My first visit to Paris was during the winter of 2006. My husband had meetings in Paris the following week, so we met 3 other couples a week early to explore the city. It was love at first sight! From the cobblestone streets to its breathtaking architecture, it’s rich culture, and delicious food, Paris has stolen my heart. Today I’m sharing my best tips on how to make your first visit to Paris an experience you’ll never forget.

1. Bring outlet Adapters

Paris power outlets operate at 220 Voltage, whereas in the United States we operate on 110 Voltage. You want to make sure you use power adapters to plug in your electronics so you don’t fry your equipment. We prefer adapters that have USB port options. Our favorite adapter is found here. It works in Europe, the United Kingdom, and 145 other countries.

2. Bring comfortable shoes

On our most recent trip to Paris, we used the Metro, RER, and Uber to get around the city, and we still walked 68 miles in 10 days. Bring comfortable shoes!! You’ll also want to avoid wearing any type of a skinny heel. The cobblestone streets are beautiful to look at, but difficult to walk on, especially in skinny heels. I opted for a low thick heeled boot and a super comfy tennis shoe that I rotated throughout the week. Make sure you wear your shoes for a week or two before you leave so they’re well broken in before you arrive.

When we visited Paris for the first time 13 years ago, you would never want to wear a white tennis shoe. It was the first indication you were an American tourist and, thus you’d become the target of pick pocketers and scammers. Today, white tennis shoes are very much in style in Paris, and you’ll find many Parisians wearing them. You still want to avoid wearing a “running shoe”, but a simple white tennis shoe is fine.

My boots are by Abedo and I can easily walk 5-6 miles in them. You can find them here. The Nike tennis shoe I wore can be found here.

3. Use a travel purse/bag

About 6.9 million people visit the Eiffel Tower each year. Because Paris attracts so many visitors, it also attracts Pickpockets. I feel very safe walking many places in Paris by myself, but use caution when visiting historic sites, museums, and traveling on the metro. Pickpockets are a real threat. On our most recent visit, we met a couple who had been pickpocketed the first day they were in the city. Don’t ever put your phone in your back pocket. If possible, zip your phone and valuables in your jacket pocket or keep it secured in a travel purse/bag like this.

A few other safety tips: Pickpockets work in groups, be on high alert if someone approaches you and asks you if you speak English. It’s best to nod your head “no” and walk away. Parisians are very private people and generally keep to themselves. If someone is approaching you, chances are it’s to pickpocket or try to scam you. Keep walking. Keep your passport and any valuables locked in your hotel safe if possible.

4. Learn a few key phrases in French

The French have a reputation for being “rude”, however, I have found that if you learn a few basic phrases, it makes a world of difference. Many people in Paris speak English, however, it’s polite to follow french culture and greet the person you would like to speak to, before beginning to ask them questions or directions.

Bonjour – Hello/ Good Day!

Bonsoir – Good Evening

Parlez-vous Anglais – Do you speak English

oui – yes

Merci – Thank you

For example, if I were wanting to ask for directions from someone my conversation would look something like this: “Bonjour Madame. Parlez-vous Anglais?” Then they respond with “oui/yes” and I would say “Merci, could you tell me where ….”

I love Babbel and Duolingo if you would like to work on your French before visiting Paris. Both have apps available. We also found the “Say Hi” app really helpful when we had questions for our Uber drivers, who didn’t speak English.

5. Book tickets for the Eiffel Tower 2-4 weeks before you visit Paris

You’ve come all this way and you definitely want to visit the icon of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. It’s 341 steps up to the first tier of the Eiffel Tower and 679 steps up to the second tier. If you don’t want to climb the Eiffel Tower steps or you would like to visit the Sommet of the Tower (so worth it!) you will want to book your tickets ahead of time to avoid having to spend hours in line waiting to ride the lift. You can book your tickets here.

