Paris Travel Guide

The London/Paris was my first trip abroad (Sorry Cozumel, you don’t count). Paris is consistently one of the most visited travel destinations in the world. Whether it’s through movies, books, or people you know that have visited there, it’s constantly being raved about. So, I was surprised at how underwhelmed I felt when I was there. Look, it’s not the city’s fault. At first, I thought there was something wrong with me. But then I found out there’s an actual syndrome for how I felt. It’s literally called Paris Syndrome. It’s a sense of disappointment exhibited by some people who visit the city and realize it’s not what they expected. If you visit Paris, you need to have zero expectations. Don’t build it up to be the greatest city in the world. This is how you should approach life. Eliminate expectations for anything. It just leads to disappointment. I think the big shock for me was the quietness and low energy of such a major city. But one thing everyone was right about doe was the bread, cheese, and wine. If you’re looking to take advantage of Europe’s high speed trains and want to visit a couple of cities on your trip, try following the Paris travel guide I created below and the London travel guide.

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Where to Stay in Paris:

Hotel de L’Empereur – Booked with Hotels.com and located in the 14^th Arrondissement (neighborhood) a.k.a. the tourist section of Paris. Minutes away from the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe but not much else. If I had a redo I would have stayed closer to Montmartre, which was my favorite part of Paris (best views of the city) and is one of the cheapest neighborhoods. Or I would have stayed in the Latin Quarter because walking along the cobblestone streets visiting the different bakeries and cafes was another favorite of mine, in addition to the close proximity to the Seine.

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Transportation in Paris:

I was worried about navigating the Paris Metro (subway) and it ended up being easier to use than London’s! Each line is labeled with a number and the direction of each line corresponds to its terminal station. The lines are also color coded but they’re usually referred to by the number. Just about every other block has a metro stop and the subways run between 5:30am – 1:15am (2am Friday and Saturday). A single metro ticket costs 1.90 EUR (Euros) and a carnet (book) of 10 single-use tickets costs around 16 EUR. Tickets can be purchased at any metro station. Also, don’t confuse the Metro with the RER, which is a train that travels to outside of Paris. Metro stations are labeled with a large “M”. If you’re taking the train from London you can book the two-hour trip on Eurostar and you’ll arrive in Gare du Nord, which is located in the 9^th Arrondissement. From there you can take the Metro to anywhere in the city.

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What to Do in Paris:

• Ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The views up here are just something different. Book your tickets online up to two months in advance. You can book your tickets at different times so time your view at the top at sunset.
• View the city from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. One of the most popular attractions in Paris, the Arc is a monument located at the Western end of the Champs-Elysees and honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. If you don’t want to spend the money to ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, this will still get you some great views of the city for only 13 EUR.
• Walk one of the most popular avenues in the world, the Champs Elysees (French for Elysian Fields). It’s 1.2 miles long and runs between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. The Champs is where the Tour de France finishes its race and has numerous luxury shops.
• The Louvre (15 EUR at museum, 17 EUR online) – Being that it’s the world’s largest art museum and has over 35,000 works of art, you could spend HOURS in here. But if you’re crunched for time you can just see the main attraction, the Mona Lisa, and other works by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Spoiler alert….the Mona Lisa painting is super small.
• Sainte-Chapelle (11.50 EUR) – A cathedral that was built in the 13^th century to house Louis IX‘s collection of relics of Christ, which included the Crown of Thorns. The stained-glass windows will leave you in awe.
• Walk along the Seine River as you make your way from The Louvre to Notre Dame to Sainte Chapelle
• Notre-Dame – Sadly the cathedral was under construction during my trip due to the fire in 2019 and I could only get within a couple blocks as most of the surrounding streets were blocked off. Still worth getting as close as you can to this historic cathedral.
• Explore the Latin Quarter – After Notre-Dame, cross the Seine River and explore my second favorite area of Paris, The Latin Quarter. Its narrow, cobblestone streets are filled with numerous cafes and bakeries and has an ancient feel to it. Its also home to the Jardin des Plantes botanical gardens, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Panthéon.
• Grab baguettes, cheeses, and cured meats at the Rue Mouffetard and have a picnic in the Square Saint Medard in the Latin Quarter.
• Montmartre – Remember when I said I felt underwhelmed about Paris? Well this was no longer the case as I explored Montmartre. The Saturday we were here was cold and rainy and yet I loved every minute of it. From the stunning views of Paris from the top of the steps of Sacre Coeur Basilica to walking the cobblestone streets to stopping at a random sandwich shop to drinking coffee at a street café. It’s also home to the only winery within city limits.
• Les Invalides – Home to Napoleon’s Tomb
• Take a stroll thru Jardin du Luxembourg – Largest public park in Paris that has over 100 statues, monuments, and fountains.

