Plan Your Paris Trip — Just Visit Paris

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Pre-departure checklist

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📄 Documents

Valid passport or ID card

Schengen visa (if required)

Plane / train tickets printed or downloaded

Confirmed hotel bookings

Travel insurance souscrite

EHIC (EU) or international medical insurance

Digital copies of all documents

💶 Money & Phone

Notified your bank of the trip

Some euros in cash (€50–100)

Visa/Mastercard enabled for international use

Roaming enabled or local SIM arranged

Power adapter (if outside Europe)

Power bank charged

📱 Apps to download

RATP (real-time transport)

Citymapper ou Google Maps (hors connexion)

Vélib' (if you plan to cycle)

Uber or Bolt (night / luggage)

TheFork (restaurant bookings)

Météo France or Weather Channel

🎟️ Tickets & Bookings

Eiffel Tower booked online

Louvre booked (morning slots)

Palace of Versailles booked

Fine-dining restaurants booked

Paris Museum Pass ordered (if planned)

Navigo Pass or Paris Visite arranged

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Visa & Entry documents

Entry requirements for France by nationality

Nationality	Document requis	Max duration	Procedure
Union Europeanne	Valid ID card or passport	Unlimited (freedom of movement)	Aucune
Espace Schengen (CH, NO, IS…)	Passeport valide	Unlimited	Aucune
USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea…	Passport valid for 3 months after departure	90 jours / 180 jours	ETIAS required from 2025
Autres pays	Passeport + Visa Schengen	90 jours max	Ambassade de France

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New in 2025

ETIAS system

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will be required for visa-exempt nationals (USA, Canada, Australia, Japan…). Apply online, cost €7, valid for 3 years for multiple trips.

100% online application, usually answered within minutes
Linked to your passport — one ETIAS per passport
Valid for all Schengen countries, not just France
More info at etias.com →

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Recommended

Documents to prepare

Even when everything is in order, a few extra precautions save a lot of trouble.

Photograph your passport, ID card, insurance and tickets — store them in the cloud
Leave a copy with someone back home
Note down your embassy's number in Paris
En cas de perte : commissariat de police (17) + ambassade

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Budget & Cost of living

Paris is expensive, but can be visited on any budget

Niveau	Accommodation/night	Meals/day	Transport/jour	Estimated total/day
🎒 Petits budgets	25–50 € (auberge)	20–35 €	5–8 €	50–100 €
🏨 Confort	100–200 € (3★)	50–80 €	8–15 €	160–300 €
✨ Prestige	250–500 € (4★)	100–200 €	20–40 €	370–750 €
👑 Luxe	500 €+ (palace)	300 €+	50 €+ (taxis)	850 €+

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Bon plan

Paris Museum Pass

2 jours : 55 € — Louvre + Orsay + Versailles
4 jours : 70 € — intensive cultural stay
6 jours : 85 € — pays off from 3 major museums
Direct access with no ticket queue
50+ museums including Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe
Doesn't cover the Eiffel Tower — book separately

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Free

Free Paris

National museums free on the 1er dimanche du mois
Galeries Lafayette terrace — free 360° view
Musée Carnavalet (history of Paris) — always free
Petit Palais — collections permanentes gratuites
Jardins publics : Luxembourg, Tuileries, Buttes-Chaumont
Tree-lined walkways, redeveloped Seine riverbanks

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Warning

Change & Paiement

Avoid currency exchange counters in tourist areas (terrible rates)
Retirez des euros aux distributeurs bancaires (meilleur taux)
Visa / Mastercard accepted everywhere, even for small amounts
Contactless payment (NFC) very common
Keep €30–50 in cash for markets and tips
Notify your bank before you leave (avoids a block)

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From the Airports

CDG, Orly, Beauvais — how to reach Paris with ease

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Paris Charles de Gaulle

CDG — Roissy — The largest

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RER B direct

Gare du Nord / Châtelet in 35–50 min

11,80 €

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Le Bus Direct

Champs-Élysées / Montparnasse in 60–90 min

17 €

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Taxi officiel (tarif fixe)

