Travel to Paris

Paris Your Way

You can find dozens and dozens of guidebooks on Paris (see recommended reads on most Paris blogs). Read a few for background, but check out these sites where you can tailor plans to your interests:

Find insider information and tips on food, wine, tours, shopping, and more at these travel sites with a real passion for Paris: Bonjour Paris, Girls’ Guide to Paris, and Secrets of Paris.
The Tourist Offices throughout France are the go-to place for up-to-date information on what’s happening. Check the “What’s On” tab at the Paris Tourist Office for all exhibitions and events.
If you can read some French, check out these complete listings of outdoor markets, all kinds of entertainment, and exhibitions, museum events, and cultural opportunities.

Paris Videos We Like


Paris at Night (2:07 in time-lapse)	In the Streets of Paris (5:20)	San Francisco to Paris in 2 Minutes (2:04 in time-lapse)	Paris in 24 Hours (6:59 in time-lapse)
From dusk to dawn, pass by these Paris landmarks (in order): the Louvre Museum and I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Place de la République, the July Column in Place de la Bastille, and—just as day breaks—the Pont Alexandre over the Seine.	Everyday life in Paris shines through in this slide show of artistic photos set to French music. See inventive views of everything from monuments to grafitti.	The videographer took photos every two miles in flight and compressed them into this amazing work, which even includes a view of the northern lights against the wing of the aircraft. Chula’s comment? “Two minutes to Paris—how come I had to spend 11 hours in the hold?”	From sunrise to sunrise, this video takes you inside the neighborhoods of Paris. Visit the markets and cafes, the monuments and museums, a fancy shop, and a fancier hotel. See inventive views of the Eiffel Tower and the panorama of Paris from the top.

For optimal viewing, Chula suggests enlarging videos to full-screen mode.To avoid starts and stops on slow connections, she clicks “play,” waits a second to see that the video is loading, and then clicks “pause” until she sees that the video has loaded enough to stay ahead of the playing speed. Then she clicks “play” again.

Eating in Paris

Well, that’s easy and even easier with help from these sites:

Paris by Mouth, written by award-winning food and travel writers, recommends restaurants, wine bars, bakeries, pastry shops, and ice cream shops by arrondissement complete with photos, maps and contact information. Go here to stay current on food and wine events in Paris.
Alexander Lobrano blogs about Paris restaurants and other gastronomic topics in Hungry for Paris. Articles collected in his Diner’s Journal are graded and categorized by location, and type of cuisine. His book by the same title reviews the 102 best restaurants in Paris.
David Lebovitz is an American pastry chef and author living the sweet life in Paris. He shares recipes, recommends restaurants, and presents his favorite food-related books and goods.

Restaurant at Musée d'Orsay in Paris © Robert Long

Restaurant at Musée d’Orsay in Paris
© Erick Paraiso

Paris Apps and Audio Guides

David Lebovitz recommends Paris Apps to help you get around the city, visit the Louvre, select a restaurant or chocolate shop, and find just about anything you need—from the right French word to the nearest toilet.
Download these free audio guides to your phone, and get answers to your questions about a Paris monument right when you’re looking at it.
The Grand Palais and other museums let you download audio guides for their exhibits. Listening on a lightweight phone is more convenient as you move through the museum, and you have the commentary to revisit later.

View from the Pont Alexandre down the Seine to the Eiffel Tower © Sheron Long
View from the Pont Alexandre up the
Seine to the Eiffel Tower
© Sheron Long