Tips & tricks

The Ultimate Paris Guide

A collection of random tips-and-tricks on how to survive Paris and places to visit, in no particular order. It covers the main attractions as well as the useful places around the apartment.

When you walk around the city, remember to look upwards. It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of the ground level and not notice that above you, you have the most beautiful city in the world. Enjoy Paris!

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Getting oriented

Arrondissements

Arrondissement is just a fancy word for neighbourhood. Paris arrondissements start in the very centre at Notre-Dame and spread outwards in a spiral. The lower the number, the smaller it generally is.

Parisians are very sensitive to what is Paris (often called Paris intra-muros) and what is part of the Paris agglomeration but not technically Paris (the région parisienne). The limits of Paris stop where the arrondissements stop; after that, each administrative unit is a separate town. Paris intra-muros has about 2 million inhabitants and the Paris region about 12 million. As a visitor you will very rarely leave Paris intra-muros, since most of the attractions are located there.

Contrary to the way it’s portrayed, Paris is a very safe city. Most of the bad areas are in the suburbs (mostly north and east), not within the city limits. Within the city, the 18th and 19th have parts where you probably should not walk alone at night (and parts of the 10th bordering those two), but other than that, you should not be worried.

The main issue might be pickpockets, present in touristy areas. They usually operate by approaching you with some enquête about a wannabe humanitarian cause and, while you’re dealing with that, someone picks your phone. The moral of the story: if someone you don’t know approaches you and starts talking or asking something, just ignore them and continue. Stranger-danger and all that.

1^erLouvre
The tourist’s paradise. Home to the Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, and luxury shopping on Rue de Rivoli. Expensive cafés, selfie sticks, and people pretending to understand modern art.
2^eBourse
The business district by day, a quiet ghost town by night. Full of stockbrokers, historic passages, and the occasional hipster café trying to revive the area.
3^eTemple
Trendy, artsy, and home to the Marais’ quieter cousin. Galleries, concept stores, and bobos (bourgeois-bohemians) sipping organic wine.
4^eHôtel-de-Ville
The heart of the Marais: LGBTQ+ friendly, falafel shops, vintage boutiques, and tourists lost between Place des Vosges and Notre-Dame.
5^ePanthéon – Latin Quarter
Students, intellectuals, and old-school Parisian charm. Bookshops, Sorbonne students debating philosophy, and overpriced crêpes.
6^eLuxembourg – Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The epitome of Parisian chic. Think Sartre, Hemingway, and wealthy retirees. Luxury real estate, literary cafés, and the Jardin du Luxembourg.
7^eInvalides – Eiffel Tower
Diplomats, politicians, and tourists gaping at the Eiffel Tower. Expensive apartments, embassies, and the occasional protest near the Assemblée Nationale.
8^eÉlysée – Champs-Élysées
The land of luxury: Champs-Élysées, Avenue Montaigne, and the Presidential Palace. Tourists, high-end shopping, and overpriced macarons.
9^eOpéra – Grands Boulevards
Theatre district, historic department stores (Galeries Lafayette), and a mix of tourists and young professionals. Also, Pigalle’s seedy charm spills over.
10^eGare du Nord – Gare de l’Est
A melting pot: hipsters near Canal Saint-Martin, immigrants, and commuters rushing through Gare du Nord. Gentrification in progress.
11^ePopincourt – Oberkampf
The nightlife hub. Bars, live music, and young Parisians who never sleep. Rue Oberkampf is the epicentre of drunken revelry.
12^eReuilly – Bercy – Nation
Family-friendly, slightly boring, but with hidden gems like the Coulée Verte. Bercy Village is where Parisians go to pretend they’re not in Paris.
13^eGobelins – Bibliothèque
The Chinatown of Paris, modern high-rises, and the massive Bibliothèque nationale. Also the Butte-aux-Cailles, a tiny village within the city.
14^eObservatoire – Montparnasse
Montparnasse Tower (the eyesore), Breton crêperies, and a mix of students and old-school Parisians. The Catacombs lurk beneath.
15^eVaugirardHome
The “most Parisian” arrondissement: residential, bourgeois, and a bit dull. Full of families, good bakeries, and people who never leave the 15e. You are here.
16^ePassy – Auteuil
The wealthy enclave. Private schools, embassies, and the Bois de Boulogne. Think old money, tennis clubs, and nannies pushing strollers.
17^eBatignolles – Ternes
Batignolles is the “village” where young families and artists pretend they’re not in the 17e. Ternes is more upscale and conservative.
18^eMontmartre – Barbès – Goutte d’Or
Montmartre: tourists, artists, and Sacré-Cœur. Barbès and Goutte d’Or: vibrant, multicultural, and a bit gritty. The real Paris.
19^eButtes-Chaumont – Belleville – La Villette
Hipster central. Belleville’s multicultural vibe, street art, and the stunning Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. La Villette is for techies and concert-goers.
20^eMénilmontant – Père Lachaise
The “other” Belleville, edgy and artsy. Père Lachaise Cemetery, indie music venues, and strong working-class roots.

