Paris: Mistakes 1st Time Visitors to Paris Make
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ค. 2022
- Paris is an incredible city that millions of tourists enjoy. There are some common mistakes that first time visitors to Paris make. Here are the most common ones we see, so that you won't make them when you visit Paris!
Filmed in Paris, France
Copyright Mark Wolters 2022
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As a Parisian myself, great tips !
I always forget that people are not necessarily used to public transit, but our system is great compared to most US cities. So tourists, don't be afraid to use it (though the pricing is a bit confusing for tourists tbh). And please eat at bakeries if you can afford it, if you want the full "french experience". We depend on bakeries here, hence why we have so many everywhere.
I went there with my wife years ago, and this was after having lived there for nine months. There was an open air market near us, and my wife suggested buying things for our breakfast there. It was great. Never would have occurred to me if she hadn't suggested it.
Rue Mouffetard is a mistake if you do not visit that spot. Been to Paris like 4 times everytime I must spend some time on this street. best cafes bakery shops etc. Oh I miss Paris so much.
I'm bringing my family to visit in a few weeks and honestly have been quite anxious after hearing some rumors. I've heard it's difficult to find places to eat if you don't have reservations, you get looked down on for not being able to speak French, etc. Would you care to give some advice as to what would be best practices when coming to France?
Hi. Are the metros wheelchair accessible?
Bakeries ? LOL I spent 3 days looking for Gluten Free. But I asked for 'Gluten Libre ' Non ! it's 'sans glutan'
I've visited Paris over 50 times and every tip he gave is right on. You should take each of those tips and expand on them because newbies need more explanation. The most significant tip was to not try to do to much! Make up your mind that you will be back. A corollary to this is to eliminate as much of the strictly tourist stuff as possible. Who cares if the people back home find out that you didn't go up the Eiffel Tower! Do you really want to lose 4-6 hours of precious time on that? See a video of it! Do'n't waste time at the Moulin Rouge. It's in the seediest part of Paris, it's been resting on its reputation for over 50 years and there are much better shows like the Lido or Paradis Latin. Do your homework in advance and narrow down your plans: 1) Things I must do in case I never come back; 2) Second tier things to do if my timing works out well. Don't even bother with anything less than these because you'll never get to them anyway. Also, don't just look at tourist guide books in your research. Ask people who are local or have spent a lot of time there. Learn where the Parisians go. Take in a show at l'Olympia or Opéra Garnier. A real gem is the Église St. Julian-le-Pauvre which has some extraordinary shows and almost no tourists. Another tip: get comfortable taking the bus during non rush hours. You see more of the city and they are often more direct than the métro. I could go on for pages and pages but mostly, do your research!!!!
Nice to know I can stay a little north of the city and save lots!
You're right, skip the things you can find on postcards and therefpre have a more relaxed time while there.
Next week I'm going to Paris for a week and planning mostly around food 😂. Do you have a dish/food/place that a food lover must try?😀
Eiffel tower depends on time as well. Couple of times I've been late in the evening and it was fine. No waiting time for the stairs and a little bit for the lift that does the last bit. Early I've been lucky as well. I get to Paris with my truck so I can just have a look and when it's to busy at the Eiffel Tower I go somewhere else.
Bus-great point! But how do you buy a bus ticket? When you get on? Cash accepted on bus? Buy bus ticket before at a tabac before you go to the bus stop? App you can use?
I ve visited 209 times and can say you are over reacting certain points, paris needs u to let go, not to worry that much, just let it be
For the Louvre, get to the mall entrance on Rue de Rivoli at the time it opens. You don't have to use the pyramid entrance. This take you underneath the small pyramids where the points meet (ala last scene in the Da Vinci Code). You skip the giant line outside. We walked briskly to Mona and were alone with her for at least 2 minutes. Also buy your museum pass online ahead of time so you don't have to stand in any museum line. Bon Chance!
Great tip, thanks!
Need to go back and watch Da Vinci code
Hello to use the museum pass did you reserved the time slot? Thanks
f.. Mona Lisa
Amazing thing about the Louvre is that it has other art work besides the Mona Lisa. Crazy, I know!🤯 Even at peak tourist season, there are hardly any people in the rest of the museum. It seems most people aren't buying a ticket to see one of the world's great museums, but rather to see one painting.
