Paris—the City of Love , Lights, and spectacular art. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning after years, there’s something magical about the streets, the art, the food, and the culture. But for first-time traveler to Paris, it can also be a bit overwhelming. From navigating the metro system to choosing the best places to visit, there’s a lot to take in.
Is Paris on your list or have you been already and have mixed feelings about the city. I will be point blank honest here. Paris is definitely not just one of the most visited cities of the world, its also one of the first European cities most Indian travellers want to visit.
Over the years I had heard things like Paris is dirty , unsafe , expensive , over hyped and also that Parisians are rude and unwelcoming to top it all. Some of my friends would even reduce Paris to the ultimate shopping destination for designer labels which it most definitely is but this wasn’t remotely something I would even care about.
My interest in Paris 90% of it can be credited to an animated rat character ‘Ratatouille’ one of my all time favourite movies – is what put Paris on to my travel bucketlist map. You can laugh it out but this is the very truth. The Eiffel tower , Disneyland or the famed Monalisa were not attractive enough to me. But Remy from Ratatouille was my inspiration to visit the city of love, explore the underground trail and experience the food even. And to a large extent I was scared if it would be a complete let down because my hopes and expectations rested on a animated movie after all.
Paris is Beautiful
Well after spending nearly a week – 6 days on our first visit to Paris , I proclaim it’s one of my favourite big cities in the world. Why do I say big because those who know me know very well I am certainly more of a countryside and small town girl. But from the capital cities I have seen so far , Paris quickly became a favourite.
And we realised (me & the husband) that the reason our friends weren’t impressed and we totally fell for Paris was primarily due to how we planned our trip. Instead of doing a two or three day trip that most indian tourists allocate to Paris we gave it 6 full days and that was most definitely the deciding factor of our time there. Let me break it all down for you below and why you must absolutely spend more days in Paris or any big city if you truly want to experience it outside of the tourist trails.
Essential Tips
Ideal number of Days between 5-7 Days
Paris is BIG (READ THAT IN CAPITALS )- An ideal number of days to truly enjoy this city is at least a week as per my humble opinion but if you are really pressed for time choose a bare minimum of 4/5 days. What most Indian tourists end up doing in Paris is just 2/3 days that includes a visit to Eiffel tower, seeing a glance of Monalisa at the extremely crowded Louvre followed by a trip to Disneyland. All three places being packed with crowds with serpentine queues could lead to exhaustion end of the day. Allowing yourself 5 to 7 days will give you more breathing space to discover one of the popular spots everyday with ease alongside discovering the not so crowded places or chilling at local Cafes, free museums , picnic in a local park etc.
Master the Basics: Bonjour, Merci, and Au Revoir
One of the first things you’ll notice in Paris is the emphasis on manners. While many Parisians speak English, they really appreciate it when you make an effort to speak French. Even learning a few basic phrases like “Bonjour” (hello), “Merci” (thank you), and “Au revoir” (goodbye) can make a huge difference in how you’re treated. It shows respect for their culture, and trust me, you’ll get more smiles in return ! And the rudeness that people often associate with the city may just disappear even. At least we faced none I went heavy on Bonjour and my husband Kapil still says Merci Beaucoup till date. This has stayed with him and he now only thanks people in french 🙂
Quick French Phrases for Travelers
- Excusez-moi (Excuse me)
- Où est… ? (Where is…?)
- Combien ça coûte ? (How much does it cost?)
- Je parle un peu français (I speak a little French)
Choosing the right location to stay
When choosing the best area to stay in Paris, it’s helpful to understand how the city is divided into arrondissements (districts), which are arranged in a spiral pattern. These arrondissements are numbered from 1 to 20, starting at the 1st arrondissement in the heart of the city, near the Louvre Museum, and spiraling outwards.
Here me out we were joined by some of our friends on our third day in Paris. While we always choose a strategic place to stay specially when in big cities, our friends chose to stay further off. Not only were they about to miss the last train to their place one evening , it look them 45 minutes to an hour to travel in and out everyday. While this may save you some bucks but will add a lot more travel time to and fro plus additional transport cost too. Since we were staying closeby we could manage to easily go back to our hotel post lunch relax for an hour and come back refreshed and totally charged up for our evening strolls in Paris.