Sights & museums

Culture

Montparnasse Tower
Viewpoint
Often called the ugliest building in Paris, and few can argue with that. However, that also makes it the perfect place to look over Paris, because you can’t see the tower when you’re on top of it! The climb costs about 20 € and there is a cocktail bar up there. A decent, cheaper replacement for climbing the Eiffel Tower: the view is at least as good, although the Eiffel Tower has extra content such as expositions and texts about its history.
Hôtel des Invalides
History
Most known for Napoleon’s tomb, but there is also lots of historical information about Napoleon and the military museum. Definitely worth a visit if you’re into this stuff.
Panthéon
History
Most noted for Foucault’s pendulum and the crypt with the tombs of famous French people such as Voltaire and Marie Curie. There are often expositions inside for which they remove the pendulum, so check it’s there if that is the main reason for your visit.
Notre-Dame
Landmark
One of the most famous Parisian landmarks. Entrance is free, but try to get there early in the morning. The line might seem crazy long, but usually it moves very quickly.
Sainte-Chapelle
Landmark
Small chapel next to Notre-Dame, known for its magnificent stained-glass windows. Definitely worth a visit, but book your tickets online, otherwise you will wait in the queue for a very long time.
Arc de Triomphe
Landmark
One of the national symbols of France, very impressive to see (and great for photos!). Below the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldier. You can go inside and climb to the top, which is paid; the tomb and the area around the arch are free. Find the underground passage and don’t try to cross the roundabout above ground.
Louvre
Museum
The building itself is exceptionally impressive from the outside. If you are a great fan of art and history it makes sense to go inside; otherwise I recommend against it. The sheer amount of artefacts is mind-numbing, and museums like Orsay and the Orangerie are much more accessible.
Place de la Concorde
Landmark
One of the busiest squares in Paris. It holds the obelisk “borrowed” from Luxor.
Orangerie
Museum
Between the Louvre and Concorde. It holds Monet’s water lilies in permanent exposition. Not expensive and quite small, so you can easily see the full collection.
Orsay
Museum
Not far from the Louvre, with art of different disciplines and most known for its collection of impressionist paintings. My favourite museum in Paris.
Opéra Garnier
Culture
The magnificent opera of Paris. If you are under 28 you may be able to get tickets for 10 € for certain shows! They usually sell out immediately, but if you wait at the entrance before the show you might get a ticket from a no-show. There is also a lake underneath it that inspired The Phantom of the Opera.
Montmartre
Neighbourhood
Iconic neighbourhood known for its artistic and bohemian history. The usual activity is strolling through its picturesque streets.
Sacré-Cœur
Landmark
The imposing basilica on top of Montmartre. Entrance is free and the queue can seem very long, but it usually moves quickly. Beautiful view over Paris from the steps in front.
Moulin Rouge
Culture
The iconic Parisian cabaret.
Musée Rodin
Museum
Rodin’s sculptures, with a very nice garden and outdoor area.
Versailles
Day trip
Magnificent castle on the outskirts of Paris. If you go, definitely leave enough time for the gardens. Plan it as a whole-day activity.
Basilique Saint-Denis
Day trip
This magnificent basilica in the north of Paris is known as the first Gothic cathedral. Saint-Denis has a bad reputation and is admittedly not the nicest suburb, but if you visit during the day you should have no problems.
Le Grand Rex
Cinema
Absolutely mind-blowing cinema in the 9th. If you’re into movies, this is a must-see.
Quartier Latin
Neighbourhood
A very picturesque neighbourhood on the left bank. This is where most scenes of Midnight in Paris were filmed. Go for a stroll in the evening and enjoy the Parisian charm.
Cemeteries
Stroll
Père Lachaise, Montparnasse and Montmartre cemeteries are all great places for a stroll and to escape the heat. They’re filled with tombs of historical figures and celebrities (Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Sartre, Fourier…). Check the locations of the tombs you want to see beforehand; it can be overwhelming to do it on the spot.