Rive droite 53 € · Rive gauche 58 €

53–58 €

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Uber / Bolt

Dedicated pick-up area. 45–70 min

40–65 €

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Paris Orly

ORY — Closest to the city centre

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Orlyval + RER B

Châtelet in 35–40 min via Antony

13,40 €

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Metro line 14

Direct since Sept 2024 — 25 min to the centre

2,15 €

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Bus direct / Orlybus

Denfert-Rochereau en 20–30 min

11 €

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Taxi officiel (tarif fixe)

Rive gauche 35 € · Rive droite 44 €

35–44 €

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Beauvais-Tillé

BVA — Low-cost airlines

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Navette officielle Beauvais

Porte Maillot in 85–100 min depending on traffic

17 €

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Note the travel time

Beauvais is 85 km from Paris — leave plenty of time

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Train Beauvais → Paris

Beauvais station → Paris-Nord in 1h15

~15 €

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Safety & Scams

Paris is generally safe — a few simple habits will help you avoid 95% of incidents

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⚠ Vigilance haute

Pickpockets on the metro

The metro is the No. 1 spot in Paris for pickpocketing. Highest-risk lines: 1, 4, 7 et 13. High-risk stations: Châtelet, Gare du Nord, Pigalle, Anvers.

Keep your bag in front of you at all times on the metro
Don't check your phone while holding a handrail
Beware of sudden crowds at the train doors
A money belt under your clothes for your passport and card

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⚠ Arnaques courantes

Around tourist monuments

The Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur and Louvre see the highest number of tourist scams.

Firmly refuse the "free" bracelets forced on you — they'll demand money
Ignore people who "find" a gold ring on the ground
Never play the shell game (card trick) — you'll always lose
Beware of fake petitions asking for a signature and then a donation
Say "No" firmly and keep walking without stopping

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Caution

Areas to watch at night

Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes — best avoided after 10 pm
Barbes-Rochechouart (18e) — vigilance accrue
Châtelet-les-Halles at night — stick to well-lit areas
Prefer official taxis or Uber for late-night journeys

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If an incident occurs

What to do if robbed?

Appelez le 17 (Police) or go to the nearest police station
Report a lost bank card to your bank immediately
Contact your embassy if you lose your passport
Keep the police report receipt for your insurance
Application MaSécurité — online reporting available

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Recommended

Travel insurance

Visa Premier / Mastercard Gold = built-in travel coverage
Check your existing coverage before buying — avoid duplicating it
Ressortissants UE : Carte Europeanne d'Assurance Maladie (CEAM) essentielle
Outside the EU: international medical insurance is mandatory
Recommended coverage: cancellation + theft + repatriation assistance

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Health & Medical emergencies

France has a world-leading public healthcare system

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Pratique

Pharmacies

A lit green cross = pharmacy — free advice for minor ailments
Pharmacie des Champs-Élysées — ouverte 24h/24, 7j/7
App PharmacieDuGarde — finds the pharmacy open at night
Bring your prescriptions with the INN (generic drug name)
Aspirin and ibuprofen available without a prescription

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Urgences

Hospitals & Soins

SAMU : 15 — serious medical emergencies, available 24/7
SOS Médecins (3624) — doctor to your home / hotel, 24/7
Hôpital Américain de Paris (Neuilly) — personnel anglophone
Hôtel-Dieu — the most central public hospital, opposite Notre-Dame
Urgent walk-in consultations: SAMU social centres

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Prevention

Chaleur & Marche

Expect 15,000 to 25,000 steps a day on intensive sightseeing days
Comfortable, broken-in shoes are essential — avoid brand-new shoes
Stay hydrated — free Wallace fountains throughout the city
Sunscreen even under cloudy skies (UV still gets through)
In a heatwave: museums are the best air-conditioned refuges

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Public Toilets

750 free Sanisettes across the capital

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Free

Sanisettes automatiques

Completely free since 2006
Recognisable by their distinctive green colour
Automatic cleaning after each use
Wheelchair-accessible (wide, step-free)
Open 24/7 in most cases