Remember you walk a lot so a few hours of rest does wonders and lets you enjoy a holiday more than just going from point A to B. Stay near the center of the city, or in neighborhoods that are centrally located, like Le Marais, Latin Quarter, or Opéra. These areas are walking distance from many major attractions, and the metro makes getting around easy. I would recommend you choose an accommodation in either the 1st 2nd or 4th arrondissement and something thats walking distance to the subway and bus stations. Another popular option full of charm is Montmartre or the 17 & the 18th arrondissement .
the Transport Pass
Now you could do point to point tickets or walk all the way but we personally recommend getting a Paris Travel Pass such as a Navigo Easy pass or a Paris Visite pass valid for the length of your stay. It makes everything hassle free , you don’t have to keep buying tickets each time you enter subways or climb a bus. And even though we walked a lot during the chilly spring mornings we would happily hop onto a bus to get to a museum faster by 8 am and avoid standing in queues that form after 9 am.
Another very important benefit of the pass was , we like most tourists didn’t know you tap the pass twice on entry and on exit from the bus since it had unlimited trips we assumed you just carry it and show it around. For some reasons the bus drivers ain’t helpful either or guide you much. All notices obviously are in French everywhere. Twice on the bus we were checked and likewise other tourists who were actually fined 500 euros on three different occasions all because they forgot to tap their tickets. We were not fined because we still had a valid 5 day travel pass with unlimited trips that the conductor simply punched and informed us. But individual tickets are actually valid just for a single trip and on any route so if you forget which is normal in another country then high chances that you may get fined as they assume you are doing this to get on to another bus free of cost. We saw it happen a number of time to american tourists and they looked very upset and it just left a bad taste. So just get the pass and keep it safely for the duration of your trip.
Beware of Pick Pockets and Scams
Now as much as I hate saying this European cities are notoriously becoming famous of pick pockets in the last few years. I have heard of scams in Italy ,Paris and few other cities. What’s surprising is most people assume coloured people into all sorts of crimes, its called racial conditioning but you will be surprised that in Paris it could be anyone. There are Charity scams, The Ring Scam and you might be approached by strangers asking for donations. Politely decline and move away quickly without engaging with them.
We had a close shave with some young white girls who tried opening our backpack , luckily I saw and they moved away but I have heard all kinds of stories of people snatching your Phones in the train to Romanian female gangs who operate in groups and are very adept at slipping away your belongings before you know, the worst the authorities and french police do nothing about it. So being alert when travelling in public transport , in crowded places and not leaving your belongings unattended is the best. With a little precaution and holding your guard at all times you should be fine.
Book the popular sites online in advance
Paris is Popular ! Period , popular sites like the Eiffel , The Louvre and The Versailles Palace can be sold months in advance during the season time. It’s best to book them in advance online on their websites to avoid last minute hassle. Once you are done with your bookings and getting the Visa we recommend booking the Eiffel tower , the Louvre and the Versailles Palace a month in advance to get a preferred time slot as per your choice and convenience. Also highly recommend booking the evening sunset slot for the Eiffel Tower between 6 -7 pm so you spend the day at other museums and sights that close by 5 pm or so. For the Louvre and the Versailles Palace we recommend a morning time slot on a weekday.
Pro Tip – Every first Sunday of the month all museums and sights are free in Paris. If you are tight on budget and would like to save some bucks make a note of this.
Begin your Day Early to Leverage more
This is a universal tip at least when travelling to Europe. Most popular cities and places are packed with people and starting early gives you quite a head start and plenty of breathing time in between two sightseeing spots. In fact you will be surprised how much more one can cover if you start your day early enough. Fewer people to navigate, shorter queues everywhere , quicker photo ops if thats a thing for you. It all compounds and by the time its lunch time you have covered a couple of things on your itineraries already.