Also worth a look

Fondation Louis Vuitton
Centre Pompidou

Parks & gardens

Nature

Parc Georges Brassens
Next door
Right next to the apartment and my favourite park in Paris. Ideal for a short walk or sitting down and reading a book.
Jardin des Tuileries
Gardens in front of the Louvre. Very nice for a walk, just check the opening times, because they close quite early in the evening.

More green escapes

Jardin du Luxembourg
Bois de Boulogne
Bois de Vincennes
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Jardin des Plantes

Drinks

Bars

Prices in bars vary greatly across neighbourhoods. On average, a pint of blond beer is around 6 €. However, happy hours are a big thing in Paris, so with some effort you can find great deals. Download the Mister Good Beer app, which shows beer prices on a map across Paris. Even if you don’t drink beer, beer prices are a good indicator of the price of other drinks.

Cantine Max
Near the apartment
Nice bar/restaurant close to the apartment. Cocktails for 5 € until midnight.
Les Mauvaises Habitudes
20e
Nice bar right next to Père Lachaise cemetery. Quite large cocktails for a very low price.
Quais de Seine
Picnic
Not really a bar, but a very Parisian activity: get some bread, cheese and wine and sit down along the Seine. Anywhere on or around Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis is a safe bet.

Good streets and areas for bars

Montparnasse: Rue de la Gaîté, Rue Montparnasse
Rue du Commerce (15e)
Oberkampf (11e)
Butte-aux-Cailles (13e)

Bread

Bakeries

Everyone talks about French wine and cheese, but no one mentions the bread. You can find a bakery on almost every corner. You can also buy bread at the supermarket, but the bakery one is always superior. The safest choice is the baguette tradition: it’s a highly regulated recipe, so you can hardly go wrong. There are also tradition céréales / graines options, brown bread with grains. All bakeries also have a large selection of French cakes which are definitely worth exploring!

Pompona
Go-to
Great bread. This is where the traditional French breakfast for guests comes from: coffee with one croissant and one pain au chocolat. If you want to go full French, you can add a cigarette with that.
Grains et Gourmandises
Savoury
Pompona doesn’t always have a large savoury selection, so this is the place for croque monsieur or croque madame. They also have wraps, sandwiches, pizza-like doughs and whatnot.

These are the two bakeries closest to the apartment and the ones used most often, but there are many more, so feel free to explore.

Ideas

Activities

Dinner on a boat cruise
Boat cruise on the Seine
Hot air balloon ride
Rent a city bike and ride along the Seine

Moving around

Transport

Public transport

Despite what the locals might tell you, Paris has amazing public transport. If you’ve come by car, find somewhere to park it and forget about it. It is the most densely constructed metro in the world!

Your best friend will be the Bonjour RATP app. You can plan itineraries and buy tickets through it. You can also buy a physical card for 2 € and recharge it through the app or at the machines in stations, but there are often long queues at the machines, so it’s usually better to use your phone. Google Maps generally shows the correct itinerary too, but might not be 100% up to date on construction works or incidents.

Regardless of what either app tells you, never take the bus. The metro is always the better option because of how well the city is covered and how unreliable the buses are. Trams are OK to use though.

