Paris is usually a top destination when visiting Europe and for good reason—it is gorgeous and full of things to see and do!
City of Lights Tips:
You do not need a car anywhere in Europe. Period. Point Blank. Simple. Even the cute little towns you want to visit you can do so on public transport. Use public transportation or Ubers/taxis if you’re fancy.
For public transport your tickets work on both the metro and buses, they are 1.90 each
If you’re flying in, Charles De Gaulle Airport is 45 minutes north of the city. Le Bus Direct is $18 for a one way adult ticket. The pick up is directly out front and it comes every half hour. Follow the signs for the bus and you can pay either at the bus counter or the ticket machine.
You can also take the metro into the city depending on where you are staying. Google Maps can give you the best option to your destination for which form of public transit is best!
I found 3 days to be the perfect amount of time for me in Paris to see and do everything that I wanted. Some people spend 3 days just in The Louvre, so it really just depends on what your goals are.
Museum Pass: I usually don’t do museum or city passes but it financially made sense with all that I wanted to see in Paris so I would recommend looking into it. You can do a 2, 4, or 6 day pass and get it at any participating attraction. I got mine at The Louvre and it was super easy there.
London is a super quick train ride away and is one of my favorite cities! Check out my guide here! I enjoyed exploring the Alsace region of France after my time in Paris—check out my full guide here!
Adventures & Ales Top Paris Recommendations:
La Fine Mousse: A craft beer bar and sister restaurant across the street from each other. I visited the little rustic bar that has 20 taps of all great beers! They even had the ever-popular Cantillon on tap when I visited.
Liquiderie: An awesome craft beer shop and bar. They have a fantastic selection of beers, three taps, and a small food menu. It is a cute little spot right in the heart of the Folic-Mericourt neighborhood. Their staff is super nice as well!
Musee d’Orsay: An art museum in an old railway station. I loved this museum—the space is awesome and there is some amazing artists on display. My favorite area was the 5th floor gallery!
This was the longest I waited to get into any museum even with my museum pass, but I went on a Tuesday when The Louvre is closed, so if you have the option avoid Tuesdays so the masses don’t go to The Orsay with you. The Orsay is closed Mondays—so try to visit Wednesday-Sunday if possible.
Maison BAPBAP: A tiny little brewery with a super chill taproom and a small food menu. A 5 minute walk from La Fine Mousse!
Hop Malt Market is a bottle shop next door as well!
Sainte-Chapelle: A gorgeous church! Be sure to go upstairs as well, the stairs are on your left when you walk in. The museum pass saved me a lot of time here as well
Top Touristy Paris Spots Actually Worth Visiting:
The Louvre: A must! So much art, be sure to get a map when you go in. Expect crowds always. I HIGHLY recommend reserving a time slot ahead of time online, which you can do here. You get to go in a much shorter line. You can also go in the back entrance through an underground mall, The Carrousel du Louvre.
Closed on Tuesdays!
Arc de Triomphe: Awesome views of the city from the top, definitely try to go on a clear day! If you have a museum pass you can skip both lines here. Access via the underground tunnel on the Avenue de la Grande Armee side of the circle.
Eiffel Tower: You can go up the tower for a fee and for a large chunk of your time, but I would recommend just hanging out in the gardens in front instead. Be aware of panderers in the area, they are quite annoying, but bring a picnic & some drinks and enjoy the view!
Jardin des Tuileries: Right near The Louvre, these gardens are super pretty and a great place to relax
Notre Dame Cathedral: Closed due to the fire, but still worth walking by as they work to repair
Explore the Latin Quarter: A bustling neighborhood full of bars and restaurants. Rue Mouffetard is a great street to explore here.
Luxembourg Gardens: Pretty gardens to relax in near the Latin Quarter
Pont de l’Alma Bridge: A historic bridge and a good spot for pictures of the Eiffel Tower
Ô Chateau: A wine bar that offers wine tastings. I would recommend getting a flight to try a few different things. They also do a wine and cheese pairing lunch and dinner if you’re looking to treat yourself (it is quite pricey). Overall it is a bit touristy and a bit pricey, but I did enjoy my wine flight
Sainte-Chapelle
Other Things To Do in Paris:
Mozaic: A craft beer shop and bar. They have a great selection, including Cantillon, and a few beers on tap as well
Explore the Folic-Mericourt neighborhood: A cute area with a bunch of bars and restaurants
Paname Brewing Company: A brewery on a canal that is quite touristy and overpriced, but a cool place to hang out with solid beers. They have pizza and other food from 3pm onward.
La Cave de Bulles: A craft beer bottle shop with a few taps and good beer selection. The space is a bit odd if you’re looking to enjoy something onsite as there is only one table
Le Willi’s Wine Bar: A famous wine bar known for their posters, it can be a bit touristy but overall it was a nice spot for a glass of wine
We Are Brewers (WAB): A brewery with solid beers, happy hour, and a small food menu.
Explore the Montemarte neighborhood: Some cute cobblestoned streets full of bars and restaurants
Sacre Coeur: A large church on a hill. The inside is nothing special but the outside is gorgeous. Free to visit!
The Shoah Memorial: Paris’s Holocaust Museum. Not as impressive as what I’ve seen in some other cities, but it is free and if you haven’t visited many before it is worth a stop!
Explore the Pletzl neighborhood: A cool area with lots of bars and restaurants
A Day Trip to Fontainebleau:
I chose to visit Château de Fontainebleau over the Palace of Versailles because it is less touristy and crowded.
To get to Fonainebleau:
Go to the Gare de Lyon Station and then follow the signs for the main line train. There are ticket machines right by the platforms, get a ticket towards either Montereau, Montargis, or Migennes. Make sure to validate your ticket at a machine before boarding. The train takes about 45 minutes and you will get off at Fontainebleau Avon.
From the train station take the #1 bus towards Les Lilas or you can walk 35 minutes to the Chateau. Quai 1 is where the bus picks up outside of the train station, it comes every 15-20 minutes. You can check the schedule posted at the stop to see when the next arrival is. You use the same tickets for this bus as your Paris public transit tickets, just be sure to validate it when you get on.
Get off at the Chateau stop and use Hotel de Londres as your destination to walk to—it is very confusing to enter the Chateau, the main entrance is directly across from this hotel so that is much easier
You can use your Museum Pass here as well!
It is a very pretty chateau and the grounds are gorgeous as well. There are information cards throughout and audio guides as well.
To return to the train station you will get on the #1 bus again from the numerous stops throughout town towards Avon. The last stop is the train station!
