Paris Guide – Where to stay, Getting around, What to Do
Paris is that city that constantly pops up on your newsfeed, with artsy photos of the iconic landmarks and charming neighbourhoods. The city itself can be overwhelming for first time visitors, with a multitude of neighbourhoods and attractions to see. The best way to experience Paris in my opinion, is to get lost in it. Obviously you should try and have an idea of what you’d like to see and experience, but don’t get caught up in the planning and trying to see and do everything, because i’ll be the first to tell you that there won’t be enough time.
My advice, walk around wherever you want, alongside the river and in the little streets. You will always find something interesting, whether it be a building with interesting architecture, a café or a nice restaurant, and you will be around locals instead of with other tourists!
During this blog Post I’ll be touching on
Getting Around Paris
Where to Stay in Paris
Activities/Things to Do in Paris
Getting Around
Visiting the City of Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but navigating Paris and its complicated transportation system can be a little intimidating at first. Luckily, Paris has a very comprehensive underground system (the Metropolitan) as well as buses and local trains that connect all the major parts of the city.
If you already know that you’ll be relying heavily on public transportation, than I would say invest in the Pass Navigo Découverte. This week-long pass allows you to travel from zones 1-5 (which will be more than enough to get you to all the major attractions in Paris). The pass also allows you to take use of of Paris’ train, metro, RER, tram and bus systems. It is valid from Mondays to Sundays and costs (22.15 € + 5 € for the card)
If you feel like you won’t be using the transportation system all the time and want something a little more casual, you can choose the day pass called Ticket Mobilis that covers zones 1-5 or a Paris Visite Pass that is good for 1, 2, 3 and 5 days and will cover zones 1 to 3 or all five zones.
Paris Airports
Paris has 3 airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle (North of Paris), Paris Orly (South of Paris) and Paris Beauvais, which, despite its name, is outside Paris, in the city of Beauvais. If you are traveling overseas, you will probably land at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. If you are traveling with a low-cost airline like Ryan Air, you will probably land at Paris Beauvais Airport. Charles de Gaulle and Orly are more or less at the same distance from Paris so if you are traveling from Europe, you can choose whatever flight (or flight company) you like.
Inside Tip- Try your best to stray away from Paris Beauvais airport, its located two hours from the city centre, and the fair for the Aéroport bus one way is $15€.
Where to Stay
Paris is divided into 20 separate zones/neighbourhoods called arrondissements. Each arrondissement offers something different. The city is also split in half by the Seine River. North of the river is called Rive Droite (which means Right Bank), and south of the river is called Rive Gauche (which means Left Bank).
Paris has many great neighbourhoods that you can stay in, some much more expensive than others. During our time in Paris, we stayed in a budget friendly hotel located in the Montmartre neighbourhood. The Montmartre neighbourhood sits atop of the city, with Sacré Coeur crowning the highest point in Paris, offering incredible views.
Depending on your budget, I would recommend trying to stay either the Montmartre or the Ile Saint-Louis neighbourhood, which is in the dead center of everything.
Things to Do and What to See
So, I was going back and fourth in my head whether or not I should include a “what to see” component in this blog post. Since we can all use google nowadays to quickly search “top things to do in Paris” I thought It would be best to lightly touch on the activities to do in Paris, including the Popular attractions, as opposed to a in-depth itinerary.
Belleville neighbourhood and Sacré-Coeur
This beautiful basilica is found at the summit of Montmartre hill, the highest summit in the city. As you would imagine there are excellent views of Paris to offer from up here. With almost floor to ceiling stained glass windows, this 13th century gothic chapel will literally take your breath away when you walk inside.
Eiffel Tower
You can experience the Eiffel Tower in a number of ways. Good views can be had from the Trocadero, on the opposite bank of the Seine. You can also get a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower at sunset from the Champ de Mars – the landscaped gardens that run to the southeast of the tower. This is a popular spot for sunset picnics. Make sure to bring yourself a blanket and some pastries to snack on while taking in the view, maybe even bring out some Rosé to make the moment truly Parisian.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Unfortunately due to the recent tragic fire that occurred on April 15th, The Notre Dame Cathedral won’t be available for viewing for some time, however we can admire what was a masterpiece of gothic architecture.
Louvre Museum
One of Paris’s most famous museums – the Louvre should be on everyones list when visiting Paris. This is of course home to the Mona Lisa (which many visitors make a bee-line for!) and the Venus de Milo, but the largest and most visited art gallery in the world has a great deal more to offer than these two sights, from Islamic art to Greek antiquities.
Arc de Triomphe
Whenever we were a bit lost from navigating the metro system, we always relied on the Arc de Triomphe to help us orientate ourselves. There are a number of places in Paris that I think offer fantastic views of the city, and the Arc de Triomphe is one of them. Found at the western end of the Champs Elysees, this fifty metre high monument to those who died for France in both the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars is a must-see when visiting Paris.
Inside Tip - To cross to the Arch, take the pedestrian underpass. Don’t try and cross the traffic roundabout!
Shopping
Champs-Elysées
Rue de Rivoli
Bakeries and Tasty Treats
Breakfast/Brunch
Claus Paris - if you are looking for a fancy brunch spot, Claus is a breakfast specialist in the heart of the first district.
Treats
Ladurée Macaroons
You probably recognize the name, as they have multiple locations around the world, including in Toronto. Laudrée Macaroons has become the most famous maker of these delicious sweet treats in the world. The Ladurée bakery shops around Paris are a little over-hyped and expensive in my personal opinion, but if you are looking for a cute souvenir to bring back home, Laduree Macaroons glamorous gift boxes will do the trick.
Croissants and Baked Goods
Du Pain et des Idées - We scavenged across town to find this gem. It’s recognized as one of Paris’s best bakeries, and for good reason.