It was dumb luck... but it was a rainy spring night and we went to the Eiffel Tower.....it was nearly empty; 30 minutes before closing, and absolutely magical!!! An unexpected delight❣️
I’ve been to Paris 8 times, including a trip with my wife just last week, and these tips are terrific. Enjoy some downtime-buy a bottle of champagne and find a park, sit for a few hours at a cafe, take a nap in the park. It’s one of my favorite places on earth. Safe travels!
It’s illegal to drink in parks💩
can you drink in the parks?
@@jadewest3153 yes it's not an issue at all dont worry :)
@@jadewest3153 but you can get fined ( not very commun but possible) for being drunk in a public place, so drink responsibly 🥂
I’ve been to Paris 5 times and I’d definitely recommend buying a guided tour of the Louvre (same for the Vatican Museum) online beforehand. You won’t waste your time in the lineup or wandering aimlessly in a huge place suffering from FOMO. You will get in quickly and see the most important works along with valuable information about each one.
As for a tour guide for the Lourve, who did you use and would you recommend them?
I agree with all of these. The biggest ones I agree with are to take the metro and walk as much as possible, and also to not be so concerned with seeing everything you think you are supposed to see. The best things about Paris are not the things that you see on a postcard. Walk the streets, sit at a cafe patio and sip some coffee, go into a bunch of bakeries, buy stuff for a picnic along the river or in a park, etc, etc. One big mistake that got left out is in regards to dining culture and general etiquette in any shop. Always say "bonjour" or "bonsoir" and don't expect to be pampered by your server. Also, don't be afraid to ask for your check when you're ready to leave.
Paradoxically, you'll see more of the "Paris postcard" by walking and enjoying the city than just seeing monuments.
I almost entirely agree with your list. My one disagreement, as an American yet someone who loves and works with trains, is that I'd recommend splurging for a cab or Uber at least once, if not a few times for your longer commutes. I love the Paris Metro and you should definitely take it - but there's something about being able to look out your window and see the liveliness of the streets, the shops, restaurants and unique buildings you might not see again, and peeks down random streets that simply appear spectacular. Line 6 of the Metro does have some pretty fantastic views of it's own, though! Enjoyed the video overall.
I have been to Paris four times. The biggest mistake I made in Paris last time was leaving 💔 I can't wait to go back.
I currently live in France since seven years ago, and one of the biggest mistakes I have seen people make when visiting Paris is dinning at a restaurant on Champs Elysée. It is way overpriced, sometimes the food is awful and the best restaurants are not in that area. It amuses me when friends and relatives visit me an insist on dinning in this area. I try to convince them not to do that but people are very stubborn.
Mistake 1, not speaking Arabic
I only know of one that’s really good (I lived in the district), next to the Nike store, waiters wearing striped shirts
And I would add as a Parisian native, that there is no Parisian who goes to the Champs Elysées. You will only find tourists or people working in the neighborhood. For restaurants on the Champs Elysées this is not where you will eat properly.
I will help you have a culinary stay as it should be. Download the "raisin" application is a French application that includes all restaurants, wine cellars, bars or merchants selling natural and organic wine and healthy food. You will be sure to drink very good wine and eat well. And do not forget the magic words "Bonjour, s'il vous plait, excusez moi and Merci" otherwise your interlocutor will consider that you are disrespectful and will not make an effort either. With the application and the magic words you already have 50% of your trip successful ... it's up to you to find the other 50% .... enjoy your stay in Paris ;)
@@-greeze Merci!
Always call ahead to a restaurant even if it’s an hour before you want to eat dinner. Go to the Louvre on Thursday afternoon or evening and it’s open late. Pick out what you want to see beforehand. You could spend the rest of your life there. Don’t overlook smaller museums. Visit Malmaison and Vaux le Vicompte outside Paris. Versailles takes up a full day and the fountains only run at specified times on certain days.
Go to Paris often!! It's a wonderful place and they are much more welcoming now than they were 40 years ago. Ride the metro and the trains! It's so easy and you can get everywhere really fast. France is clean, modern and very well-organized, especially Paris! Wear a Rick Steve's money belt and the pick pockets will never get your money. Watch your purse when somebody wants to interview you. The purse snatchers are part of the team while the interviewer distracts you!
This definitely happened especially on the metro! If anybody asks you a question in French, ignore and keep tight. Best way to avoid those snatchers.
Paris is clean ???
Don’t forget about the great day trips you can take by fast train from Paris! Reims, Strasbourg, Lille, etc.
Strasbourg on a day trip ?
lol
Honestly that's probably the best advice I ever got from you, and I've been using it for years.... Don't burn yourself out trying to see everything; pick two or three things you really want to do and focus on doing them right.
Absolutely love your content. So nice to hear that you hardly never use the word "like" in every sentence. Keep up with the great videos. 👍🏻
I spent an hour on TH-cam learning how to use the Metro and it was a great decision. Took it everywhere, stayed in a cheaper area. Even rode the RER to Disneyland Paris for $7.
Yes, downtime is Paris is so nice! I have had some when traveling for work and I had great experiences that way.
I literally just booked my Airbnb tonight for paris next year in March and your videos are awesome!! Thank you for all the tips!
Yes, i agree about the lodging, we actually did VRBO when we visited a few years. This worked out better and we stayed in the 10th which had 2 metro stations
Went 12 years ago. Going back in November. Glad you made this video. Following you for years. Over my travels your videos have helped alot.
My favorite part of Paris was just walking around and immersing myself in the city. We stayed at Noisy and we took the metro to the city which was very easy.
Noisy le Grand or Noisy le sec ?
@@walideg5304 Noisy-le-Grand
@@DCSuperHerosPlayMC My beloved city. I love it. Nice people. I miss them.
Omg I'll be in noisy too! I'll be there in about a week and I'm just worried about getting to my place safely because I'll be arriving at nighttime. Was it safe?
@youtopia2 I felt safe there. Granted we were in a group. But it's a typical urban environment in the nighttime. Don't stick to shadowy places and you'll be good
Very good advice. I spent my Christmas week in Paris and walked the city for hours. I became ill for two days but enjoyed Paris despite the cold. I plan to visit it again, my 4th visit, when Notre Dame is finished. Thanks for the tips.
I loved the bus in Paris. In London the bus is useless, so you HAVE to take the underground. But in Paris, when we visited, we hated the metro and tried the bus. Fantastic. It was on time, it took us where we wanted and we could see the sights going there.
Great tips! As a Londoner who has visited Paris often, and being a very similar age to Mark and Jocelyn, I now have started staying more centrally in order to visit my favourite museums at opening time without having to deal with rush hour public transport. I’ve had the magical experience of Musee de L’Orangerie and Sainte Chappelle almost to myself as a result. Mercure often have great deals in quieter months. Expect small rooms but good standards and avoiding the crowds for a calmer time 😊 Also, as well as the Boulangerie, a cheap but nice picnic lunch can be got at supermarkets to enjoy in one of the many parks…
well if you have money...
Thanks for the tips !
Cheers from Nantucket, Massachusetts ! ☀️😎
I went to Paris and I stayed at an apartment 20 minutes away from the main sights. I saved so much money and I had such a comfortable room. This also allowed me to get to the city easily since the metro was close to my apartment.
May I know which apartment you stayed in. I am looking for some stay options this June
@@kumarjo1982 Yes! It’s in the city of Creteil and I did it through the AirBnB app
Thanks much, I see the prices are quite good there, is this closer to attractions
@@kumarjo1982 It’s closer to the train. The public transportation in Paris is great!
You are right about the hotel breakfast. The best Western had an option for breakfast, but expensive and I pastries didn't look fresh, more like packaged. I chose the boulangerie at the corner for a croissant and cafe au lait Their baguettes were excellent too.
Amazing video, and I live here !! Love the way you explain everything! Cheers!
Great timing, we are headed to France late Sept! Something we've found that's worked for us in many places is just to plan one activity a day and then just go with the flow! Thanks for all you do your videos are always such a great help
Yes! Plan a place to see or show, and plan dinner, or larger lunch. Then just enjoy the city! Have been 5 times and going again next year!
One of the biggest tip after visiting Paris I can say to anyone is... don't wait at the main line for the Louvre. There are tons of people and the line can take 1-2 hours. Instead, take the entrance underground by the small arc. There is no line and you will get inside instantly.
Besides that we broke many of these rules 😄, we stayed near eiffel tower, took uber all times and had breakfast at the hotel (though it was really good and well worth it).
That Louvre tip will probably save my sanity. gf so wants to go there... cheers!
Going in that way saved us so much time. The only one of these the mistakes we made was staying near the Louvre. We chose it because we were spending 2 days at the Louvre, and it was in the center of everything we wanted to see, which made walking the city easier. Knowing what I know now I kind of wish we stayed in Montmartre just because that was our favorite area of the city, a lot quieter and less crowded.
Where is the small arc?
@@johnsain in front of the Louvre. It’s called the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.
Thank you for your travel insights...very helpful.
Great tips! I am a local and I would 100% recommend NOT to visit from mid July to last week of August: massive tourist invasions, most locals are out of town for vacation, basically 80-90% of the places locals go to for daily stuff are therefore closed...Streets desserted and so forth...
That's for sure. Friend wanted to spend his honeymoon in Paris with his wife... Jeez what a rip-off. Sent them to Bulgaria instead and they're in some luxury mountain-resort with 2 michelin star cuisine and spend half of what they would in Paris for a week longer. Went to Paris for a weekend though just because ;)
Perhaps because of C-19, when my daughter and I went 2021, late July-early August, it wasn't crazy! We visited the Eiffel Tower and few a few moments, had one whole side of the deuxieme etage to ourselves! Went to the Palace of Versailles and shared the mirror room with no more than 8 other people (if that many). Granted, we went very early in the morning. Even when we visited Disney. Wasn't crowded. Loved it! This and future years, might be a different story.
I literally just arrived Jul 29 lol. I'm definitely never going during the summer ever again. Only winter from now on
Precisely, it's the only season when you can visit. Otherwise, you'll visit a giant traffic jam.
How about in December around Christmas?
On point 👍 don’t overspend on hotels , our daughter stays at smaller budget boutique places eg ibis hotels maybe 30 mins away from Eiffel town etc by metro . She also likes to do picnics in the many beautiful parks to soak in all the scenery , and budget friendly for dinner etc 🇫🇷 just as you suggested / oh last one , get some falafels and middle eastern food ! Very good
Proud to say that I think the only one of those mistakes we made in our first trip was trying to do too much in our time there. We were worn out, but we did see the things we most wanted to see. Thanks for all of your great advice leading up to the big trip
Same though I don't consider seeing a lot a mistake. Sometimes I can fit in even more than I have planned. Especially with limited vacay time and $!
Tbh I prefer shorter, more condensed stays. I get homesick easily (except for when I was in Iceland) and as someone whose not into much food and not comfortable enough to make conversation with locals in French (that failed in Brussels) and no friends with me to talk to, walking is my favorite part of the trips and it’s best to have as many places as possible to walk around. I’m tired by the end of it but that feeling lasts a couple of days or so whereas the memories are there for life.
Obviously lower costs and holiday time makes this even more helpful.
I loved the Metro. Actually I take subways everywhere I go. One of my favorite things to do
My favorite experience was staying in one of the older apartments with exposed beam ceilings and original wood floors. It was a 4th floor walkup with a tremendous view. One mistake I did make was taking the metro to watch the fireworks on the 14th and dealing with huge crowds and poor views.
I’m going in a few months and decided to look up tips. As soon as I saw your video I knew it would be a good one! Great tips, thank you!
On my recent stay, I stayed in an Ibis that did the job. They are like Starbucks or McDonald’s as in if you’ve stayed in one Ibis, you’ve stayed in them all. They’re pretty affordable hotels aimed at business travellers. Paris and similar cities have a ton of them, so definitely worth looking into if staying there on a budget as it takes the guessing game out of it.
I'm a fan of Ibis! Sometimes they have a discount if you stay longer by booking directly.
@@xymzk also it’s a good idea to sign up to All Accor as you get a discount there too & you can collect points you can use later
@@sams3015 yup!
Depends on what you're looking for I guess. I like a hotel to have some personality, even if the comfort is less than your standardised Accor hotel. But I understand the allure to some of reliability and predictability.
These were great tips! We tried to save money by grabbing some groceries at the Franprix close to our Airbnb for breakfast, snacks etc. of course a boulangerie was right across the street also! 😃
Very wonderful and great video cultural of the lovely city of Paris, très jolie et très splendide vidéo touristique et culturelle de la douce ville de Paris
Thanks for your tips Mr. Wolters, this summer I am intending to tour Europe via Eurostar from London onwards. Thanks for your honest advise. Love and respect.
I just got back from trip to Paris yesterday and you are absolutely right about these tips. As far as public transportation and getting around it is VERY easy to use there are maps all over the place and the ticket machines are in english also not to mention that Paris is very walkable also. When I got to Paris I didn't really have anything planned out I kind of just figured it out as time went on and like he said the best thing to do is just take your time and enjoy the city. Its amazing!
