Paris travel guide by Parisians. All about Paris

Paris sightseeing

Sightseeing is the first reason to come to Paris and an endless pleasure. The city combines a perfect urban landscape, romantic river banks, old streets, historical monuments and gardens. Sightseeing in Paris.

The top sightseeing districts are the Tour Eiffel district with its museums, Le Marais with Picasso Museum and Centre Pompidou, Montmartre with Sacré-Coeur, the Champs-Elysées with Arc de Triomphe, the Ile de la Cité with Notre-Dame and Sainte Chapelle, the left bank district with Luxembourg Gardens and Musée d'Orsay. Top places to visit.

Shopping in Paris

Shopping is the second reason why people come to the city. Stores are everywhere, from specialty stores to Shopping Malls. Champs-Elysées shops are open on Sundays. This is the same in Le Marais district.

Fancy streets specialize in high end fashion with top brand stores: Champs-Elysées, Rue Saint-Honoré, Avenue Montaigne, Rue de Sèvres.

Paris Shopping Malls sell clothing, perfume, wine and food at affordable prices. Westfield Forum des Halles is the biggest shopping mall downtown. Les Quatre Temps in La Défense are the second biggest shopping mall in France. Paris shopping malls.

Paris markets are picturesque shopping venues. Parisians go to the market next door on saturday or sunday morning. They buy there fresh vegetable, fruit, meat, fish, exotic products, clothes. Paris markets.

Shopping in Paris

Best Paris hotels

Cheval Blanc, Plazza Athénée, Royal Monceau, the Ritz are top 5 star hotels in Paris. They enjoy a worlwide reputation for quality and service.

There are cute boutique hotels in Paris. Feel at home in a hotel near Louvre Museum or a left bank hotel near Luxembourg Gardens.

Rooms are generally small downtown. Breakfast is often continental. Cafés are an alternative. Few hotels have a parking. Consider renting an apartment to save on money, specially if your party is over 3 people.

This city guide has a selection of the best hotels and apartments in Paris.

Best French restaurants in Paris

Paris is the place to taste world famous French gastronomy. This city guide has a selection of best restaurants in four categories:

* Affordable restaurants: stick to set menu, drink tap water, pay around 25 euros at these top quality restaurants.
* Art nouveau restaurants: beautiful Art Nouveau restaurants and brasseries serve quality French food at reasonable prices.
* restaurants with a view: a few restaurants combine good French food with a spectacular view of Paris. This often has a price.
* Gastronomic restaurants: taste fusion food and traditional French gastronomy at their best and at various prices.

We are regulars at Bouillon Racine, Café des Musées, Café du Commerce, La Coupole, Le Petit Marguery, Mollard, Relais Louis XIII, Vagenende, Ze Kitchen Galerie. None of them is a tourist place.

Best Paris monuments

The five most visited Paris monuments are Notre-Dame, the Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre, Versailles Palace and the Eiffel Tower. Notre-Dame is traditionnaly the first of the top ten most visited monuments in Paris. 12 million visitors visit Notre-Dame yearly. In 2024, the Sacré-Coeur, another famous church, was number one (9). The Louvre, both a palace and a museum, was number two (8.7). The Palace of Versailles close to Paris was number three (8.4). The Eiffel Tower was number four (6.3). Centre Pompidou was number five (3). The small Chapel of the Miraculous medal was number six (2). Arc de Triomphe was number seven (1.758). Sainte-Chapelle was number eight (1.234). Les Invalides were number 9 (1.07). Le Panthéon was number ten (0.922).

This city guide has a selection of the top Paris monuments.

Best Paris museums

The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Musée Picasso and Centre Pompidou are the top museums of art in the city.

The Musée Picasso opened in 1985 with 203 paintings and 156 pieces of sculpture from the Picasso heritage, paid as death duties.

Housed in the spectacular 1900 Orsay train station on the Seine river banks, Musée d'Orsay is the 19th century art museum of Paris. Musée d'Orsay is a must. Its impressionist painting collections are worth the trip. Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Renoir, Gauguin and Sysley are specially well represented. Musée d'Orsay, Marmottan Museum and Giverny Monet's Gardens together turn Paris into the impressionism capital of the world.

Paris Air and Space Museum in Le Bourget Airport is one of the best air and space museums in the world. It is well known for its amazing collection of old airplanes with a special focus on French airplanes and pioneer aviators

This city guide has a selection of the best Paris museums.

Paris nightlife

Paris nightlife is most vibrant in a few districts. Le Marais and adjacent Les Halles district are the most lively districts at night. Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Bastille, Champs-Elysées, Montmartre, Montparnasse are top nightlife districts with Parisians in the street late into the night.

The magical illuminations along the Seine river banks and in Champs-Elysées turn the city into the ultimate romantic destination at night. They are the greatest in December for the Christmas season.

