Planning a visit to Paris, particularly if it’s your first go to to the City of Light, requires loads of analysis and cautious consideration to element. After all, it will be an enormous disappointment to indicate up on the Louvre solely to seek out that the museum is closed, or that you simply don’t have the timed-entry tickets you want. Likewise, nobody desires to spend three hours ready in line for the chance to ascend the Eiffel Tower. These journey mishaps, amongst others, might be averted with a great Paris journey planner.
Sure you’ll be able to rent a journey advisor to do it for you, however with a bit steering, we are able to level you in the precise path and provide the instruments it is advisable plan an incredible journey to Paris! Luckily my previous expertise as a journey agent constructing itineraries for households and growing relationships with native suppliers put me in a great place to plan my very own journey this spring. And common readers know that I’m a bit obsessive on the subject of analysis and journey planning.
So I figured why not share my Paris journey planning course of with you, together with an easy-to-follow timeline and useful downloadable Paris journey guidelines [see below]. And if you end up prepared to start out planning, additionally you should definitely try my full, detailed 5 days in Paris itinerary.
Your Guide to Planning a Trip to Paris
Note: This submit might include affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I’ll obtain a small fee. All opinions are my very own.
When Should you Start Planning?
How early must you begin planning a visit to Paris? If you might be visiting Paris through the excessive season, I might advocate that you simply begin planning at the least six months upfront to seek out the most cost effective airfare and the very best lodge charges. This is very true in case you are visiting with a household and require a household room or suite and need to keep in a centrally positioned lodge or condo.
Luckily Paris is a large enough metropolis that it isn’t inconceivable to plan a last-minute journey, you simply have to be a bit extra versatile in your price range and expectations. Ideally, you’ll begin planning a visit to Paris at the least three months upfront earlier than prime tickets to the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre have been bought out.
How Long Should you Spend in Paris?
If that is your first time in Paris, I might advocate a minimal of 5 days, together with your arrival day. Ideally, you’d spend per week and have extra downtime, plus time for a day journey from Paris, however you might also need to embrace a go to to a neighboring metropolis like London or Amsterdam to spherical out your keep, or a while within the South of France.
For our spring break journey, we spent six nights in Paris and continued on to Venice (this was a part of a celebratory graduation journey for us.) Even with six nights, our days have been fairly busy and we aren’t planning any day journeys. Spending per week in Paris is solely doable.
Step 1: Establish your Paris Vacation Budget
Before you even get too far into planning your Paris journey, it is advisable work out your Paris trip price range so that you simply don’t get sticker shock while you begin taking a look at the price of lodges or condo leases.
Keep in thoughts that lodge rooms in Paris aren’t massive and households will want a big suite or two rooms. Many occasions, they’re higher off with an condo rental. Unfortunately, there will not be loads of nice Airbnb choices in Paris attributable to crackdowns on that service, at the least not within the metropolis heart.
I put collectively a whole information to Paris condo leases with many alternative choices, however you can begin by taking a look at choices on VRBO.
We have damaged down what a mean household journey to Paris prices in a separate submit that gives a wonderful information for airfare, lodging, actions, meals, and transportation. Use this as a tenet when figuring out your price range, based mostly by yourself journey fashion and get together dimension.
I might strongly encourage you to put money into journey insurance coverage on your journey to cowl journey cancellation, journey interruption, baggage loss or theft, and medical emergencies. Trust me, I’ve already needed to cancel one Paris journey!
Step 2: Research and Book Airfare
For worldwide flights, I attempt to e-book my flight tickets about six months earlier than my journey, particularly if I’m making an attempt to make use of airline factors or miles as these seats disappear shortly. Once you may have your trip dates in thoughts, I might advocate setting an alert utilizing an app like Hopper or signing up for membership for a flight fare sale alert service like Dollar Flight Club.
If you might be keen to strive a price range airline, the brand new Play Airlines is providing low-cost flights to Paris from the United States by means of Reykjavik. Or, when you’ve got champagne tastes, La Compagnie is a enterprise class-only airline providing flights from Newark to Paris. Personally, I discover both Delta or Air France essentially the most dependable.
Step 3: Figure out Where to Stay in Paris
Paris is split into 20 arrondissements or neighborhoods. The internal circle, or these closest to the middle of the town’s fundamental points of interest, are the decrease numbers. There is loads of dialogue of the very best locations to remain in Paris and the very best match for you could rely in your journey fashion and luxury strolling and taking the Metro.
However, it’s steadily beneficial that first-time guests keep within the sixth Arrondissement, or the Saint Germain des Pres neighborhood. This posh central Paris neighborhood on the Left Bank close to the Latin Quarter could be very widespread, and may get fairly expensive. If you might be on the lookout for a discount, you’ll be able to keep additional out or strive the third or 4th Arrondissement on the Right Bank, the Le Marais neighborhood.
