I recently returned from a weekend trip to the “City of Lights”. My heart is full of romantic accordion music and my stomach stuffed with french cuisine and macaroons. There are so many must-see monuments in the city and with only a weekend to do it all, planning ahead was essential. I’m here to share with you the tips and tricks I learned through the planning process so that you too can see it all, eat it all, and shop the city’s best streets.
1. Choose Your Location Carefully
Paris, France is a massive city. No, seriously, it’s unreal. The metro is a non-negotiable if you want to see the most iconic monuments. With this in mind, choosing a location to call ‘home’ for the trip that is close to the metro and in an area that offers great food/shops/supermarkets is a necessity. If you happen to be close to a monument or two, that’s an added bonus.
For our weekend stay, my friends and I chose to rent an Airbnb apartment in the 18th district. Montmartre is on the outer ring of the city and to many may seem like quite the trek however, it is an area known for its charming streets, unique boutiques, and diverse selection of cafes and restaurants. It had absolutely everything we needed and provided a great selection of bars and live music so that we didn’t have to travel far to experience the nightlife.
Below is a map of the districts in Paris. As you’ll quickly notice, the city did no favors to tourists when constructing its monuments; they are spread throughout its 20 districts. Nonetheless, this map acts as a visual of the many monuments in the city and where they are located.
2. Monument Itinerary
My friends and I flew into Paris Thursday night around 11 pm and stayed until 2 pm on Sunday before having to get on a metro to go to the CDG airport. Prior to our trip, I researched the monuments we wanted to visit and the distance between each one to determine what we should see each day. Our itinerary is as follows:
*Thursday night arrive & check into Airbnb*
Friday:
The Louvre
*Walk 6 minutes*
Saint-Chapelle
*Walk 8 minutes*
Notre Dame Cathedral
*Take metro*
Arc de Triomphe (climb at night)
Saturday:
Sacre Coeur (located 2 mins from Airbnb)
*Take metro*
Eiffel Tower during the day
*Take metro*
Musee D’Orsay
*Take metro*
Return to 18th district to shop & eat dinner
*Take metro*
Climb the Eiffel Tower at night
Sunday:
See the sunrise at the Eiffel Tower
Explore local neighborhoods before departing to CDG.
*If arriving or departing from the CDG airport, there is direct access to the metro that takes you toward the inner city. Depending on the district that you want to go to will determine how many times you have to transfer. Metro tickets can be purchased at the metro and are 1.90 euro per ride.
3. Ballin’ on a Budget
Would you believe me if I told you that I did not pay one penny to enter a single one of the monuments listed below?
- The Louvre
- Cathedral de Notre Dame
- Saint-Chapelle
- Musee D’Orsay
- Arc de Triomphe
- Sacre Coeur
As a student studying abroad in Europe, you have a serious advantage when it comes to travel. With your European student ID or student visa, you can gain entrance into each of the monuments listed above FOR FREE. Free– every college student’s favorite word. Perhaps the biggest shocker among this list is The Louvre. Standard admission is 17 euros however, my friends and I had no issue showing our student ID at the admission gate and entering for free.
This is only a small list of the discounts available to students while in Paris and is entirely based on my experience while there. If you have other places of interest, do some research or call ahead to determine what offers they make available to students.
4. The Main Event
The Eiffel Tower. The main attraction. The marker we associate with all of Paris. I distinctly recall my first glimpse at the skyscraper- it is beyond words. I wanted to pinch myself a hundred times in order to ensure that my eyes were comprehending exactly what was in front of me. Its silver tones glimmered both among the sun beams and the starry night. Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time is a moment that will become etched in your memory for a lifetime.
I highly recommend making more than one trip to see the tower. Ideally, once to see it during the day light and another at night. If you’re especially adventurous, consider waking up early enough to see the Eiffel Tower with the sun rising behind it– its beauty is beyond words.
At night, the tower sparkles every hour, on the hour, for approximately five minutes. It is stunning, both near and far, to witness. By planning a bit in advanced, you can secure tickets to climb the Eiffel Tower. To some, this is counter intuitive as the main attraction in and of itself is the Eiffel Tower; climbing it takes away the ability to admire its beauty. For me, I found the prospect of climbing it a necessary check off my bucket list.
To climb the tower, there are several options, all of which vary in price and are surprisingly reasonable. To see each option in detail, follow this link: https://ticket.toureiffel.fr and click “Purchase Tickets”. I opted to take the lift to the top for 12.50 euros. When purchasing tickets, it requires that you choose one of the available times slots which are offered in half hour increments. Climbing to the summit at night is a sight to see as the entire city sparkles. And what better way to see it than with a 360 degree view.
5. Metro
Paris has one of the largest metro systems in the world with over 200 stations, five metro lines, and three RER commuter rails. Being the Midwestern girl that I am, metros lines and train tickets are completely taboo. Here are a few life-saving tips to help navigate the multi-line metro.
To start, if you plan to stay in Paris for at least a weekend, I recommend purchasing a book of metro tickets. One book consists of 10 passes and costs 5 euros. By the weekend’s end, I had two metro tickets remaining and for the price, it was definitely worth it. If you decide to purchase metro tickets individually, it costs 1.90 euro. Regardless of which you choose, tickets can be purchased at self-service kiosks in any metro station.
Google Maps was a lifesaver while traveling via metro in Paris. By typing in your destination, Maps will provide you with the most efficient metro route including any necessary transfers. For example, if I type in Sacre coeur to Eiffel Tower, Google Maps gives me driving, walking, and metro options. By clicking ‘metro’, it shows the nearest metro station to my location, which line to get on first, when to transfer (if applicable), and the name of the station at which to get off.
I honestly can’t imagine navigating the metro system without it and highly recommend you do the same!
There you have it, folks. My words of wisdom to take with you when traveling through the streets of Paris. Use these insights as a starting point while you prepare for your excursion but by no means is this a comprehensive list. The key to a successful, stress-free trip is to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary surprises so that you can truly see the City of Lights for what it is- MAGIC.