I avoided all of these errors on my two trips to Paris (thankfully). The one mistake I made (and this could only be done by my fellow Canadians), is speaking to locals in the dialect of French spoken in Quebec. I swear some people looked at me as if I was rambling in Japanese.
Well the accent is surprising, but I think overall everyone can understand Canadian French in France, more or less. There are just some phrases that are hard to understand.
That's weird. We normally don't have issues understanding Canadian French, even if we can immediately identify the accent. Are you sure those people were indeed French, which is not necessarily granted in Pairs?
@@jfrancobelge ça dépend des expressions françaises... Le vrai québecois a des expressions qui pourraient effectivement être surprenantes pour quelqu'un qui n'en a jamais entendu. Ne serait-ce que la répétition du "tu" dans une question ou l'utilisation de termes comme "char" pour dire une voiture... Moi ça ne me pose aucun problème, je m'intéresse au parler québécois mais je comprendrais qu'un autre français réagisse bizarrement la première fois qu'il entend du québécois.
😅 I can understand that. Especially if those people looking at you were young people... As we grow older, we usually get more interested in other dialects (in big cities at least), but it's true though that the dialect of French spoken in Quebec can be filled with "confusing" words and expression for French people. That being said, I must admit the everyday "urban/suburban" parisian dialect can be confusing as well for a foreigner who learned French at school...😜
The french love the quebec accent
Thank you for sharing this video…. Best regards!
Great Video. Thank you for posting.
When I was in Paris with my company the hotel we were at had three stars and the price for a room that was a little bit bigger than the bed was 450€. Luckily I didn’t had to pay for it. But it was relatively in the center of Paris. So even if you book a hotel in the outer ring of Paris, as long as you can reach the metro by foot, you have easy access to the whole city.
Thank you so much for sharing the greate La Vache et le Cuisinier. In 3 days we had dinner there twice. The poached eggs (and all the other food)! OMG!!
DANKE und viele Grüße aus München!!
Great tips!!! Your videos help me alot to travel
such good advice, especially taking some time to chill
I always enjoy your videos!! No nonsense and great info
Thanks for pointing the facts out 🙏👍
We are doing our research for our visit at the end of october, so thanks a lot for your quality tips!
Great tips! We’re long overdue for a trip back to Paris. It’s been about 20 years.
Biggest change... they don't use the tiny paper tickets anymore.
Good tips thanks for posting.
Good advice with having just a do nothing day. My family used to go on mini vacations for four or five days. When we'd ask to just stay in the hotel for a bit, they said we needed to be doing stuff all the time.
美しい街並みで旅行に行きたくなります🇫🇷
Congrats on the 1M followers! Going to Paris this May, can't wait!
Thank you, that was very helpful!!
Will be celebrating our 31st anniversary there in June. Thank you for the great tips!
So true! Slow travel. Relax, enjoy 💙
Be aware of just how sketchy certain areas are, especially around the major train stations (Gare du Nord, etc) and close to the Peripherique. Also, the RER train from DeGaulle airport into the city centre has a horrible 1980s-Bronx-subway vibe about it.
We stayed in Pre-Saint Gervais, meters from the Peripherique (close to the Zenith). It was a quiet Muslim area.
I would advise to stay at places where many Metro lines intersect. Not necessarily Chatelet, but Montparnasse or Republique. I would go for my 6th time in a heartbeat, but my kids don't like it...I say they don't understand Paris.
@@xXPyrophorusXx Pré Saint Gervais is more than ok. You know muslim presence is ok except if you like clichés. And traditionally restaurant and super market are cheaper
RER B is ok. Did you go to the Bronx. There is no firearm. You can be robed, but traditionally it’s ok.
Oh gosh I remember being constantly accosted by a bunch of people pretending to be taxi drivers outside Gare du Nord!
At least the RER B conforms to European safety standards and is safe to travel on, unlike the Heathrow eXcess and other services using Crossrail… 🚈🇬🇧🔥💸
(I’m not kidding: Search for safety advisories concerning Bombardier „Aventra” trains.)
These tips are very helpful
very helpful thank you!
Excellent tips. Thank you.
Really, those tips apply to any major city, although some big cities, their public transportation can be hit or miss. I have the same rules for when I travel and I use Google Maps so I know where the restaurants, pubs/bars, and food stores are in the area of where I plan on staying.
What a wonderful video! Thank you as it will be my first time.
The metro is indeed really great and easy.
Really,really great advice and spot on.
