and you can also walk to most sites or even take them metro, but be aware that the budget would be a little bit pricey. If you love to be near restaurants, then you can choose to stay in Saint-Germain, and you will also be close to most sites and attraction as well. You can also stay in Montmartre which is right outside of the city and it is budget friendly since it is filled with cheap accommodations but it is absolutely beautiful and filled with charming streets.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.
Best Cafes & Restaurants In Paris
Scandle (Eco cafe)
Les Vignes du Liban (Lebanese and middle easter cuisine)
AlKaram (Lebanese cuisine, vegan options)
Pink Mamma (Italian cuisine)
Mastino (Italian cuisine)
Zia (Brunch)
Bao & Me (Asian cuisine, vegan)
Holybelly 5 (Brunch)
La Cantine de Sam (Vegetarian options)
If you wan to find more cafes & restaurants to try, then you can do so through TripAdvisor.
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