Best Paris Hotel In France & 24 Top Things To Do
Best Paris Hotel In France & 24 Top Things To Do
This was our first trip together. In the fall of 2012 we decided to visit the city of love, of lights and the capital of fashion. We ordered a cruise on the river Seine and for 4 days we lived the Parisian dream together. At the end of our article you will know everything about attractions, Paris hotels, restaurants, flights, getting around and the best shopping spots!
Table of Contents
France Map
Informations
Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. Paris has been one of Europe’s major centers of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, science and arts.
Temperature: The warm season lasts 3 months, from 15 June until 15 September with an average temperature of 22 °C (71°F).The cool season lasts 4 months, from November to early March with an average temperature of 11 °C (51°F).
Language: the main language is French, of course. English is also spoken because there are many tourists everywhere. On our cruise ship were also Spanish, English, German and French people. If you speak one of these language you will have no problems.
Currency: Euro
Food Prices: Cheap Restaurant 15 EUR/person, Mid-range Restaurant 2 persons 60 EUR
We chose the cruise company Cruise Critic and everything was wonderful and was prepared to very high standards on the ship. We recommend this company if you want to have an amazing vacation!
The ship stayed most of the time in the port of the Seine, but it also sailed twice on the river, and we enjoyed wonderful views over the city. While the ship was in port, we included in the price the visits, so we went with our group by bus to look for the wonderful attractions of Paris.
We had a few trips included in the price of the cruise, but I also ordered a few extras. We ordered them with Get Your Guide and Viator (you just have to compare the prices) and so we spared money. We always recommend to buy the trips with a couple of days or weeks and you will get them cheaper.
Also if you don’t have trips included and you don’t want something too elaborate you can choose a Big Bus tour that has a certain itinerary for the city’s attractions. But if, on the contrary, you want to have as much time as you want to visit the attractions and you don’t want to go by bus, you can always rent a car.
Things to do
The first stop was at the Louvre Museum which is the largest museum of history and art in France and one of the most important museums in the world. It is located in the center of the French capital, Paris, between the right quay of the Seine and Rivoli Street. Here are some pictures taken at the Louvre Museum:
Louvre Museum
The Louvre, officially the Louvre Museum, is an art museum in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. It is located in the historic Louvre Palace, the former residence of the French kings, on the right bank of the Seine. Since opening in 1793, its collection has grown to more than 380,000 objects, of which around 35,000 are on display. With 72,735 square meters and 9.6 million visitors in 2019, the Louvre is the largest and most visited art museum in the world.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a 330 meter high iron truss tower in Paris. It’s in the 7th arrondissement at the north-west end of the Champ de Mars, near the banks of the Seine. Built from 1887 to 1889, the 10,100-ton structure was built as a monumental entrance portal and lookout tower for the world exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The tower, named after the builder Gustave Eiffel and still 312 meters high at the time of construction, was the tallest building in the world from its construction until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d’Orsay is an art museum in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It is located on the south bank of the Seine, opposite the Tuileries Garden. The building was originally a train station: the Gare d’Orsay. . The conversion was led by the architectural firm ACT Architecture until the Musée d’Orsay opened in 1986. In the Musée d’Orsay, more than 4000 exhibits are shown on 16,000 square meters. With a few exceptions, the paintings, sculptures, graphics, photographs, handicrafts and design works as well as architecture date from the period between 1848 and 1914.
Center Pompidou
The Center national d’art et de culture Georges-Pompidou, also known colloquially as Center Pompidou or Beaubourg, also called La Raffinerie by the locals, is a state arts and culture center in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. It was designed by the architects Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini on the initiative of former French President Georges Pompidou and opened on January 31, 1977 after five years of construction. Structural engineer was Edmund Happold from Arup.
Champs Élysées
The Avenue des Champs Élysées, also known as the Champs Élysées or colloquially Les Champs, is a boulevard in the French capital of Paris. It is 70 meters wide and 1910 meters long. Located throughout its length in the 8th arrondissement, it begins at Place de la Concorde and ends at Place Charles-de-Gaulle. It forms the middle part of the visual axis Ax historique between the obelisk and the Arc de Triomphe.
The Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles in Paris’ neighboring city of the same name is one of the largest palace complexes in Europe and was the main residence of the kings of France from the mid-17th century until the outbreak of the French Revolution. The baroque building, the largest of which is more than half a kilometer, is considered a highlight of European palace architecture and served as a model for numerous other palace buildings from the 17th to the 19th century.