If you might be on the lookout for an condo, you can see essentially the most stock within the seventh Arrondissement, close to the Eiffel Tower. And in case you are on the lookout for luxurious lodges and designer purchasing, the traditional eighth Arrondissement, residence to the Champs-Élysées, is the place to look, though this would possibly really feel too touristy for these on the lookout for a extra “authentic” neighborhood.
Whichever neighborhood you choose, it helps to e-book early, roughly three to 6 months upfront. Be certain to take a look at my information for renting an condo in Paris, however for now, listed below are a couple of beneficial lodges:
Step 4: Develop your Paris Itinerary
Now comes the heavy lifting! It helps for those who begin researching your journey a couple of months earlier than by searching Pinterest, trying out blogs, and watching YouTube movies. You may even choose up a guidebook for a great overview of what there may be to do.
Talk to your journey companions and begin whittling down an inventory of your must-dos! Keep in thoughts that there are such a lot of issues to do in Paris that you just can’t match all of it into one journey. And the simplest path to a depressing journey is overscheduling.
You additionally don’t need your journey to be solely museums in Paris. Give yourselves time to take a seat in a restaurant and drink a bottle of wine, stroll by means of the Tuileries backyard, stroll alongside the Seine, get pleasure from a neighborhood market, and perhaps take part in an exercise like a macaron-making class, fragrance making, or a portray workshop. You might even need to take a meals tour to expertise a few of Paris’ superb delicacies.
Consider whether or not or not you want to add a day journey to your itinerary. If you may have greater than 5 days in Paris, you’ll be able to simply add in a day journey to the Loire Valley, Disneyland Paris, Versailles, Normandy, or wine tasting within the Champagne area. See the Paris household excursions price reserving.
Check museum opening occasions
The very first thing to do is to have a look at the main vacationer points of interest you need to see and make an observation of the opening time, closing time, and days they’re open. In Paris, main museums are closed on sure days and it is advisable work your itinerary round that. While you might be researching this data, make an observation of how lengthy you need to anticipate to spend at every attraction to offer yourselves sufficient time and don’t overcrowd your days.
Here are some examples of prime points of interest in Paris:
- Musee d’Orsay – closed on Mondays, open late on Thursdays
- Musée Rodin – closed on Mondays
- Palace of Versailles – closed on Mondays
- Louvre Museum – closed on Tuesdays, open late on Wednesdays
- Centre Pompidou – closed on Tuesdays
- Musée de l’Orangerie – closed on Tuesdays
Map out your days
One of my prime tips for planning our journeys entails Google Maps. I’ll open a Google Map and seek for every attraction that I need to go to. Then I’ll “star” or save every place in order that once I zoom out and take a look at the map, I begin to see a visualization of the completely different locations that I need to go.
This permits me to group collectively sure points of interest that I can do on the identical day, and my itinerary begins to take form. I additionally wish to map out how lengthy it takes to both stroll from place to put or take public transportation / Uber.
Understanding the proximity between completely different points of interest and when these points of interest are open will make it easier to start to plan out your days.
Step 5: Book Tickets and Tours
As you might be researching what locations you need to see, you might also need to take into consideration how you need to see them. Sure it’s attainable to discover all of Paris by yourself, however will you get extra out of it by taking a tour?
Some of the Paris excursions which are price spending for embrace:
- Louvre Tour – the Louvre is the most important museum and inconceivable to discover it multi function go to. Why not tour it with an artwork historian that may not solely clarify what you’re looking at but additionally know how one can navigate the large artwork museum so that you simply see the highlights and keep away from crowds as a lot as attainable? We booked a night tour of the Louvre with Take Walks to see Mona Lisa on the quietest time.
- Food Tour – a meals tour is an effective way to discover a neighborhood in a brand new metropolis and expertise the native delicacies in a means that you simply wouldn’t discover by yourself (plus get insider tips about eating places). We booked a meals tour of the Le Marais neighborhood with Devour Tours.
- Eiffel Tower – you should buy tickets by yourself for the Eiffel Tower, but when they’re both bought out otherwise you need to be taught extra in regards to the historical past behind the Tower, you could need to contemplate a guided tour. We booked a combo night tour that included a river cruise with a glass of champagne and an Eiffel Tower tour with The Tour Guy. (you’ll obtain 5% off while you e-book by means of this hyperlink)
- Ile de Citê – regardless that the Notre-Dame Catherdral continues to be below restore, there may be a lot historical past to discover and be taught on the Ile de Citê. We booked a strolling tour with LivTours from the Pont Neuf that included skip-the-line entry to Sainte Chapelle.
Paris Museum Pass
If you resolve to go it by yourself, there may be nonetheless some planning on doing. If you propose on visiting many museums, you’ll possible profit from investing in a Paris Museum Pass (notice: that is completely different than the Paris Pass.)
