My Top Tips !

METRO

Firstly I would say the best way to see Paris is on foot and most days on my itinerary avoid metro journeys for this reason !

So if you’re able to walk between attractions then go for it - as that’s how you’ll stumble across cute shops, pretty cafes and quaint bakeries - then you’ll really see the essence of Paris !

That being said here’s how the metro works as you will need it at some point:

Individual metro tickets costs €2.50 per ride, but they are cheaper if you buy in bulk ! You can get them in the metro station at the machines or at the desk. If you need help there’s always someone working at the ticket desk to advise you.

You only need a ticket to enter and not to leave - but always keep your tickets on you during the journey as there are random checks where you’ll have to show your ticket and you don't want a fine !

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION

Ubers and Bolts are widely available in the city so you can use those apps to get around. You can also flag down a taxi if their top light is green (if it’s red then it’s not available) Some taxis in Paris are also cash only so double check with the driver first!

I would recommend searching on Google Maps the best route to take from the airport to your destination in Paris (some buses or trains will be closer than others!)

If you take a taxi make sure you go to the designated taxi rank as some scammers will pretend they work at the airport and take you to a fake taxi that will rip you off !

To get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris you can take the train RER B (€13) the roissybus (€13) or a taxi (€55-70.)

From Orly Airport to Paris you can also take the RER B, the Orly Bus (€11,20) or a taxi (€35-50)

With Beauvais Airport you can only really take the shuttle bus (can pre pay online or buy it there €17)

Orly and Charles de Gaulle are the closest airports to central Paris.

Beauvais is a lot further away but often has the cheapest flights !

SCAMS TO AVOID IN THE CITY

The most frequent one I see all the time is people asking you to sign a petition, they then pickpocket you as you sign and chat! They usually come up to you and ask if you speak English and often wear high vis jackets. Just ignore them or say no !

The ball under the cup scam: here you’ll see a ball game where a man will move a ball under cups and people guess where it is to win money. The people around them are in on it and fake win and encourage tourists to bet, but when the tourists bet they make it super difficult so they always lose! These scams are seen mostly by the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre and Montmartre !

Also avoid putting anything valuable in your pockets, the best way to avoid pickpockets is to have everything zipped away ! You should be most wary of this on the metro. Keep your belongings close to you.

If traveling alone, the trains are safe in the day time and evening but I would not recommend traveling very late at night alone, as some metro stations can be quite empty. Stay in groups and you are fine!

WHAT AREA TO STAY

I think the best area to stay in Paris is the 1st arrondissement as it’s the most central ! If not, you should try to stay within walking distance of it or you’ll need to take a lot of transport to see the sites :)

Ideally stay in the 1st to 9th arrondissements, but it’s cheaper to stay outside of these.

WHEN TO VISIT

Paris is truly a city you can visit anytime of the year ! My favourite times to come are late spring and early autumn - you’ll find less tourists than summer but should still have nice weather !

HOW LONG TO STAY

I think four days is enough time to see all the main sites in Paris if you want a fast paced, busy trip. If you want a slower pace or want to visit lots of museums and Disney etc then a week is perfect. I also have a 2 week itinerary planned which leaves no stone unturned in Paris as well as features many day trips outside the city across France and even to Belgium

WHAT TO PACK

Paris weather can be very temperamental! You could come in January and have sunny days or come in August and it’s raining. The best thing to do is to google the forecast just before you go to give you an accurate idea of what to wear.

I’d also recommend having some euros too, many places in Paris still have minimum card spends so you don’t want to be caught out.

EIFFEL TOWER

Here’s some tips for the main attraction of Paris:

You can go up the Eiffel Tower but I prefer the view from other spots such as the top of the Arc de Triomphe and Gallery Lafayette. It also involves lots of queuing to get to the different levels so I wasn’t a big fan !

The Eiffel Tower sparkles on the hour for 5 minutes every hour from dusk until 1am (summer) or midnight (winter.) The last sparkle of the night it the prettiest as all the other lights of the tower switch off making the sparkle even more amazing ! The first sparkle time will constantly change as the hours of daylight change, but the first one will be at whatever time dusk is when you’re there.

If you want an Eiffel Tower picnic or to have evening drinks there, then the most popular place to sit is on the Champ des Mars, the park in front of the Eiffel Tower. This can sometimes be closed for events or maintenance. It has a great view but there are a lot of scammers there and people will try to sell you things when you’re sat which isn’t so relaxing. My favourite place for an Eiffel Tower picnic is along the Seine at Port Debilly - there’s no crowds and the view is amazing. It’s also where you’ll catch a lot of proposals which is fun to watch.