Paris restaurants are open late. Dinner is served from 8pm until at least 10pm. Pied de Cochon in Les Halles district, l'Alsace in Champs-Elysées and Grand Café Capucines in Opéra district are open late into the night.

The world famous Moulin Rouge is the most famous cabaret in town.

This city guide has a selection of nightlife, concert venues and cinemas.

Paris cruise selection

You stay one night in Paris. The Seine dinner cruise is a must. Board a panoramic restaurant aboard a glass topped vessel. Enjoy the city romantic atmosphere. Admire the illuminated bridges and monuments.

The boat passes along the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Grand Palais, Palais de Chaillot and Seine bridges.

Dinner cruise information and booking.

The top Seine river cruises

Activities in Paris

Among many possibilities, discover the top things to do in Paris and a selection of 1300 activities done in English.

Cooking lessons, macaroons workshops, wine tasting and create your own wine workshops, perfume creation workshops, sightseeing bike tours, tours in a 2CV vintage car, river cruises, limo tours are some of the bookable activities that will turn your stay into a memorable experience.

Best time for a trip

The city has so much to offer that each season is great.

Plan your trip in fall or winter if you want to best enjoy city life. December, Christmas and New year add the magical illuminations on Champs-Elysées. Shopping is top during the sales season in January and June.

Outdoor sightseeing is best in May, June and September, when the weather is normally rather sunny and dry.

In the summer, the weather is warm and traffic less intense, specially in August when many Parisians are on vacation. But life in the city is at a minimum, specially between August 1 and 15.

Paris facts

From the Romans who conquered it in 52 BC to today's 6th Republic, the city has a rich 2000 year history.

The French Kings governed France from 448 until 1848 and commissioned monuments such as the Louvre, the Invalides, Versailles.

In 1806, Emperor Napoléon commissioned the Arc de Triomphe at the top end of the Champs-Elysées. The Eiffel Tower was designed for the 1889 world exhibition to celebrate the progress of technology.

Over the centuries, faithful Parisians built churches, including 13th century Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle and 19th century Sacré-Coeur.

The original Statue of Liberty in New-York City was a gift from France to America in 1886, designed and moulded in Paris.

Paris facts
Paris history facts

Paris fashion facts

French fashion sets the trend worldwide for men and women.

Paris remains the capital of fashion it has been since the 18th century.

Iconic brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès perpetuate the Parisian style that turns all women into models.

All these fashion brands are based in Paris.

Many lesser known French fashion brands such as Cyrillus, Armor Lux, Tara Jarmon, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Sézane, turn Paris into one of the most creative fashion cities in the world.

Find the best French fashion.

Paris fashion facts.

Visit Normandy beaches

In one day from Paris, visit the Normandy beaches on a coach tour. This popular tour helps relive the important hours of D-Day landing in 1944. You will see Pointe du Hoc, the American Cemetery of Saint Laurent, Omaha Beach, Arromanches, the Caen Memorial. Various tour options.

Tour information and booking

On June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, the Allies opened a new European front against the troops of the Third Reich during the Second World War. The largest military operation in history marked the beginning of the Battle of Normandy and would lead to the end of the Second World War.

Visit Disneyland Paris with kids

Disneyland Paris is the second most visited Paris sight and the most visited theme park in Europe. A must for families, it entertains all ages. An off season visit is hightly recommended as the park is often crowded.

Disneyland Paris is connected to downtown by metro. To best visit Disneyland and the city, book a hotel or apartment in Paris. Book a convenient Disneyland shuttle from the city. Alternatively, if your trip focuses on Disneyland, you can stay at one of the many budget hotels and appartments near Disneyland Paris.

This city guide has a selection of attractions for kids including Disneyland, Parc Asterix, Musée Grévin and Aquaboulevard.

Top sporting events 2025 in Paris

The top annual sporting events in the city are Roland-Garros Tennis Tournament in June, a top ATP tennis competition and the traditional final circuit of the last stage of Tour de France in Champs-Elysées end of July.

The Paris Marathon in April is one of the most scenic urban marathons in the world. Register early as it is fully booked in advance. The semi-marathon and the 20km race are very popular. Paris Marathon.

The Paris Masters, also called Rolex Paris Masters, are a top ATP competition taking place in La Défence Arena. There are two world class racecourses, Longchamp and Auteuil, in Bois de Boulogne, where some of the most prestigious races including Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Prix du Jockey Club, Prix de Diane, Grand Steeple Chase de Paris, are run. Information on France Galop web site. Stade de France, Parc des Princes, La Défense Arena and Accor Arena are top sport arenas.

Sporting events in Paris

Paris economy and business

The city with the surrounding Grand Paris metropolitan area, is a major business city with diversified industries. La Défense Business district, Rungis wholesale market, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles are among the hubs of this intense business activity. The Paris Motor Show and the Paris Air Show are world class business shows.

Paris business.