For your own independent transport in and around Paris, we recommend these apps & services

When in Paris…

1. Conquer the Louvre Like an Insider

• Book a guided tour: Do not attempt to tackle the world’s largest art museum blind. A guided tour is worth every penny—your guide will cut straight to the masterpieces without endless wandering, and you can stay as long as you like after the tour wraps up.

• The secret entrance: Skip the main pyramid queue entirely and use the Carrousel du Louvre entrance for a significantly shorter wait.

• Don't miss: Make sure to track down Napoleon III Apartments while you're inside—they are dazzlingly opulent and far less crowded than the Mona Lisa room.

2. Rent a Golf Cart at Versailles

• Go big: Versailles is breathtaking, massive, and exhausting on foot. Renting a golf cart for the grounds and gardens is an absolute game-changer. It comes with a GPS audio guide that narrates as you drive, and you can park it whenever you want to wander. Expect to spend around €100 for a few hours (roughly €34/hr), but your feet will thank you.

• The Queen's Hamlet: Do not skip Marie Antoinette’s hamlet. Meticulously and lovingly restored, it’s a pastoral dream complete with charming, ridiculously cute livestock (go say hello to the resident geese).

• LPT: Book your Versailles excursion or entry options through Viator ahead of time to breeze past the lines.

3. Take a Seine River Dinner Cruise

• See the city lit up from the water. For around €67 per person, you can snag a two-hour cruise complete with a three-course dinner. The food is solid, the atmosphere is classic, and catching the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour from the middle of the river is unforgettable.

4. Climb Montmartre (Smartly)

• The Basilica & the views: Skip the main tourist crush by heading to the left of Sacré Cœur and walking up the steps to the bell tower. The panoramic views over Paris are worth every single one of the €7.

• Lunch on the Place du Tertre: Grab lunch surrounded by open-air easel painters. It's undeniably touristy, but the historic artist-square vibe is charming—just wander the cobblestone side streets until a café terrace catches your eye.

5. Book the Icons Early

• If you want to scale the Eiffel Tower or tour the Arc de Triomphe, buy your tickets directly online the exact day they drop (tickets typically open 90 days in advance). Set a calendar reminder—they sell out fast.

6. Master Paris Transit Like a Local

• The app setup: Download Citymapper immediately. It is the ultimate tool for navigating Paris, giving you hyper-accurate transit, walking, and metro line details.

• Google Maps hack: Set your Google Maps directions to "Transit" instead of driving. It maps out your exact walking time to the station, which train line to board, how many stops to ride, and even which station exit to use. It’s an instant confidence boost.

• The Pass: Grab a Navigo Easy Pass for your trip. It loads easily, saves you from standing in ticket lines, and covers extra perks like the Montmartre funicular. And don't sleep on the buses—they are essentially moving sightseeing tours.

7. Pre-Trip Watchlist

• Queue up Rick Steves’ Europe: Paris and Versailles episodes on YouTube. While some logistical details shift post-pandemic, his visual overviews are the best way to get excited before you land.