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What to Eat & Drink in Paris:

• Café Roussillon if you’re staying in the the 14^th Arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower and craving beef tartare
• Zia for a flat white and granola to give you life on your trek to The Louvre and walk along The Seine
• Joe Burger – We were actually on our way to Chez Ann in the Latin Quarter when we walked past this burger joint and the smell hit me like the scent in a cartoon. I stopped dead in my tracks and decided to eat lunch in this hole in the wall. No ragrets.
• Chez Ann for dumplings in the Latin Quarter
• Harry’s New York Bar if you’re feeling a little homesick and want to drink surrounded by banners and flags of all of the universities from back home. And they have a drink called the James Bond!
• Freddy’s for Tapas
• Laduree for macarons and Angelina for hot chocolate
• Buffet Sandwicherie Fine or Grenouilles in Montmartre for sandwiches

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Tips for Visiting Paris:

• For general tips for international travel, check out my London post.
• Parisians eat lunch between 11am-2:00pm and dinner between 8pm-10:30pm. Many restaurants close their doors entirely between 3 and 7 pm.
• Dine out during lunch. Restaurants do a pre-fixe menu for between 10-15 Euros. It’s the same food you would buy for dinner but at half the cost.
• Watch for pick pocketers. Within 5 minutes of being in the Paris train station I almost had my wallet stolen.
• Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (neighborhoods)
• Download the Duolingo app before your trip and teach yourself some basic French phrases. Waiters/waitresses speak English and it’s on most signs so don’t worry about not knowing how to speak the language. But it is nice to be able to speak a few basic phrases. I think doing this will go a long way with the locals.
• Download the GlobeConvert app for currency conversions
• The further you get away from Paris, such as the outskirts of the city in Montmartre, the less likely it is that restaurants and cafés will accept credit card. Carry cash on you just in case.

Phrase / Word	Meaning
Avez-vous un ménu en anglais?	Do you have a menu in English?
Bonjour, une table pour une/deux/trois personnes, s’il vous plaît	Table for one/two/three, please
L’addition, s’il vous plaît?	Check, please?
Acceptez-vous des cartes de crédit?	Do you take credit cards?
Entrées	Starters
Plats	Main dishes
Boissons	Drinks/drink menu
(Carte de) vins	Wine (menu)
Vins rouges	Red wines
Vins blancs	White wines
Eau minérale	Mineral water
Eau plâte	Still water
Sortie	Exit (Blue signs)
Merci	Thank you
Bonjour	Hello
S’il vous plait	Please
Oui	Yes

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Bucket List for Visiting Paris Again:

• Boat ride on the Canal Saint Martin
• Paris Catacombs (Underground ossuary of more than six million people. Line to get in is LONG.)
• Pantheon (State burial site for France’s heroes, like Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Louis Braille, and Voltaire)
• Musée Curie – Curie’s old laboratory that now serves as a museum
• Palace of Versailles – Only a 2 hour drive from Paris to see the famed residences of King Louis XIV, XV, and XVI.
• Rooftop bars – Terrass Hotel Rooftop Bar, Perchoir Gare de l’Est, Peninsula Rooftop Bar, Hotel Raphael Paris Rooftop Bar
• Restaurants – L’as du Fallafel, Trois Fois Plus de Piment, Holybelly Café, Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie, L’Ardoise Gourmande

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Paris Maps: