A complete guide to a perfect and unique trip to Paris: tips and secret spots

“World’s top city destination” (1), City of Love, City of Lights, etc. there are no lack of words or compliments when it comes to describing Paris and its several tens of million visitors each year (10 million tourists between June and August 2023 alone (2)) won’t contradict us. You might soon be one of them! 

If you want to check for yourself if all that has been said and written about Hemingway’s cherished town is true, follow our detailed guide. 
Discover our tips, good addresses, recommendations and list of things to do or not and the French capital will live up to your expectations! 

You have questions, we have the answers! 

• How to make the most of your Parisian stay
• How to visit Paris museums for free
• How to pay a cheaper entrance fee to the Eiffel Tower
• How to avoid crowds in Montmartre
• Should you avoid the Champs-Elysées?
• How to be a true Parisian
• Where to enjoy the most beautiful views of Paris for free
• Where are the nicest parks in Paris
• How to avoid scams in Paris

(1) In 2023 and for the 3rd consecutive year Paris took the lead of the Top 100 City Destinations Index established by global market research company Euromonitor International.

3 tips to avoid Parisian FOMO!

With so many things to see and enjoy in Paris, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) can get its grip on many visitors. The urge to visit everything while dreading to miss out on one of the essentials puts such pressure on travellers that it can end up completely ruining the moment. 
Rome wasn’t built in a day and the City of Love can’t be discovered in one stay: Relax and enjoy…

1- Don’t plan your stay according to Parisian monuments

Try not to cram in a maximum of visits in a minimum number of days. Not only will you be exhausted, running around all over town, waiting in line in overcrowded places but you might be disappointed as all monuments won’t meet your expectations. 
Spoiler alert! Your Paris holiday won’t be ruined (or your life for that matter) because you haven’t stood on top of the Arc de Triomphe or ran along the 14,5 km corridors of the Louvre. 

We recommend: reduce your daily exploration zone by focusing on one area: a neighborhood (a “quartier”), around a subway station or a park. Don’t worry, in Paris you will always stumble upon a monument, a building or something worth looking at, even if just from the outside.

2- Establish a fair, realistic and flexible agenda

It’s never easy to keep everyone happy, particularly when travelling in a group and even worse, with your family! When organising your trip, ask each participant to list what they absolutely want to see/ visit (max 10 per person): museums, monuments, shops, restaurants, neighborhoods, parks, activities, etc. Select first the suggestions that come up the most and try to fit in the others if they are located close by (and if they match your budget!). 

We recommend:

• not to overload your to-do list and plan 2 or 3 activities maximum per day (including meals if you plan to have lunch or dinner somewhere special)
• leave room for the unexpected (weather, strikes, a spontaneous visit, fatigue at the end of the day…)
• check opening and closing hours + the potential need to book a visit slot
• feel free to split the main group into smaller ones. This way no one will feel robbed of their pleasure. You will be all the more happy when you meet up again and share your different experiences of the town. -
• Switch on the slow-life mode, enjoy wandering around and even losing track of time!

3- Create your own Paris!

Everyone is unique and your experience of Paris will be too! Visiting the best bakery, roof top, secret bar or shop, even if recommended by trend setters or mentioned on social media do not make the perfect Paris stay. Far from it! These over-crowded, overrated and over-expensive places are often not worth your time, especially if it is only to post a story on Instagram and TikTok. 

Don’t be a follower; try to find your own Parisian gems.

Culture for free in Paris

1- Visit the Louvre without spending a dime

In January 2024, the most visited museum in the World announced the increase of its admission fee. It will now cost €22 (instead of €17 before) to try to catch a glimpse of Mona Lisa. 
But good news! Admission is free of charge in certain situations including:

• Under 18 years old visitors - For EEA (European Economic Area) residents younger than 26
• For all visitors from 6.00 pm on the 1st Friday of each month (except in July and August)
• On July 14 

Did you know? It would take 146 hours to admire for 15 seconds all of the 35, 000 masterpieces kept in le Louvre! Challenge accepted?

Free admission to the Bourse du Commerce (Pinault collection)

The 1st Saturday of each month (from 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm, slot reservation compulsory) discover, free of charge, an impressive collection of contemporary art in a building dating back to the 17th century and ingeniously modernised for its reopening in 2021. As often in Paris, both the structure and the treasures it contains are worth the detour.

3- The most beautiful Paris museums and monuments for free

Every 1st Sunday of the month, many Parisian museums and monuments give free access to their visitors. You will be able to discover without paying an admission fee: the Centre Pompidou (national museum of modern art), the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée de l’Orangerie, the Musée national Picasso-Paris, the Musée Rodin, the Arc de Triomphe, the Conciergerie… 

Good to know: some sites are free for visitors each 1st Sunday of the month all year long, others from October 1st to March 31st or from November 1st to March 31st.

• All year round: broaden your cultural horizon without spending all your savings by enjoying many permanent collections and listed sites all year long: the MAM (the Paris modern art museum), the Musée Bourdelle, the Musée de la Vie Romantique, the new Maison Fragonard perfume museum, the Arènes de Lutèce, Europa Experience… 

For more information, check out the list on the website of the official Paris Tourist Office 

REMEMBER: Most museums are closed on Tuesdays. Don’t forget to check opening hours and days before heading off!

4- Bonus recommendations for your free Culture splurge in Paris

• To find many other events with free access, visit the city hall websites of each Paris area (arrondissement) as well as the general website of Paris (in French)
• Visit artists’ workshops and studios during the open days organised once or twice a year in many Paris areas. Our favourite ♥: Anvers aux Abbesses which usually takes place in November.
• Don’t be shy and dare to enter the art galleries located rue de Turenne (Paris 3), rue de Seine (Paris 6) as well as rue Saint-André-des-Arts (Paris 6). Feel free to ask for further information on the up and coming artists and their work

A cheaper and more athletic visit of The Eiffel Tower

You absolutely want to pay your respect to the true and unique Iron Lady but you don’t feel like spending almost €30 to reach the top? Choose the cheaper option by using the stairs! (access stairs, adult rate: €11.80) 

As you may have guessed, this ticket will grant you the right to climb the 674 steps to reach the 2nd floor, located 116 meters above the ground. During the ascent, you will read explanatory posters and take short breaks on platforms where you will catch your breath before losing it again in front of the incredible view over Paris. Your efforts will be rewarded once you reach your destination and take in the 360° panorama of the city. Enjoy a macaron standing on the second floor of the monument and ponder over the criticism Gustave Eiffel had to face when he designed his monument in the 19th century. The descent is done via another staircase, allowing you to enjoy a different perspective. 

This option will allow you not only to save money but also to avoid the long waiting lines at the lifts. Athletic visitors like you are now being far less numerous than lazy bums! For more information: The Eiffel Tower website

A more authentic visit of Montmartre: by night

According to a study by the British market analysis platform King Casino Bonus, Montmartre and particularly the Sacré-Coeur, are the most disappointing tourist sites of the French capital. Does this mean you should skip entirely the neighbourhood, symbol of the Parisian vie bohème, now crammed with tourists and street vendors? 
Not necessarily. We have another option for you to enjoy Montmartre in a more intimate way: by spending the night in the famous basilica still immaculate thanks to the rain or so legend has it… 
After closing hours, you can take part in a night of Eucharistic adoration of the Holy Sacrament, a perpetual chain of prayer uninterrupted since 1885. After prior (and not prayer!) registration, participants are accommodated in the Basilica guesthouse. They choose a one-hour slot (between 11 pm and 6 am) and take turns to experience a moment of nocturnal spirituality in silent adoration. When morning comes, breakfast is served at the adjoining guesthouse until 8.30 am for a €4 offering. 

IMPORTANT: Access to the Sacré-Coeur is free and available to all until 10.30 pm, allowing believers and non-believers to quietly visit the basilica, listed as a historical monument only since 2022. 

Good to know:

• Accommodation at the Basilica guesthouse is considered as one of the cheapest in Paris: €15 in the dormitory, €40 for a single room.
• You can stay there for a personal retreat.
• Click here for more information 

* The analysis was carried out using tens of thousands of reviews featured on Tripadvisor and concerning the most famous sites of 85 cities in the world.

The other side of the Champs-Élysées

Considered as the most beautiful avenue in the world, the almost 2 km long lane was once a swamp before it was turned in the 19th century into a chic promenade for passers-by enjoying the shade of the plane trees. It now welcomes major brands, luxury shops, restaurants and terraces and a lot of visitors (300,000 people a day). 

If it still attracts as many foreigners as before, Parisians flee the Champs-Élysées, considered as "too noisy", "too touristy", “fake and stressful" (according to a 2019 IFOP survey). Before its complete makeover planned for 2030, does this mean you should strike it off your list? 
No! As there is much more to discover than meets the eye! 
To hear the Champs’ fascinating and chaotic story, to discover the future embellishment project, to admire one the most accomplished urban perspective of the planet, to listen to juicy gossip or moving anecdotes involving the prestigious buildings that line them, to walk in the steps of French kings and queens in the Jardin des Tuileries, follow a guided tour with a Paris specialist. This enlightened visit will convince you that you are on a truly iconic avenue!

5 ideas to visit Paris differently or like Parisians do

• Go and meet the locals! They might help you discover their Paris and their favourite spots. They might even share some precious tips. How? 
  Do you ask? Greeters is group of local volunteers who take visitors on free walking tours in the capital and its surroundings.
• Take a stroll in neighbourhood food markets: you will get a feel of the Parisian atmosphere and enjoy the colourful and plentiful stalls. 
  Look up the list of Paris markets opened every day of the week.
• Instead of heading for the most famous flea markets which have become a little too crammed, less authentic and more expensive, try to find neighbourhood brocantes and vide-greniers where locals sell their second-hand belongings such as clothes or furniture. The perfect opportunity to find real Parisian treasures or vintage pieces. They usually take place during week-ends and are easy to find as they spread out on the streets.
• Enrol in theme visits of the capital: street-art, backstage visits of emblematic department stores, shooting sites for movies or shows, Parisian Chinatown, sports activities, food tours,… the choice is yours!
• Follow the Instagram account of specific arrondissements or neighbourhoods to find information and ideas shared by the locals. 
  Our 3 favourites ♥: 
  @dans_le-12 
  @montmartaddict 
  @monpetit20e

Admire the best views of Paris for free

Our 3 favourites ♥ 

• The panoramic terrace of the Institut du Monde Arabe (5th arrondissement): open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm, it is located on the 9th floor of the IMA. You will enjoy a generous view on Notre-Dame, the Seine and Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, the oldest church in Paris.
• The Centre Pompidou (4th arrondissement): step on the famous “caterpillar”, the huge transparent escalator designed by Renzo Piano, and watch as a panorama of Paris unfolds before your eyes. Take in the breathtaking view on the city’s major monuments from the corridors and terraces accessible for free on level 5 and 6.
• The rooftops of the Printemps (9th arrondissement): for lunch, a drink or simply to embrace Paris from above, head to one (or all!) of the 5 terraces of the Parisian department store

La Vie en Green: our favourite Nature spots in Paris

3 hidden but access-free gardens for some quiet time in town

• The jardin Vivienne (2nd arrondissement): brand new and beautiful, this green landscape of 1,900 m² is the home of several papyrifera plants used in the fabrication of writing and printing material. A judicious choice as the garden is located at the entrance of the prestigious BNF Richelieu, the French national library.
• The Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret (4th arrondissement): this garden is a little piece of green heaven nestled between a few hôtels particuliers of the Marais neighborhood. It offers 3 different areas with very different atmospheres. Children will play on the wooden structures, picnic fans will feast on the beautiful lawns and the romantics will whisper loving secrets to their beloved on the shady benches.
• The garden of the Maison Balzac (16th arrondissement): a peace haven with a view on the Eiffel Tower, a perfect lawn, fruit trees, access to the home of the famous French writer, long chairs to relax and a tea room to enjoy a sweet treat. What more could you ask for?

La Coulée verte René Dumont

From the Bastille (12th arrondissement) to the Bois de Vincennes winding through the Viaduc des Arts, the Promenade plantée follows the path of an old railway. Whether on foot or on your bike you will discover often ignored Parisian gardens and neighbourhoods while you stroll or roll through the 5 kilometres of the Coulée verte and its lime trees, hazel trees, rose bushes and other climbing plants. An absolute must-do for a breath of fresh air in Paris! 

Our favourite ♥: Visorando, a free website and app to find hiking itineraries in Paris (and in the rest of France): detailed routes, useful information (level of difficulty, duration, places to see along the way, etc.) + GPS and IGN maps (OS cards) and the possibility of creating and sharing your own route.

5 recommendations to avoid tourist-traps and scams in Paris

1. Restaurants to avoid: those located around the most popular sites, with menus in several languages and/or with waiters touting for customers on the street. Those are usually tourist traps! Well aware that this type of customers won’t be returning to their establishment, the owners often neglect quality of service but never forget to overcharge poor quality food!
2. Tip or no tip? If it is compulsory in some countries (US, Canada for example), tipping is optional in France. Service is always included in the total amount of your check or bill. No one can demand it so don’t be fooled if it is asked of you or if it is mysteriously added to the final sum due. 
   However, it is customary (and nice!) for customers to leave a tip if they find the service good and pleasant.
3. Do NOT use Tuk Tuks to visit Paris! Not only are the rides on these motorised tricycles extremely expensive (from €230 to €560 for 2 hour to 8 hour visits, according to the Paris Tourism Office) but many scams have been reported. Once the visit is over, some drivers demand more money than previously announced.
4. The fake metro ticket deal: you’re tired, fed up of waiting in line in front of the selling machine or desk, a “nice” stranger offers to sell you tickets at a cheaper price because, you see, he doesn’t need them anymore. Don’t give in to temptation! They are usually half-rate tickets (only for certain categories of travellers including children under age 10). If you are controlled by an agent, you can end up with a €85 fine! For more information on Paris public transport and ticket fares, visit and/or download the îledefrance mobilités app.

Visit this official Staying Safe in Paris page. It will give you tips on how to avoid scams and how to react in case you run into trouble, helping you enjoy your otherwise perfect stay in Paris. Better be safe than sorry!

You might find these articles interesting: 

• How to get a visa for France: a complete guide
• Do I need travel insurance to go to France? 
• Going to France: travel and safety advice