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris at 8.64 hectares. It is located north of the Seine in the 8th arrondissement between Jardin des Tuileries and Avenue des Champs-Élysées. With a length of 359 meters and a width of 212 meters and an area of 68,470 m², the Place de la Concorde is the second largest square in France after the Place des Quinconces in Bordeaux and, along with the Place des Vosges, Place Dauphine, Place Vendôme and Place des Victoires, is one of the largest five royal squares of the city.
Opéra Garnier
The Opéra Garnier, also known as the Palais Garnier, is one of the two Parisian opera houses that are subordinate to the state institution Opéra National de Paris. It was opened in 1875 and is located on the right bank of the Seine in the 9th arrondissement. It is named after its architect, Charles Garnier. Since the Opéra Bastille opened in 1989, the Opéra Garnier has been used primarily for ballet performances by the in-house Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, but it still performs classical operas as well.
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is a 2230-hectare leisure complex in the ville nouvelle Marne-la-Vallée commune of Chessy, 32 km east of Paris, France. The resort was opened on April 12, 1992 after four years of construction and has since been visited by over 320 million people from all over the world. Today it includes the two theme parks Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, the Disney Village entertainment area, the Golf Disneyland golf course, several hotels and residential and business districts. With an estimated 9.9 and 4.3 million visitors, both parks were among the five most visited amusement parks in Europe in 2014
Jardin des Tuileries
The Jardin des Tuileries is a French-style former baroque palace park at the Louvre in Paris. The park extends from the Place de la Concorde in the west to the Louvre in the east and is bounded by the right bank of the Seine in the south and by the Rue de Rivoli in the north.
Sainte-Chapelle
The Sainte-Chapelle is the former palace chapel of the former royal residence Palais de la Cité on the Île de la Cité in Paris’ 1st arrondissement. Built from around 1244 to 1248, it exemplifies the High Gothic style of the mid-13th century. Its construction arose from the need to donate a Gothic-style replica of the eponymous so-called “Holy Chapel” in Paris in the Great Palace of the Byzantine capital Constantinople, from which the Passion relics had been acquired after the Fourth Crusade.
Pont Alexandre 3
The Pont Alexandre III is a neo-baroque style bridge over the Seine in Paris. It is considered “probably the most impressive and also boldest arch bridge of its era”.
Panthéon
The Panthéon on Saint Genoveva Hill in Paris is France’s national hall of fame and the burial place of famous French figures. The building was designed as the church of the powerful Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève, by order of King Louis XV. Erected between 1764 and 1790 by the architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot and his students, but after completion was rededicated and declared a secular memorial by the leaders of the revolution.
Place des Vosges
The Place des Vosges is a square in the Marais district of Paris. It is the oldest of the five “Royal Squares” and is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. The square has the dimensions of about 140×140 meters and was designed by Louis Métezeau. It forms a closed square, connected on one side by a main road, while on the opposite side two bridge houses give access. – It is considered the «template» of the Place Ducale in Charleville-Mézières.
Pont Neuf
The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge over the Seine in Paris that has been preserved in its original state. Construction began in 1578 and lasted until 1607.
Pont des Arts
The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge over the River Seine in Paris, connecting the Quai François-Mitterrand in the 1st arrondissement on the right bank with the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement on the left bank. It thus runs exactly on an axis between the center of the Cour Carrée des Louvre, the archway leading from it to the banks of the Seine and the Institut de France on the other side. It is the first bridge below the Île de la Cité and the Pont Neuf. The Pont des Arts is followed downstream by the Pont du Carrousel.
Champ de Mars
The Champ de Mars, also known as Parc du Champ de Mars, is a large green area of today 24.3 ha in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, originally used for military purposes and later used for exhibitions. At its north-west end, not far from the Seine, rises the Eiffel Tower, a remnant of the Universal Exhibition of 1889. To the south-east it is delimited by the Place Joffre and the Avenue de la Motte-Picquet from the École Militaire. North of the Seine, the green space continues in the gardens of the Trocadéro.
Palais du Luxembourg
The Palais du Luxembourg is a palace in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, surrounded by an originally baroque parkland from the early 17th century called the Jardin du Luxembourg. Initially used as a residence for members of the royal family, it became state property during the Revolution and has been the seat of the Senate, France’s second parliamentary chamber, since 1800.
Saint-Sulpice
Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic parish church in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district of Paris. It is dedicated to Saint Sulpicius II of Bourges as the patron saint. The church is 118 m long and 57 m wide. With these dimensions, it is only slightly shorter than the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral, making it the second largest church in the city. Beneath the naves are various crypts, the total area of which is almost as large as the area of the church itself.
Church of La Madeleine
The Parish Church of La Madeleine is one of the most important sights in Paris. It is in the 8th arrondissement, about 400 m northeast of the Place de la Concorde and about 500 m southwest of the Opéra Garnier.
