Paris Information
GENERAL CITY LAYOUT
The City of Paris is made of of 20 Arrondissements, arranged in sort of a spiral. The 1st Arrondissement is the center of the city.
The nicest, and most affluent areas of the city are within the single-digit Arrondissements; i.e.; 1-9.
Note: Postal codes contain important information. The last two digits indicate the Arrondissement number.
A more detailed map of Paris, including many notable locations, can be found on the excellent Paris Digest website. click here
ACCOMMODATIONS
I’ve been asked where I stay in Paris. Many years ago, we stayed in a hotel near Place de la République (At the intersections of the 3eme, 10eme and 11eme Arrondissements - Right Bank). I didn’t choose the hotel or location and both were less than desirable. Although there are many nice areas on the Right Bank, I greatly prefer the Left Bank (5eme, 6eme and 7eme Arrondissements). The 5eme includes the Latin Quarter and the Sorbonne. I’ve stayed in hotels and apartments, near the Pantheon, many times and like the area. The 6eme is lovely and the Jardin de Luxembourg is located within the Arrondissement. It’s a quiet and beautiful area. The 7eme contains the Tour Eiffel and Invalides. I’ve rented many apartments in this Arrondissement and it’s my favorite. I specifically select the Gros-Caillou area which is just to the east of Champ de Mars and Tour Eiffel. Champ de Mars is a lovely park, literally in the shadow of La Tour Eiffel. I love spending time there. I’m familiar with the restaurants and stores. When in Paris, I’ll always stay in the 7th Arrondissement.
A hotel or a short-term apartment (Airbnb or Vrbo)? I vastly prefer an apartment but I speak French and I’ve been traveling to Paris for thirty years. A hotel can be very convenient and the person at the front desk can be a big help. They can make your restaurant reservations and do all sorts of things that would be difficult to do if one didn’t understand Paris and couldn’t speak French.
TRANSPORTATION
Getting to the center city from the airport and getting around the city.
The Paris for Visitors website has a lot of good information about getting to the city from Charles de Gaulle Airport. click here
The Paris by Train website contains an enormous amount of info regarding the Métro, RER, various available passes and is a great resource. click here
I recently had the opportunity to try Airport Taxi Transfers (airportstaxitransfers.com), an airport shuttle service. The company offers private transfers, to and from Paris airports, at very reasonable rates. Upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) we were met by the driver. For our return to the airport, the driver was waiting for us at our apartment at the pre-arranged time. The drivers were nice and the vehicles were clean and comfortable. If you want a hassle-free option, this is it.
ESSENTIAL MOBILE APPS
I use an iPhone but I'd guess these apps are also available for Android.
Paris Métro
Metro Paris Subway (by Presselite) – Since I travel everywhere by Métro, I can’t imagine being in Paris without this app. You enter you departing and destination Métro stations and it will provide the route and time estimation.
Maps
I never use paper maps but use Google Maps (using mobile data) or CityMaps2Go. With the latter, you can download maps and access them without Internet access.
Walking Tours
VoiceMap is a wonderful app for self-guided walking tours. It utilizes GPS so the app knows where you are. Ideally, you will need to use earbuds. You start the app and then tuck your phone in your pocket or purse. You will hear walking instructions and relevant sightseeing information. The app is free but you will need to pay for the individual tours.
OTHER STUFF
La Cuisine Paris
La Cuisine Paris offers cooking classes and food tours. I've participated in both and they are great fun and highly recommended. click here
Tour Montparnasse
Tour Montparnasse is a incredibly ugly tall building in the southern Paris skyline. Some famous person once said that the best view of Paris is from the roof of the building, since you don't see the building! During the warmer months, the roof is open for cocktails, snacks and the most incredible views of Paris. click here
The Earful Tower
The Earful Tower is a wonderful podcast hosted by Australian expat, Oliver Gee. Oliver, and his family, live in Paris and the podcast is focused on Paris. You can find the podcast through any podcast app and can also access through his website www.theearfultower.com
The Earful Tower has created a number of guides for travel to Paris. They include descriptions of activities, checklists and links to each podcast. The articles/podcasts are arranged in "Things to do on your FIRST trip to Paris, SECOND, THIRD, etc." Take a few minutes and review this great info. click here
DINING IN PARIS
Paris is one of the most expensive cities in the world where it's possible to spend over €1,000 for a dinner for two! Check out La Tour d'Argent, which is one of the most famous, and expensive, restaurants in Paris. You can also have wonderful dinners for less than €50.00 per person at hundreds of Parisian restaurants.
Here's a short list of restaurants that I enjoy in Paris, arranged by Arrondissement. They are all reasonably priced, by American standards, and you'll have a delightful dining experience. Many restaurants now offer online booking through their websites. It's recommended to always make dinner reservations. Many of my recommended restaurants are small and you won't get a table without a reservation. Also note that the French normally eat a bit later than in the U.S., with an 8:00 PM reservation, or later, quite normal.
