Paris is Always a Good Idea
Admiring the Art at the Louvre
There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris! (Ernest Hemingway)
Paris has always been on my bucket list to tick off for many reasons not just to take photos, and back in October 2024 I flew into Beauvais (as it’s an hour-long flight) and took an hour train ride to the city of romance!
In all honesty, Paris was everything I wanted it to be, cafe’s on every corner, the history, the culture and art, the tower, the food, the photo opportunities and even the famous Parisian style didn’t disappoint.
I loved it so much that I am back in Paris for two nights on January 31st for the first of my Budget Monthly Travel Trip Challenges and can’t wait as this time I’m taking it a little slower as trying to do everything in October was a rush.
Flights
I always fly out of Birmingham to land in Beauvais and then get a train into the city for two reasons, it’s cheaper and it’s an hour long flight.
Flights are with Ryan Air (I’ve paid £126.48 for two people) but Easy Jet do fly from Birmingham to Charles De Gaulle airport but expect to pay more. I then get the train from Beauvais to Paris Gare du Nord, which takes an hour, and a return ticket for two can be as cheap as £17.43.
It can take me 4-5 hours on a train to travel back home to Durham so two a bit hours to get to Paris from Birmingham is a no brainer, making this ideal for a weekend break.
Where I Stayed: Airbnb in The 9th Arrondissement
In October I was in Paris for four days, staying in an Airbnb in the 9th arrondissement (Opéra). I stayed at the foot of Montmartre in Rue des Martyrs, this was based on the ease of travel time to landmarks, the price for the accommodation was very reasonable and that the 9th arrondissement is very safe based on the reviews that I read.
The only thing I would change about the Airbnb I stayed in is that it had a very low ceiling in the mezzanine above the bed and the mezzanine stairs were difficult to climb.
But that said, the Airbnb was £241.95 for three nights, working out at £80.65 a night and the apartment was in a secure private block which was very clean and peaceful, limiting the street noise.
I would 100% return to the 9th arrondissement and I’m a little sad I’ve not done this for the January visit if I’m being honest but it’s good to do different things. The 9th arrondissement is full of good food, has a great vibrance, it was close to landmarks, and I loved the coffee from KB Coffee. I was staying on Rue des Martyrs and it had everything on the doorstep, excellent bakeries, cafés, coffee shops and general shops for anything else and was close to the metro.
People sitting and relaxing at Grand Bassin in Tuileries Garden
Travel by Metro
The metro is cheap and easy to travel (the first two days of being there I spent £84 on Uber travel which I regret). It wasn’t till the third day I jumped on the metro and it was straight forward and extremely cheap. Single tickets were €2.50 (£2.07), a single day ticket was €12.00 (£9.95) and a week ticket ranges from €28.20 (£23.40) to €31.60 (£26.22) depending on zones.
To look at these ticket packages click here and you can use an app called Bonjour RATP which is on Android and iPhone. Make sure you hold on to any paper tickets until you have completed your trip as these are needed to exit the station and to avoid fines.
Important: When traveling on the metro, keep valuables in safe places and avoid using your phone near the doors to avoid pickpockets grabbing them as the metro starts.
Navigating The Louvre
I would 100% go to the Louvre and take your time once there, it is worth seeing Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa at the Louvre but be prepared to fight once in the Salle des États to get to the front. Is the Mona Lisa the best piece in the Louvre? No, but it’s a bucket list experience.
I highly recommend getting the Timed Louvre Ticket with Host Direct to Mona Lisa from Get Your Guide in order to skip the line into the Louvre (saving valuable time) a ticket cost £27.00. This gets you straight to the Mona Lisa. After which you are then free to explore the Louvre museum at your own pace. If you are an EU citizen and aged between 18-25 or if you are under 18, you don’t need to pay for entry into the museum. If this does not apply to you, then on the first Sunday of every month there is free entry for everyone!
Things I Loved and Would Recommend
I think it’s worth getting an Uber if you want to experience driving around the Arc De Triomphe and if you ask nicely, they might even pull over so you can take a picture without stopping for too long. I was able to do this as I booked a Uber to the Eiffel Tower with a detour of the Arc De Triomphe. However, also don’t miss out spending time at the Arc De Triomphe, the views of the city from its terraces are incredible all for €16 (£13.28) and can be booked here.
Take a walk or even a cycle along the banks of the Seine, for great views of the Eiffel Tower and other architecture, you can even cross the beautiful Pont Alexandre III Bridge (seen in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald when Newt catches the Zouwu).
Make sure to visit Sacre Coeur Basilica (John Wick 4 was filmed here) during the day or night. The Sacre Coeur Basilica is open every day of the year from 6.30am to 10.30pm and admission is free. If you take the dome tour (10am-5.30pm) climbing the 300 steps there is a great cityscape image you can take from the top of the incredible panoramic view of Paris.
Wander through and spend time in the gardens of Paris, my favourite was Jardin du Carrousel and Jardin des Tuileries which are right next to the Louvre. For other gardens to visit here’s a good list with reviews.
100% try to speak French with locals and always say Bonjour, Merci, and Au revoir.. So get practising on Duolingo.
Time lapse of crowds at the Louvre
Things I wish I knew Before Going to Paris
I wouldn’t go to the outside of the base of the Eiffel Tower at night due to the high level of pick pockets. Plus I think that there are better places to see the tower from when it sparkles. The illuminations are on every evening, seeing the Tower turn gold with sparkles for 5 minutes every hour on the hour from starting at 8pm. This continues until 1am, when you will get a 10 minute finale. I would go instead to Port Debilly, the Rocadéro Esplanade or the Champ de Mars to watch the evening show or for a city view, try the Arc De Triomphe as the terrace remains open until after 8pm.
Don’t buy water as there are plenty of water foundations around the city that provide perfectly fine drinking water for free, so take your chilly bottle.
Avoid wasting your money eating near big attractions as it very expensive and you can get better food for better prices for a short walk. TripAdvisor is a great way to find a nice restaurant.
I wouldn’t plan too much with a tight schedule as you will end up missing out on the wandering of streets and getting to really appreciate the city.
Taking photographs in France
I’ve read that France does have strict privacy laws but when I’ve been researching this (I’m not an expert so don’t rely on me fully and do your own research) it appears more to be related to paparazzi, as in taking photos that cause “harm” or invade private life, photographing people in vulnerable situations, or taking photos that ridicule people or that give away trade secrets, etc.
So it is fine to photograph people in the street and as always it’s wise to place an emphasis on respect, which all street photographers should do anyway. If your taking a direct portrait you should always look to interact with people which ensures you are never over stepping any boundaries.
Art at the Louvre