Plan Your Trip to Paris!

Planning a trip to Paris? This is where to start. Below, you’ll find my guides to Paris for every month of the year, all 20 arrondissements, what to pack for each season, and practical things to know before you land, like the Metro, renting an apartment, and French customs. I’ve been to Paris more than 50 times, and these guides come from those trips.

New to Paris? Start here:

Paris for the First Time Paris Travel Guide: What to Expect Paris Arrondissements Guide

Jump to: By month | Neighborhoods | Planning | What to wear | Know before you go | What to Eat in Paris | As seen in | FAQ

Paris Guides

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Paris This Season

Planning a trip in the next few months? These are the guides to read now, with the weather, events, and packing lists for the season ahead.

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Trip Overview | Travel Budget | Accommodation Tracker | Transportation Tracker | Activities Planner | Pre-Trip Planning | Places to Visit | Itinerary Overview | Daily Itinerary | Arrondissement Guides | Road Trip Planning | Packing List | Outfit Planner | Expense Tracker | Souvenirs & Gifts List | To do List | January-December Planning Calendar | Paris Bucket List Checklist | and Travel Journal

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Planning

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Start here if you’re deciding where to stay, what to expect, or how to approach your first or second trip. These guides cover renting an apartment, what Paris is really like, and what to do on a return visit.

Packing

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What to wear in Paris depends a lot on the season. Each guide includes a packing list, so choose the one that matches your travel dates.

Arrondissements

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Not sure where to stay? Start with my guide to all 20 arrondissements, then dive into the neighborhood that fits your trip.

Read the Arrondissement Guide

Know Before You Go

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Practical guides to help you feel at ease from day one, from getting around Paris to French customs and the unwritten rules of dining out.

As Seen in

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Visit the Paris of your favorite films and shows, and the women who shaped its style. These guides follow Audrey Hepburn’s and Coco Chanel’s Paris, and the filming locations of Lupin and Emily in Paris.

Eating in Paris

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From macarons and crêpes to hot chocolate and the famous baguette, these guides cover where to eat and what to try.

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Paris FAQs

It depends on what you want. Spring and early fall offer mild weather, summer is busiest and hottest, and winter is quieter, with Christmas markets and often lower hotel prices. My month-by-month guides cover the weather, events, and what to pack, so you can compare before you book.

Most visitors combine walking with the Metro, which reaches nearly every neighborhood. My Paris Metro guide covers what you need to know before your first ride.

Comfortable walking shoes and layers work in any season; the rest depends on the weather. I have a packing list for each season: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Each of Paris’s 20 arrondissements has its own feel, so the best choice depends on what you want from the trip. In my arrondissement guide, I recommend the 1st and 7th for first visits and iconic sights, and I compare all 20 side by side. If you’re staying a week or longer, renting an apartment is also worth considering.

It can be, especially for longer stays or when traveling with family, but short-term rentals in Paris come with specific rules, and costs vary. My guide to renting an apartment in Paris covers the rules, costs, and what’s included.

A rainy day is a good excuse for museums, covered passages, and long café stops, all of which Paris does well. My rainy-day guide has places to plan around bad weather.

A few habits go a long way: say bonjour when you walk in, take your time over the meal, and ask for the check when you’re ready, since it usually won’t arrive until you do. My guide to French dining etiquette covers the do’s and don’ts in more detail, and my market etiquette guide covers shopping at a French market.

That depends on where your train starts, because Paris has six major train stations that serve different regions and countries. Your ticket will list the station, and my Paris train stations guide is a great place to start.

Absolutely. Once the big sights are behind you, you can slow down and explore neighborhoods, markets, and the places that don’t make the first-timer lists. My guide to Paris for the second time has ideas for what to do after your first trip.

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