This is what we usually do on all our trips , start by 8 a.m so our first point of sight seeing is done by 10ish post which we would break for a Coffee and a croissant at a local Cafe , watch people pass by, eventually make way to our second spot and finish seeing that before lunch. Break for lunch and then either continue exploring more if we feel like it or just get some rest for an hour or so and head to the next spot a smaller museum maybe in the late afternoon. Also a friendly advice don’t pack more than this, 3 places or sights on a day are enough when on a holiday – Join the JOMO group over the insta FOMO group and you will love your time.
Take advantage of the Free Museum Days
Did you know there are several ways to visit museums in Paris for free and save on costs. Several of the exceptional sites open their doors to the public free of charge on certain days of the year. Some museums are open free of charge on the first Sunday of each month, such the Musée d’Orsay.
While a number of museums offer free admission for their permanent collections. Some establishments are free for young people under 26, every day of the year, such as the Louvre (for residents of countries in the European Economic Area), Finally, some museums are completely free, for everyone all the time.
Although free days may attract larger crowds, another option for visiting a museum with fewer people is attending the museum on designated night openings.
For a complete list and more details on individual museums check out this website familinparis that I found helpful.
Keep Room for some Non Popular Sites
This is also a universal tip for all travels wherever you go and not just for Paris. Other than the must see must do’s of this world we love including something thats outside of the typical tourist trail. For me personally it’s always picnics in local parks and gardens , a day at a library , a visit to a thrift market or a unique Cafe etc. For my husband its watching a game, sleeping on grass and grabbing a beer.
On this trip since we were visiting in the month of May we planned on spending an evening watching the French open and what a fabulous experience was it to cheer with full gusto with the French locals. We also visited a couple of gardens with packed baguette and leisurely browsed some libraries that had no one quite literally. Soaking in the sights of locals reading books in parks or walking their furry friends, gorgeous spring blooms everywhere (French do their flowers so well).
Take time to walk around the Tuileries or Luxembourg Garden or the Seine River for quieter, scenic moments. We also ended up at a local thrift market and a children’s fair with real animals mooing and grunting happily. I was so amused and have never seen anything like this in europe before.
Eat Like a Parisian – But Don’t Fall for Tourist Traps
One of the highlights of Paris is undoubtedly its food. From buttery croissants to rich escargot, the food scene in Paris is a dream for foodies. But a word of warning: avoid eating at restaurants near major tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower or the Champs-Élysées. These places tend to charge inflated prices for subpar food.
Instead, head to the neighborhoods like Le Marais, Montmartre, or Saint-Germain-des-Prés for authentic, delicious meals. Try a croque-monsieur at a local café, or grab a baguette and cheese for a picnic by the Seine. Trust me, the food will taste even better when you’re sitting by the water!
Few Must-Try Dishes in Paris:
- Croissant & Pain au chocolat (freshly baked and buttery flaky both savory & sweet )
- Ratatouille (a vegetable medley from Provence)
- Duck confit (crispy, tender duck)
- Crêpes (both savory and sweet)
- Creme Brulee ( Rich Custard with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar)
- All kinds of Pastries – Eclairs , Macarons , Mille-feuille (No one does Pastries like the French so go sugar heavy)
- Hot Chocolate ( Decadent , Rich , Sinful , the best we ever had)
- Escargots (snails prepared with garlic butter )
- Foie gras ( made from liver of a duck or goose )
- Croque monsieur (hot sandwich made with ham and cheese)
- Onion Soup
- French cheeses
Leave Time for Spontaneous Exploration
While it’s important to plan ahead and make the most of your time , the best memories often come from spontaneous moments. Get lost in the Le Marais neighbourhood, pop into a hidden café, or spend an afternoon at a local thrift market. Paris is a city that rewards those who wander. So, be sure to leave some room in your itinerary for the unexpected!
Your first trip to Paris will likely be filled with excitement, wonder, and yes, a little bit of stress (we all experience it ! ) But with these tips, you’ll feel more prepared and confident I am hoping. Paris has a way of getting under your skin, and once you’ve been, you’ll find yourself dreaming of the next time you can return like we do. Can’t wait to go back and explore more, take day trips to Giverny and visit more art exhibitions, libraries , hidden cafes and museums off the tourist trail.
So, pack your bags, brush up on your French, and get ready for a remarkable trip of a lifetime. Bon voyage !
