PARIS TRAVEL GUIDE
My mom, aunt and I traveled to Switzerland and Paris in January and we had the BEST time. There is SO much to see, but honestly, impossible to fit everything into one trip. I’ll save you the trouble and give you a detailed breakdown of places to go that are worth it, some travel tips along the way, where to stay, where to eat, and some things you can definitely skip on. Keep in mind, our trip was during their winter season so there are definitely exciting things to do in the spring/summer (like Versailles gardens!) that we weren’t able to see due to weather.
ALL THINGS PARIS
WHERE WE STAYED
For Paris, we stayed in an AIRBNB that I booked back in October. A lot of the hotel and Airbnb rates were high because of fashion week, which we knew going into it, but we were able to find an apartment that matched our needs, was in a great central location and didn’t break the bank. Below are the photos of our Airbnb. This is the link to the hotel, LA MAISON CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES, I stayed at the first time I went to Paris, which was also very cute, in walking distance to Champs Élysées and just a short walk to Avenue Montaigne (IMO the best designer shopping street in the city). Our rate included breakfast every day and it was SOOO good (and saved us $$$ each morning).
LOCATION: Place Vendôme — the absolute heart of the city. 10 minute walk to the Louvre and Seine River. About 25 minute walk to Champs Élysées. Under 10 minute walk to Galeries Lafayette — an amazing department store (you can find a couple around the city); I did a ton of my shopping here. Tiny market around the corner for grocery needs. Also on the same street as Park Hyatt — great spot for a cocktail. Around the corner from the Ritz as well.
PROS: Very large for a Parisian apartment. Full kitchen. Very safe area with front desk security as well as codes to get into the building. Quiet, hardly any city noise. I would absolutely stay here again. Nice entry way and an elevator, which is rare for apartments in the city.
CONS: Honestly, I personally loved everything about it! There are offices above the apartment so expect to hear footsteps on weekdays, which I would say really is the only con.
TRANSPORTATION TIPS
We took Ubers ALL over the city — expect to wait a few minutes before you’re able to lock a driver in place. For a few euros more you can ride in the black car tier, which we did a couple times — we were always excited to see which car we were going to end up with (nerds).
When I broke down all my expenses after the trip I found that we took Ubers 15 times (including the 45 minute ride to and from the airport). The total cost for 15 Uber rides was $465 — split between 3 people, that’s $155 per person all week. Not bad! This included some longer car rides to Porte de Versailles, Montmartre, and St. Germain.
If you don’t want to wait long for an Uber from the airport to your destination, you can schedule your ride up to 30 days in advance. Ubers pick up at Terminal 1 at the Charles de Gaulle Airport.
If you’re looking to save as much money as you can on car transportation then I would suggest the metro.
ATTRACTIONS TIPS/NEIGHBORHOODS
“If this is your first time to Paris, you’re probably going to want to see a lot of famous spots. Keep in mind, you DON’T have to do it all in one trip (that just makes it exhausting and not feel like a vacation; you want to take the time to enjoy yourself at each spot and not rush!) You also want to shop — it’s Paris — this city was practically made for shopping. Go enjoy and soak in all of the designers that you possibly can. More about that later…”
ST. GERMAIN — Spend an entire day here (or two!) A great neighborhood to do some shopping, indulge in crepes and fawn over quaint Parisian streets. Le Bon Marché is located in St. Germain and is the oldest department store in the city — beautiful and definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area. Make sure to go to the Hermés flagship store — it is MASSIVE and stunning!
MONTMARTRE — Really cute neighborhood overlooking the city — we only spent a few hours here, which was enough for us. Lots of artists wanting to paint your picture and many touristy shops. There are probably more restaurants and cafes open here in the spring — two famous ones we wanted to check out were Le Consulat and Maison Rose, which were both closed, but we were able to get photos in front of. If you’re going during the winter, bundle up! We found it was colder there than the rest of the city. Check out the Sacré Coeur as well while you’re visiting (literally looks like the Beauty and the Beast castle). I would honestly save this neighborhood for exploring when the weather is nice and the flowers are in bloom — also home to the only vineyard in the city, so would be fun to do in nice weather. One of those places where I don’t really feel like I’ll go to again unless it’s in the spring/summer.
NOTRE DAME — There is A LOT of construction going on here since their devastating fires making it really hard to get a nice photo of it. I would suggest visiting when it is completed and you can fully see the entire church. Otherwise you’re just looking at a bunch of fences and scaffolding lol.
LE MARAIS — We visited this neighborhood 4 years ago on our very first trip and really enjoyed it. You’ll get a residential feel among the quaint streets of this area. The restaurants here were so charming and delicious.
