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Things to Do in Paris

14 attractions across 4 categories

Things to Do in Paris — Quick Answer

As of 2026
Top sight
Eiffel Tower
Top sight
Louvre Museum
Top sight
Notre-Dame Cathedral

As of 2026, the must-see places in Paris include Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral. See highlights, time needed and tips for each below.

Paris blends historic landmarks, natural scenery, and local food experiences. We've organized 14 attractions across 4 categories. Each attraction card includes entry fees, opening hours, and local tips so you can plan straight from the page. Use the quick links below to jump to your favorite category.

Iconic Landmarks

4 spots
Eiffel Tower amid fountain displays — signature Paris Trocadero view 1

Eiffel Tower

The 330m wrought-iron icon completed for the 1889 World's Fair. Three observation levels: 2nd floor at 115m (best for photos), 1st floor at 57m (glass floor), summit at 276m (panoramic). After dark, sparkles for 5 minutes on the hour. Skipping the queue requires either pre-booked tickets (sells out 2-3 weeks out in summer) or climbing the stairs to the 2nd floor.

Visit Info

  • Price Elevator 2nd floor $19 / €18; summit $35-41 / €33-39; stairs $12 / €11
  • Hours 9:30-23:00 (extended to 0:45 mid-June to early September)
  • Time 1.5-2 hours

Local Tip

Pre-book online 2-3 weeks ahead in summer. The Trocadéro plaza across the river is the postcard photo angle. After dark, time your visit so you're at Trocadéro for the on-the-hour 5-minute sparkle.

Iconic Louvre pyramid glowing against the Paris night sky — I.M. Pei's 1989 design 2

Louvre Museum

World's largest art museum — 615,797 objects (about 35,000 on display) across 73,000 m². The signature pieces are Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Closed Tuesdays. The pyramid entrance designed by I.M. Pei is the iconic exterior shot.

Visit Info

  • Price Pre-booked online $25 / €23; on-site €17 / $18 (longer queue)
  • Hours 9:00-18:00 (Wed/Fri until 21:45); closed Tuesdays
  • Time 3-4 hours

Local Tip

Always pre-book online with timed entry — security queue without can hit 90 minutes. Best 3-hour route: Mona Lisa → Venus de Milo → Winged Victory → Cour Marly → exit. Bring water; cafés inside are overpriced.

Gothic architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral on a clear day in Paris — symbol of Île de la Cité 3

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Reopened December 2024 after 5-year restoration following the 2019 fire. Free entry to the nave. The 387-step bell tower climb (separate ticket) gives a Quasimodo view across Paris. Sainte-Chapelle 5 blocks away is the alternative if Notre-Dame queue is too long — its 13th-century stained glass is more spectacular interior-wise.

Visit Info

  • Price Cathedral free; Bell tower $11 / €10; Sainte-Chapelle $13 / €12
  • Hours 8:00-19:00 (Sat-Sun until 19:30)
  • Time 1-1.5 hours

Local Tip

Reserve bell tower climb in advance — limited slots per hour. Combine with a walk through Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis (the smaller island has the best ice cream — Berthillon).

Arc de Triomphe in Paris under cloudy sky — Napoleon's 1806 monument anchoring Champs-Élysées 4

Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées

Climb the 50m arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées for arguably the best view in central Paris (the Eiffel + 12 radiating avenues). Below, the Champs-Élysées itself runs 1.9 km — the lower half is honestly chain stores; the upper half has the Grand Palais and the better dining streets in side neighborhoods.

Visit Info

  • Price Arc de Triomphe summit $14 / €13
  • Hours 10:00-22:30 (winter until 22:00)
  • Time 1-1.5 hours

Local Tip

Night view from the Arc is spectacular and lines are shorter. The pedestrian tunnel under Place Charles de Gaulle is the only safe way to reach the arch — do not try crossing the 12-lane traffic circle.

