When in Paris..... 

• Pay for the guided tour at the Louvre. The guides are knowledgeable and helpful and know how to get to the masterpieces without having to wander for hours. It can be overwhelming. You are welcome to stay at the museum for as long as you want after the tour is over. It’s well worth the money. We highly suggest booking with Viator. Be sure to visit Napoleon’s Apartments inside the Louvre. Be sure to use the Carousel Entrance for a much, much shorter line!

• GO to Versailles. It’s magnificent and opulent. And it’s HUGE….inside and out. We highly recommend the audio tour AND renting a golf cart for the grounds/gardens. If you want to visit Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon, the golf cart is well worth the money. It also comes with a GPS audio tour that will tell you about things as you pass them. You can park your cart and walk around and come back to it. Golf carts are for rent by the hour. for about 34€ per hour, expect to spend about  €100. Well worth it! Marie's hamlet is not to be missed, with sweet gardens, and ..... livestock. Really really cute and adorable livestock. Have a chat with the geese. It's recently been magificently and lovingly restored, and is genuinely joygul and pastoral.

• Also, book the breakfast at Versailles to skip the lines. You simply walk into the restaurant, eat a lovely breakfast and then are escorted to the entrance of the palace. Again, we used Viator.

• Take a Seine River Dinner Cruise. There are all kinds of options, but the cheapest is about 67 € each for a three course dinner, 2 hour cruise of the city. The food was fine and the views were spectacular. The Eiffel Tower sparkles 15 minutes after sunset (which is after 10:00 in the summer) and it’s a sight to behold. Again, Viator.

• Walk to the top of Sacré Cœur at Montmartre. You can tour the Basilica but you can also just go to the left and walk up the (many) steps to get to the bell tower. The views are unbelievable, about 7€.

• Have lunch at Montmartre with local artists all around you. It’s so charming, just wander until the vibe hits you.

• Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, book tickets directly online. They only sell tickets 90 days out, so mark your calendar for your best dates while planning, and buy the tickets.

• Use the Metro and the buses. At first it can be intimidating, but after a few trips it starts to make sense, see our links above for getting around. We recommend CityMapper app for the ultimate, easy getting around in Paris tool.  Buses are a great way to seeeeee the city.

• Also, on your “Gmaps” App, instead of “driving” directions, select “transit” directions. This option tells you walking time/distance to the Metro station, number of stops on the Metro, which line to get on, which stop to get off, which direction to go, and which exit to use when leaving the station. It was such a helpful tool I felt like I was a local by the end of the trip. Get a Navigo Easy Pass for the duration of your trip so you don’t have to worry about it after the first transaction. It also includes the funicular to use instead of the stairs in front of Montmartre.

• Watch Rick Steve’s Europe-Paris and Versailles episodes on YouTube. Helpful information, although maybe a little outdated since COVID.

• While Notre Dame isn’t an option until March 31st, 2024, there is a very nice viewing platform to seethe ongoing reconstruction, which is a marvel to watch, Saint Chapel is very close by and once housed the Crown of Thorns and other religious icons. And the stained glass windows are a must see.