LOUVRE — When I was prepping for this trip I read on so many blogs to buy the tickets far in advance into the Louvre. We literally bought ours mayyyybe 2.5 minutes (not joking) prior to entering the museum and waited in line for probably 3 minutes. Maybe we were just lucky. Tickets are 17 euro (purchase here). Expect a full afternoon here and don’t expect to see every exhibit! Save some for the next time you visit so you have something to look forward to. The Louvre is absolutely massive and you want to enjoy every area of it. The Mona Lisa is obviously really cool to see, but expect a mosh pit feeling when you get up close to take a photo LOL. It was a little anxiety inducing for me to be honest. I probably won’t visit her again — one and done!
EIFFEL TOWER — You’ll see it from almost every corner of the city. If you want to get photos of it up close I would do it when the gardens surrounding are all in bloom for a really beautiful shot of it. Otherwise, you can get beautiful photos of it from one of the bridges nearby without having to be surrounded by tourist crowds. In the evening it sparkles every hour on the hour for 5 minutes. My favorite restaurant from the whole trip was across the street from the Eiffel Tower and in my opinion had the best view of it. Truly magical. There are restaurants inside of the Eiffel, including a Michelin star restaurant that I had gone on a waiting list for weeks in advance, but nothing ever came of it.
MUSEE D’ORSAY — I really wanted to go to this museum, but we just simply didn’t have enough time. I’ve met a lot of people who prefer this museum over the Louvre, so I definitely plan on checking it out the next time I go back!
MY RECS: RESTAURANTS, BARS & CAFÉS
LOCATION: Walking distance to the Eiffel Tower, but opposite side of the river
PRICE POINT: $$$
CUISINE: French/American
PERSONAL RATING: My favorite restaurant we went to in Paris. I had filet mignon and the truffle mashed potatoes and it was absolutely out of this world. The design of this place was INSANELY beautiful and well done. I was just blow away by it. Reservations open up a week in advance — you can book one here. Our server was also ridiculously attractive. That’s all. Filet mignon, a hot server and a perfect few of the Eiffel tower. What more could you ask for?
LOCATION: 19th Arrondisement, walking distance to Moulin Rouge
PRICE POINT: $$
CUISINE: Italian
PERSONAL RATING: Sooooo yummy and reasonably priced — would definitely go back. I would go back when it’s light out and not pitch dark because I think photos of the restaurant look better in the daylight LOL (I mean this is honestly an important observation if you’re a blogger and need good content photos so you’re welcome). I made a reservation a few weeks in advance — when we showed up there was an INSANE line to get in so I highly recommend a reservation. Book one here.
LOCATION: St. Germain — adorable area to explore, shop and eat. One of my favorite neighborhoods in the whole city.
PRICE POINT: $$
CUISINE: French
PERSONAL RATING: The food is very simple and straightforward — honestly, nothing really special. If you REALLY want to go here, I would just sit outside and have a bottle of wine and some bread and people watch. Other than that, don’t plan on having dinner here— it’s mostly brunch/lunch anyway. The exterior is obviously gorgeous, but interior is just so so.
LOCATION: Place Vendôme
PRICE POINT: $
CUISINE: American Casual — ONLY HOT DOGS AND BOOZE (yup!)
PERSONAL RATING: We met some lovely new friends on our plane ride from Switzerland to Paris that overheard us talking about where we were going to eat and drink— lucky for us they had a major list of all of their favorite places (they’ve been to Paris over 10 times). They shared their list with us and emphasized Harry’s saying how much we need to make a stop there at some point during our trip. One evening my mom and I were going for a final night cap and bumped into the same couple and we were both right around the corner from Harry’s — so obviously, we had to go grab drinks together there! Such great cocktails and an electric atmosphere. And a TON of history. Also, birthplace of the Bloody Mary! Iconic!
LOCATION: Place Vendôme — inside of the Ritz Carlton Hotel
PRICE POINT: $$$
CUISINE: Bar vibes
PERSONAL RATING: I just love going here. Mom and I have been twice to this 25 person bar inside of the Ritz and it is just such an intimate place for such a large city. Adorned in leather and wood, you’ll feel like you are hanging out in a Ralph Lauren inspired home. Cocktails are pricy, but the experience and the service is worth it. You never know who you just might meet here!
LOCATION: St. Germain
PRICE POINT: $$$
CUISINE: French/American
PERSONAL RATING: We had such a negative experience here and I’m so bummed about it. I LOVE the Polo bar in NYC so I had high expectations for the Paris location. Don’t get me wrong, the food was great — but the service… omg it was so bad. I made this reservation a month in advance, which is standard for Ralph Lauren restaurant locations. When we showed up no one was there and when guests started to arrive they were so much more prioritized than we were — people who definitely looked more affluent. It was honestly such a shame. We had to get their attention for almost EVERYTHING — and I know, French culture in restaurants is different than in the US, but it was so obvious that we were being treated differently than other people in the restaurant. Aesthetically, the design of the restaurant was nothing exciting either. New York one is so much more unique. Take my advice, and just skip this spot.