Neighborhoods & Culture

3 spots
Tourists and locals on the steps of Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmartre — 130m hilltop Paris view 1

Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur

Hilltop artists' village topped by the white-domed Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Place du Tertre at the top has working portrait artists, though portraits cost $30-50 and the painters are tourist-priced. The dome climb has the second-best free skyline view in Paris (after the basilica steps themselves).

Visit Info

  • Price Basilica free; dome climb $6.30 / €6; funicular $2.30 / €2.15
  • Hours Basilica 6:00-22:30; dome 9:30-19:00
  • Time 2-3 hours including walk

Local Tip

Best at 8-9 AM (before tour buses) or sunset on the front steps for skyline views. Avoid the friendship-bracelet scam at the steps — wave them off firmly.

Le Marais

Trendy historic district covering the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. Picasso Museum (€16 / $17), the Place des Vosges (Paris's oldest planned square), and a concentration of independent boutiques, falafel shops, and gay bars. The only major district where most shops open on Sundays.

Visit Info

  • Price Free to wander; museums vary
  • Hours Most cafés/shops 10:00-22:00; museums vary
  • Time Half day

Local Tip

Sunday morning is the best time — most other Paris districts are closed. L'As du Fallafel queue moves fast despite looking insurmountable; the falafel is genuinely excellent at $9.

Latin Quarter & Saint-Germain

5th and 6th arrondissements — the Sorbonne University, Pantheon (Voltaire and Rousseau's tomb), Luxembourg Garden, and the most concentrated bookstore-and-café streets in Paris. Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots are the historic literary cafés (Sartre, de Beauvoir, Hemingway).

Visit Info

  • Price Pantheon $13 / €12; Luxembourg Garden free
  • Hours Most spots 9:00-22:00
  • Time Half to full day

Local Tip

Shakespeare and Company bookstore opens at 10 AM — go early. Luxembourg Garden's south lawn is a perfect picnic spot; buy bread + cheese + wine at any local boulangerie/fromagerie/cave.

Day Trips

2 spots
Paris architectural beauty viewed from above — palace-style historic architecture 1

Versailles Palace

Louis XIV's 700-room palace and 800-hectare gardens. The Hall of Mirrors and the King's bedroom are unmissable. Closed Mondays. Add 2-3 hours for the gardens — the Trianon palaces and Hameau (Marie Antoinette's farm village) are 30 minutes' walk from the main palace.

Visit Info

  • Price Palace + gardens $23 / €21; passport (palace + gardens + Trianons) $32 / €30
  • Hours 9:00-18:30 (winter until 17:30); closed Mondays
  • Time Full day

Local Tip

RER C from central Paris ($5.20 / €4.85 each way, 45 min). Pre-book skip-the-line — the standard queue can hit 90 minutes. Bring a picnic; restaurants on-site are overpriced.

Disneyland Paris

Two parks: classic Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. The new Avengers Campus opened in 2022; Frozen-themed land opens 2026. Less crowded than Tokyo Disney but still 60-90 minute waits for headline rides on weekends.

Visit Info

  • Price 1-day 1-park $78-100 / €72-93; 2-park $113-135 / €105-125
  • Hours 9:30-23:00 (varies seasonally)
  • Time Full day

Local Tip

RER A from central Paris ($6.40 / €6 each way, 35 min). Tuesday-Wednesday have the lowest crowds. Premier Access individual ride upgrades ($10-25 each) make a real difference on busy days.

Museums & Galleries (beyond the Louvre)

5 spots
Bustling interior of Musée d'Orsay in Paris — 1900 train station converted to museum 1986 1

Musée d'Orsay

The Beaux-Arts railway station converted into a museum in 1986, now home to the world's deepest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection — Van Gogh's self-portraits, Monet's Blue Water Lilies, Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette, the canonical Manet Olympia, Degas ballerinas, Toulouse-Lautrec posters, and the under-loved Symbolist galleries upstairs. The fifth-floor clock window framing the Tuileries Gardens across the Seine is the most-photographed museum interior in Paris. Manageable in 3 hours versus the Louvre's required 5+.

