Paris Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip

Paris rewards planning more than most cities. It’s not that there’s anything difficult about visiting – the Metro is excellent and the sights are world-famous for good reason – but with this much packed into one city, a bit of structure goes a long way.

Having returned to Paris many times over the years, I’ve learned that the best trips balance the big-ticket landmarks with slower moments: a long lunch, an aimless walk along the Seine, a neighbourhood you hadn’t planned to fall for.

This guide covers everything you need to plan a trip, from entry requirements and getting there to where to stay, eat and explore.

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👀 At a glance

🗺️ Paris map

Here’s where everything in this guide sits, from the Louvre and Tuileries at the historic centre to the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro, Montmartre in the north, and the Marais and Latin Quarter either side of the Seine.

🇫🇷 Why visit Paris?

Paris earns its reputation as a city of art and architecture almost everywhere you look, not just inside its museums. The Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the grand boulevards laid out by Haussmann are as striking in person as in every photograph you’ve seen of them.

It’s also, quietly, one of the world’s great food cities. From three-Michelin-star dining rooms to the corner boulangerie, the standard of what’s on your plate rarely dips, and lunch is treated as something worth taking your time over.

It’s a city worth wandering without a fixed plan. Beyond the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées, Paris is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own pace and character, plus hidden corners like Rue Crémieux and the Promenade Plantée that most first-time visitors never find.

🧳 Planning your Paris trip

⏰ How long to stay: Three to four days covers the major landmarks, a couple of museums and at least one neighbourhood at an easy pace without feeling rushed. Add a day or two if you want to fit in a day trip to Versailles or Giverny.

📍 Where to base yourself: The 1st and 7th arrondissements put you closest to the big landmarks, while Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Marais offer more neighbourhood character within easy walking or Metro distance of everything else.

Read my guide to the best neighbourhoods to stay in Paris for a more detailed breakdown.

🏙️ Sample trip styles:

• Classic city break (3-4 days): The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame area and a boat trip on the Seine, with an evening in the Marais or Saint-Germain.
• Food and culture trip (4-5 days): Add a Michelin dinner, a market morning, and a full day split between the Musée d’Orsay and a smaller gallery like the Musée Jacquemart-André.
• France multi-stop trip (7+ days): Paris for three or four nights, then day trips to Versailles or Giverny, or onward by train to the Loire Valley or Provence.

🪪 Entry requirements for Paris

France is part of the Schengen Area, so both UK and US passport holders can currently visit visa-free for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Your passport should have at least three months’ validity remaining beyond your planned departure date.

Since 10 April 2026, the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational at all Schengen borders, including Eurostar.

If you’re a non-EU passport holder travelling to France for the first time since EES went live, you’ll need a one-off biometric registration – a photo and fingerprints – at an EES terminal before you board.

At St Pancras, these terminals are located in departure zones A, B and C, so build in extra time before your train, particularly at busy periods.

Separately, the EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation scheme – which will also apply to UK and US nationals – has been repeatedly delayed and is still not in force at the time of writing.

The EU is no longer committing to a firm 2026 launch date, and 2027 now looks more likely. 

Once live, it will cost €20, apply for three years, and need to be applied for a few days before you travel; travellers under 18 or over 70 are exempt from the fee. 

👉 Check the official ETIAS site closer to your travel dates.

✈️ Getting to and around Paris

🚆 By train: Eurostar runs direct between London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord, with up to around 17 direct departures a day and a journey time of 2 hours 16 minutes. All border formalities, including the new EES registration for first-time visitors, are completed at St Pancras before you board – there’s nothing to do on arrival in Paris.

🛬 By plane: Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the main international airport, with Orly serving mostly domestic and some European routes. Flights from London take around 1 hour 15 minutes, and most major US hubs have direct services to CDG.

🚕 Getting in from CDG: The RER B train reaches central stations like Châtelet-Les Halles in 30-35 minutes for €11.80. A flat-rate taxi costs €56 to the Right Bank or €65 to the Left Bank, available around the clock with no surcharge and covering up to four passengers with luggage.