LOCATION: St. Germain
PRICE POINT: $$
CUISINE: French Brasserie
PERSONAL RATING: We stopped in here briefly for an afternoon cocktail and I wish we had spent more time! The design and aesthetic was SOOO cute. Really great spot for a girls trip — lots of outdoor seating too so would be nice to enjoy in the spring/summer as well. The staff was also so friendly — we had a really good experience here.
LOCATION: 8th Arrondissement
PRICE POINT: $$$
CUISINE: French
PERSONAL RATING: This was my second time here and it’s a super popular spot for celebrity spotting especially on the patio. It’s definitely on the pricy side — if you’re going to have little bites and cocktails in the afternoon expect to pay around 250 euro for 3 people (we had maybe 2 or 3 rounds of drinks and two orders of spring rolls and french fries — our bill was just over 250 euro). Cocktails are all over 20 euro (typical for most places in Paris). I think everyone should have the experience sitting outside here — you definitely feel like you’re a little celeb!
LOCATION: 1st Arrondissement
PRICE POINT: $$
CUISINE: French
PERSONAL RATING: Unfortunately this restaurant in closing after a long run! So sad because I love the ambience of this place. And it’s in the heart of absolutely everything so it’s a perfect spot to grab some french onion soup and a glass of champagne (my French diet often when I’m in the city of loOoOoOove).
ANGELINA
LOCATION: 1st Arrondissement
PRICE POINT: $$
CUISINE: French/Tea Room
PERSONAL RATING: The cutest Parisian café/dessert destination. Get the hot chocolate for sure! One of their locations is super close to the Louvre so it would be nice to stop here before visiting the museum for the day. The line to get in is suuuuper long if you don’t make a reservation in advance or go before 9 am.
“*** THE TIP IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE COST OF YOUR BILL — if a server asks you if you would like to leave a tip don’t add any additional amount. Obviously if it is a finer restaurant you will want to leave a little extra. ***”
SHOPPING TIPS
HONESTLY, I hate to be that girl that is like “omg did you buy designer when you went to Paris?” But, if that is something that is feasible in your financial realm and you actually appreciate the designer and the meaning behind why they are so valuable then BY ALL FRIGGIN MEANS. March your butt right into that Chanel store and get yourself that wallet on a chain (or double flap bag if you’re going big). A little advice before you spend your hard earned money on Miss Coco.
Do your research beforehand. Browse the designers’ websites and narrow down what you actually like so you have a good idea of what you are looking for. Statement piece, practical design, every day bag? Figure out what makes sense for you.
If you want to visit the Chanel store at 31 Rue Cambon (Chanel’s office was upstairs and it is quite iconic to experience that store if that is something you appreciate) you will have to make an appointment with one of the retail sales associates (the times I’ve been we were able to get in the same day just a few hours later from making the appointment).
If you want to visit the Louis Vuitton flagship location on Champs Élysées just expect to wait in a long line. I believe you can make an appointment, but in my experience I just waited in line. The flagship store is SO COOL and it’s so special to be able to buy yourself one of their designs in such a fashionably historic landmark.
When you purchase designer they will give you a VAT tax form — you do not need to fill anything out on it. They will put all of the information in the envelope for you that you need. Usually it is called “Global Blue”.
You will scan your forms when you are leaving the country at any of the Tax Refund kiosks near Customs desks. Scanning this will ensure that you will get your refund once you are back in the States (usually takes a few weeks to get your refund — it will be applied to the credit card you used when you purchased the goods).
Here are the locations of the kiosks if you are flying out of Charles de Gaulle Airport: Terminal 1 CDGVAL Level (Hall 6), Terminal 2A Exit 5, Terminal B Arrivals level, Terminal 2C Exit 12, Terminal 2E Departures level, Exit 8d, Terminal 2F Arrivals level, Exit 10a, Terminal 3 Departures, after security
AVENUE MONTAIGNE is a street that connects to Champs Élysées and has all of the best designers (great people watching on this street as well!)
We waited in line at the Goyard Flagship on Rue Saint-Honoré for almost 2 hours and it was so not worth it. The store is TINY and they barely had any inventory left. If you do want to purchase something here — try to see if you can check with one of the staff first on stock levels before waiting in line.
“WHAT IS VAT TAX?
VAT tax is “value added tax” that is assessed based on the value added to the goods and services. In my experience it is usually a 10-13% tax on the goods that you are purchasing that you are able to get refunded back to you when you are traveling in Paris. You can request a VAT tax form on pretty much anything you purchase over 100 Euro.”
EXTRA THOUGHTS
Try your best to speak a little French here and there — don’t expect the French to be your best friends, but they will appreciate you attempting to say hello, goodbye, thank you, etc. in their language. And don’t jump to conclusions if you have sour social interactions with any of the French — just like Americans, not everyone will be your vibe!
If you have been to Paris or live in Paris please feel free to add any tips, tricks and recommendations in the comments below!