Visit Info

  • Price $18 / €16 (free first Sunday of month; combined ticket with Orangerie $25 / €22)
  • Hours Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-18:00, Thursday until 21:45; closed Mondays
  • Time 3-4 hours

Local Tip

Buy timed tickets online to skip the line that hits 60+ minutes by 11 AM. Thursday late opening (until 21:45) is the canonical Paris move — galleries half-empty after 19:00. The clock-window photo is on the 5th floor at the end of the Impressionist galleries; allow 5 minutes of queue. The combined Orsay + Orangerie ticket at €22 is the obvious package since they're 15 minutes apart on opposite sides of the Tuileries.

Musée de l'Orangerie

The intimate Tuileries Garden museum built to house Monet's Water Lilies cycle in the two oval rooms he designed himself in 1922 — eight massive panoramic canvases (each ~6m × 2m) wrapping you in his Giverny pond from sunrise to sunset across the two rooms. The basement adds the Walter-Guillaume collection (Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso, Soutine). Half the size of the Orsay and half the crowd, but the Water Lilies installation alone makes it the most concentrated single-room museum experience in Paris.

Visit Info

  • Price $15 / €14 (free first Sunday of month; combined with Orsay $25 / €22)
  • Hours Daily 9:00-18:00; closed Tuesdays
  • Time 1.5-2 hours

Local Tip

Arrive at 9 AM opening to have the Water Lilies rooms genuinely to yourself for 10 minutes — the experience is transformed without crowds. The natural light from the oval skylights changes throughout the day; Monet specified this and the museum honors it. Pair with a Tuileries Garden walk (free) and the Orsay across the river for the canonical art-Paris half day.

Centre Pompidou (modern + contemporary art)

Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers's inside-out 1977 building with the colored pipes on the exterior — still controversial 50 years later, still the canonical contemporary-art museum in Paris. The 5th and 6th floors hold the Musée National d'Art Moderne (Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, Léger, Pollock, Warhol) — the largest modern art collection in Europe. The rooftop view from the 6th floor is the under-appreciated Paris skyline angle — Eiffel Tower to the left, Sacré-Cœur to the right, all of Marais below. Closing for major renovation September 2025–2030.

Visit Info

  • Price $15 / €14 museum + rooftop; rooftop only $5 / €5 (free first Sunday of month)
  • Hours Wednesday-Monday 11:00-21:00; closed Tuesdays — verify 2025-2030 renovation status before visiting
  • Time 2-3 hours

Local Tip

Note: the building is closed for renovation September 2025 through 2030. Some collections have moved to Grand Palais (modern art) and other venues during the closure — check the official Pompidou site before booking. The rooftop-only ticket at €5 is the canonical sunset upgrade if you're just after the view.

Musée Rodin

The Hôtel Biron mansion in the 7th arrondissement where Auguste Rodin lived and worked from 1908 until his death in 1917 — now the most atmospheric small museum in Paris. The Thinker, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and The Gates of Hell are all on permanent display, most positioned in the 3-hectare sculpture garden so you encounter them outdoors with the Invalides dome visible in the background. The interior galleries hold his drawings, sketches, and the Camille Claudel works (her 'Maturity' bronze is the emotional center). The most romantic museum in Paris by general consensus.

Visit Info

  • Price $15 / €14 museum + gardens; garden-only $6 / €5 (free first Sunday of month)
  • Hours Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:30; closed Mondays
  • Time 2 hours

Local Tip

The garden ticket alone (€5) is the budget move for a 1-hour sculpture stroll without doing the interior galleries. Last entry is 18:00 sharp. The cafe in the garden makes the canonical Rodin lunch — a coffee or wine at a sculpture-adjacent table is the most-Parisian €12 you'll spend. 7-minute walk from the Invalides Metro station.