4ème Arrondissement
Bofinger
5-7 rue de la Bastille
75004 Paris
+33 1 42 72 87 82
www.bofingerparis.com
Brasserie Bofinger has been around since 1864 and is a Paris institution, featuring Alsatian cuisine. Being so close to Germany, Alsatian French food has many similarities to German food. My favorite is Choucroute Garnie - Sauerkraut with an assortment of meats. It's incredible.
5ème Arrondissement
Petite Chatelet
39, rue de la Bûcherie
75005 Paris
+33 1 46 33 53 40
This is a wonderful, but tiny, restaurant in a very touristy area. Traditional French cuisine. It’s located next door to the famous English bookstore, Shakespeare & Co. The restaurant faces Notre Dame, just across the Seine.
Les Fêtes Galantes
17, rue Ecole Polytechnique
75005 Paris
+33 1 43 26 10 40
I’ve been eating here for many years. It’s a tiny restaurant, located a few blocks north of Place Pantheon. Traditional French cuisine.
Le Perraudin
157, rue Saint Jacques
75005 Paris
+33 1 46 33 15 75
www.leperraudin.fr
Le Perraudin is a small bistro, located near the Pantheon. They feature traditional "Cuisine Française."
Au Port du Salut
163 bis rue Saint Jacques
75005 Paris
+33 6 58 44 30 58
www.auportdusalut.fr
This is another bistro closet the Pantheon, also featuring traditional French cuisine. Very nice.
6ème Arrondissement
Bouillon Racine
3, rue Racine
75006 Paris
+33 1 44 32 15 60
www.bouillonracine.fr
I love this restaurant for its Art Nouveau décor. It is probably the most expensive restaurant on my list but I always go here.
7ème Arrondissement
Le P’tit Troquet
28, rue de l’Exposition
75007 Paris
+33 1 47 05 80 39
www.leptittroquet.fr
This is another tiny restaurant serving traditional French cuisine. I’ve consistently had wonderful meals here and the owner is delightful.
Le Petit Cler
29 rue Cler
75007 Paris
+33 1 45 50 17 50
This is a great little bistro, serving traditional French food. It’s operated by the same owners as the much more expensive La Fontaine de Mars.
14ème Arrondissement
Léon (Formerly Léon de Bruxelles)
Multiple locations
www.restaurantleon.fr
This is a chain restaurant that specializes in moule frites. It’s really quite good.
The City of Paris is made of of 20 Arrondissements, arranged in sort of a spiral. The 1st Arrondissement is the center of the city.
The nicest, and most affluent areas of the city are within the single-digit Arrondissements; i.e.; 1-9.
Note: Postal codes contain important information. The last two digits indicate the Arrondissement number.
A more detailed map of Paris, including many notable locations, can be found on the excellent Paris Digest website. click here
ACCOMMODATIONS
I’ve been asked where I stay in Paris. Many years ago, we stayed in a hotel near Place de la République (At the intersections of the 3eme, 10eme and 11eme Arrondissements - Right Bank). I didn’t choose the hotel or location and both were less than desirable. Although there are many nice areas on the Right Bank, I greatly prefer the Left Bank (5eme, 6eme and 7eme Arrondissements). The 5eme includes the Latin Quarter and the Sorbonne. I’ve stayed in hotels and apartments, near the Pantheon, many times and like the area. The 6eme is lovely and the Jardin de Luxembourg is located within the Arrondissement. It’s a quiet and beautiful area. The 7eme contains the Tour Eiffel and Invalides. I’ve rented many apartments in this Arrondissement and it’s my favorite. I specifically select the Gros-Caillou area which is just to the east of Champ de Mars and Tour Eiffel. Champ de Mars is a lovely park, literally in the shadow of La Tour Eiffel. I love spending time there. I’m familiar with the restaurants and stores. When in Paris, I’ll always stay in the 7th Arrondissement.
A hotel or a short-term apartment (Airbnb or Vrbo)? I vastly prefer an apartment but I speak French and I’ve been traveling to Paris for thirty years. A hotel can be very convenient and the person at the front desk can be a big help. They can make your restaurant reservations and do all sorts of things that would be difficult to do if one didn’t understand Paris and couldn’t speak French.
TRANSPORTATION
Getting to the center city from the airport and getting around the city.
The Paris for Visitors website has a lot of good information about getting to the city from Charles de Gaulle Airport. click here
The Paris by Train website contains an enormous amount of info regarding the Métro, RER, various available passes and is a great resource. click here
I recently had the opportunity to try Airport Taxi Transfers (airportstaxitransfers.com), an airport shuttle service. The company offers private transfers, to and from Paris airports, at very reasonable rates. Upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) we were met by the driver. For our return to the airport, the driver was waiting for us at our apartment at the pre-arranged time. The drivers were nice and the vehicles were clean and comfortable. If you want a hassle-free option, this is it.