Bikes

Paris has great bike infrastructure, a very recent success story of a city that had no bike paths and in ten years became a model for inner-city mobility. That said, biking inside the city can be chaotic. If you’re used to biking, I definitely recommend moving around by bike: more pleasant, faster and cheaper than public transport. If you’re not a cyclist, do it once for the experience, then it’s fine to go back to the metro.

There is a very nice route along the Seine with dedicated bike lanes all the way, passing several landmarks.

The cheapest option is Vélib’, the city bikes you rent and leave at dedicated stations. There are lots of them, so you’re usually a few minutes’ walk from where you want to end up. I recommend the 24-hour classic pass for 5 €. Every time you pick up a bike, the first 30 minutes are free, then 1 € per 30 minutes. You can always stop at 29 minutes, drop the bike, wait a few minutes and pick it up again to reset the free window. Paris is quite small surface-wise, so most trips are under 30 minutes anyway.

The other option is the free-floating electric bikes you can pick up and drop anywhere. Pick one brand, download its app, and you should be good to go.

Taxi

Bolt and Uber are both available and generally rather cheap, especially with several people. The metro and bikes fit the vibe of Paris better, but when you need to get somewhere quickly with a poor metro connection, there is always this option.

Arriving & leaving

Airports

CDGCharles de Gaulle

Connected to the city by the RER B suburban train, but you pay extra to board at the airport. Check Bolt/Uber prices and see what makes most sense for your group.

ORYOrly

Connected directly to metro line 14 (the favourite line; one could talk all day about why it’s so cool), but you pay an extra ~11 € to enter it at the airport. Orly is much closer than Beauvais, so with two or more people a Bolt probably makes sense.

BVABeauvais

The default option is the shuttle bus straight to/from the airport. On the way there, arrive at the shuttle station early, because there are often long queues and you may wait a few rounds before boarding. With 3+ people, check Uber/Bolt prices.

See Getting here for the stations closest to the apartment.

Appendix

The Official Ranking of Paris Metro Lines

Paris has one of the densest metro networks in the world, and while all lines have their charm (or lack thereof), Parisians and visitors alike have opinions about which ones reign supreme. Lucky for you, the author doesn’t have opinions, only straight facts about the ordering of the lines. Here’s the breakdown:

The Elite Tier

14
The undisputed king. The first fully automated line in the world (with some conditions on “first”) since 1998, efficient, and simply the best. If you live on line 14, you’ve hit the jackpot.

The Reliable Workhorses

1
Iconic, fast, and automated. Home to the Louvre and Champs-Élysées. The line that screams “Yes, I’m in Paris!”
4
Connects Gare du Nord and Montparnasse. If you’re navigating the city, this line is your trusty steed.
6
The scenic route. Above-ground sections offer stunning views of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. Perfect for pretending you’re in a French New Wave film.

The “Meh, It’s Fine” Tier

8
Until recently the longest line in Paris (that title now goes to line 14), which sounds impressive until you realise it’s also one of the most chaotic. Like a très long, très dramatic French novel. But it does feel nice to traverse all of Paris in a single ride.
2 · 3 · 5 · 9 · 10 · 11
They exist. They work. Not bad, but not the life of the party either. The metro equivalent of a decent baguette: reliable, but not memorable.

The “Why Does This Exist?” Tier

7 · 12
They get the job done, but no one’s writing sonnets about them. The lines you take because you have to, not because you want to. (Line 12 is your nearest metro. Sorry.)

The Bottom of the Barrel

13
The universal punching bag of the Paris metro. Overcrowded, unreliable, and the bane of commuters’ existence. In a Hunger Games-style battle royale, line 13 would be the first to go. Not without reason does the expression exist: the next French revolution will begin on line 13.

Original document

Ultimate Paris Guide (PDF)

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Arrondissements

Culture

Montparnasse Tower

Hôtel des Invalides

Panthéon

Notre-Dame

Sainte-Chapelle

Arc de Triomphe

Louvre

Place de la Concorde

Orangerie

Orsay

Opéra Garnier

Montmartre

Sacré-Cœur

Moulin Rouge

Musée Rodin

Versailles

Basilique Saint-Denis

Le Grand Rex

Quartier Latin

Cemeteries

Nature

Parc Georges Brassens

Jardin des Tuileries