Sainte-Chapelle (Gothic stained glass)

The 13th-century royal chapel inside the Palais de la Cité, built by Louis IX in 1248 to house the Crown of Thorns relic — and home to 15 monumental stained-glass windows that wrap you in colored light when sun hits them. The 1,113 individual scenes from the Bible across 600 square meters of stained glass are widely cited as the most beautiful stained-glass installation in the world. The lower chapel is decorated but plain; the upper chapel is the experience — climb a tight spiral staircase to enter and be ready for the gasp.

Visit Info

  • Price $13 / €12 (combined Sainte-Chapelle + Conciergerie ticket $20 / €18)
  • Hours Daily 9:00-19:00 (until 17:00 in winter); occasional Wednesday late openings
  • Time 1 hour

Local Tip

Arrive at 9 AM or visit during a 17:00-19:00 sun-low slot for the maximum color saturation on the glass. Security screening at the Palais de la Cité entrance adds 10-20 minutes — factor it in. Combine with Conciergerie (€6 add-on) for the Marie Antoinette prison cell. The chapel hosts evening classical music concerts (€30-50) that are the canonical Paris luxury experience.

Suggested Walking Routes

Half-day to full-day routes that hit the highlights without backtracking.

Right Bank Iconic Route

About 6 hours
  1. 1
    Eiffel Tower (climb to 2nd floor) 9:00-11:00

    Tip: Stairs queue is half the elevator queue — climb the first 2 floors

  2. 2
    Trocadéro photo + walk along Seine 11:00-12:00
  3. 3
    Lunch at Café Constant or Bistrot du Coin (7th) 12:00-13:30
  4. 4
    Champs-Élysées walk to Arc de Triomphe 13:30-15:00
  5. 5
    Arc de Triomphe summit climb 15:00-15:45

    Tip: Use the underground tunnel — never cross the traffic circle

Marais + Latin Quarter Cultural Walk

About 5 hours
  1. 1
    Notre-Dame Cathedral (free entry) 10:00-11:00

    Tip: Reopened Dec 2024 after 2019 fire restoration

  2. 2
    Sainte-Chapelle stained glass 11:00-12:00

    Tip: More dramatic interior than Notre-Dame for $13

  3. 3
    Lunch at L'As du Fallafel + Place des Vosges picnic 12:00-13:30
  4. 4
    Picasso Museum (Le Marais) 14:00-15:30
  5. 5
    Walk to Saint-Germain via Pont Neuf bridge 15:30-16:30
  6. 6
    Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots coffee stop 16:30-17:30

    Tip: Iconic literary cafés — order au comptoir to save $4 per coffee

By Interest

Quick picks based on travel style — couples, families, budget travelers, and more.

Couples & honeymoon
Eiffel Tower at sunset + Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise + Moulin Rouge

All three together build the canonical Paris romantic evening. Book Bateaux Parisiens 2 weeks ahead and Moulin Rouge 4-6 weeks ahead.

Art lovers
Louvre + Musée d'Orsay + Centre Pompidou

Three eras of Western art in three days. Louvre for ancient through 1850, Orsay for impressionism (Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir), Pompidou for 20th century forward.

Foodies
Bouillon Chartier + L'As du Fallafel + Marché des Enfants Rouges + Pierre Hermé

Classic French + Israeli + market + pastry covers four authentic Paris food categories without breaking the bank.

Family with kids
Disneyland Paris + Eiffel Tower stairs + Jardin d'Acclimatation

Disneyland for the day, Eiffel stairs (kids love climbing), and Jardin d'Acclimatation amusement park in Bois de Boulogne for a quieter day.

Budget travelers
Free museum first Sundays + Sacré-Cœur free view + boulangerie picnic at Champ de Mars

First Sunday hits Louvre + Musée d'Orsay free. Sacré-Cœur view costs nothing. Picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower is the best free dinner spot in Paris.