🚗 By car: Driving from London via the Eurotunnel takes around 6 hours including the Channel crossing. It’s rarely worth it once you’re in Paris – parking is limited and expensive, and the Metro will get you almost everywhere faster.

🚇 Public transport: A major change for 2026: the old paper Ticket t+ was discontinued for sale on 5 November 2025 and is only usable during a short grace period.

It’s been replaced by a digital Metro-Train-RER Ticket (€2.55 per journey) and Bus-Tram Ticket (€2.05 per journey), both of which need to be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card (€2, reusable on future trips) at station machines or via the IDF Mobilités app.

If you’re staying a week or more, the Navigo Semaine unlimited weekly pass is €32.40 and covers the whole Île-de-France region.

👣 On foot: Central Paris is compact and very walkable, with most major sights within an hour’s stroll of each other along the Seine.

📍 Where to stay in Paris

🖼️ Louvre and the 1st

For being steps from the Louvre, the Tuileries and the very centre of the city, at a premium price.

Stay at Le Meurice – directly opposite the Tuileries Garden, with a Versailles-inspired dining room and a two-Michelin-star restaurant from Alain Ducasse on site.

🥂 Champs-Élysées and the Golden Triangle

For luxury shopping, grand hotels and being within walking distance of the Champs-Élysées itself.

Stay at Le Bristol – home to Epicure, the hotel’s three-Michelin-star restaurant – or Hôtel Plaza Athénée – on Avenue Montaigne itself, right in the middle of the Golden Triangle’s fashion houses.

📸 Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro

For waking up close to the tower and its best photo spots, in a quieter, more residential part of the city.

Stay at Shangri-La Paris – the 1896 former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, with some rooms looking straight out at the Eiffel Tower.

🥐 Saint-Germain-des-Prés

For literary history, boutique shopping and cafés like Café de Flore on your doorstep.

Stay at Relais Christine – a discreet 17th-century mansion down a private alleyway, with a spa built into vaulted 13th-century cellars.

🛍️ Le Marais

For historic streets, art galleries and some of the city’s best boutique shopping, by day and night.

Stay at Le Pavillon de la Reine – set just off the Place des Vosges, on the former site of Anne of Austria’s residence.

🎨 Montmartre and Pigalle

For a bohemian, arty atmosphere and easy access to Sacré-Cœur and the Moulin Rouge.

Stay at Maison Souquet – a former maison close reimagined by designer Jacques Garcia, with a Belle Époque atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the city.

🏨 Best hotels in Paris

👉 For more inspiration, see my guide to the best luxury hotels in Paris.

🍽️ Where to eat and drink in Paris

Paris takes food seriously at every price point, so there’s rarely a reason to eat badly here, whether you’re planning a special-occasion dinner or grabbing lunch between sights.

🍸 Bars and cabaret in Paris

Paris does after-dark just as well as it does dinner, whether that’s a quiet glass of wine, a cocktail with a view, or a full cabaret show.

👉 For more inspiration, read my guide to the best rooftop bars in Paris.

😍 Top things to do in Paris

🗼 Popular attractions

• Eiffel Tower: Book tickets in advance and go early or late in the day to avoid the worst of the queues.
• Louvre: The world’s most-visited museum, home to the Mona Lisa and thousands of years of art and history. Allow at least half a day.
• Notre-Dame: Reopened after the 2019 fire, with the cathedral once again open to visitors.
• Seine river cruise: A relaxed way to see many of the city’s landmarks from the water in under an hour.

💎 Hidden gems

• Rue Crémieux: A narrow, brightly painted residential street that feels a world away from the grand boulevards nearby.
• Promenade Plantée: An elevated former railway line turned garden walkway, and the original inspiration for New York’s High Line.
• Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: Dramatic, hilly parkland in the 19th arrondissement, popular with locals rather than tourists.
• Parc de Belleville: One of the best skyline views in Paris, without the crowds you’ll find at Sacré-Cœur.