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Alternatives gratuites

Autres lieux

National museums — toilets accessible even without a ticket (lobby only)
Grands magasins (Galeries Lafayette, BHV, Spring)
Jardins publics (Luxembourg, Tuileries, Champ-de-Mars)
Main stations (note: some charge a fee)
McDonald's / Starbucks (usually with a purchase)

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Warning

Toilettes payantes

Tour Eiffel : certaines toilettes payantes (0,50–1 €)
Restaurants: customers only — a coffee gets you access
Covered markets: sometimes €0.20–0.50
Tip: a green Sanisette is always less than 5 min away

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Weather & Best Seasons

Paris has charm in every season — but each one has its own character

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Spring

March — May

10–20°C

The best season according to most visitors. Gardens in bloom, moderate crowds, beautiful light. Bring a light raincoat — showers are frequent in March–April.

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Summer

June — August

20–35°C

Paris is lively and festive — Fête de la Musique (21/06), Bastille Day (14/07), Paris Plages. But also the busiest: book everything in advance. Possible heatwave in July–August.

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Autumn

Sept — Nov

8–18°C

Golden light, fewer tourists than in summer, lower prices. September stays very pleasant. Montmartre grape harvest in October. A coat is needed from November.

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Winter

Dec — Feb

2–8°C

Christmas markets, Champs-Élysées lights, near-empty museums. Lower hotel rates outside the holidays. A warm coat, scarf and raincoat are essential.

📅 Annual events not to miss

Janvier
Soldes d'hiver · Fashion Week

Mai–Juin
Roland Garros (tennis) · Jazz in Marciac

21 Juin
Fête de la Musique — free concerts everywhere

14 Juillet
Bastille Day — parade + fireworks at the Eiffel Tower

July–August
Paris Plages — pop-up beaches on the riverbanks

1er Sam. d'Oct.
Nuit Blanche — contemporary art in the streets

Octobre
Vendanges de Montmartre · FIAC (art)

Nov.–Jan.
Christmas markets · Champs-Élysées lights

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Practical Information

Opening hours, electricity, connectivity, Parisian etiquette

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Rythme parisien

Horaires & Habitudes

Lunch: 12h–14h / Dinner: 19h30–22h (kitchen closed in between)
Shops: closed on Sundays (except the Marais, Champs-Élysées)
Museums: often closed on lundi ou mardi (check beforehand)
Last metro: 12:30 am on weekdays, 1:30 am at weekends
Bakeries open from 7 am — perfect for breakfast

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Technique

Electricity & Adapters

French socket: Type E (2 broches rondes + prise de terre)
Tension : 230V / 50Hz
UK, USA, Australia, Japan: adapter required
Universal adapters available at the airport, in pharmacies and at FNAC
Most modern chargers support 100–240V

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Connectivity

Internet & Phone

UE : roaming included in your plan, no extra charge
Hors UE : local SIM Orange Holiday or Free (€15–25, eSIM available)
Free WiFi in parks, museums, libraries and many cafés
Very good 4G/5G coverage across Paris and the metro (recent lines)

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Savoir-vivre

Parisian etiquette

Always start with « Bonjour » when entering a shop
Talking loudly on the metro is very much frowned upon
Smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces and on transport
Let people off the metro before getting on
Tipping is optional (service included) but €1–2 in cash is appreciated

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Info

Eau & Fontaines

Tap water in Paris is parfaitement potable and of very good quality
In restaurants, ask for “une carafe d'eau” — free and served right away
Wallace fountains (green cast-iron columns) — free fresh water, 1,200+ across Paris
Avoid buying bottled water — better for the planet and your wallet

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Essential Apps

Download before you go — some work offline

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RATP

Metro, bus, RER in real time. Disruptions, timetables, ticket purchase.

Officiel — Essentiel 🗺️

Citymapper

Highly accurate multimodal navigation. Works partly offline.

Recommended 📍

Google Maps

Download Paris in offline mode before you go. Essential.