Architecture buffs
Notre-Dame (post-restoration) + Sainte-Chapelle + Pompidou + La Defense

Gothic + High Gothic + brutalist + modern in one day. Walking distance between Notre-Dame and Pompidou; La Defense is 15 min by Metro 1.

Practical Tips

Local know-how that saves you time and money on the ground.

1

Always say 'Bonjour' before any question — Parisians' coldness reputation comes from skipping this. After a polite greeting, most switch to English.

2

Pre-book Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Versailles tickets 2-3 weeks ahead in summer. Day-of tickets are often only available for terrible time slots.

3

Order coffee 'au comptoir' (standing at the bar) — saves $3-4 per coffee. Same drink, half the price.

4

Navigo Découverte weekly pass ($33 / €30.75) is the best transit deal in Europe — covers all of zones 1-5 including Versailles and Disneyland Paris. Bring a passport photo.

5

Pickpocketing is real on Metro line 1. Keep wallet in front pocket, bag zipped, phone away from doors. Eiffel Tower base and Louvre area are the highest-risk pickpocket zones.

Getting Around

Paris Metro is the answer for 95% of trips. 16 lines, 308 stations, single ride €2.15 / $2.30. Navigo Easy card 10-pack ride saves 25% per ride. For stays of 4+ days, Navigo Découverte weekly $33 / €30.75 covers all of zones 1-5 including Versailles and Disneyland — easily the best transit value in Europe. Walking is genuinely the best way to see central Paris; the Marais to Tuileries to Saint-Germain to Eiffel is one walkable arc.

Scams & Tourist Traps

  • Petition scam at Eiffel/Louvre — woman with clipboard asks 'Do you speak English?' for a 'deaf children's petition.' While you sign, accomplice picks your pocket. Just walk past saying nothing.

  • Gold ring scam — someone 'finds' a gold ring on the ground near you and asks if it's yours. Says you can have it for 'just €20.' Ring is worthless brass. Wave them off firmly.

  • Friendship-bracelet scam at Sacré-Cœur — men tie a string on your wrist 'for free' then demand €20-50. Once tied, refusing gets aggressive. Keep your hands in pockets near the basilica entrance.

  • Unmarked airport taxis at CDG — drivers approach at arrivals offering 'cheap rides' for €100+. Fixed taxi rates from CDG: €58 / $61 to right bank, €62 / $66 to left bank. Always queue at official taxi rank.

  • Pickpocketing on Metro line 1 — busiest tourist line (Concorde, Tuileries, Châtelet, Bastille). Keep wallet in front pocket, bag zipped, phone away from doors. Pickpockets work in pairs near entry/exit at stations.

Book Tours & Activities in Paris

Booking online is typically cheaper than walk-up rates and reserves your spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about attractions and activities in Paris.

