Ah Paris, the city that holds my heart. My time in Paris was a dream come true and I’m hoping I can help you learn the ropes so yours will be just as amazing!
Getting Around
When you first arrive in Paris, getting around may be a seemingly daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Paris has a fantastic public transport infrastructure that includes trains, busses, trams, and of course, the metro. While there are other options such as Uber or taxi, I recommend public transport because it can literally get you anywhere in the city and is relatively cheap. My personal preference for getting around Paris is using the bus system. While the metro is quick, I enjoy being above ground so I can look out the window and really take in the city. You can purchase single trip tickets or passes that allow you to use public transportation for a certain amount of days at any metro station. If you will be in Paris for a week, I would recommend getting a Navigo Paris Visite Travel Pass or Weekly Navigo Travel Pass. Both passes allow you to use any of Paris’ five modes of public transportation (learn more here: ratp.fr). Before you buy any ticket or pass, double check that all of the places you plan to visit are included. There are different tickets for getting around the heart of Paris and getting to the outskirts or airports. Another word of warning, make sure to validate your ticket whenever entering a bus, metro car, etc. There will be a card reader or place to insert your ticket when you get on a bus, and a gate system for the metro. If you fail to validate your ticket upon entering, exiting, or connecting, you are subject to fines (I made this mistake in Nice, learn from me!).
If you plan on venturing outside of the main borders of Paris (especially if visiting Versailles), taking a train is the way to go! There is really nothing like riding a European train, its my all time favorite way to travel! Paris has quite a few train stations but in my experience, you will be utilizing Gare de Nord and Gare de Lyon. I chose to buy all of my train tickets ahead of time on Trainline, but if planning ahead isn’t your style, you can absolutely buy a ticket at the station. The train system is pretty easy to understand and the trains themselves I found to be very comfortable.
Avoiding Scams and Petty Crime
While Paris is a pretty safe city (even for solo travelers), there are still instances of petty crime and scamming. One of the scams I ran into a few times on my trip to Paris was the ‘petition scam’. Basically a child will walk up to an unsuspecting tourist with a clipboard and try to get them to sign it while another child picks their pockets. Be on the lookout for this at any attraction. I encountered this situation in front of the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, and even in the airport. To avoid getting your pockets picked, simply tell them no and walk away.
While we’re on the subject of pick pocketing, I’d like to mention a few ways I’ve managed to avoid being a victim. The first tip is to either put a small padlock on the zipper of your bag, or with a handbag, keep it in front of you with the zipper facing forward, and casually lay your hand on it. Locking zippers especially deters pickpockets because they’re looking for an easy target. If they see a lock they’ll leave you alone because its too much work. Another tip that may be more obvious is to keep valuables out of your pockets and out of sight. You may be wondering about your phone because if you’re like me, you rely on it to navigate you around. The best solution I have found for keeping my phone safe is to get a wrist strap to attach to your case. I even go as far as to put a hair tie on the strap as a tightening device, which I admit isn’t attractive, but it does the job! If someone tries to swipe your phone from your hand, they won’t get very far if the phone is attached to you! Another way to keep valuables close is to either purchase a pouch that goes under your clothing, or get a backpack with a pocket that goes against your back. I have a backpack like this and I won’t travel anywhere without it! (see link at bottom of page if you’re interested in purchasing the same one). I tend to keep my wallet, passport, and keys for the padlocks in that pocket because if someone tried to get in that pocket, I would feel it right away. If you look like you know what you’re doing, walk with confidence, and are aware of your surroundings, you should be just fine!
Other Things to Note
- Restrooms can be somewhat hard to find. I recommend always using the restroom if you’re at a restaurant, or there are some restroom pods sprinkled around Paris like by the Eiffel Tower.
- If you have food allergies, tell your waiter. I went to a restaurant in the heart of Paris and my meal came out covered in walnuts, which wasn’t listed on the description of the meal.
- There is a stigma that the French are rude, but I have never found this to be true. If you learn a few simple words in French before you arrive and are polite, you will have no problems. The French appreciate if you at least try to speak their language, even though they will most likely respond to you in english.
- If you are looking for restaurants while you’re out, never go to a restaurant that doesn’t display their prices on the menu as these restaurants are tourist traps.
- If you choose to travel in late summer, know that many things like restaurants and shops will be closed down because in late July/ all of August, Paris is on holiday. I wasn’t aware of this until I traveled there in mid August and found a few of the restaurants I had hoped to go to were closed. I’m not saying this to deter anyone from going at this time of year because in my experience, Paris was less crowded and the weather was lovely.
- If you are traveling from the US and are hoping to bring cheese back as a souvenir, be warned that the US only allows pasteurized cheese through customs. Pasteurized cheese can be difficult to find in Paris, but I was able to find some in the grocery store. I would check Franprix or Casino, they should have at least a couple options!
- Always carry an umbrella, the rain can come out of nowhere, but luckily it doesn’t tend to last long!
Paris is a beautiful city with so much to offer, you’re sure to have a wonderful time!
Link to backpack: https://a.co/d/h8sGLSx
Pursuit of Happy Travel 
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