Excellent tips! Number one I find I especially have to explain to people, that there's not really "downtown" in Paris in the sense that you can stay almost anywhere in the city and still have plenty of interesting shops and places to go. (Of course, there are certain neighborhoods to avoid, but for reasons other than being far from the "center".) And like you said, you can still be in the "center" in 10 minutes.
Which areas should be avoided?
@@delia1985 In my opinion, Barbès-Rochechouart is the main area to avoid. The Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est can sometimes be a little dicey too. The rest of Paris I think is fine (there's variance in the wealth of the other neighborhoods, but I think they're safe).
I lived right by the Gare du Nord when I visited 10 years ago (time flies 😅) and I agree, it was a bit sketchy at night but the hotel was very cute with a winding staircase and a crappy tiny elevator that could only fit some luggage. Very Parisian. 😂 Ibis styles Gare du Nord.
You’re tips are always spot on.
I just came back from 10 day trip from Paris. It was awesome. It was my second time in Paris and I love it. I rented an apartment in Saint Germain Blvd in lovely Latin Quarter. Only one negative thing this time is returning back from Paris to the CDG airport. I figured 4 hours before my flight would be enough to make it. BUT there was traffic jam in Paris and I took Roissy bus from Opera to the airport. It took us 2 hours to reach the airport. And then on top of that ENORMOUS crowds at the airport. Mess and confusion. I barely made it on time for my flight.
Yikes. Glad you made it!
That's why I would advise to take the RER to CDG. Or was there a planned closure for maintenance, perhaps? Normally, the RER will get you there much quicker and for less money, too.
I used the roissy bus during my first 3 trips to paris, but nowadays i always use the RER. Much faster and more convenient
Great advice! Made me subscribe!
Great advice. I managed to see most of what I wanted in 3 days. But it requires making choices - such as choosing the Musee D'Orsay instead of the Louvre (more to enjoy in less time).
I’m planning on visiting Paris next year in May and deciding between 3 or 4 days, I do want to see the Louvre though 😅 do you reckon 3 days is defiantly enough?
We toured all of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...then took a high speed train to Paris...saw all the sites..walking around and found this great place for lunch.
We LOVE your content! Thank you for putting so valuable information alsways in your videos.
We're planning to visit Paris next year. Do you have any video about hotels there? Would be great to find a good Family friendly hotel
Thanks in advance and sorry for my English; I'm still learning
Have a Productive and Healthy Day!
That drawing of your son, was incredible
We had a fairly big apartment for a great price that was right at the bottom of the stairs of the Sacre Coeur. We could look out the window and watch the people on the carousel and the buskers. It was surprisingly quiet at night except for Friday night.
Great advise, thank you.
Great tips! Very well explained Thanks
Hi Mark - you’re not gonna believe this but I saw your Old Orchard Beach video pop up in my feed yesterday, didn’t think anything of it, and then literally about 12 hours later I did a random google search for “beaches accessible by public transport from Boston” (I live in Boston), and, having completely forgotten the name of OOB itself (despite watching your video), I decided that THAT was the beach I wanted to visit, and then all of a sudden it occurred to me “wait is this the beach that Wolters World just published on??” and sure enough it was! So thanks for your tips - can’t wait to check it out!
October in Paris is fabulous
I was in Paris, in 1964 and a 3-star hotel, on the Left Bank, cost US$10, per night. Now, the same hotel costs about US$280.
Besides, I was in Paris, in 1972 and stayed, in a small hotel, on rue Des Petits Hotels, which means "street of small hotels".
This street still exists and you can get a 2-star hotel, there, for US$90. Also, 50 years ago, there was practically no crime,
in Paris, and no scams. I don't know, why things got worse, since then. And, as Mark once said - learn French, because then,
you will feel at home, when in Paris. Greetings from Canada, Alex
because you have know the mass tourist
it's the same everywhere
@remplacement TV lol no
I'm staying at hotel du Brabant on des petits hotel for 5 nights in Oct 2023 for under $400 canadian great deal kinda dumpy hotel
Appreciate your comments. Planning to train from hamburg & stay in a hotel near the train station & metro to sights - after picking up a breakfast croissant for 2 euros. Then train to England. Believe those 2 stations are adjacent to each other. All in late October. Will keep researching till we go. Cheers
Great post Walter. Fell in ❤with Paris in 2014 on an unexpected trip. Knowing basic French did go a long way, Bonjour, merci etc and often the French I met would switch to English! The bus was a great way to see the city and get around! I liked being above ground as the metro stairs can be killers, tho we used this too. Book tickets AHEAD!! For Louvre & museums I used a museum pass. At Versailles we booked a tour that morning and it was excellent! Small group in English extra rooms etc. Viva la France 🇫🇷😊
Before i only visited Paris for 5-7 days, but my last trip was 40 days and I love the buses. It takes more time but is certainly more enjoyable.
