30 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Paris

Key “don’ts” and Paris travel/lifestyle tips

Where NOT to stay / what to book

• Don’t book a hotel near the Eiffel Tower
  • The area is mostly souvenir shops, overpriced cafés, and tour buses—plus you’ll be far from the rest and waste time on the metro.
• Book hotels by reading reviews
  • Watch for “chambre de bonne” (converted servant rooms) and other budget tricks like slanted ceilings, paper-thin walls, and no elevators.
  • Don’t rely only on photos or star ratings.
• Don’t go to major attractions without reservations
  • Louvre/Versailles/Eiffel Tower tickets can sell out.
  • Eiffel Tower may require climbing (674 stairs to the 2nd floor if you don’t have elevator tickets).
  • Book in advance—they use GetYourGuide and recommend checking closing days and strikes.
• Check for strikes and closures
  • Many museums/bakeries close one day per week.
  • Transportation strikes can also disrupt the metro/bus/train.

How to behave in shops & restaurants (etiquette + money)

• Don’t start speaking English immediately
  • Start with “bonjour”, make eye contact, then ask “Parlez-vous anglais ?”
  • Use offline Google Translate if needed.
• Don’t buy pastries from random bakeries
  • Look for “boulangerie” (French law: fresh-baked on site).
  • For dessert like éclairs/tarts, go to “patisserie”.
  • Watch for a tiny star that can indicate frozen items.
  • Morning lines are a good sign; also check Google Maps reviews.
• Know tipping basics
  • Service is included by law; tipping isn’t required, but locals sometimes leave a little extra for great service.
  • Typical suggestions mentioned:
    • Café: round up or add €1–€2
    • Restaurant: €3–€5
  • Don’t be pushed into 20% tipping—it can be a sign of a tourist trap.
• Don’t fall for tourist-trap restaurants
  • Avoid restaurants near major monuments (e.g., Louvre/Eiffel Tower areas).
  • Red flags:
    • Menus entirely in English
    • “Authentic French breakfast” wording
    • Extremely tourist-inflated pricing
  • Use Google Maps: look for 4+ stars and 200+ reviews.
• Don’t sit in a café/restaurant without checking the menu + prices
  • Menus are required to be displayed outside—locals check; you should too.
• Don’t order lunch “à la carte”
  • Choose “formule de déjeuner” (fixed-price weekday set lunch, typically €15–€25), which often saves 30–50%.
• Don’t request customizations
  • In France, the chef decides the plate. Dietary restrictions are fine—tell your waiter.
• Don’t ignore table manners
  • Avoid slurping/burping, speaking too loudly, and putting elbows on the table.

Safety + pickpocketing habits

• Don’t let pickpockets win
  • Paris is especially bad for pickpockets; teams use distraction + grab tactics.
  • Be extra careful around Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmartre, and crowded metro lines.
• Bag/phone rules
  • Don’t hang your bag on the back of a chair.
  • Avoid back pockets; split cards/cash into front pockets.
  • If using a purse: keep it zipped and in front at all times.
  • In crowds or when approached: keep one hand on your bag/phone to show you’re alert.
• Emergency number
  • Don’t dial 911; in Europe call 112.

Getting around Paris (and what to avoid)

• Don’t hail random street taxis
  • Risk of unlicensed drivers overcharging or taking longer routes.
  • If using street taxis, use G7 (meter-based), or use Uber.
• Don’t use cars for local travel
  • Traffic is heavy; locals rely on the metro.
  • Transit tip:
    • Get a Navigo Easy card (cost mentioned: €2, rides loaded around €2.5 each).
  • Metro pickpocket note:
    • Lines 1 and 4 are especially targeted—keep your bag in front and your phone tucked away.
• Metro behavior
  • Don’t rush in like it’s a sale.
  • On escalators: stand on the right so people pass on the left.
  • If fold-down seats get crowded: stand up to free space.

When/where to go (timing + crowd avoidance)

• Don’t visit in July/August
  • Extremely crowded streets, hot days, and many small shops/bakeries close for summer vacation.
• If you must go in summer
  • Start earlier and book top sights far in advance.

Planning your days

• Don’t overschedule your itinerary
  • Limit to two big activities per day (AM + PM).
  • Leave time to wander, relax, people-watch, or picnic by the Seine with baguette + cheese.
• Don’t go to the Louvre without a plan
  • It’s huge (35,000+ pieces) and easy to loop galleries repeatedly.
  • Planning options:
    • Research highlights beforehand (Denon wing; Winged Victory of Samothrace, Coronation of Napoleon, Mona Lisa—not as large as expected)
    • Or take a guided tour for better storytelling.

Avoid “tourist traps” beyond food

• Don’t treat Paris like a theme park
  • Avoid things like scribbling names on benches, tossing coins into fountains, or lock-bridges.
• Don’t put love locks on bridges
  • They’re illegal now; the city removes them due to bridge damage.
• Don’t do cookie-cutter tours
  • Hop-on hop-off buses and sardine-crowded cruises can reduce the magic.
  • A less crowded experience was preferred; an evening dinner Seine cruise was suggested as a highlight.

Mindset reminders

• Don’t expect instant perfection
  • Mistakes happen (overpaying for coffee, mispronouncing French, etc.)—that’s normal.
• Don’t succumb to “Paris Syndrome”
  • Paris is beautiful, but it’s also a real city—some areas can be noisy, gritty, or smelly, especially along riverbanks. Keep expectations realistic.

Notable locations / products / people mentioned

• Locations: Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Le Marais, Latin Quarter, 11th Arrondissement, Louvre, Versailles, Seine River
• Products/Services: Navigo Easy card, G7 taxis, Uber, GetYourGuide (ticket booking), offline Google Translate
• Food spots/terms: boulangerie, patisserie, formule de déjeuner, service continu, au comptoir, cafe noisette, cafe crème
• Restaurants mentioned: L’Escargot de Montorgeuil, Procope
• Speakers: Naick and Kim