First time to Paris: Do you have questions about Paris?
If you’ve never been to Paris before, you might have a lot of questions about the city, the people, and the hotspots. On this page about Paris for beginners, we’ll discuss all the handy tips and the main attractions you must see. For planners, we’ve also created daily schedules so you can make the most of your day and Paris.
How is Paris structured?
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements with the ring road, the Boulevard Périphérique, surrounding them. The Seine river runs roughly through the middle of the city from east to west. Fourteen arrondissements (the right bank or Rive Droite) are located north of the Seine, and six of the twenty are south of the river (the left bank or Rive Gauche).
This subdivision into arrondissements is convenient because if you have an address of an attraction, you can see from the last two numbers of the postal code which arrondissement you should be in. For example, if the postal code is 75006, the address is in the 6th arrondissement. If the postal code is 75012, then you need to be in the 12th arrondissement.
Map of Paris
It’s handy to buy a map of Paris as soon as you arrive at Gare du Nord or at the airport. You can also buy one at one of the many kiosks in the city, and often hotels have free maps available at the reception. These usually don’t include all streets, but you’ll get an overview of the city, and the main attractions are marked.
A good street guide is the booklet Paris pratique, small and handy, divided by arrondissement. In the index at the front, you can look up a street. The arrondissement number is listed before the street name, and behind it is where you can find that street on the map. Metro stations are also listed. You can also find the arrondissement number on the street signs. This is useful if you’re lost. If you know the number, you can quickly look up where you are in the Paris Pratique.
Walking in Paris
The best way to explore Paris is on foot. You’ll see the most, you can leisurely enjoy everything, and you can stop wherever you want. If you get tired of all the walking, fortunately, you’ll find beautiful parks everywhere where you can sit on a bench and relax. Take a stroll along the Seine or through the Passages. You’ll encounter a lot of ‘Paris’ this way too.
Metro
Besides walking, you can also take the metro to get from one attraction to another. It practically goes everywhere. Buy a carnet of 10 tickets (16.90 euros) or a carte Mobilis that is valid for a whole day (8.45 euros) at a metro station (you can also get them at Gare du Nord or the airport).
You can download a map of the metro network here
Find out how the metro works here
You can find all possible tickets here
Find out how to get from the airport to Paris here
Find out how to drive to Paris by car here
Getting acquainted
Taking a bus tour is ideal for getting a first impression of the city. You can do this, for example, with the Toot bus tour. You can choose from four routes, and you’ll drive 1-2 hours past the main attractions and get to know the city a bit. An audio guide provides information about the attractions you pass by.
A cruise on the Seine is also a good way to see something of the city. You’ll pass by the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Conciergerie, and Notre Dame, among other things. Another option on the water is the Batobus. With this, you can sail up and down the Seine, and you can get on and off where you want.
Paris for beginners’ top 10
- Eiffel Tower
- Notre Dame
- Louvre
- Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur
- Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysées
- Musée d’Orsay
- Grande Arche de la Défense
- Jardin du Luxembourg
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Galeries Lafayette
Other famous attractions
- Monuments:Hôtel de Ville, Opéra Garnier, Panthéon, Invalides
- Museums: Centre Pompidou, Musée Picasso, Musée Rodin, Musée de l’Orangerie
- Parks: Jardin des Tuileries, Parc André Citroën, Jardin du Palais Royal
- Neighborhoods and squares: Ile de la Cité, Marais, Place des Vosges, Place de la Concorde
- Shopping: Le Printemps, Carrousel du Louvre, Westfield Forum des Halles
1, 2, or 3 days?
You can use these suggestions to plan your visit to Paris. In addition, you can also choose one or more of the over 40 day menus with suggestions for a day program.
1 day in Paris
Ile de la Cité, Notre Dame, Seine river cruise, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower in the evening.
2 days in Paris
Day 1: Ile de la Cité, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Montmartre.
Day 2: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Jardin du Luxembourg, Batobus or Seine river cruise.
3 days in Paris
Day 1: bus tour (Toot bus tour), Ile de la Cité, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Montmartre.
Day 2: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Jardin du Luxembourg, Batobus or Seine river cruise.
Day 3: Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, Galeries Lafayette, Sainte Chapelle, Grande Arche de la Défense.
Places to eat
You can eat and drink everywhere in Paris. You can eat very cheaply, but it can also add up quickly. In Paris, drinking on a terrace is more expensive than inside. In addition, restaurants and cafes where many tourists go are more expensive than the small pubs in a side street. There’s a good chance that you’ll also be among the French and eat real French dishes there. On the other hand, lunch is much cheaper than dinner. If you want to be even cheaper, you can also buy food and drinks at a neighborhood store, bakery, or supermarket and eat them in a park.
Below are (lunch) cafes and restaurants where you can eat reasonably priced. Check the websites for opening hours beforehand.
Le Père Fouettard, 9 rue Pierre Lescaut, 1st arrondissement (French cuisine)
Presto Fresco, 14 Rue Montmartre, 1st arrondissement (Italian cuisine)
Le Pain Quotidien, 2 rue des Petits-Carreaux, 2nd arrondissement (sandwiches, salads, also breakfast)
Les Noces de Jeannette, 14 rue Favart, 2nd arrondissement (traditional French cuisine, open every day)
Petit Bao, 116 Rue Saint-Denis, 2nd arrondissement (Chinese, Asian cuisine, close to Les Halles)
Daroco, 6 Rue Vivienne, 2nd arrondissement (beautiful restaurant, delicious pizzas and pastas)
Le Hangar, 12 impasse Berthaud, 3rd arrondissement (bistro, French cuisine, near the Musée de la Poupée)
Le Trumilou, 84 Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, 4th arrondissement (fixed menu, casual atmosphere)
l’As du Falafel, 34 rue des Rosiers, 4th arrondissement (famous for falafel, also other kosher meat dishes)
Café de la Nouvelle Mairie, 19 rue des Fossés-Saint-Jacques, 5th arrondissement
Polidor, 41 rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 6th arrondissement (simple French cuisine)
La Cuisine de Bar, 8 rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th arrondissement (branch of baker Poilane; bread, salads)
Au pied de Fouet, 45 rue de Babylone, 7th arrondissement (French bistro)
Bouillon Chartier, 7 rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, 9th arrondissement (huge restaurant in art-deco style)
Cojean, 17 boulevard Hausmann, 9th arrondissement (quiches, soup, salads)
Chez Papa, 206 rue Lafayette, 10th arrondissement (dishes from Southwest France)
Tricotin, 15 avenue de Choisy, 13th arrondissement (Chinese)
Ti Jos, 30 rue Delambre, 14th arrondissement (Basque crepes)
Le bistrot d’André, 232 rue Saint-Charles, 15th arrondissement `
Andia Paris, 13 Chaussée de la Muette, 16th arrondissement
Tokyo Eat, 13 avenue du Président Wilson, 16th arrondissement (ultra-modern museum restaurant of Palais de Tokyo)
Un Zèbre à Montmartre, 38 rue Lepic, 18th arrondissement
Sadarnac, 17 rue Saint-Blaise, 20th arrondissement (Mediterranean cuisine)
If you’d like to eat at more expensive restaurants, check out the Guide Michelin France and Guide Gault Millau France websites, where you’ll find a large number of good restaurants. Or search for a Paris restaurant to your taste on Le Fooding (English), The Fork of Paris by Mouth (English).