🖼️ Museums

• Musée d’Orsay: A former Beaux-Arts railway station housing one of the world’s best Impressionist collections.
• Musée de l’Orangerie: Home to Monet’s monumental Water Lilies, a short walk from the Louvre.
• Centre Pompidou: Modern and contemporary art inside a striking inside-out building.
• Musée Jacquemart-André: A lesser-visited mansion museum with real works by Botticelli and Rembrandt.

🏡 Neighbourhoods

• Le Marais: Historic streets, art galleries and boutiques, spanning the 3rd and 4th arrondissements.
• Montmartre: Cobbled streets, artists’ squares and Sacré-Cœur, best explored slowly and away from the main tourist path.
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés: Literary history, cafés and some of the city’s best independent shopping.
• Latin Quarter: Student energy, bookshops and Jardin du Luxembourg on the doorstep.

👉 For a more detailed list, read my guide to the best things to do in Paris.

🚂 Day trips from Paris

✨ Versailles: The palace and gardens of Louis XIV, 30-40 minutes by train.

🪷 Giverny: Monet’s house and gardens, the inspiration for his Water Lilies, 45 minutes by train.

⛪ Chartres: A stunning Gothic cathedral and a charming medieval old town, an hour by train.

🏰 Fontainebleau: A vast royal château with far fewer crowds than Versailles, 40 minutes by train.

🎢 Disneyland Paris: An easy family day out, 35 minutes by train.

🍷 Loire Valley: The grandest of France’s château regions, around 1.5 hours by train.

👉 For my complete list, read my guide to day trips from Paris.

📝 Suggested 3-day Paris itinerary

Day 1 – The Eiffel Tower and Impressionist art: Start early at the Eiffel Tower before the crowds build, then cross the Seine to Trocadéro for the best photo angle. Spend the afternoon at the Musée d’Orsay, then finish with dinner at La Fontaine de Mars.

Day 2 – Gardens and Le Marais: Wander the Jardin des Tuileries and the Musée de l’Orangerie, then spend the afternoon exploring Le Marais around Place des Vosges. Round off the day with a Seine river cruise at sunset.

Day 3 – Art, shopping and a final splurge: Visit the Musée Jacquemart-André, browse Avenue Montaigne, then spend the afternoon in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Book a table at Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse to finish the trip in style.

👉 This covers the essentials, but there’s plenty more detail, including timings and booking tips, in my full 3-day Paris itinerary.

📅 Best time to visit Paris

🌷 Spring (March – May): Mild weather and blossom in the parks, with the French Open bringing tennis crowds to the city from late May into early June.

☀️ Summer (June – August): Peak season, warm and busy, with Paris Plages turning the Seine’s banks into a beach – 2026’s edition runs with an American theme, marking 250 years of American independence.

🍂 Autumn (September – November): Comfortable temperatures and thinner crowds than summer, plus Heritage Days on 19-20 September, when normally closed historic buildings open to the public for one weekend only.

❄️ Winter (December – February): Cold but atmospheric, with Christmas markets and illuminated department store windows, and the Chocolate Show at the end of October into November for something different.

💰 Paris travel costs

Budget: Around €95-145 per day, covering hostel or budget-hotel accommodation, Metro tickets, market meals and one paid attraction.

Mid-range: Around €215-330 per day for a comfortable hotel, restaurant meals, museum entries and paid activities like a Seine cruise.

Luxury: From around €500+ per day for the hotels and fine dining featured in this guide.

Factor in the taxe de séjour on top of your room rate: 2026 rates rose sharply, up to €15.93 per adult per night for palace hotels, €11.70 for 5-star and €5.53 for 3-star. Plus a new Île-de-France Mobilités surcharge worth 200% of the base tax, added this year to help fund regional transport.

