France · Île-de-France

Paris travel guide

Cafés, galleries and grand boulevards, two and a bit hours by train from London

The Eiffel Tower. Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

1hflight from London

CDGnearest main airport

19° in Julwarmest month

3° in Jancoolest month

Paris is the easiest big trip from the UK: hop on the Eurostar at St Pancras and you're on a café terrace by lunchtime. The city is compact, the Métro goes everywhere, and almost every street corner looks like a postcard.

Spend the mornings on the big sights and the afternoons wandering. The best of Paris is between the landmarks: the markets, the bakeries and the little squares.

Good forCity breaksArt and museumsFoodRomance

Top things to do in Paris

1
The Eiffel Tower
Book a timed ticket to the summit, or walk the first two floors by the stairs. It sparkles for five minutes every hour after dark.
2
The Louvre
Home of the Mona Lisa and far more besides. Book a slot online and enter by the Carrousel entrance to skip the pyramid queue.
3
Montmartre
Steep cobbled lanes, artists in the Place du Tertre and the view from the steps of the Sacré-Cœur.
4
The Marais
Medieval streets, falafel on Rue des Rosiers, the Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum.
5
A Seine river cruise
An hour on the water passes Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Best at sunset.
6
Musée d'Orsay
Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir in a grand old railway station on the Left Bank.

Tours and tickets in Paris

Where to stay in Paris

Le Marais
Central, walkable and full of cafés and boutiques. Lively at night.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Classic Left Bank Paris: bookshops, bistros and pricier hotels.
Montmartre
Village feel and better value, but hilly and a Métro ride from the centre.

Find a hotel in Paris

Best time to visit Paris

Best value: Mar–May, Sep–Oct, Dec. April, May and September: mild, light evenings and shorter queues than summer. December brings Christmas lights and markets.

Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Paris, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 1h from London to CDG, and flights from most UK airports.

The Métro is fast and cheap: buy a Navigo Easy card and load it with tickets. From the Gare du Nord, where Eurostar arrives, you're 10 minutes from the centre. From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B train takes about 35 minutes.

Search flights to CDG

Day trips from Paris

Palace of Versailles
The Hall of Mirrors and huge gardens, 40 minutes by RER C train.
Disneyland Paris
Two parks, 40 minutes on the RER A, or a direct Eurostar-linked TGV.
Giverny
Monet's garden and water lilies, by train to Vernon then a shuttle bus. Open April to October.

Good to know

Many museums close on Monday or Tuesday: check before you go.
Pickpockets work the Métro, Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower. Keep phones out of back pockets.
Say 'bonjour' when you walk into any shop or café. It makes a real difference.

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