One of the quintessential cities of love, Paris is a magical mix of stunning architecture, exquisite cuisine, chic boutiques, and sweeping boulevards.
Of course, when one conjures up images of Paris, the first thing that comes to mind is the Eiffel Tower. One of Paris’ most iconic images – in fact, it could be argued that it is one of the world’s most iconic symbols – as impressive as it is, it certainly is not the only example of amazing architecture in the city. The Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur, Notre Dame, the Louvre Museum (which h...
One of the quintessential cities of love, Paris is a magical mix of stunning architecture, exquisite cuisine, chic boutiques, and sweeping boulevards.
Of course, when one conjures up images of Paris, the first thing that comes to mind is the Eiffel Tower. One of Paris’ most iconic images – in fact, it could be argued that it is one of the world’s most iconic symbols – as impressive as it is, it certainly is not the only example of amazing architecture in the city. The Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur, Notre Dame, the Louvre Museum (which houses another Paris icon, the Mona Lisa) and the Palais Garnier are just a fraction of some of the amazing sights you can see on a visit to Paris.
French cuisine is famous around the world for being one of the best and there is no better place to try some French classics like boeuf bourguignon or bouillabaisse than the capital. But there are also a number of dishes you can try that are specific to Paris, such as Le Hachis Parmentier, a Parisian version of cottage pie, Le Flan Parisien, a flan with a broken dough bottom and lightly browned, and Le Croque Monsieur, a double-sided toasted sandwich of ham and cheese. Do not forget to visit a Parisian bakery to try out some of the country’s exquisite pastries.
For Parisians, shopping is not so much a hobby as an art form. Some of the world’s best-known designer brands are French – Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, to name a few – and they definitely helped pave the way for Paris to become one of the world’s shopping hotspots. The famous Golden Triangle made up of the Champs Elysees, Avenue Georges V, and Avenue Montaigne is where you can find most international brands. But it is not just designer and high-street fashion that Paris do well at. The city is also well known for being a haven of vintage and antique shopping, with an abundance of shops, boutiques, and flea markets selling all kinds of second-hand goods.
One of Paris’ biggest draws is the vast amount of art and history that can be taken in just a short space of time. Paris boasts 130 museums within its limits, some of them worldwide famous names. The Louvre, best known for housing Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, has around 38,000 objects on display spanning the entirety of human existence. The Musee d’Orsay and the Pompidou Centre are also popular with art lovers. If you want to delve into a different side of Paris history, there are plenty of places to visit. The Edith Piaf Museum celebrates the life of this Parisian legend. Immortalized in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables, it is possible to visit the sewers under the city at the Museum of the Sewers. And as the capital of perfumery, how could anyone miss out on a visit to the Perfume Museum?
Paris enjoys mild winters and warm summers and either season would be a perfect time to visit the City of Light. Their summers average around a high of 25°C (77°F) so it would be lovely and warm weather to walk around the romantic boulevards or along the River Seine.
Autumn cools down considerably in Paris and can have many days of precipitation so have your raincoat or umbrella. Spring is the wild card of weather with surprisingly cold temperatures and many days of rain. Don’t expect consistent spring-like weather until at least May.
If you do travel in the summer, early to mid-summer is better. Late summer, in August, is traditionally when Parisians go on holiday. Closures won’t have a huge impact on your standard tourist destinations but you might find local shops, restaurants, and cafes closed. Nevertheless, some hotels offer deals during this time because of the holiday exodus in Paris so bargain hunters should check out this time period.
As a member of the European Union and the eurozone, France uses the euro (symbol: €) as its currency. The euro is a bit stronger than the US dollar with 1 euro equaling around 1.20 USD. The banknotes being issued for the euro come in denominations of 200, 100, 50, 20, and 10. Coins come in both euros and cents with values of €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, and 1c.
While visiting Paris, be prepared for few ATMs in certain areas. And since pickpocketing can be common in the city, don’t carry too much cash as well. It’s good to plan on using your credit or debit card as much as possible. Be aware that many cafes and small shops will have a minimum amount (€10-15) before you can use your card so you might need to keep small amounts of cash on you.
Tipping is not an obligation in Paris but it does happen. Leaving your loose change at the bar or tipping around 10% at a restaurant is common if you received good service. Don’t forget that “good service” means different things in different cultures. A slow meal without a server checking on you every few minutes is common in Paris and would not be considered bad service.
Also, don’t expect the check to arrive at your table until you ask for it since it’s considered rude to assume someone is done with their meal. There will be an automatic 15% service charge on your bill when it does arrive but the servers usually do not receive this so don’t consider this part of your tip.
French is the official language of the country and it is the native language of almost 90% of French citizens. When visiting popular tourist destinations, you should have no issues speaking English.
Even if you know some French, the workers in these areas will most likely answer and speak in English to save time and effort. Anywhere else in Paris, it’s beneficial to know a few opening phrases of French. This shows that you’ve made an effort and they will be more willing to work with you to make sure both of you are understood.
If you don’t know any French, below are a few key phrases to help you as you explore Paris. Greeting employees at any shop or cafe and using these phrases will be greatly appreciated:
There is no better way to experience Paris than by walking around on foot. Every street has beautiful architecture, cute cafes, interesting shops, and romantic restaurants. To take another form of transportation is to miss all of this. Your best memories of Paris will be strolling down a random avenue, stumbling upon unique gems of a neighborhood that no guide book will mention.
As great as walking through Paris is, there are still reasons you might need another form of transportation. The Métro is the perfect secondary option, with stations located densely around the core of the city and trains arriving every few minutes. Signs with a large “M” will be at entrances to the stations.
The RER is the regional rail that connects Paris with its suburbs and to the international airport servicing Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport. Both the Métro and the RER use the same ticketing system but make sure you hold on to purchased tickets. There can be unexpected ticket checking anywhere in the station and you will be fined on the spot if you do not have your ticket ready to show.
Paris is a very safe city and you can stroll through most districts without a worry. Violent crimes are very rare. The only issue that might cause concern is pickpocketing. If you are in a tourist area with large crowds, be very wary of the possibility of pickpocketing.
If you keep your wallet in a pocket, it might be beneficial to move it to a front pocket so you can keep your hand on it if you feel uncomfortable in a crowded area. For purses or bags, over-the-shoulder options are best. This way you can swing it in front of you when dealing with a large number of people.
One scam to be aware of, even if you decide to partake, is the men selling alcohol in the Champ de Mars, the park next to the Eiffel Tower. A bottle of wine sounds perfect while you stroll in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and there are plenty of peddlers willing to sell you one but be aware that they’ll attempt to charge you an exorbitant amount of money for embarrassingly bad wine.
As in any city, be aware of your surroundings both for safety and as an appreciation of the unique beauty Paris has to offer.
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