Travel to Paris.
"A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life"
-Thomas Jefferson
Of all places to go in Europe, travel to Paris and you are in the city considered as one of the top vacation destinations worldwide. Certainly, one of the most beautiful and dreamy places to visit..
The beauty of Paris, aside from the city itself, is the ease with which one can plan a trip there. Because of its popularity, travel to Paris is made simple as it has a network of tourist blogs writing about it.
Consequently, there is a virtual library of how to and where to go literature. Added to which, the tourist offices are always helpful and generally friendly. Travel to Paris is easier than most European cities. At least, it is, once you get out of Charles De Gaulle airport
Getting prepared
Along with London, Paris is probably one of the few European cities where you can get familiar with the layout.
You can learn tips and tricks without ever having been there. This is where you really score – doing your homework before you get there.
Having a solid plan for Paris is essential. Try and get familiar with the metro prior to arrival and it will prepare you for something that can be seriously confusing.
The only thing that you may find challenging about travel to Paris would be your budget and the costs of getting there…oh, and if you do not speak French, that is not an issue.
However, try a few words and the average Parisian may take pity on you and speak the lingo you understand – This would probably in surrender to the fact you are butchering their beloved language.
The road layout can be confusing with the sharp angular by streets. You may logically think that you’re taking a short cut to the next main street. Prepare for the surprise. Most likely you’ll get lost quickly.
Is a trip to Paris expensive ?
Paris is a city that is so well organized that you don’t really have to plan too much before your trip.
Accommodation and food can be pricey. Dream on if you believe all those guidebooks that promise Paris on $40 a day. France is definitely not one of the cheapest countries to visit. The capital city, less so.
Travel to Paris can be done cheaper with careful planning but I would never describe it as an inexpensive place to visit.
The city is really one huge tourist attraction. The areas that most travelers want to see will be those very tourist areas that charge accordingly.
Visiting the local neighborhoods can be cheaper but then, you’ll miss out on all the iconic landmarks that are Paris.
Budget Paris?
Certainly, it is possible to scrimp by, as long as you are going to go the starving artist route.
Stay in a hostel or some low-end hotel room without a bathroom or toilet it can call its own. Then you will save.
If you plan on roughing it with a two-star hotel (read bad), and one high budget restaurant meal per day you can still count on spending in the region of $60-70 per day. But, as with everything, great travel planning can definitely help keep the costs down.
Getting to travel around Paris
Anyone who has traveled to Paris will probably tell you that the best way is to walk. Paris is a city deserving of exploring on foot.
Every street and alley way has a hidden gem that is bound to interest you. Yes, you will definitely be doing more then 10 000 steps to walk around for a day. You will feel wiped out by the end. But truly, this is a city that should be seen on foot.
Other ways to get around Paris
The hop on, hop off bus/cruise is also a great way to get your bearings and get to where you want to go. It gets crowded in the summer months but it is still a good choice as an introduction to this exciting city.
The Metro. The Paris Metro is crowded, can be very confusing and it is really dirty in parts. Not the greatest in terms of comfort but amazingly efficient if you want to get from A-B fast and the tickets can be bought at the station in a booklet of 10 – I used this as a standby for those moments I felt totally worn out and wanted a fast way back to my apartment.
Uber is available and certainly cheaper than the taxi’s.
Taxi’s are expensive and difficult to find. Certainly it is not like London and hailing a taxi. Paris is a search and find. I have walked as far as I needed to go with a cab to get that cab. Also, bear in mind that the drivers in Paris don’t start the meter when they pick you up. If you ordered the taxi by phone, expect the meter to start running the moment they get the call.
Local Buses: This is a fun way to explore the city and feel like you belong. However the routing is confusing and the buses are not always on time. It can be a case of ‘hurry up and wait’..It will cost you about $2.50 a ticket and you buy them on the bus.
Rent a Lime scooter. Another really fun way to explore Paris is with the Lime scooter. You can find and unlock the scooters with a mobile phone app and leave them anywhere after your ride.
At time of going to print, the scooter will cost one euro per ride plus 0.15 euros per minute. They are pretty nifty, and fast. The speed of the scooter can reach 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour and they have a range of 50
kilometers.
Obviously you will need to have some confidence in the traffic to use one of these and Paris traffic is, well, interesting.
When to travel to Paris
Travel to Paris in the summer and it’s gorgeous. There is no doubting that the City of Lights can show her best colors in the summertime with long casual walks down the Champs Elysees at dawn or sunset.
Exploring the city is like walking through a masterpiece – when the weather is warm and a ton of activities are available.
Certainly if this is what you’re looking for, take the times between June to August. The downside to this is that it is high season which means crowds and inflated hotel prices. However, that said, Paris is always crowded.
Autumn is another time to look at going to Paris.Ideal for the foliage and the somewhat thinning crowds. Once you get to the winter months of late October to February, Paris will feel more like another city – at least it did for me.
The grey cloud and mist with constant damp drizzle and cold was not my favorite experience. That said, many would still find this a beautiful time to explore Paris.
Current weather
Daily costs of travel in Paris, France
Can be Expensive.
A very expensive city to travel if you are looking to do it in a mid-range category of accommodation and food
Low end hotel or hostel – €40 per day
Food – €15 per day per person
2 drinks per day €15
€60 – 70 : Suggested Daily Budget for ‘bare bones’ travel (hostel rooms, public transport, food from stalls or supermarkets etc) with 1 sightseeing highlight per day
€ 150+ Suggested Daily Budget for ‘average’ travel (Mid-range hotels, food from the occasional restaurants and stores, sight seeing attractions and transport .
Beware of the unforeseen. Paris is renowned for running into pickpockets and scams. I would recommend an emergency budget on standby of €20 per day,
Paris remains a top attraction in Europe, however, be on the lookout for some really amazing places to visit throughout this website.
where to next?
With all this urban sophistication and European culture, maybe it’s time to change things up. Let’s get earthy and rustic and do something adventurous. Let’s visit Greenland
Thoughts & opinions on posts