Paris, Yes or No?

[Teaandwater]

DH and I have never been, never been interested but now I feel I should really visit to tick it of my list. Should we go? If yes, any recommendations for accommodation and things to do.

I feel like you’ve missed the boat if I’m honest, Paris used to be beautiful but now a days it’s horrid and a complete waste of money to go.

Thank you, I've always sort of thought that and that's why we never visited.

Oh don’t listen to the negatives!!!!
I had never been to Paris until last year and I can honestly say I had an absolute ball. Walked everywhere, ate in the most fantastic cafes, visited all the sights and I can’t wait to return.

Id been told it was crowded and dirty with rude, terrible service. Yes, it was crowded but the people we met were absolutely lovely and couldn’t do enough.

It’s a big city in the manner of London. Can be busy and stressful but also wonderful in so many ways. Eurostar often do deals too. Go!!!

I went just a few weeks ago and thought it was way nicer than when I took DC ten years ago. Then it was smelly, dirty and SO rude. This time, friendly and way more relaxed. I lived there decades ago, in my twenties, and not a week went by without me being flashed at in some public place, and there were beggars without limbs on every metro platform. Both of those seem to have gone!.

OP, I'd go. Just think about the things you like most and do the Parisian version of them. For a first timer, I'd recommend a hotel near Opera or Boulevard Haussman as it is easy to get to from Gare du Nord if you are arriving on Eurostar. You can walk from there up to Montmartre, or take the funicular, see the city lit up at night, see the artists' square, Sacre Coeur, have a drink or dinner.

See some sights: Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame and Ste Chappelle, or one of the galleries - I prefer Musee d'Orsay to Louvre, as it has the best Van Goghs and Monets. Then just chill a bit - boat trip, parks, markets and food halls, cafés in the Marais, shopping.

You can see a lot in a few days.

Echoing others here, when I first went about twenty years ago it wasn’t good, but went back late 2024 and it was fabulous.

Interesting to see people saying they’ve seen an improvement recently. We visited for the day more than 15 years ago when we went to DLP, and I wasn’t impressed. DH keeps saying he would love to go back so I’ve given in and we have a few days booked there in April. We are going by Eurostar and staying somewhere near to the Louvre / Notre Dame (looks like we can walk to both). Probably won’t go back to Eiffel Tower which we saw before and that looks some distance.

Paris is lovely. It's a big, busy international city so yes, it's crowded and can be grubby in places - just like London or New York or Rome (fewer cats that Rome, though).

It has world class art galleries - anything from the the classics and renaissance at the Louvre through Impressionism at the Musee D'Orsay, the lovely house and gardens of the Rodin Museum, the most ingenious way of collecting taxes that resulted in the Picasso museum (to avoid death duties, Picasso's heirs had to give the French Government first pick of his art), the Orangerie at the Tuileries with rooms designed to hold the Monet Waterlillies in the best way possible, and the amazing collection at the Pompidou, including some fantastic Kandinskys.

Do the tourist stuff and really go with it - the bateau mouche on the Seine at night with the buildings all illuminated,stroll behind Notre Dame over the bridge to Ile Saint-Louis and stop for fancy hot chocolate "au ancient regime" before wandering the tiny narrow streets, hike up the steps to Sacre Coeur, even the mad artist's square behind it at the Place De Tetres with a zillion caricaturists trying to entice tourists to get a picture done. It's fun to live in a movie for a couple of days.

I would say go, but only if you can approach it with an open heart and want to be pleased. If you go thinking "this is probably going to be crap," you'll not have any fun.

Yes, absolutely!

Went for the first time last October and loved it. Lucky with the weather so walked everywhere. Didn't do the Louvre but did do Musee D'Orsay (rooftop outdoor cafe is a top tip) and Versailles. I believe the city had a serious clean up for the Olympics. People were all friendly.

I've been to Paris many times over the years. I definitely think it's worth the visit - remember to book for Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame etc well in advance otherwise you'll have to pay for very expensive tours as the only way to get in on short notice, as I learnt the hard way this time around (summer 2025).

It’s a beautiful city, totally walkable and lots to see. Get the Eurostar if you’re connected to London.

I love Paris! I first went (on our first ever trip abroad) 53 years ago - loved it then, love it still. I particularly enjoyed the tour of the sewers, not sure whether they still do that or not, but you could buy a wonderful postcard in their gift shop of several swarthy sewer workers emerging from a manhole with the Eiffel Tower in the background. I also still have the sketch of 13 year old me done by one of those artists behind the Sacre Coeur. Well worth a visit.

Went last year and we are planning another trip as we loved it . They cleaned it up a lot for the Olympics. We had a nice quiet hotel near the Arc De Triomph but down a side road and was lovely and quiet.

I like it but don’t go in summer, far too busy, instead I like the winter

Just to echo everyone else its lovely and I would recommend it definitely. I think some go with this idea it's perfect and it's not, it's like other cities, it gets busy, there is rubbish etc but it's wonderful

I love Paris. Always happy to go. Ignore the naysayers.

For accommodation we stay in one of the Ibis Styles hotels which are all nice.

I always enjoy Paris and don't understand why people are so down on it. But you shouldn't go just to "tick it off". It depends what you enjoy doing and seeing. Do you like visiting large European cities generally?

It's a wonderful city and I go a lot (sometimes for work, sometimes for a long weekend with DH, occasionally for the day to see an exhibition, as we live in London and that's possible). Surprisingly walkable, and very beautiful although it is big and busy. It's what you make it. So maybe go, just the once!

I’d never been until last year and we had a wonderful time. It was DP’s birthday. The city is beautiful, the people are not rude like we’re often told and we fell in love with the place. We definitely want to go back to do the things we didn’t have time to do last time.

We go at least twice a year. It's one of my favourite places.

I live in Paris and still find it a very beautiful city even though I'm used to it. Very walkable too. Just don't go in August -- it's only tourist stuff open then because most Parisians leave for the month (if they can).

Yes! My top tips are - just wander, if you go in the spring go to Monets garden - it’s a train ride away but with it. Sainte Chapelle - the stain glass is beautiful. Louvre - but get there an opening time and choose a specific part to look at. Everyone goes to see the Mona Lisa but I loved the section on the French Royal family. Take one of the boats at night and see the Eiffel Tower lit up.
Go up the Arc der Triomphe. Lots of amazing Church’s with interesting history.
It’s great for a long weekend. Or add Versailles on as a day trip.

I also wasn’t bothered about Paris and heard so many negatives before I went but I absolutely loved it. Last year it was clean and beautiful in the summer. I can’t understand why people have such negative views on the place.

I'm probably in the minority but I hated Paris and would never go back. It's the only city I didn't feel safe in.

I went last Nov for the first time. I fell in love with the place and had the best week. So much so, I'm going back in April