🤦 Common mistakes to avoid in Paris

• Not booking the Eiffel Tower and Louvre in advance. Both regularly sell out, especially in summer, and walk-up queues can eat hours out of your day.
• Assuming everyone speaks fluent English. A few basic French phrases go a long way and are generally well received.
• Getting caught out by the 2026 ticket changes. Paper Metro tickets are gone; you’ll need a Navigo Easy card loaded with digital tickets before you travel.
• Treating the Champs-Élysées as classic Paris. It’s worth a walk, but it’s touristy and overpriced compared with the city’s real neighbourhood charm.
• Underestimating the taxe de séjour. Budget an extra 5-16% on top of quoted room rates, depending on your hotel’s category.
• Skipping the free days. Many national museums, including the Louvre, are free on the first Sunday of the month from October to March.

💡 Top tips for visiting Paris

🎟️ Book major sights weeks ahead. The Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Palace of Versailles all sell out, particularly in summer.

🥐 Have your main meal at lunch. Prix fixe lunch menus at restaurants that charge considerably more for the same quality at dinner are one of the best-value ways to eat well in Paris.

🚇 Load a Navigo Easy card early. Buy one at any station machine when you arrive, then top it up with tickets or a weekly pass as needed.

🗓️ Visit in the shoulder seasons if you can. April-June and September-October offer the best balance of good weather and manageable crowds.

☕ Sit down for a coffee at least once. Café terraces are made for people-watching, not just fuel between sights.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Do UK and US travellers need a visa for Paris?

No, not currently. Both UK and US passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as France is part of the Schengen Area. Since April 2026, first-time visitors also need a one-off biometric registration under the EU’s Entry/Exit System, completed before boarding at St Pancras if travelling by Eurostar.

How long does the Eurostar take from London to Paris?

2 hours 16 minutes direct, London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, with all border checks completed before you board.

How do you get from CDG airport into central Paris?

The RER B train takes 30–35 minutes and costs €11.80. A flat-rate taxi costs €56 to the Right Bank or €65 to the Left Bank, and covers up to four passengers with luggage.

What’s the best area to stay in Paris?

It depends on your priorities:

• The 1st arrondissement suits first-time visitors who want to be near the Louvre.
• The 7th puts you close to the Eiffel Tower.
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th) suits a slower, literary-minded trip with excellent shopping.
• Montmartre (18th) offers character and generally better value.

Read my guide to Paris neighbourhoods for the full picture.

How long should you spend in Paris?

At least three or four days to see the major sights without rushing. Add a day or two if you want to fit in a day trip to Versailles or Giverny.

Is Paris just for couples?

No. It’s an excellent city for solo travellers, friends’ trips and families alike, with something for every kind of visitor beyond its romantic reputation.

Do I need cash in Paris?

Rarely. France is heavily card-based, and most shops, cafés and transport (via Navigo Easy) accept contactless payment without issue, though it’s worth carrying a little cash for smaller cafés or markets.

How does Metro ticketing work now?

Paper tickets were phased out in late 2025. You’ll need a Navigo Easy card (€2, reusable), loaded with digital Metro-Train-RER tickets (€2.55 each) or a Navigo Semaine weekly pass (€32.40) if you’re staying a week or more.

Is Paris safe?

Yes, it’s generally a safe city for visitors, though pickpocketing is a real risk in crowded tourist spots and on the Metro, so keep bags zipped and valuables out of back pockets.

Do I need to tip in Paris?

Not really. A service charge is included in restaurant bills by law, so tipping is a matter of choice rather than obligation – rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected.

🥐 Planning the rest of your Paris trip

Paris is a city that gives back whatever effort you put into planning it: book the big sights early, pick a neighbourhood that suits your pace, and leave enough unstructured time to just walk and see where you end up.

If you’re still deciding how to spend your time, my other Paris guides go into far more depth on food, hotels and things to do. I hope this guide helps you plan a wonderful trip to the French capital.

You may also like:

• 19 amazing things to do in Paris
• 6 best neighbourhoods to stay in Paris
• 20 best luxury hotels in Paris
• 12 beautiful rooftop bars in Paris
• 10 amazing day trips from Paris
• My ultimate 3-day Paris itinerary