Paris

Travel tips and unusual things to do in Paris

If you dream of visiting Paris, you’re not alone. It’s the most visited city in the world for international tourists. No wonder: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées…the Seine… As romantic as those things are, each time I visit I discover more unique and unusual things to do in Paris. And I want to share them with you!

My Paris travel tips have been learned from over 10 years of visiting. My first trip was for just three days en route from London to Switzerland, and I fell in love with everything about the place. My longest visit has been three weeks, and I’ve also done a “day trip” on a long layover. Any amount of time is a good idea! But for a first visit to Paris I recommend between 4 and 7 days. There is just so much to see and do.

Five reasons to visit Paris

1. Art! Yes, the Mona Lisa and the treasures of the Louvre but also specialized galleries and museums, street art and public sculpture, there is so much to inspire.
2. For the cost of a coffee or tea you can sit on a cute terrace and watch some of the world’s most stylish people go by.
3. Food. From cheap crepes on the street to the most creative Michelin-star chefs, mind-blowing pastries, and all those incredible French cheeses,
4. It’s a perfect walking city, to wander from one neighbourhood to the next, there’s an intangible feeling and a spirit everywhere you go.
5. If you’re under 26, many of the cultural attractions are free.

How to get around in Paris

Here are some things I had to learn as a visitor from Canada about getting around Paris.

The public transportation is RATP, which operates both the Metro (the subway, which is cheaper) and the RER (light rail, which is faster). These are both convenient, affordable, and will get you almost anywhere you need to go, including to/from the airports, but also can be confusing.

Here in Toronto we don’t have fare “zones” – you pay one price for a ticket to ride anywhere in the system. In Paris, you have to know where you plan to go, and buy a ticket or pass that covers that zone. Or you can be like me and stuck unable to get out! I recommend asking staff at the kiosks, they can help you and also sell you a ticket.

If you download the RATP app, you can load money on your phone and tap/pay that way.

Know that some stations have looooong walks underground from the street entrance to the actual platform. Also not every one has escalators or elevators. If you are hauling your luggage, pack light!

Uber is available pretty much everywhere, all the time. But unlike in my city, they can’t/won’t always come exactly to where you are. Because of one-way streets and such you may need to choose a pick-up spot. This can be confusing. I’ve had drivers call me to explain where to meet them—I speak French so that’s fine. But check this pick-up zone before you confirm your ride.

Bike share in Paris is great! It’s fast. You don’t need to climb up/down the metro stairs. And there are a lot of dedicated bike lanes for safety. Velib and Lime e-bikes are everywhere. You’ll need a mobile phone with data to use them, and I recommend downloading the app and putting your credit card info in before you arrive so you are good to go whenever you need a bike.

Safety Tips for Paris

I’ve been to Paris with a partner, and with friends, but mostly solo. As a single woman, I generally feel safe out and about alone in Paris. There is a serious pickpocket problem though, so please mind your purse/bags at all time and be suspicious of anyone who tries to distract you.

Use your common sense, trust your gut and the same safety precautions you would take anywhere, and you will most likely encounter no problems. (And if you need safety travel tips, I wrote a whole book!)

So read on for my tips to find strange and unusual things to do in Paris.  I hope they inspire you to step off the beaten path and see something different on your trip to Paris.

My solo travel tips and picks for the best unusual things to do in Paris