Paris Tips For First-Timers: 10 Things That Helped Me Enjoy My Trip

I visited Paris for the first time recently — and I loved it. But let’s be honest: Paris tends to spark strong opinions. Some people are completely enchanted, while others leave feeling underwhelmed and exhausted.

With its massive crowds, sprawling layout, and the pressure to see and do everything, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially on your first trip.

These are a few things I did (and a few I wish I’d done) that helped make my visit more enjoyable and less stressful. Hopefully, they’ll help you land firmly in the “I loved it” camp too.

woman standing by Louvre Pyramid at the Louvre Museum Paris France — Paris tips for first-time visitors!

toy sailboats on pond on sunny day in Luxembourg Gardens Paris France — Paris tips for first-time visitors!

Table of Contents

Paris Tips For First-Time Visitors

Book Major Attractions In Advance

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, and the top attractions (Louvre, Palace of Versailles, Catacombs, etc.) draw massive crowds. We booked most of our must-sees well in advance and I’m so glad we did.

The one activity we forgot to reserve? We ended up waiting in an hour and a half line just to get same-day tickets.

Save yourself the frustration and pre-book. If you’re visiting during peak season (late spring through early fall), aim to reserve tickets about a month in advance and try to book the earliest entry option of the day.

Large marble statue with wings on boat surrounded by huge crowd in spacious museum. Winged Vicotry of Samothrace (Nike of Samothrace), Louvre Museum, Paris, France. — Even with timed-entry reservations, you should still expect crowds at famous attractions (like the Louvre pictured here!)

Download Google Translate Ahead Of Time

Even if you know a few basic phrases, Google Translate is incredibly useful. We mostly used the photo function to translate menus and museum signs. You can just point your camera at the text, and the app overlays the English translation — magic.

If you want to feel more confident speaking French, practice a few key phrases ahead of time (like bonjour, merci, and excusez-moi). I also recommend this YouTube channel (Julien Miquel) for learning proper pronunciation of landmarks and museums, plus commonly mispronounced French words — it’s super helpful and beginner-friendly.

Join A Guided Walking Tour On Your First Day

A guided walking tour is one of the best ways to get your bearings in a new city, especially one as layered and historic as Paris. Doing it on your first day helps you feel more confident navigating and gives you a better sense of how everything connects, plus you’ll learn lots of facts about the city.

I didn’t join one this time because I was traveling with my cousin (who basically acted as my personal Paris tour guide — thanks, Allison!). But my family did these walking tours on previous trips and loved them, I’ve got the links below if you’re interested:

Both tours require reservations and are “pay as you wish” — so be sure to bring cash to tip your guide.

Pink cafe with greens shutters on corner of cobblestoned street with historic buildings and bikes in background. Montmartre, Paris, France. — Paris’ Montmartre neighborhood

Buy An eSIM For Easy, Affordable Data

Having reliable data on your phone makes traveling around Paris so much easier, you’ll be using your phone for maps, metro apps, translation tools, and mobile tickets. Instead of dealing with roaming charges or searching for Wi-Fi, I recommend buying an eSIM before your trip.

eSIMs are digital SIM cards that you can install on your phone in minutes, no need to swap anything physically. I used Nomad eSIM and activated it as soon as I landed. It was affordable, fast, and saved me so much hassle. Just make sure your phone is eSIM-compatible before purchasing.

Use The Metro

Paris is spread out, and traffic is no joke, driving or relying on taxis can be a major time drain. The metro, on the other hand, was quick, efficient, and surprisingly easy to use with just a little planning.

I downloaded the Île-de-France Mobilités app, purchased tickets in advance, and used my phone to tap in and out at each station. It worked great for me, though my cousin had some trouble with the app, so she opted for a preloaded metro card instead — which is easy to buy at any station.

To navigate between destinations, we relied on Google Maps, which gave us real-time directions and metro schedules.

Check out my Tips For Riding The Paris Metro, which includes more information on buying tickets, safety, and more.

Subway train in underground metro station with people walking to exit. Paris, France. — Paris Metro

Spend Time Outside The Tourist Zones

The central tourist districts can be loud, chaotic, and pricey. We stayed in the 15th arrondissement, which felt more residential and local but was still walkable to the Eiffel Tower and only about 15 – 20 minutes by metro to most major sites. It gave us space to breathe and a more relaxed vibe at the beginning and end of each day.

Note: If you’re not comfortable using public transportation, I wouldn’t recommend staying too far outside the main tourist zones, you’ll likely end up spending a lot of time (and money) stuck in traffic. That said, I do recommend finding ways to get off the beaten path, whether that’s visiting smaller museums, picnicking in quieter parks, or exploring more local neighborhoods.

Don’t Eat Every Meal At Sit-Down Restaurants

As much as we all love a long French meal, I don’t want an elaborate sit down process for every bite I eat, especially when trying to fit a lot into one day. We often grabbed quick meals from bakeries or grocery stores — a baguette, some fruit, and a wedge of cheese? Voilà.

This saved us time and money, and let us picnic in parks and along the Seine, which turned out to be some of my favorite moments of the trip.

picnic on grassy lawn in front of Eiffel Tower Jardin de la Tour Eiffel Paris France — Picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower at Jardin de la Tour Eiffel

Carry A Portable Phone Charger

Your phone battery will drain faster than normal during a busy day in Paris. As I mentioned above, between navigating with maps, pulling up tickets, and taking hundreds of photos, you’ll be using your phone often — which means backup power is in order.

This is the portable charger I always travel with (linked here: Portable Charger Power Bank). It’s a bit on the heavier side, but the battery life is incredible, I can go several days without needing to recharge it. Absolutely worth the weight in my day bag.

Visit In The Shoulder Season If You Can

We visited in early March — technically shoulder season — and it was still packed. I honestly can’t imagine summer crowds. If your travel dates are flexible, aim for a visit in late fall, winter, or early spring (excluding holidays) for slightly fewer people, better hotel prices, and a more relaxed pace.

If you’re going in peak season: book ahead, plan realistically, and be ready for crowds.

Staying Safe In Paris

Questions regarding safety in Paris are common, so I was surprised when I realized that Paris is actually considered a safe city for visitors, particularly in the central neighborhoods that most travelers stick to. Serious crime involving tourists is uncommon.

It’s easy to come across stories online about things going wrong during trips, but those experiences represent a very small portion of the millions of people who visit Paris each year without any issues. That doesn’t minimize anyone’s experience, but it’s helpful to keep the bigger picture in mind — while problems can happen, they’re relatively uncommon.

However, as with any major city, staying aware of your surroundings is still very important. Pickpocketing and scams are the most common issues visitors encounter, particularly in crowded places, near major attractions and around busy train stations like Gare du Nord, for example. Keeping an eye on your belongings, being cautious in crowded places, and familiarizing yourself with common scams can help you avoid most problems.

The City of Paris also provides a helpful guide to Staying Safe In Paris, which is worth reviewing before your trip.

Set Realistic Expectations

My final Paris tip might be the most commonly missed by first-time visitors: set realistic expectations.

Paris is a huge, world-famous city. It’s going to be busy. You won’t see everything. You might get lost, or show up late, or get rained on — and that’s okay.

What made our trip great wasn’t that everything went perfectly. Travel mistakes happen, you’ll learn as you go. That’s part of the story. Embrace the quirks of your trip and do your best to go with the flow even when things aren’t going as planned.