ESSENTIAL MOBILE APPS
I use an iPhone but I'd guess these apps are also available for Android.
Paris Métro
Metro Paris Subway (by Presselite) – Since I travel everywhere by Métro, I can’t imagine being in Paris without this app. You enter you departing and destination Métro stations and it will provide the route and time estimation.
Maps
I never use paper maps but use Google Maps (using mobile data) or CityMaps2Go. With the latter, you can download maps and access them without Internet access.
Walking Tours
VoiceMap is a wonderful app for self-guided walking tours. It utilizes GPS so the app knows where you are. Ideally, you will need to use earbuds. You start the app and then tuck your phone in your pocket or purse. You will hear walking instructions and relevant sightseeing information. The app is free but you will need to pay for the individual tours.
OTHER STUFF
La Cuisine Paris
La Cuisine Paris offers cooking classes and food tours. I've participated in both and they are great fun and highly recommended. click here
Tour Montparnasse
Tour Montparnasse is a incredibly ugly tall building in the southern Paris skyline. Some famous person once said that the best view of Paris is from the roof of the building, since you don't see the building! During the warmer months, the roof is open for cocktails, snacks and the most incredible views of Paris. click here
The Earful Tower
The Earful Tower is a wonderful podcast hosted by Australian expat, Oliver Gee. Oliver, and his family, live in Paris and the podcast is focused on Paris. You can find the podcast through any podcast app and can also access through his website www.theearfultower.com
The Earful Tower has created a number of guides for travel to Paris. They include descriptions of activities, checklists and links to each podcast. The articles/podcasts are arranged in "Things to do on your FIRST trip to Paris, SECOND, THIRD, etc." Take a few minutes and review this great info. click here
DINING IN PARIS
Paris is one of the most expensive cities in the world where it's possible to spend over €1,000 for a dinner for two! Check out La Tour d'Argent, which is one of the most famous, and expensive, restaurants in Paris. You can also have wonderful dinners for less than €50.00 per person at hundreds of Parisian restaurants.
Here's a short list of restaurants that I enjoy in Paris, arranged by Arrondissement. They are all reasonably priced, by American standards, and you'll have a delightful dining experience. Many restaurants now offer online booking through their websites. It's recommended to always make dinner reservations. Many of my recommended restaurants are small and you won't get a table without a reservation. Also note that the French normally eat a bit later than in the U.S., with an 8:00 PM reservation, or later, quite normal.
4ème Arrondissement
Bofinger
5-7 rue de la Bastille
75004 Paris
+33 1 42 72 87 82
www.bofingerparis.com
Brasserie Bofinger has been around since 1864 and is a Paris institution, featuring Alsatian cuisine. Being so close to Germany, Alsatian French food has many similarities to German food. My favorite is Choucroute Garnie - Sauerkraut with an assortment of meats. It's incredible.
5ème Arrondissement
Petite Chatelet
39, rue de la Bûcherie
75005 Paris
+33 1 46 33 53 40
This is a wonderful, but tiny, restaurant in a very touristy area. Traditional French cuisine. It’s located next door to the famous English bookstore, Shakespeare & Co. The restaurant faces Notre Dame, just across the Seine.
Les Fêtes Galantes
17, rue Ecole Polytechnique
75005 Paris
+33 1 43 26 10 40
I’ve been eating here for many years. It’s a tiny restaurant, located a few blocks north of Place Pantheon. Traditional French cuisine.
Le Perraudin
157, rue Saint Jacques
75005 Paris
+33 1 46 33 15 75
www.leperraudin.fr
Le Perraudin is a small bistro, located near the Pantheon. They feature traditional "Cuisine Française."
Au Port du Salut
163 bis rue Saint Jacques
75005 Paris
+33 6 58 44 30 58
www.auportdusalut.fr
This is another bistro closet the Pantheon, also featuring traditional French cuisine. Very nice.
6ème Arrondissement
Bouillon Racine
3, rue Racine
75006 Paris
+33 1 44 32 15 60
www.bouillonracine.fr
I love this restaurant for its Art Nouveau décor. It is probably the most expensive restaurant on my list but I always go here.
7ème Arrondissement
Le P’tit Troquet
28, rue de l’Exposition
75007 Paris
+33 1 47 05 80 39
www.leptittroquet.fr
This is another tiny restaurant serving traditional French cuisine. I’ve consistently had wonderful meals here and the owner is delightful.
Le Petit Cler
29 rue Cler
75007 Paris
+33 1 45 50 17 50
This is a great little bistro, serving traditional French food. It’s operated by the same owners as the much more expensive La Fontaine de Mars.
14ème Arrondissement
Léon (Formerly Léon de Bruxelles)
Multiple locations
www.restaurantleon.fr
This is a chain restaurant that specializes in moule frites. It’s really quite good.
I've been traveling to Paris since 1993. This page is a collection of thoughts and recommendations for those planning a trip to Paris. Keep in mind that most is just my personal opinion!