Paris Travel Guide 2026: Top Attractions, Neighbourhoods and Essential Tips

📅 Last updated: September 2026

✍️ By PlanRouteAI Editorial Team — Researched, written and verified by our travel editors • About us

Paris is one of the world's most visited cities and the capital of France -- a city where extraordinary art, architecture, cuisine, and fashion have accumulated over centuries into an experience unlike any other. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Montmartre, and the Seine are global icons, but Paris rewards those who go deeper into its arrondissements, markets, and neighbourhood cafes. This guide covers everything you need for Paris in 2026, including updated post-renovation information on Notre-Dame Cathedral and the best time to visit.

Best Time to Visit Paris in 2026

Getting to Paris

Paris has two main international airports:

• Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): 25 km northeast of central Paris. RER B train to central Paris (Gare du Nord, Chatelet): 30-45 minutes, 11.80 euros. Taxis: fixed fare 55 euros to Paris Left Bank, 50 euros to Right Bank. Most long-haul and European flights use CDG.
• Orly Airport (ORY): 14 km south of central Paris. Orlyval shuttle to RER B at Antony: 35-40 minutes total to Chatelet, 13.60 euros. Tram T7 to Villejuif-Louis Aragon Metro: 40 minutes, 2 euros. Budget European carriers often use Orly.
• Eurostar/trains: Gare du Nord for London (Eurostar), Brussels and Amsterdam. Gare de Lyon for Spain (Barcelona TGV), Italy, and Switzerland. Gare Montparnasse for TGV to western France and Bordeaux.

Getting Around Paris

• Metro: 16 lines covering the entire city. Tickets: single t+ 2.15 euros, carnet of 10 (t+ x10) 17.35 euros, Navigo Day Pass 8.65 euros (unlimited all day on Metro, RER, bus within zones 1-5). The Navigo Day Pass is excellent value for 4+ trips in a day.
• Walking: Paris's central arrondissements (1st-8th) are extremely walkable. The distance from the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame is about 4 km -- a beautiful 1-hour walk along the Seine.
• Velib bike share: 20,000 bikes at 1,400 stations across Paris. 3 euro/day pass plus 1 euro per 30-minute ride for mechanical bikes. Good for flat riverside routes.
• RER: Regional express trains running through central Paris -- faster than the Metro for longer cross-city journeys. RER A connects Versailles, Disneyland, and crosses central Paris east-west.

Top Attractions in Paris

• Eiffel Tower: Paris's most iconic landmark -- a 330m iron lattice tower built for the 1889 World's Fair. Book tickets online at least 2-3 weeks ahead (essential in summer -- same-day tickets are rarely available). Stairs to 2nd floor: 11.80 euros. Lift to summit: 28.30 euros adults. Go at dusk to see the city in golden hour then watch the hourly light show (on the hour after dark) from the Trocadero plaza across the Seine -- the best view of the tower is actually from outside it.
• The Louvre: The world's largest art museum with over 35,000 works on display. Home to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace. Allow a full day minimum. Admission 22 euros (book online -- same-day tickets rarely available in peak season). Free entry on the first Friday evening of each month (after 6 PM). The glass pyramid entrance at night is spectacular.
• Notre-Dame Cathedral: Fully reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire and subsequent restoration. The Gothic cathedral exterior has been magnificently restored and new interior elements added by contemporary French artisans. Free entry to the cathedral exterior and the restored interior. Book a time-slot entry online to guarantee access during peak periods.
• Musee d'Orsay: The world's greatest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art -- Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Seurat -- housed in a magnificent converted railway station. Admission 16 euros. Book online. Free entry on the first Sunday of each month. Allow 3-4 hours minimum.
• Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur: The historic hilltop artist district -- cobblestone streets, Place du Tertre (portrait artists), and the white-domed Basilica of Sacre-Coeur at the summit with sweeping Paris views. Sacre-Coeur is free entry. The funicular (Metro ticket valid) saves the 300-step climb. Best explored in the morning before tour groups arrive.
• Centre Pompidou: The inside-out architectural marvel housing France's national museum of modern art -- works by Kandinsky, Matisse, Picasso, and contemporary artists. Admission 14-15 euros. The free exterior plaza and rooftop view are excellent even without entering.

Paris Food Guide

• Croissant: The benchmark test of any Parisian boulangerie. Du Pain et des Idees (10th arr), Maison Pichard (15th arr), and Cyril Lignac's bakeries consistently win best-of lists. Expect 1.20-1.80 euros for a good croissant -- significantly better than anything produced outside France.
• Steak Frites: The classic French bistro dish -- entrecote steak with thin crispy fries. Le Relais de l'Entrecote (no reservations, always a queue, worth it) serves only one dish at a set price (~25 euros) with unlimited fries.
• French Onion Soup (Soupe a l'Oignon): Rich caramelised onion broth with a gruyere-topped crouton. Best at traditional brasseries in Les Halles and Saint-Germain areas. 8-12 euros.
• Macarons: Laduree (multiple locations, the original, premium) or Pierre Herme (more innovative flavours, many consider better). 2-3 euros each.
• Marche d'Aligre: The most authentic and affordable Paris market -- fresh produce, cheese, charcuterie, and wine. Tuesday-Sunday mornings. 12th arrondissement near Ledru-Rollin Metro.

Practical Tips for Paris 2026

• Book major attractions in advance: The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Versailles, and Notre-Dame all require or strongly benefit from advance online booking. Walk-up queues at the Louvre and Eiffel Tower can be 60-90 minutes in peak season.
• Paris Museum Pass: 2-day 55 euros, 4-day 70 euros, 6-day 85 euros. Covers 50+ museums including Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Centre Pompidou, and Notre-Dame towers. Worth buying if visiting 3+ covered museums in 2 days.
• Pick-pocketing: Paris has a notable pick-pocketing problem around the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Sacre-Coeur, and on Metro lines 1 and 4. Keep bags zipped and in front of you. The gold ring scam (someone drops a ring and claims you found it) is common near major sights -- ignore it completely.
• Tipping: Service is included (service compris) in all French restaurant bills by law. Additional tipping is not expected but appreciated -- rounding up or leaving 1-5 euros on table service is customary for good service.

Frequently Asked Questions