Whenever someone asks me what we have seen and done in Paris, I usually get tongue-tied, go blank or forget all of the good bits.
So I thought I'd make a list that I can send to people who ask. And Paul has also made a list for those who like things of a more technical and scientific nature and a little less decorative.
But before we get to the lists, here are a few tips that might be useful.
So I thought I'd make a list that I can send to people who ask. And Paul has also made a list for those who like things of a more technical and scientific nature and a little less decorative.
But before we get to the lists, here are a few tips that might be useful.
Buy a good map that is easy to read and includes the Metro and bus stops. Even though it is difficult to get lost in Paris, sometimes you loose your sense of direction, especially when you emerge from an underground metro, so carry your map with you. Pass it on to a friend or fellow tourist at the end of your stay or keep it for your next visit. We bought this 'Circulation' booklet at a Monoprix supermarket in 2011 and we have used every page of it .
If you only have a few days or a week and you are going to cram as many monuments and museums into those days as possible, then buy a Paris Museum Pass. Passes are for 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days. But once you activate the pass, you must keep using it until it expires, which can be quite tiring, especially if you have jet lag, blisters on your feet or an upset tummy.
No matter how long you are staying, you are going to have some days when you don’t go to museums or monuments so a bit of planning is required to get the best value from your pass. And you need to know in advance whether the places you want to go are included in the museum pass.
It is also worth noting that most queues are caused by security checking, not by ticket purchasing, so having a museum pass does not necessarily mean that you will get priority access and avoid the security queues. See the link below for information about the authentic pass.
Most museums charge between 10 and 12 euros admission per person plus 3 to 5 euros for an audioguide, which is reasonable. What makes a visit expensive is a stop at the on-site café. Every food venue in France is required to display their menu and prices at the door. So check before you enter. Download a simple currency converter App on your phone for easy conversions.
Buy your tickets online, if possible and transfer them to your phone. Then you only need to queue for the baggage security.
Museums and monuments are usually closed on Mondays or Tuesdays, so these are great walking days. Paris is at its busiest on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The streets, trains and buses, shops and cafes are packed. If you want to access tours, restaurants etc on these days you will need to book.
Why pay for tours when, with a little bit of preparation via the internet, you can do it all yourself. Paris is very English-speaker friendly. If you do opt for an English speaking guide, think twice before booking from Australia. It is usually cheaper to book once you get here and to buy a tour recommended by the venue you are visiting.
Finally, a bus or train ticket costs €1.70 and lasts for 2 hours for use anywhere within the main area, a little more if you want to use the regional service to go out to Versailles or Saint Germain en Laye. Buy tickets from a machine as you go down the ramp into the station. A sign (in English) over the steps, before you enter, tells you if the machine is at this entry point or another. There are usually four entry points to every Metro, sometimes more. Machines take coin and card, but not notes. If you want to save a bit, you can buy blocks of ten tickets from the lady in the booth for €1.41 or 20% off.
You can get everywhere you want to go by train or bus. If arriving by air, the train link is right at the terminal and if arriving by train, the Metro stations are alongside the inter-city lines. The only time worth considering a taxi is either when you are carting heavy bags that you think you may not be able to get up or down the metro steps or on arrival, when you are unsure exactly where your accommodation is.
Ticket machines for the train and bus have an English language function as do all ATMs. Look for an ATM inside the lobby of a bank building rather than in the street - just a bit more secure.
Many museums and monuments are included on the Paris Museum Pass, but not all. Some are independent and some are managed by the City of Paris. Every one has some type of website to show you how to get there by public transport, how to buy tickets online and valuable background on their collection.
The other thing I would do before getting to Paris is to bone up on a bit of French history – the French kings, the Revolution, the Empires. All those Louis and Henrys and Napoléons get very confusing if you don’t have a rudimentary historical timeline to place them on.
Here are some websites for getting around the city as well as eating out - Paul uses these often and finds them very useful.
Rome2Rio - Rome to Rio offers various transport options including costs
RATP Paris public transport system - Paris train & bus routes and trip planning
Here's Paul's list from 1 to 20.
Musée d’Orsay
Musée des Arts et Métiers (Arts and Trades)
Musée de l’Air et de l'Espace (Aircraft and Space)
Musée National de l’Orangerie
Musée Marmottan Monet
Musée Rodin
Musée Bourdelle
Musée Nissim de Camondo
Musée du Louvre
Visite Publique des Egouts de Paris (Water and Sewers)
La Tour Eiffel
Villa Savoye
Villa Roche/Le Corbusier Foundation
La Tour Montparnasse
Musée de l’Armée, Tombe de Napoléon 1 and Musée de Plans-Reliefs – all at Invalides on a single ticket (Military)
Musée Jacquemart-Andre (a Gentleman's residence)
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimone - Musée des Monuments Francais (Heritage buildings)
Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris (History of Paris itself)
Musée Picasso Paris
Musée d’Archéologie Nationale et Domain de Saint-Germain-En-Laye (Archeology)
My list is in Part 2.
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