Arch of Triumph
The Arc de Triomphe is a monument erected between 1806 and 1836 in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle in Paris. It is one of the landmarks of the metropolis. Beneath the arch lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I, with the daily maintained Eternal Flame, called Flamme du Souvenir in French, in memory of the dead who have never been identified. Wreath-laying and tributes are held throughout the year, culminating in the parade on November 11th, the anniversary of the armistice between France and Germany in 1918. For pedestrians, the Arc de Triomphe is accessible only through an underpass
The next day we did the second tour of Paris, on land, and it included the Cathedral of Notre Dame which is a monument of early Gothic architecture in France, the seat of the Archdiocese of Paris. The cathedral is located on the Île de la Cité in central Paris.
Cathedral of Notre Dame
The Roman Catholic Church of Notre-Dame de Paris is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris. The church, under the patronage of Our Lady, i.e. the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built between 1163 and 1345, making it one of the earliest Gothic church buildings in France. Her name is Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris in French, often just Notre-Dame. Its distinctive silhouette rises in the historic center of Paris on the eastern tip of the Île de la Cité in Paris’ 4th arrondissement.
The next stop was at Moulin Rouge, and we were delighted to see the famous cabaret in Montmartre.
Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret show in the Montmartre district of Paris, on the Place Blanche in the 18th arrondissement, in the Pigalle entertainment district.
Of course, as a last stop we visited the Montmartre district from where we could have a wonderful view over Paris .Then we visited the amazing Sacred Heart Basilica(Sacre Coeur Basilica) . These are our pictures from this tour:
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris
The Basilica minor Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage church built in the neo-Byzantine style on Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, which bears the patron saint of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pictures we taked during the day in Paris:
Pictures we taked during the night in Paris:
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. Paris offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – France‘s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.com, Trip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them. As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation.
Top hotels we recommend in Paris: Elysées Union, Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, citizenM Paris Gare de Lyon, Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel , Elysées Ceramic.
Before we introduce you to the best known restaurants in Paris, some unique restaurants and we will tell you everything you need to know about traditional food in France, what are the dishes you should not miss, but also about deserts.
French cuisine is unique and extraordinary, because here we find many traditional dishes and to mention them all i would have to write a whole separate article just about French cuisine. I will now mention some of the most famous dishes that we also have tasted during our visits and we think they really taste better when they are prepared with the typical ingredients from France. Of course you can get inspiration from here and try to cook these recipes yourself at home.
Traditional Food
What is the most famous food in France? It’s the humble, staple, French food—the Baguette! The French take their Baguettes very seriously.
Ratatouille (Provençal Vegetable Stew)-Ratatouille is packed with healthy fresh produce, including tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, courgettes, eggplants, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, all cooked together on the stove.
French onion soup – This is a traditional French soup made of onions and beef stock, usually served with croutons and melted cheese on top.
What is the most famous food in France? It’s the humble, staple, French food—the Baguette! The French take their Baguettes very seriously.
Ratatouille (Provençal Vegetable Stew)-Ratatouille is packed with healthy fresh produce, including tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, courgettes, eggplants, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, all cooked together on the stove.
French onion soup – This is a traditional French soup made of onions and beef stock, usually served with croutons and melted cheese on top.
Quiche Lorraine – Is a savory tart named after the Lorraine region.
Camembert de Normandie– Cheese from the Normandy Region
“Coq Au Vin” dish— translates to, “rooster and wine.” This traditional French dish is a stew comprised of champignons, red wine, white onions, chicken or pork blood, and rooster or hen meat.
Escargot is a French meal that is served with cooked land snails, vegetables, and an assortment of different sauces.
France desserts you should try – Mousse au Chocolat, Crème de Marrons (Sweetened Chestnut Purée), Crêpes, Profiteroles, Eclairs, Macarons and Croissants.
Where to Eat
Le Fouquet’s– Open since 1899, the historic Le Fouquet’s is a legendary spot in Paris, and famous for hosting the post-dinner celebrations of the César Awards ceremony for the last 40 years.
Restaurant Lasserre, Paris, France- located just off the Champs-Élysées, takes the cake with its gold accents, giant chandeliers, and Michelin-Starred haute-cuisine.
Sur un arbre perché (Perched on a Tree), is to have a healthy, natural, relaxing meal. And for a truly relaxing experience the restaurant offers shiatsu massages after a delicious meal!
Aptly named “In the Dark” , this Parisian restaurant offers a dining experience in complete darkness!
The bar-restaurant Le Kube for a unique and surreal atmosphere. The uniqueness of this restaurant lies in the illuminated ice-bar made of 20 tons of ice with igloo counters.