What are the five must-see places in Paris?
First, Eiffel Tower + Trocadero (top floor €35.30 / $39). 1889 World's Fair + 330m tallest landmark. Nightly hourly 5-min sparkle show (after sunset to 1 AM, free) is signature. Trocadero plaza gives the #1 face-on photo. Second, Louvre Museum (€22 / $24, 6 hours). World's largest museum — 8 departments, 35,000 works, Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory + I.M. Pei's 1989 glass pyramid. Pre-book online (1-3 hour queue otherwise). Third, Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior free, reopened Dec 2024). 1163 on Île de la Cité + 2019 fire 5-year restoration + essence of 12th-century Gothic. Free exterior + Île de la Cité walks. Fourth, Montmartre + Sacré-Cœur Basilica (free). 130m hilltop, 1923 basilica + Paris panorama + Place du Tertre painters' alley. Fifth, Arc de Triomphe + Champs-Élysées (rooftop €16 / $17). 1806 Napoleon arch + 2km Champs-Élysées + daily Tomb of the Unknown Soldier eternal flame ceremony. Three days hits these five; five days adds Versailles + Disneyland; seven extends to Normandy or Loire châteaux.
What can you do in Paris for free or nearly free?
Eiffel Tower nightly sparkle show (hourly 5 min, after sunset to 1 AM, free) — Trocadero and Champ de Mars are #1 viewing. Sacré-Cœur free entry + Montmartre painters' alley (Place du Tertre) free. Notre-Dame exterior + Île de la Cité walk free (reopened Dec 2024). Seine riverside walks (Quai de Seine, UNESCO) + bridges (Pont des Arts, Pont Alexandre III) free. First Sunday of every month: 25 government museums free (Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Rodin, Picasso, Cluny, Asian Arts). EU residents aged 18-25 enjoy permanent free entry to government museums (bring passport). Paris libraries (BNF Madeleine, Mitterrand) free + WiFi. Place Vendôme + Concorde + Tuileries walks free. Latin Quarter + Saint-Germain streets free (art schools + cafes + bookstores). Le Marais free streets + open on Sundays + vintage shops.
Which Paris attractions are expensive, and how do I save?
Eiffel Tower top €35.30 ($39) + Louvre €22 ($24) + Versailles €19.50 ($21) + Disneyland Paris €56-75 ($62-83) are the priciest. 'Paris Pass' 2-day €165 ($183) / 3-day €209 ($232) — 60+ attractions unlimited + metro pass + advance booking. 'Museum Pass' 2-day €52 ($58) / 4-day €66 / 6-day €78 — 50 government museums and monuments unlimited. First Sunday of every month: government museums free. EU residents 18-25: permanent free entry. 'Paris Visite' transit pass 1-5 day €13-70 ($14-78) — but the regular carnet (€16.90 / $19 for 10 rides) is better value. Michelin 'L'Ami Jean', 'Septime', and bistros modernes at €30-50 ($33-55) per person are Michelin value. Exchange: in-city 'Travelex' and 'Multi-Change' (Champs-Élysées + Opera) beat airport and hotel exchange rates.
What are the best day trips from Paris?
Versailles Palace (RER C 30 min, one-way €4 / $4.50) — 17th-century Louis XIV's absolute monarchy gardens, Hall of Mirrors, King's Apartments, Queen's Hamlet. September-October 'Grandes Eaux Musicales' fountain shows. Entry €19.50 ($21). Disneyland Paris (RER A 40 min, one-way €4 / $4.50) — Europe's #1 Disneyland + Walt Disney Studios across 2 parks. Pre-booking + Fast Pass essential. Giverny (SNCF 1 hour, one-way €15 / $17) — Monet's Garden + water-lily pond + 1883 atelier. Open April-October only. Château de Chantilly (SNCF 25 min, one-way €15) — Renaissance castle + Condé Museum + stables museum. Loire Châteaux (TGV 1h30, one-way €30 / $33) — Tours/Blois base + 30+ Renaissance châteaux (Chambord, Chenonceau). 1-night recommended. Mont Saint-Michel (TGV 2h + bus 1h, round-trip €130 / $145, 1-night recommended) — Normandy UNESCO #1. Brussels (Thalys 1h20, one-way €60 / $67) — Grand Place + waffles + chocolate + Comic Strip Museum.
Where is Paris good for kids?