I been to Paris 5 times and I love it ❤️🥰
My wife and I visited Paris in 2016 and pretty much did all those things you advised. We've never been the kind to want to see as much as we can anyway as that's just stress. Even so, during a 4 day visit we got to see many of the well known sites. The best part was our accomodstion which was a lovely appartment in Meudeon, a quiet residential subarb 15 mins from the city on the C line to Versailles. Here we could soak up the vibe of a parisian neighbourhood, go to bars and resturants where we were the only tourists. So yes, you do not have to stay beside the Eiffel Tower ect. Had lunch at Le Cafe Pure where Before Sunset with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delphy was filmed. For us it's more about experiencing the vibe of a city, seeing how the locals live, socialising with them ect rather than being surrounded by tourists at all the major attractions. For such an expensive city, our appartment only cost us €150 for 4 nights, only 15 mins from the Eiffel tower and 20 mins from Versailles. I also got the heads up about the braclet scam from another Utuber before we went and yes, they tried this on us at Sacred Couer but we just walked away. I love your videos, have been to many of the cities you report from. I travelled throughout Europe in my 20's staying with friends in London, Bremen, Munich, Hechingen near Stuggart, Zurich, Salzburg Milan, Cuneo near Turin, Rome ect. All your travels bring back many memories of my own and like you I've lived for many years in Germany not far from Nurnberg and Bamburg. You're a great insperation to anyone who wishes to travel, get out of their comfort zone and experience the beauty and diversiveness of the world and it's many cultures. Next trip for us is Bordeaux for 6 days where we intend to just chill......with some great food and wine of course.
That sounds like the perfect Paris trip to me.
Do you speak French?
Which air n b
Hi Can you recommend the apartment? Planning for 4 nights also. Thank you so much
Comme canadien j’ai visiter Paris souvent et je suis d’accord avec
vos recommandations.
I just returned from 4 days in Paris- This is a really great video. Like he said, you can't do everything. So yes, take that time to relax and just sit at a cafe or walk the streets with no destination in mind. We did not use the Metro- probably could have spread out a bit more but honestly we saw plenty walking and taking taxis- which are kind of like little tours through the city streets- The Metro is underground. It is indeed a busy place year round but our "off peak" trip in September was great. As Notre Dame was closed -we wanted to see the stained glass at Sainte Chappelle. The lines for pre purchased set times were long- We just got in the line for "need tickets people" and passed all of those people up. Same with the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. It is totally fine to just do the touristy things-especially if you may never return. Have fun and bring some super comfy shoes (wife and I actually walked a bunch for months leading up to the trip to get ready- and boy did we walk our buts off! The Language barrier was also a pretty non issue- and plenty of food to choose from if your not up for French Cuisine. (actually had really good Mexican Food our first night) We really enjoyed our trip.
2 lines are partially outside : south and north of the capital.
Hi!
I love these tips.
I just got back from Paris (and only discovered your channel a few days ago) and your advice is spot on!
I'd like to add: Don't stay by the Eiffel Tower- there's not much over there and you'll have to take the metro, bus, or water taxi to get everywhere else, plus I found the food over there to be not as good as elsewhere.
I 100% agree: Don't pay for you hotel breakfast- I went to the local cafe and got a "filter" coffee & 2-3 pastries for 10 Euros or so. (I wanted to eat everything... so I did). I'd get my coffee and pastries, I'd walk to the park nearby (I was next to the Luxembourg Gardens) and just sit for 30 minutes or an hour and take it all in.
The buses, Metro and RER are fairly easy to use but prepare to walk a lot. The only trick is figuring out which direction things are going in. Other than that, I was hoping on and off all the time.
great info
Mistake number one for me was booking a hotel around the back of the Gare Du Nord, very average area and a very average hotel. Easy to get to the Eurostar though, the reason I booked it. You are so right about the metro, so easy to use.
Which hotel?
