The honest take
Paris is a cliché because it genuinely earns it. The food is excellent across every price point. The architecture is beautiful. You can walk for hours without wanting to stop. It’s one of the few cities that consistently over-delivers.
The things that don’t work: July and August are hot and crowded with tourists. The Eiffel Tower is a backdrop, not an activity. Not every restaurant is good — many tourist-facing places are mediocre at premium prices.
Go for the food, the walks, and the museums. Stay somewhere central and walk everywhere.
Where to stay
Left Bank (6th/7th arrondissement) — Saint-Germain-des-Prés area. Boutique hotels, quiet streets, good restaurants. Romantic without being touristy.
Marais (3rd/4th arrondissement) — Lively, mixed-use, excellent food scene. More modern energy than Left Bank.
1st arrondissement — Central, near the Louvre. More touristy but extremely convenient.
Avoid: Hotel chains near CDG airport, anything in the 8th near the Champs-Élysées (overpriced, impersonal).
Price range for decent boutique hotel: €150–€350/night.
What it costs
| Element | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Flights (US East Coast return) | $600–$1,100/person |
| Flights (London return) | €100–€250/person (Eurostar or budget airline) |
| Hotel (7 nights, mid-range) | €1,000–€2,000 |
| Food (daily — mix of bistros, brasseries, markets) | €80–€150/day/couple |
| One fine dining dinner | €200–€400 |
| Museums (Louvre, Musée d’Orsay) | €20–€25/person |
7-night total from US: $3,500–$7,000 including flights.
When to go
- April–June: Best weather, longest days, city at its liveliest. Slightly crowded but worth it.
- September–October: Autumn light, fewer summer tourists, still warm.
- November–March: Quiet, grey, often cold. Museums are less crowded. Has its own charm.
- Avoid July–August: Heatwaves increasingly common. Many Parisians leave. Tourist crowds peak.
What to actually do
Non-negotiable:
- Walk along the Seine — both banks
- Musée d’Orsay (Impressionists — better than the Louvre for one day)
- A proper bistro dinner: steak frites, wine, crème brûlée
- Marché d’Aligre or Marché des Enfants Rouges (food markets)
- Morning coffee and croissant at a neighbourhood café, not a tourist café
Worth doing:
- Louvre (go early, pick 3–4 things you actually want to see, leave)
- Père Lachaise cemetery (surprisingly beautiful)
- Day trip to Versailles (gardens are the point, not the palace)
- Montmartre (Sacré-Cœur + the streets around it, avoid the tourist-trap restaurants)
Overrated:
- Eating at restaurants directly facing the Eiffel Tower
- The Champs-Élysées (a shopping street, not a destination)
- Bus tours
Food strategy
Paris’s real food is at mid-range bistros and neighbourhood restaurants, not the famous names. Budget €50–€80/couple for a good dinner with wine. Book one “special” dinner at a well-reviewed contemporary French restaurant — around €150–€250 for two with wine. That’s enough.
Pick up cheese, bread, and wine from a market and eat in a park once. It will be one of the best meals of the trip.
Checklist
- Book hotel centrally — don’t save money by staying far from the centre
- Reserve the one special restaurant in advance
- Buy Musée d’Orsay tickets online (skip the queue)
- Get a Navigo card or Carnet tickets for the metro
- Bring walking shoes — this city is done on foot
- Learn two phrases: “Bonjour” (always first) and “L’addition, s’il vous plaît” (the bill)
Works well with
- Italy Honeymoon — Paris + Rome is a classic European combination
- Japan Honeymoon — both are the “great cities” tier