After several trips to Paris over the last few years, and spending an entire month there October of 2022, I have finally created the ultimate guide to Paris. Une Journée Indigo. This is an extensive guide of my favorite restaurants, cafés, boulangeries, shopping and museums. Along with some insider tips.
The one thing that is not in my guide, are hotels. I have not spent enough time in hotels to provide recommendations on that. The ones I’ve stayed in are featured in this post.
The Ultimate Guide To Paris
How to Get To Paris
There are two airports you can fly into, Charles De Gaulle and Orly. CDG is probably the one you’ll fly into it. It’s a disaster of an airport so when leaving Paris, give yourself ample time to navigate the millions of terminals and confusion. Once you land in CDG, you’re about a 40-minute drive to the city depending on traffic. Uber and taxis are readily available. You can also take the metro which is really easy and only about 10 euros. This is a really affordable way to get into the city. Metros are really easy to navigate, too.
Where To Stay In Paris
Westin Paris Vendome
This was across from the Tuileries and highly recommend staying here. The location is incredible since you can pretty much walk to everything from here.
Hotel Léopold
My most recent hotel stay which was right in Montparnasse which is walkable to Latin Quarter, St Germaine and Luxembourg gardens. We had a slight issue with noise and had to change rooms due to it. While I loved the hotel itself, it was clean, adorable, very boutique-style, it was very small and not in the center of the action. This was fine for me because I didn’t need to see all the touristy stuff on this visit, but something to keep in mind if you’re planning on staying in the 1st arrondissement which is where the Tuileries are, the Louvre and so on.
Best Restaurants In Paris
The thing about Paris that I just love are all the cafes and brasseries on every single corner. All the little bistro tables and chairs face outwards towards the street. You just grab a spot and enjoy while you do some people watching. You can find a lot of the same things on the menus at brasseries and cafes and they’re typically open most of the day from breakfast until late in the evening.
And if you’re sick of French food after all these brasseries, I’ve got several favorite non-french restaurants I have discovered. After spending a month in the city, sometimes I just needed some Thai food or a good salad. My Paris guide, une journée indigo, will have it all in there with over 45 restaurants, cafés, boulangeries and more. If you’d like to get your copy, you can get $5 off and sign up below!
Paris Photographers
Whether you’re in Paris as a blogger or a tourist, I truly believe it’s great to work with a photographer to capture some beautiful photos and memories of your trip. It’s an hour or two of your day with pictures you’ll cherish forever. Plus, local photographers always seem to have the best recommendations.
Best Museums, Parks And Monuments In Paris
Louvre Museum
Home of the Mona Lisa, but fun fact turn around when you’re looking at her to see a stunning masterpiece.
Tuileries Palace & Gardens
Louvre is located inside the Tuileries and is a stunning park to sit and relax. The Tuileries is also a stunning garden to explore. Spend a couple of hours here walking around, resting your feet by a fountain in a chair, and take it all in.
Eiffel Tower
Pack a picnic and watch it light up at night on the hour. The Eiffel Tower can also be viewed at the Trocadero which is where this photo was taken.
Arc de Triomphe
Visit this gorgeous arch in the middle of the wildest roundabout in Paris. Be sure to take a pic at the crosswalk in front of it like we did here!
Musee Dorsay
A popular museum to visit. This is the place that has that famous photo of the clock inside that everyone takes photos with.
Sacre Couer
Located in the 18th ar, this must visit church is a bit far from everything else. However, it has incredible views of the entire city. It’s also just 2 blocks from the popular Instagram worthy pink cafe, Le Maison Rose.
Notre Dame
A free tour, walk inside to see the incredible history and architecture. This is a must visit if you’re in Paris.
Jardin du Palais Royale
This is where all those black and white stumps are. Also home to Cafe Kistune, a must-visit. Be sure to order the chai or matcha latte. Two of my favorites from there.
Jardin de Luxembourg
This is like a mini Tuileries and I loved it. It borders two really great neighborhoods, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. The classic green Paris chairs are everywhere here.
Best Shopping, Neighborhoods And Non Museum Things To Explore
Le Marais
A predominantly Jewish neighborhood with great food and shopping. A heavy Israeli influence with lots of great Mediterranean dishes to explore and bakeries for traditional fare. Spend an afternoon here shopping and eating.
Latin Quarter
Home to my favorite crêperie that I share in my guide to Paris. This is a fun little neighborhood walking distance from Notre Dame. Tons of great restaurants, cafes and shops.
AirBNB Experience
We did a pastry class (this one) and absolutely loved it!
Champs-Élysées
You can walk up and down this street where the Arc du Triomphe is on, but also go down some side streets to find even more shopping. Lots of high end designer stores as well.
Take A Day Trip From Paris
The trains in Europe make getting around easy and quickly. Highly recommend taking a day to explore somewhere new even just for one day on your trip. In my guide, une journée indigo – my guide to Paris, I share four different day trips you can take from Paris in under 2 hours via train.
Things To Know Before Visiting Paris
Currency
Euro – I always recommend having some US dollars on hand as well as Euro. Visa is taken pretty much everywhere though. Check your card before you head out to make sure you aren’t being charged a foreign transaction fee.
Tipping
Usually included in the service of the bill. Leave a little extra if they were fantastic.
Learn A Few Words
Anytime I travel to a foreign country, I like to learn a few easy things like hello, thank you and goodbye. It’s nice to be able to say these things to the locals so you don’t look like an ignorant American (it’s painful to watch when you don’t try!). Hello – bonjour // Goodbye – Au Revoir // Thank You – Merci. I also like to use the Google Translate app to learn a few things and how to properly pronounce them. Highly recommend it!
