Travel tips

Planning a trip to Paris? Here are our travel tips, our travel advice or recommendations to avoid a disappointing vacation experience: Places to stay or to eat, things to do and places to see, safety, transportation, weather, ... All the things you should know before you pack your bag.

If you arrive by plane or train consider shuttles services...

Our top Paris travel tips: Transport, safety, ...

Here are our travel tips to make your stay hassle-free:

Getting from/to the airport

Depending on where you're coming from, you will either land at Roissy de Gaulle airport, Orly airport or Beauvais. Here is our guide to airport ground transportation services for each airport location: Roissy airport - Orly airport - Beauvais airport

Where to stay

Paris is divided into 20 districts called "arrondissements" that spiral out from the very center of the city in a snail-shell pattern. The best places to stay are located in the historic center meaning the districts numbered from 1 to 9 and 11. Compared to US standards, hotels are quite small and usually offer smaller rooms, smaller bedrooms and smaller beds. If your stay exceeds a week renting an apartment may be a good option. See our selection of hotels and information about apartment rental in Paris.

Places to see

Paris has a very rich history, which goes back to 2000 years. The city center boasts many oustanding historic landmarks or monuments. The best when visiting Paris is to discover the city by foot and to stroll the streets with a good map in hand. Here is our guide to places to see.

Things to do

Many tourists planning a trip to Paris wonder about what they should see or do during their stay in the city of lights... Here is our guide to things to do.

Transport in Paris

Paris is a large city with an extensive public transportation network. Here is our comprehensive guide to transport in Paris covering metro, train and railway stations, taxis, airport shuttle ...

Strikes

Striking can be seen from abroad like a French national sport. And many tourists visiting the country may be under the impression that the French are always on strike. Please read our tips about what to do to minimise the impact of a transportation strike or airport strike in Paris.

Safety

Is Paris safe? Yes the city is considered as quite safe by most parisians or tourists. However visitors should be particularly vigilant of pickpockets as many operate close to tourists spots like the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees Avenue, Montmartre hill... Pick pockets usually work in small groups. When one is trying to distract attention another one is picking pockets. In any case travellers shouldn't leave their belongings unattended and try to minimize access to their pockets or purses. Central Paris is safe at night and subway too... But try to avoid northern and eastern suburbs that are said to be dangerous at night.

Weather: When is the best time to visit Paris?

Every season has its own charm and its own advantages (and disadvantages).
Spring: The weather may be quite capricious in April and May however spring is a good season to discover Paris... Pavement cafes come to life and tourists streets are crowded.
Summer: The weather is usually good in July and August. No convention or fair takes place during summer in Paris and hotels prices are reasonable on the right bank of the Seine river. If your interest lies in gastronomy please note that many restaurants are closed in August.
Fall: The weather may be quite uncertain and temperatures drop at night however fall is a good season to visit Paris. Many art exhibitions, trade shows and events take place in September and October and it is wise to book your stay in advance...
Winter: The weather is usually rainy and the sky cloudy - Snow is rare. December is a nice month to visit the city if you like the Christmas shopping frenzy and January is the month winter sales kick off. Winter is the low season is Paris and hotels prices are usually reasonable.