6. Get a Museum Pass

Instead of paying for each museum and historic site you visit, I recommend getting the Paris Museum pass. The Museum pass allows you tunlimited access to over 50 museums and monuments and at many sites, allows you to skip the long lines and go straight into the museum (An exception is the Palace of Versailles. The pass will allow you entry into Versailles, but it won’t allow you to skip the line. See the Versailles website to schedule a time of entry – a feature they added the week after our last visit – yay for you!!).

For the Museum Pass prices and a list of everything that is included on the Museum pass you can visit here.

Additional Tip: Make a list of the places you want to visit before you go and note the days and hours they are open before you plan your trip. Some museums are closed on certain days and others stay open late one day a week. For example, Versailles is closed on Mondays and the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

7. Use the Metro/RER to get around

There are 2 train lines in Paris, the Metro – which has shorter routes to get around the city, and the RER line which has longer routes and extends outside to the Suburbs of Paris. You will find a Metro/RER station within a short walking distance of nearly every site you will want to visit. When we visited Paris the first time, we carried small maps with us to calculate our routes. They have since added more train lines, and thankfully they have an app to make calculating your journey a lot easier.

My husband and I ended up in a big debate over which train routes to use to go to the Sacre Couer one day, only to discover that we had each downloaded different apps for the trip. He used the Citymaps app and I was using the Paris Metro app. Both apps worked great and both had routes to get to the Sacre Couer, they just each took a different route. The good news is we ended up testing both apps and you’d be safe with either one.

Additional tips: When you get to the station and let’s say for example you are looking for the RER A line. The signs will list the RER A line with 2 different stops on it. Those stops are the last stops of each line. In the app it will give you the route and an optional train map – you can double check the end line names with the map.

Make sure you hang onto your train ticket, as you will need it to exit the train stations. Don’t be afraid to ask at the booth which ticket option is best for you. At our last visit, the attendant told us about a Monday-Friday ticket that gave us unlimited access in all the zones for 28 Euro. Also, remember to guard your phone and valuables against pickpocketers, especially during rush hour.

8. Ride the On/Off Bus

One of the best ways to get a good feel for the city is to ride the On/Off bus. We recommend the Big Bus Tours. They have 2 separate lines that run in the city. We recommend starting with the red line. Not only are you able to see the beautiful city, but you have the option of listening to a guided tour that gives the history and information behind all of the places you see on the tour. The best part about the bus is you can get off at any of the monuments and tour the monument and get back on and continue the tour.

We booked our tickets ahead of time on their app and they sent out notifications letting us know if there were protestors that would be affecting their normal routes.

9. Enjoy the Cafe’s

Watching the people, the cars, the darling shops, while eating a Croque Monsieur sandwich and a bowl of French onion soup at the Cafe is complete heaven. I could sit at the Cafe’s in Paris and soak in the city, all day every day.

A few tips: First, dining in Paris is an experience. The Parisian’s consider it rude to bring your check out to you. They want you to enjoy your experience and to not feel rushed. You will always need to ask for your check. Simply say “s’il vous plait” (please) while making the motion of signing a check in the air.

Second, when ordering water they will ask you if you want it flat of bubbly. Bubbly is soda water. If you order flat water, they will ask you if you want tap water or bottled water. You can save money by ordering “tap” water. The water tastes fine and it’s completely safe to drink.

10. Baguettes, Crepes, Macaroons, and Pain Au Chocolat

One day you will return home and think “why didn’t I get crepes twice a day while I was in Paris?” or “What I wouldn’t give for a baguette sandwich right now!” I don’t know how they do it, but they take a thin slice of ham and a thin slice of cheese, and put it on a baguette and create what seems to be the best tasting sandwich ever. It’s so simple and so yummy!! The best part is you can find them at vendors on the street.

Eat the baguettes, the crepes, the macaroons, and the Pain Au Chocolat (Chocolate croissants). Trust me, your only regret will be not eating more when you had the chance and not sneaking some home with you on the plane.

Paris is a magical city. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Please let me know if you have any great tips for visiting Paris. I’d love to hear the below.

Au revoir!

Mama Leish