Sights: Paris is one of the world’s great cities and needs little introduction but it can be a little overwhelming. I think there are six big sites and they can all be viewed in a rush in about 2 hours: Notre Dame, the Louvre Pyramid, the Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur. You can find my guided tour of these here.
Another way to see all of the sites in Paris is to take a cruise down the Seine on a boat trip. They are a little bit of a cliché and can be very full but it’s a super easy way to see all of Paris in a little over an hour. Through work, I have worked with Les Vedettes de Paris and the biggest operator is Bateaux Mouches.
As Notre Dame is sadly currently closed, an alternative is the Sainte Chapelle with its beautiful glass windows and gothic architecture. Elsewhere, if you want to see some more gothic architecture then the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine contains the life-size models of cathedral frescoes refurbished by Viollet le Duc, paintings copied from endangered churches and brilliant models of 20th century buildings in France, including a life-size Le Corbusier flat. This is one of my favourite museums in the city.
The Musée d’Orsay is my favourite art gallery for its combination of brilliant architecture, excellent impressionist paintings and top views from the top floor. Buy a ticket in advance and get there early to avoid the queues.
The Centre Pompidou contains the National Museum of Modern Art, Cinemas and other exhibitions. It is free to go in to the entrance hall and see the architecture which is very flexible and avoids the need for internal pillars as everything is hung on the outside. The Modern Art is very good and worth the entrance fee. And the view from the bar at the top is excellent too, particularly with a glass of fizz.
For something a bit different, the Atelier des Lumieres offers sound and light show based on the work of one particular artist. From Van Gough, Monet and more recently Cezanne. It’s fabulous and well worth 90 minutes of your time.
A favourite free museum is a the Palais de Tokyo – The Paris Museum of Modern Art – which has a nice, simple collection and some great views along the Seine.
If you are looking for an afternoon out and a little bit of that Chateau experience, the Parc de Sceaux is 20 minutes out on the metro and a lovely walk – particularly in the Spring. Parisians head there for some time in the green with a picnic. It’s free and in a very nice neighbourhood of Paris. If you head north, the town of Chantilly is famed for its racecourse and an equally impressive Chateau – though this one charges for entry.
If you want some good views of Paris try the Tour St Jacques with great view over the western side of town or the top of the Arc de Triomphe which has good views down the Champs Elysées and over to the Eiffel Tower.
If you fancy a day out, the Chateau de Versailles is about 40 minutes by RER. It’s impressive today so must have been even more so when it was first built. The state rooms are very busy but the history of the building on the ground floor is well presented and you can find your own space in the gardens, particularly in the Petit and Grand Trianons. Worth booking a ticket online to avoid the queues as you go in.
Other museums and sights with my personal, brief review:
- Louvre – too big, too full, too badly labeled – other museums are available.
- Orangerie – great if you like Monet but expensive/uninspiring otherwise.
- Musée Rodin – has a lovely garden with some fantastic statues but is a little pricey to get in.
- Musée d’Arts & Metiers – a rather dull science museum.
- Petit Palais – free with vast rooms with some interesting pieces & a good coffee shop.
- The Quai Branlay brings together art from Africa, South America, Asia and Oceania. The latter items are particularly fine as is the modern park/garden setting.
- Musée de Cluny is Paris’ middle ages museum and although undergoing refurbishment, the small selection of tapestries currently on show are beautiful.
- Jardin de Luxembourg – free and great for an afternoon walk and picnic.
- Canal St Martin – a cool, somewhat hipster oasis in the city with bars along it but also space for a picnic on its banks.
- Galeries Lafayette – good for luxury shopping but mainly worth visiting for the great architecture and the roof top view from its terrace.
- Eiffel Tower – increasingly crowded but iconic and despite my aversion to all things mass-tourism this is worth a visit to see the views over Paris. However, the problem is that when you’re up the Eiffel Tower you can’t see the Eiffel Tower so for the iconic view head to the Trocadéro or Pompidou Centre, particularly when it shimmers at the top of each hour at night.
It is worth checking the Paris Tourist Information Office for details about what exhibitions are free or free on the first Sunday of the month.
Travel: The metro system in Paris is pretty comprehensive, particularly when supported by the fast trains (RER) and the bus network. When flying in to the city you will most likely come in to Charles de Gaulle airport. The easiest way in to the city is to take RER B which you need a special ticket for (€10.30) and takes 30-40 minutes.
If you are arriving by Eutostar train in to Gare du Nord you are instantly into the city centre and on to the central metro zones.
Once in the city, there are a variety of options, all of which can be bought at machines at most of the stations:
- The cheapest way is to buy a Carnet – book of 10 tickets each valid for one journey and works out at €1.49 per journey.
- If you are doing more than 5 journeys in a single day, then a Mobilis pass is good value at €7.50 for coverage of the central zones.
- If you are here for several days and planning on a trip out to the suburb (including Versailles and Charles de Gaulle Airport) then a Forfait Paris Visite can be good value.
A good App to download is the RATP app which covers all the travel options in the city in French and English.
Accommodation: There are hundreds of accommodation options across Paris but it is worth noting that, compared to other European capitals, rooms can be smaller and a little more expensive. It is often better value to have the breakfast at the local café than at the hotel. There are some bargains out there: for example. when visiting before moving here we stayed largely in the 10e & 11e arrondissements, including:
- Generator Hostel: As with all the Generator Hostels, this is more like a 2* hotel with ensuite shower rooms, double beds and modern design. The public areas include a hipster bar and work rooms.
- The International Hotel: recently upgraded, small but good quality rooms on a quiet back street close to the action.
- Hotel Alhambra: set around a courtyard, the rooms are a good size and well (if cheaply) refurbished.
If you are looking to stay near Montparnasse / Jardin du Luxembourg we have been recommending the following:
Food & Drink: There are so many options here I have created two separate posts about Where to Drink in Paris and Where to Eat in Paris.
As mentioned elsewhere, for good value drink it is worth downloading the Mister Good Beer app which tells you where the cheapest pint is near to you.
Further Reading & Listening:
Guide books: The Lonely Planet for Paris is small enough to fit in a pocket but contains enough information for a first visit to Paris.
Online it is worth checking out SortiraParis.com which lists the latest special events in the city and is a good source of up to the minute information.
Podcast/Blog: The Earful Tower has a collection of podcasts, videos and blog posts about Paris which help you see the alternative side of the capital. My favourite posts include the list of bars and free things to do in Paris.
Travels Beyond & Behind 