I actually syayed in Neuilly Sur Seine which is just outside the city limits but still feels like Paris. Alot of the suburbs of Paris like Clichy and Neully Sur Seine are really nice.
I've been living here for 5 years and those tips are great. I'd add one that you sort of touched on. See the city "as a local" and not just as a tourist. Forget the museums, rent a bike, take in the city, enjoy the seine, go for a picnic in one of the parks. August is perfect for that because the Parisians are all gone for the holidays (the metro will be much more empty).
Awesome video !
I agree. I always tell people: Paris is one big museum - it’s a shame to miss it by spending all day at the Louvre, etc. Get out and explore.
Mistake 1, not speaking Arabic
@@markmakallister4653 you obviously don't know the city. There are no more Arabic speakers than there are in English speakers. Put your racist comments elsewhere.
@@ohimats I didn't know giving advice to learn Arabic was racist. I guess everything is racist to people desperate to call anything "racist". The religion of wokeism.
@@ohimats But modern France is as if Charles Martell lost.
1:52 Monument (obelisk) at Place de Fontenoy, in front of the UNESCO building.
5:14 The secluded Square Rapp just off Avenue Rapp.
Great advice. I would add that you don’t have to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was cool just to say that you did it but we found the level just below to be just as good with less of a wait.
I love the artwork of the curved girders myself....its incredible
Going to the top of the Arc is better than going to any level on the Eiffel Tower. You get the amazing views and the views include the Eiffel Tower.
I know you gave tips on saving money on meals, but one mistake I would like to mention is to not live on a limited budget when it comes to food. Paris is the gastronomical capital of the world. You're spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on plane tickets and lodging. Save up a few more Euros to have a high-end meal or two......or three.
I had the best crème brûlée in my life there.
He's not wrong about preferring the lunch specials over the lavish dinners, though. Same good food for a lot less money. And French breakfast is often not worth the money they charge for it in most hotels, but I disagree with Mark when he says that the atmosphere of having your café crème and a croissant in a nice café isn't worth it. People watching is the thing to do in Paris IMO. If you're staying in a self-catering accommodation, making your own breakfast is a good option, though, with some fresh baguette and croissants, but eating on the go is not recommended.
@@barvdw I’ll be traveling from Australia to Paris in September. May I know how to find those lunch specials? That is, is it something that I could find on the internet or you’re referring to the daily specials or set lunches that individual restaurants might have?
@@kimmyt6010 just walk around, most bistrots will have a blackboard or something outside with that day's lunch menu, you pick the restaurant with the lunch menu that interests you. In a more upscale restaurant, you might have to go inside to enquire about it. Some have websites or FB pages you could check, but that's not always the case, or always updated.
Lunch specials are often just one or two choices at affordable prices, you can ask for adaptations (say get fries in stead of mash), but don't count on them agreeing to them, there's a reason why these dishes can be cheaper, they're often made in batches.
In most bistrots, you should be able to get a main course for around €15 (sometimes as little as 10 or 12, going to 17 or 20), with another €5-6 for starters or desert. In more upscale restaurants, this might be €30-35 for a set menu, which would sell at 50-60 at dinner. This is all not including drinks.
To give some examples, in a bistrot, I've had a French onion soup and a nice bœuf bourguignon for €19, once, I had a salmon tartare as a starter with a white fish in a lemon and butter sauce with mash and broccoli with a nice desert for €25 in another, and in a more upscale place I had a light lunch consisting of some bruschetta, monkfish with several vegetables prepared in different ways and as desert some kind of trifle of red fruit for €36. With drinks (I and two friends shared a bottle of house wine and water) I paid a little over €50. If you pick from the menu, even a starter is close to €20 a piece...
@@barvdw Thank you so much for the detailed info! I’ll look out for these specials. Really looking forward to trying the French cuisine in Paris 😊
I am going just to visit the famous michilin starred reataurants for inspiration. I am a chef but in Canada we don not have restaurants quite as good.
One thing I learned is have a plan B for when there is a strike on public transport or the Eiffel Tower (which happened to me) or anywhere else.
Excellent tips in the video and in the comments. First time I visited was 2005. I didn't have a lot of time, but please sit and let the city come to you. One can properly research hotels, sites, and restaurants with technology. Go offseason if possible and always hit places early. Finally, dont forget pics with free sunrises and sunsets!
great tips
When we went to Rome we prepaid for tickets to the coliseum. Well worth it! Walked right past the lines. Thankfully being from NYC I think we are used to many of the tourist scams