Do I need to speak French to get by in Paris?

No, but learning bonjour, merci, and s'il vous plait goes a long way. Opening every interaction in French, even badly, changes how shopkeepers and waiters respond to you.

Is the Paris Metro safe for tourists?

Yes, the Metro is safe but pickpocketing is common on crowded lines, especially line 1 near the Louvre Museum and at major transfer stations. Keep valuables zipped and in front pockets.

How many days do I need in Paris?

Four to five full days lets you cover the major landmarks, one or two museums properly, and a day trip to the Palace of Versailles without rushing. Three days works if you focus on one or two neighborhoods.

What is the best way to buy Metro tickets?

Load a reloadable Navigo Easy card or buy a carnet of ten paper tickets at any station. Both are cheaper per ride than single tickets bought one at a time.

Are museums free in Paris?

Several are permanently free, including the Petit Palais and the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris. Many national museums also waive entry on the first Sunday of the month from October through March.

What should I avoid doing in Paris as a tourist?

Avoid skipping the bonjour greeting, avoid dining without a reservation at popular bistros, and avoid the Trocadero viewing deck for the Eiffel Tower at midday, when it is at its most crowded.

Paris Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

By Scott Sweeney & Jennifer Anderson · October 26, 2026 · 5 min read

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Paris rewards preparation more than almost any city in Europe, and the gap between a frustrating trip and a magical one usually comes down to a handful of small, learnable things.

Before you land

Pack for walking first and weather second. Paris is a city of cobblestones, long museum corridors, and six-flight walkups, and comfortable shoes matter more than any outfit. Layers work better than heavy coats because interiors run warm and the Metro platforms do too.

Timing your trip

Shoulder seasons, April through early June and September into October, give you mild weather and shorter lines without the August shutdown, when many small family-run bistros close for three or four weeks. If you want Monet's water lilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie without a crowd five deep, go right at opening on a weekday.

Entry requirements and money

US passport holders do not need a visa for stays under 90 days, but check your passport expiration well ahead since many countries require six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Carry a chip-and-PIN card if possible since some automated ticket machines and older card readers reject swipe-only US cards. Cash still helps at small bakeries and market stalls.

Getting around

The Metro is fast, cheap, and covers nearly everywhere you want to go, but it is also the top spot for pickpocketing, especially on line 1 near the Louvre and at Gare du Nord. Keep bags zipped and in front of you during rush hour.

Buy a carnet of ten tickets or load a Navigo Easy card rather than paying per ride.
Walking between close sights is often faster than transferring lines, especially crossing the Seine.
Taxis queue at official stands; ride-share apps work fine but surge heavily during Metro strikes.

Museums and landmarks

The Louvre Museum and Eiffel Tower both reward timed-entry tickets booked days ahead. The Louvre's Richelieu wing entrance through the mall level is consistently quieter than the main pyramid queue. For the Palace of Versailles, the gardens open before the palace itself, so early arrivers can wander the grounds and sidestep the worst of the ticket-hall crush.

Several of the city's finest museums charge nothing at all. The Petit Palais is a permanently free municipal museum, and the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris is free for its entire 15,000-piece permanent collection. Both are excellent rainy-day options that most first-timers skip entirely.

Eating and drinking like it matters

Lunch menus (formules) at even well-regarded bistros like Bistrot Paul Bert or Le Comptoir du Relais run far cheaper than the same kitchen's dinner menu. Reserve ahead for anything with a reputation; walk-in tables are rare after 8pm.

For a classic, unfussy bouillon-style meal at honest prices, Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République both keep lines moving fast and portions generous. If you want the full Belle Époque theater of a 19th-century dining hall without the fuss, Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards still runs on handwritten paper tablecloths.

Neighborhoods worth your time

Le Marais rewards aimless wandering, with Rue des Rosiers falafel windows like L'As du Fallafel sitting a few doors from quiet courtyards. Climb to Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre early, then descend through Square Louise Michel for the cinematic rooftop view without the crowds that build by midmorning.

Etiquette that actually matters

Always greet shopkeepers with "bonjour" before asking anything, even in English. It is not optional small talk here, it is the baseline of being treated well. Dinner reservations matter more than in most US cities; showing up without one at a one-star table like Frenchie will simply not work.

Ready to put this all together into an actual day-by-day plan? Build a personalized trip portal with Airplane Mode and let it map your days around Paris the way a local would, not a tour bus. Turn it on.

How to save money in Paris

Many national museums, including rooms at the Louvre, are free on the first Sunday of the month from October through March, though expect bigger crowds. The Petit Palais and Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris cost nothing year-round. Skip restaurant dinners near major landmarks and eat where locals do: a formule lunch menu at a bistro like Bistrot Paul Bert runs roughly half the price of the same kitchen's evening tasting menu. For transit, a carnet of ten Metro tickets or a Navigo Easy card beats buying singles every time you ride. Flights from the US often drop in January and February, and again in November before the holiday rush. Staying in the 10th, 11th, or 19th arrondissements instead of near the Eiffel Tower can cut hotel costs by 30 percent or more while keeping you a short Metro ride from everything.

Paris travel hacks

Sacré-Cœur's front steps are nearly empty right at sunrise, before the funicular crowds arrive around 10am. For the Eiffel Tower without the Trocadéro crush, head to Champ de Mars at dusk instead, when the lawn fills with locals rather than tour groups. The RATP app (not Google Maps) gives real-time Metro delays and strike alerts, which matter more than you'd think. Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie share a combined ticket that saves money if you're doing both. Bakeries sell day-old baguettes at a discount after about 7pm, a trick most visitors never learn. And the Louvre's Richelieu wing entrance, accessible through the underground Carrousel du Louvre mall, almost always has a shorter line than the main pyramid entrance.