First time in Paris- what to do!

[whatsnewpussycat34]

I'm going to Paris for one day and one night in November and have no idea where to go or what to do.

I have questions 😂

• how far away is the airport from Paris centre?

• do you need to book restaurants or can you walk in, like in Spain?

• are most things in walking distance? Ie the tower

Sorry if these are mundane questions but I haven't been out of the UK in a very long time, so no idea what to expect.

Tia

Which airport?!

Watch out for public holidays in November, they may affect opening times and busyness of restaurants. Generally I have no problem finding somewhere without booking.

I walk everywhere though the metro is quick and efficient.

Which area are you staying?

Airports are a way out of the city.
I’d say river cruise leaving and returning to just below the Eiffel Tower and then a walk around the Tower and Trocadero gives a good view of the city. One night isn’t one day though really. It’s a few hours. I don’t think I’d do it at all.

Beware of bedbugs.

There's another thread going on bedbugs in Paris at the moment. Don't sit down on the metro, check your hotel room carefully before even bringing your luggage inside. Isolate your suitcase in a plastic bag in the shed when you get home, boil wash your clothes and strip off before entering your home, put your shoes in bags outside etc. There's advice online for how to reduce the chance of them coming home with you.

😳 WTF

There is a lot to do so hard to narrow down for one day! As well as going into the main centre - around the river, Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe etc. I'd recommend going to the Sacre Coeur area for lovely views over Paris and lovely old streets to wonder around (although it is also super touristy - but that's true of a lot of Paris.

A boat trip along the Seine is an easy way to take in a lot of the hot spots from the river including the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower etc.

Le Marais near the Bastille is also a nice area for small shops/characterful streets

Loads of great art galleries including the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay.

So many shops - walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, Galeries Lafayette

Charles de Gaulle airport is about an hour out of the centre. Look at trains to get in. (Depending on where you're flying from Eurostar is a good shout as it gets you into the centre but sounds like you've already booked?)

With kindness, absolutely this. Do check the bed frame for them.

Avoid the bed bugs and don’t even think about bringing the little feckers home!

Bedbugs aren't just in Paris they are everywhere... you won't even know you have them unless you get an allergic reaction to them 😩

Good things to do in Paris- wander along the Canal St Martin
Find a street market
Go into lots of French supermarkets and gawp at the wonders
Get an ice cream and watch the buskers on the Pont Neuf
Go to the cocktail bar on 16th floor of the Citizen M and watch the sun set over the city
Attend mass at Montmartre to experience pure theatre

Keep your money / passport safe. DH got pickpocketed on the metro, he was standing, it wasn’t even busy, group walked past him, off the metro, doors shut, and they’d had his wallet out of his side pocket. We’ve been to many cities, DH is the first one to tell us to keep our valuables close, just felt like we really had to be on our guard after that.

Which airport? C de g is closer and on public transport.

Plenty of restaurants, I've never booked. Do however prebook Eiffel Tower and some museums, a museums and attractions pass may save money.

Centre isn't too big, metro is convenient for bigger distances

Thanks all!

We're flying in to to CDG so from your suggestions, we'll probably use the metro quite a bit.

On the bed bugs sitch.....whaaat! This has actually put me right off going 😂 how the hell does an entire city get an infestation of such things!

Don’t bring any bed bugs back with ya!