The Paris Museum Pass offers you with entrance to over 50 museums and monuments within the Paris space and permits you to skip the ticket traces. The Paris Museum Pass (PMP) is obtainable in 2, 4, or 6-day choices, and is legitimate for subsequent days after the primary activation. You can buy the PMP on-line and pay to have it shipped by way of DHL to your property, or you’ll be able to wait till you arrive in Paris and choose it up on the airport or at different places round city.
Louvre Tickets
Even when you’ve got the Paris Museum Pass, you continue to want a timed-entry ticket to enter the Louvre, except you’re taking a tour. If you may have a Paris Museum Pass, you’ll be able to e-book an entrance time with out having to pay for the ticket IF you may have the serial quantity in your Pass. This means if you wish to e-book earlier than you arrive, you both need to pay to have your Pass shipped to your property OR you must purchase tickets to the Louvre.
If you should not have a Paris Museum Pass, you should buy particular person, timed-entry tickets to the Louvre on-line on the official web site. Some different museums and points of interest additionally require timed-entry tickets, such because the Museé de l’Orangerie and the Palais Garnier Opera House.
Catacombs Tickets
If you propose on visiting the Catacombs, it’s also HIGHLY beneficial that you simply buy skip-the-line tickets upfront. It isn’t unusual to seek out two to three-hour waits to enter the Catacombs throughout excessive season.
Eiffel Tower Tickets
Tickets to the Eiffel Tower are one other factor that it is advisable do upfront. Tickets usually go on sale 60-90 days earlier than the date of your go to. It isn’t at all times precise so it is advisable preserve checking to see when ticket gross sales open up on your dates. Tickets do promote out, particularly throughout prime season, so it is advisable do that upfront.
Decide forward of time if you wish to buy tickets to the second platform solely, or if you wish to go all the way in which to the highest. If tickets aren’t obtainable, you’ll be able to both purchase them by means of a third-party supplier or attempt to get same-day tickets if you end up there. Same-day tickets can be found whereas provides final till three hours earlier than the go to time for elevate tickets, or final minute in case you are keen to stroll up the steps and solely need to go to the second ground.
Other Attractions
To save time ready in lengthy traces, you may also e-book a timed-entry ticket to go to the highest of the Arc de Triomphe. And for those who don’t have a Paris Museum Pass, you should buy skip-the-line tickets for points of interest just like the Musee d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie, and the Palais Garnier opera home if time is of the essence.
One extra ticket it is advisable e-book upfront is for L’Atelier des Lumieres. They don’t promote tickets on the door and also you want a timed-entry ticket to get into this very cool digital artwork gallery.
Step 6: Arrange Transportation
Paris is thought for its strikes, notably transportation strikes. While you’ll be able to actually take the prepare or bus from the Charles de Gaulle airport into the middle of Paris, one of the simplest ways is to think about reserving a automotive switch upfront — simply in case! Particularly if there may be additionally a taxi strike as a result of then discovering an Uber goes to be a nightmare. Strikes are one other good motive to remain in a central location so as to stroll if the Metro isn’t working and cabs or Ubers aren’t obtainable. Both WelcomePickUps and Blacklane provide related pricing in Paris.
If you might be staying out in Montemarte or one of many additional Arrondissements, you’ll be spending loads of time on the Metro (when selecting a spot to remain at all times try the closest metro stations!) and you could need to contemplate buying a go. Different choices can be found relying on while you arrive and the way lengthy you might be staying. You can buy the Navigo Decouverte go on the airport or prepare stations, however be sure to convey alongside a passport-size picture otherwise you’ll want to make use of one of many picture cubicles to take one.
If you’ll be taking a regional prepare to a different metropolis or nation, be sure to reserve your tickets and seats upfront. European prepare routes usually open up for ticketing about 90 days previous to departure. I usually use Rail Europe to e-book prepare tickets for Europe because it permits you to see all of the completely different prepare line choices.
Step 7: Make Dining Reservations
Like when visiting any massive metropolis, you’ll be happier for those who plan your eating, at the least as a lot as attainable, upfront. This is very true for those who hope to bask in a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant as the very best eating places might be powerful to even get a reservation for! Being hangry is a recipe for catastrophe on the subject of bursting the coolness trip temper.
With a bit advance planning that may be averted. Just needless to say in France, lunch usually runs from 12-2 pm. Don’t be stunned to stroll in at 1:30 and be turned away. Plan your day accordingly or accept eating at a restaurant.
Dinner hour usually begins round 7-7:30 pm by means of 10 or 11 pm. But once more, that is to offer time to benefit from the meal, to not arrive at 10:30. Reservations for dinner are extremely beneficial for those who don’t need to spend additional time strolling right here and there on the lookout for an obtainable restaurant that meets your tastes. I might advocate reserving effective eating eating places at the least a month upfront and you’ll e-book your different eating a few weeks earlier than you depart.