Le Wagon Bleu (The Blue Wagon) constructed inside an original carriage from the Orient Express, takes you back in time and sends you on an imaginary journey through a land full of history.
Le Dernier Bar Avant la Fin du Monde (The last bar before the end of the world)- You can dress-up as your favorite character, Batman, Jedi, Iron-Man or simply be yourself and meet other fans!
Restaurant Le Jules Verne. It is located in the Eiffel Tower at a height of 124 meters. Here you can combine a cultural program with a gastronomic one: views of the city, good music and French cuisine.
Saving Tips
1. Transit companies often have an office on campus where you can sign up for the monthly or yearly pass when the school year starts.
2. Students and/or those under 26 qualify for special fares when subscribing for public transit. To get these fares, you usually have to show your student card or identity card when subscribing.
The Imagine’R card: reserved for students who live in Île-de-France, this special pass gives unlimited travel throughout Île-de-France for less than 350 euros per year.
The ticket jeune: reserved for those under 26 and valid for 24 hours on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday, it lets you travel freely within a limited zone for just 4 euros.
3. To still enjoy a good meal at the restaurant without breaking the bank, check out restaurants that offer a “Menu du jour” (menu of the day). It will usually include 2 to 3 courses, maybe a drink, and will cost around 10 to 15 euros.
4. Last-minute tickets are usually super expensive and can be 5 times more expensive than they were at first. You can book a train ticket 3 months before, and it’s not cheaper to book a round trip ticket, so you can book one way first, when the tickets are available, and the return ticket later.
5. On the first Sunday of every month, a collection of museums and monuments around the city of light, open up their doors completely free of charge. These days can get pretty busy, so make sure to arrive at least half an hour before the opening time, or risk a three-hour long queue- particularly for Paris favorites like the Louvre.
6. Paris Museum Pass for the most cost effective way to see everything since admission fees can really pile up. The Paris Museum Pass is available in 2-, 4- and 6-day options and gives you access to over 50 museums and monuments in the capital and the surrounding area.
7. If you’re looking to save money in Paris, then never pay for WiFi! Instead, plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars and shopping centers throughout the city offer WiFi completely free of charge.
8. If you want to enjoy a drink, but don’t enjoy high prices, then make sure to head out for beers, cocktails or even non-alcoholic drinks at Happy Hour.
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You can also try Hop-on, Hop-off tours or Big Bus tours and spare some money. As we are presenting a lot of good options you just have to pick the perfect one for you!
If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money!
Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!
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There’s no feeling in the world like connecting with new places, people and experiences through travel. From the iconic to the unexpected, get those “pinch me” moments through a series of Trafalgar highlights others may never know about, or have access to.
Shopping
The traditional French shopping week comprises six days, Monday to Saturday, with shops generally open from 9 a.m. to Midday, and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. In towns and villages, it is still the rule that shops close at lunchtime.
However things are changing, and in urban shopping areas, most large shops such as department stores now operate what is called “la journée continue”, and do not close at midday.
Some of the most famous shops in Paris for shopping are the Boulevard Saint Germain, Rue Du Commerce, Les Halles, Le Marais, Triangle D’or, Rue De Rivoli, Saint-Ouen Flea Market, and Boulevard Haussmann.
Maybe you ever asked yourself: What kind of souvenirs should i buy when i visit France? Now we will tell you what the tourists are buying from France and maybe you will be inspired as well: jewelry, chlotes, perfume and watches, macarons, dijon mustard, fois gras, cheese and chocolate, soap from Marseille, wine, bags and magnets.
Getting Around
Traveling by train is often just as quick as driving, and generally very reliable and quite reasonably priced too.
In most French cities, public transit generally involves buses and tramways. The networks are usually dense in the town center, and easy to take.
With 14 lines, the Paris Metro is one of the most extensive in the world. It operates until 1 am during the week and until 2 am Fridays and Saturdays. A night bus network then takes over. Outside of Paris, five French cities have metro lines: Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse.
To go through the ticket gates, enter the gate to the left of a green arrow, insert your ticket into the slot… and don’t forget to remove your ticket afterwards: you must keep your ticket with you until you exit the network.
French buses are rarely as reliable or frequent as trains, so if you’re looking to explore beyond the larger towns, hiring a car (even if only for a few days) may be the most practical option.
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Getting Here
France has one of the most developed air travel infrastructures in Europe, with a large number of airports across the country. France has 34 airports, and the airports with the biggest traffic are in Paris (Orly and Charles de Gaulle).
However, in case you’re planning a ski holiday or visit to some smaller and less known places in the country, you should consider using some of the smaller airports like Nice or Toulouse.
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