Disneyland Paris (RER A 40 min, €56-75 / $62-83) — Europe's #1 Disneyland, 1-night Disney Hotel family package €350-700 ($390-780). Parc Astérix (40 min by car, €51 / $57) — French comic-character theme park alternative to Disneyland. Luxembourg Gardens (6e arrondissement, 250,000m², free) — boats (€4), pedal marionettes, playgrounds, 1612 Marie de Médicis garden. Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (19e arrondissement, €15 / $17) — Europe's largest science museum + kid-friendly interactive. Jardin d'Acclimatation (Bois de Boulogne, €7 / $8) — 1860 children's zoo + amusement park. Versailles gardens (palace €19.50, gardens free) + kid-friendly mini carts and bike rentals. Louvre 'Family Trail' (€15 / $17 family package, kids guidebook). Bateaux Mouches (Seine cruise, €16 / $18) — 70-min riverside tour + €110-200 night dinner cruise. Disneyland's Walt Disney Studios Park has Pixar/Marvel + Ratatouille + Toy Story.
Where are the best Paris night views and sunset spots?
Eiffel Tower nightly sparkle show (hourly 5 min, after sunset to 1 AM, free) — Trocadero plaza is the #1 free viewing. Arrive 30 min pre-sunset + 5-min sparkle + full night view. Montparnasse Tower (€20 / $22, 56F) — best place to see the Eiffel Tower in one frame (better than the Eiffel's own top). Sacré-Cœur sunset is free — Paris downtown night view from 130m Montmartre. Arc de Triomphe rooftop (€16 / $17) — 12 streets radiating outward + Champs-Élysées + La Défense night view. Galeries Lafayette rooftop (free, 8F, September-May only) — Haussmann Boulevard + Opera + Paris rooftops. Printemps rooftop (free, 5F) — nearby free night view. Sacré-Cœur sunset is #1 — photos + atmosphere + free. Seine night cruise (Bateaux Mouches, €16, 70 min) — bridges + Eiffel + Notre-Dame from the river. Le Bal Café, Mama Shelter rooftop bar, Terrass' Hotel rooftop (Montmartre) — cocktails €15-25 ($17-28), sunset best.
What scams or rip-offs should I watch for in Paris?
Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Louvre 'free ring' and 'free bracelet' touts — taking one starts demands for money + following. Korean-speaking 'petition signature' touts — signing brings demand for money + simultaneous pickpocketing. Card-skimming at Metro ATMs — use bank ATMs only (BNP, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole). Metro lines 1, 4, 6, 8 (tourist routes) and RER B (airport line) have pickpocketing — bag in front + phone gripped tight. Restaurant 'service charge' demands beyond the 15% already included is a scam — verify 'Service compris' (service included) on the menu. English menus with prices 2-3x the French menu are common at many restaurants — verify the French menu. 'Tourist menu' €25-50 prices are not different from the regular menu — order off the regular menu. Exchange: in-city Travelex and Multi-Change > bank exchange (€10 fee) > ATM (€5 fee) > airport (15% loss). Eiffel + Louvre + Versailles need advance booking (1-3 hour queue otherwise). EU visa-free 90 days (no K-ETA equivalent) + 8-hour time difference from Seoul (7 hours during summer time).
What are the lesser-known local spots most tourists miss in Paris?
Canal Saint-Martin (10e/11e) — 1825 opened + 9 bridges + canal-side cafes/designer boutiques + Hôtel du Nord (1938 film setting) + Du Pain et des Idées bakery (Michelin Bib Gourmand). 11e République + Oberkampf — expat district + indie cafes + live music + Le Comptoir Général (African colonial museum). 13e Butte-aux-Cailles — mini Montmartre + cobbled streets + art + indie cafes. 19e Buttes-Chaumont — 1867 opened 250,000m² park + artificial lake + cliffs. 20e Père Lachaise cemetery — graves of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Édith Piaf. Belleville (20e) — Paris Chinatown + Chinese/Vietnamese/Asian food + street art (JR + Banksy works). Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen (northern Paris, Fri-Sun, world's largest antique market, opened 1885). Coulée Verte René-Dumont (original High Line, 1993, 4.7km elevated walkway). Michelin value: L'Ami Jean, Septime, Le Comptoir du Relais, Frenchie at €40-80 ($45-90) per person. Du Pain et des Idées, Boulangerie Poilâne, Pierre Hermé — Paris baking Michelin. Cafés: Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots (Saint-Germain, 1880), Le Procope (Paris's oldest cafe, 1686, 6e).

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Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.

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