Luckily many eating places settle for on-line reservations by means of their web site or by means of The Fork (the French model of Open Table.) Don’t be stunned in case you are required to depart a bank card with a hefty cancellation charge for effective eating institutions.
There are loads of great meals choices to select from in Paris however for those who want a bit assist guiding your choice, I usually flip to one of many following:
Step 8: Final preparations
We have made it to the ultimate one to 2 weeks earlier than your departure! Hooray, the journey is sort of right here however there may be nonetheless a lot to be accomplished. Since you might be touring to Paris, I might advocate signing up for the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This lets the State Department know that you’ll be in France they usually can get in contact with you by way of textual content or cellphone if there may be an pressing occasion that impacts U.S. vacationers (e.g. a terrorist assault, pandemic, strikes, and so forth.)
Of course as of late, you additionally have to examine to see what journey restrictions are in place by checking the Embassy web site. As of February 12, 2022, totally vaccinated U.S. vacationers not have to current a destructive COVID take a look at, however that is topic to vary in fact and from mid-March 2022 guests don’t have to acquire a French Vaccine Pass to enter cultural websites, museums, theatres, eating places, bars, nightclubs, or cafes.
Money issues
Next, it’s time to care for cash issues. I normally advocate going to your native financial institution to request Euro earlier than you depart. Many occasions it takes 3-5 enterprise days to get delivered. I usually withdraw 300-500 Euros and if I would like extra, I go to a neighborhood ATM. It pays to know upfront in case your financial institution is affiliated with any French banks to keep away from additional charges. Be certain to request denominations of fifty Euro and below in any other case you’ll have hassle getting change.
You must also contact your bank card firm to allow them to know that you’ll be touring abroad in order that they don’t put a block in your card.
Communication considerations
Before you depart, work out how you’ll talk from overseas. Many wi-fi firms now provide inexpensive worldwide calling or information plans. For instance, with Verizon, I pay $10 per day (solely on days that I take advantage of it) for wi-fi information, and the info I take advantage of counts towards the identical limits I’ve at residence. If you haven’t used this plan earlier than, you do have to activate it earlier than you allow. We normally preserve one cellphone turned on when wanted and in any other case use WiFi.
It can also be a great time to obtain any apps that you simply would possibly want if you are in Paris, in addition to any films or leisure you need on your offline travels. A couple of apps I might advocate embrace:
- Uber – extensively obtainable in Paris
- Google Maps – obtain a Paris map for offline entry
- Google Translate – very useful when perusing menus or asking for assist
- Airline app – for connection/gate data, cell check-in and boarding passes, and leisure choices
- XE Currency – for foreign money conversion
- Travel phrase e-book – I take advantage of Fodor’s Travel Phrases, French model
- The Fork – for making and altering eating reservations on the fly
- Next Stop Paris from RATP – construct itineraries, offline maps, tickets, and extra
- Oui.Sncf – in case you are touring round France by prepare
- Paris Metro – navigate the Paris Metro
- Voice Map – buy and obtain Paris audio strolling excursions from Join Us in France
Button up the main points
Before you allow, print out a number of copies of your itinerary and retailer them in separate locations. I additionally wish to e-mail copies to trusted mates and save a model within the Cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive, and so forth.) in order that I can entry it if my paper copy will get misplaced. Also, be sure that to print out and set up any tickets or vouchers which are required on your entrances or excursions, or save these to your cellphone’s cell pockets.
While you might be at it, take an image of everybody’s Passport and ensure these are saved in your cellphone and within the safe Cloud. Print out a duplicate to hold with you so that you don’t want to hold originals with you when out and about (go away these within the lodge secure.) Just bear in mind that you will want to indicate ID together with your vaccine go to enter points of interest and eating places so you should definitely preserve your IDs on you for that.
Before you begin packing, double-check that you’ve your seat assignments and your seats haven’t been reshuffled since reserving. At that point you can also make certain everybody’s passport data, Known Traveler Numbers, and frequent flier numbers are all added to your flight file in order that check-in is easy and straightforward.
Make certain all the things is ready at residence by arranging pet or home sitting, stopping your mail or deliveries, setting the thermostat to a low and regular temperature, and setting any timers on your lights or sensible residence units. You can also need to alert your property safety firm that you’ll be away.
Download your Paris Trip Planning Checklist
Ready to get began? Download and print this ready-made guidelines timeline for planning your journey to Paris.
Download your Paris Vacation Countdown Checklist Here
Now all you may have left to do is pack, however that’s the topic of one other submit! We want you an incredible journey to Paris. Au revoir!
PIN THIS FOR LATER
