Trip to Paris. Vacation in Paris
On a Paris trip, visit places, admire art, shop, enjoy concerts and nightlife. French restaurants are a must for a vacation in Paris with a choice of 10,000. Come in fall or winter as there are more things to do and less tourists.
Things to do
The top seven things to do in Paris: visit places, admire art, shop, eat French, music, sport, fun.
Restaurants
French and international food is a good reason for a vacation in Paris with a choice of 10,000 restaurants.
Paris hotels
There are plenty of great hotels in the city. Apartments are an alternative for a vacation in Paris.
Paris nightlife
Concert halls, theaters, bars and cabarets are plenty in town. The best nightlife districts and tours.
Transport in Paris
Avoid driving in the city. Metro and buses are convenient. Velib bicycles are fashionable.
Sporting events in Paris
Roland-Garros, the Paris Masters, the Marathon and Tour de France are the top sports events.
Paris maps
We have many city and metro maps. Pages on sights include their location on the map.
Paris business trip
Paris is an economic powerhouse and a top business city. Business facts. Business trip tips.
Two day Paris trip
You plan a first two day trip to Paris. Our two days in Paris page provides synthetic information about what you should know beforehand and do while in Paris. In five minute reading, prepare a wonderful trip to Paris. Two days in Paris.
Itinerary of a trip
You have one day: board a Paris tour to see the essentials of the city or focus on one of the top places to visit in Paris.
You have two days: take a tour the first day. Combine shopping and sightseeing on the second. Enjoy nightlife.
You have up to a week: focus each day on a district: Ile de la Cité, Le Marais, Montmartre, the left bank, the Champs-Elysées. Spend a day in Versailles Palace or another famous place in France easily accessible from the city.
Paris is the romantic city of lovers. Check our special recommendations for a romance or wedding anniversary.
Paris Plage is in the summer along the Seine
Best time for a trip
Come in fall or winter as there are more things to do. December adds to city life the magical illuminations on Champs-Elysées and the Christmas shop windows of the Department Stores. Details on Christmas and New Year's Eve in Paris. The best shopping seasons are the winter sale season in January and summer sale season in June.
For sightseeing, the weather is normally best in May, June and September, although this is not at all guaranteed.
In the summer, the weather is warm and traffic less intense. But the top attractions are crowded and life in the city is at a minimum, specially between August 1 and 15.
There are many special days in the city. The Roland-Garros tennis tournament takes place in June. FĂȘte de la musique is on June 21. Countless music groups take over the city's streets and venues. Bastille day is on July 14. The Tour de France final circuit in Champs-ElysĂ©es is end of July.
FĂȘte de la musique on June 21 in Paris
Stay in top Paris hotel
Trip to Paris by car
You may drive into the city, as long as you have a parking near your accomodation. The circular freeway around the city, called the périphérique, is a nightmare most of the time.
Avoid absolutely driving in the city. Many streets are narrow and best for pedestrians. The city is limiting traffic as much as it can by installing bus and bike lanes. If you need so, park your car in the convenient underground parkings.
Walking is the best transport means in Paris. Velib bycicles are quite commun. Metro and buses have a dense and convenient network.
Bike lane on Seine river banks
Trip to Paris by plane
International travelers fly into Charles de Gaulle Airport, Europe's second-busiest airport; Orly Airport or Beauvais Airport farther away (Low cost companies such as Ryanair. Easy buses to Paris Porte Maillot.).
Charles de Gaulle Airport is one of the best airports in Europe with terminals 2 E, 2 G and the revamping of most terminals.
Charles de Gaulle Airport is connected to Paris 4 times an hour from 5am to 12pm by metro. The metro ride to Gare du Nord train station lasts 25 minutes. There are two metro stations: Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 1 and Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2.
Charles de Gaulle metro to Paris
Formalities for trip to Paris
For nationals of the European Union, a national identity card is enough. Travelers from other countries must carry a valid national passport and one other identification document.
Visas are not required for visitors staying less than 90 days who are UK, US or Canada citizens.
Check official website of French government for more information on visa requirements to enter France.
During your trip, taste the famous croissants
Customs in and out of France
European Union nationals have no limit on purchases of goods for personal use, except for new vehicles and purchases by mail. The recommended limit is 800 cigarettes, 10 liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine.
Citizens of other countries may be subject to duties when bringing goods back to their country. Check with local customs regulations before leaving. Many high-end stores, including the Department Stores, have a duty free counter that helps with custom formalities.
Beaugrenelle Shopping Mall is near Eiffel Tower
Paris in a nutshell
Continent: Europe. Country: France
Region: Ile de France
Weather: temperate and oceanic.
Coordinates: 48:51:17N 2:20:12E. Altitude: 34 meters
Currency:Euro (EUR)
Language: French. Time Zone: Central European Time (CET)
Since 508 A.D, Paris, also called the City of Lights, is the capital of France. The city has 2.187 million inhabitants. It is the core of the Grand Paris metropolitan area (7.026 million people) and Ile de France region (12.21 million people).
The Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, Monet's paintings, the grave of Napoléon, Louis Vuitton, Disneyland, Paris Air Show and Motor Show are among the top attractions of the most visited city in the world.
The city is very dynamic with 6 million jobs, 325 000 students studying at Paris University and other educational institutions, 140 theaters, 100 nightclubs, 96 cabarets, 90 movie theaters, 3 opera houses, 62 000 shopping venues.
the Eiffel Tower is 324 meters high.