Why I love Paris

“Paris’ grandeur is inspiring but what I love most about the city is its intimacy. Its quartiers (quarters) are like a patchwork of villages, and while it’s one of the world’s major metropolises – with all of the culture and facilities that go with it – there’s a real sense of community at the local shops, markets and cafes that hasn’t changed since my childhood. Yet because every little ‘village’ has its own evolving...” Read More

Image of Catherine Le Nevez
Catherine Le Nevez
Writer

Top experiences in Paris

Amazing hotels and hostels

We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

or skip this step and see all hotels & hostels

Food and drink

Food and drink accent image
  1. Septime in Bastille & Eastern Paris
    Modern French
  2. L’AOC in Latin Quarter
    Traditional French
  3. Derrière in Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
    Modern French
  4. L’Astrance in
    Gastronomic
  5. Bouillon Racine in St-Germain & Les Invalides
    Brasserie
  6. Yam’Tcha in Louvre & Les Halles
    Fusion
  7. Frenchie in Louvre & Les Halles
    Bistro
  8. Le Chateaubriand in Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
    Neobistro
  9. Le Grand Véfour in Louvre & Les Halles
    Traditional French
  10. Le Hide in Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards
    French
See More

Recent articles

Gourmet on the go: Parisian street eats

What do you get if you cross a city made for walking with seriously foodie locals? Gourmet street food. Few cities do takeaway with as much finesse as Paris. But then, this is a capital woven from Haussmann boulevards, elegant city parks, iconic food markets and an overwhelming desire to eat extraordinarily well.

Quality products – often local, seasonal and organic – plus a pinch of grassroots gastronomy and a generous dose of Parisian panache are chef essentials at these takeaway favourites, known for their distinctive gourmet twist.
Nicola Williams
Lonely Planet Writer

First time France: where to go and what to do

France is the world’s top tourist destination and for good reason. There's a lot packed into just one country – artistic and architectural masterpieces, remarkable museums and natural landscapes, and a history harking back far beyond the Romans. Top it off with fine wine, food and a culinary culture that permeates through every city and small town, and the only hard part is deciding where to go first.

France’s chic, sexy capital has to be experienced at least once. Mix picture-postcard icons with simple Parisian moments and you'll truly fall in love with the city. Scale the Eiffel Tower then walk or cycle along the Seine, or cruise down it on a bateau-mouche (bateaux-mouches.fr). Venerate Notre Dame then grab a post-cathedral café at Café Saint-Régis, ice-cream at Berthillon or super juice at literary café of mythical bookshop Shakespeare & Company. Hit the Louvre then collapse on a bench with a Pierre Hermé macaron in the Tuileries or Palais Royal gardens. Delve into hilltop Montmartre with a local Paris Greeter (greeters.paris). Escape to posh leafy Versailles and come back blown away by France’s most famous chateau.
Nicola Williams
Lonely Planet Writer

Bière de garde: a traveller’s guide to beer in France

Beer. It’s not the first thing most people think of sampling on a trip to France. But France, like many places, is on the cusp of a beer moment.

Breweries across the country are taking a nod from their Belgian neighbours, finding influence in American styles and hops, utilising their fresh and wonderful home-soil ingredients and even reviving a historic and uniquely French style of beer: bière de garde.
Megan Eaves
Lonely Planet Writer
Read more articles

Travel guides

Starting at $13.99

Image for Image for

Paris adventures

$113.19 Sightseeing tours

Versailles Small-Group Tour from Paris with Audio Guide

Experience the grandeur of Versailles Palace and Gardens on a small group tour from Paris. With a maximum of only eight per group, this small group trip to Versailles ensures a more intimate experience. Hotel pickup from centrally located Paris hotels is included, taking all the guess work out of your trip. You can choose from a half-day tour (independent tour), either in the morning or afternoon, or a full-day tour (guided tour). On both the half-day and full-day tours you'll also be able to wander around the garden's groves and pools. If you visit Versailles on a Saturday or Sunday during April to October, you can see the famous fountain show in the gardens. The display is accompanied by music composed at the time of Louis XIV's court.
$37.73 Sightseeing tours

City Sightseeing Paris Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Discover Paris at your leisure with a one- or two-day ticket on this City Sightseeing Paris Hop-on Hop-off Tour. Create your own itinerary as you see the most popular sights of Paris, keeping to your own personal timetable and not others! You'll also receive a free walking tour.
$387.60 Small group tours

2-Day Normandy, Saint Malo and Mont St Michel Tour from Paris

Spend two days exploring France’s Normandy and Brittany regions on this tour from Paris with an overnight stay in Caen. Visit the beautiful historic cities of Rouen and Honfleur, and tour World War II sites including the infamous Normandy D-Day landing beaches and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. The next day, venture to the beautiful walled port city of Saint-Malo, followed by a tour of Mont St-Michel, one of France’s most iconic attractions. Overnight accommodation, meals, entrance fees and transport are included.
$113.19 Sightseeing tours

Paris City Tour with Seine River Cruise and Eiffel Tower Lunch

See all the Paris highlights on a morning or afternoon tour, including lunch at the Eiffel Tower and a Seine River cruise. You'll cover Paris' must-see attractions and sightseeing activities in a half-day tour, giving you a great overview of the city and leaving you time in the day to explore on your own.
$383.02 History & culture

Eiffel Tower Dinner, Seine River Cruise and Moulin Rouge Show by Minivan

Dine at 58 Tour Eiffel on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower to enjoy panoramic views of Paris followed by a romantic Seine river cruise. Finish the evening with a cabaret show at the famous Moulin Rouge.
$85.75 Sightseeing tours

Paris City Tour by Minivan and Montmartre

Take this small group morning or afternoon tour to combine an overview of Paris' famous monuments, squares and buildings with some leisure time in Paris' most bohemian quarter, Montmartre. You'll be picked up and dropped off at your centrally located Paris hotel by air-conditioned minivan, which holds a maximum of only eight passengers and ensures you'll receive individual attention from your expert tour guide.
See More Adventures
Paris photo credits