✈️ TLV to Paris-charles De Gaulle (CDG)
France
Paris
CityCDG
IATA3288.6 km
Distance4h 28m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 49.0128, 2.55
Airlines:
About Paris
Weather in Paris
Understand
Paris sits on the River Seine, in north-central France. Around 2.2 million people live in the city of Paris, but this only represents the urban core within the Boulevard Périphérique . There are some 10 million in the wider Métropole du Grand Paris (814 km 2 ) and almost 13 million people living in the metropolitan area, making this one of Europe's largest. Due to high expectations, a tight schedule, and language barriers, not to mention the large crowds and long lines at certain attractions during high season, the city also disappoints some visitors. Foreign visitors who have an idealized view of Paris might be shocked by the typical challenges of visiting any large city. They expect romance, beauty, and luxury, but they find street crime, traffic noise, pollution, garbage, and relatively high costs. In the worst case, visitors might experience the Paris syndrome , which is a state of severe culture shock and anxiety – sometimes, severe enough that it even results in a psychiatric emergency that requires hospitalization. To enjoy the wonders of Paris, make realistic plans. The number of attractions and landmarks is overwhelming; visiting only the most famous ones (which are overcrowded during major holidays) takes more than a week. The city also has more to offer for people who take time for a calm stroll along the backstreets. If your time in the city is short, be selective, and save some attractions for your next visit. Paris je t'aime . The website of the tourist office. ( updated Jan 2024 ) SPOT24 , 101 quai Jacques Chirac, Paris 15th ( Metro: Bir-Hakeim (line 6); RER: Champ-de-Mars—Tour Eiffel (line C); Vélib': station 7023 ). Daily 10:00-18:00 . The City of Paris welcome centre also has an exhibition and shop. ( updated Jan 2024 )
Climate
Paris has an oceanic climate with moderately cold winters and warm summers. The moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean helps to temper temperature extremes in much of western Europe, including France. Even in January, the coldest month, temperatures nearly always exceed the freezing point with an average high of 7 °C (45 °F). Snow is not common in Paris, although it can fall a few times per year. Most of Paris' precipitation comes in the form of light rain year-round. Daylight hours run from 08:45 until 16:45. Summers in Paris are moderately warm and humid, with an average high of 25 °C (77 °F) during the mid-summer months. Occasional heat waves can push temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) and rarely even reach 35 °C (95 °F). The sun is up from 06:00 until almost 22:00. Spring and fall are normally cool and wet.
Talk
French ( français ) is of course the country's official language. Any native French person will speak French and it helps if you can speak a bit of it. In the parts of the city that tourists frequent the most, the shopkeepers, information booth attendants, and other workers are likely to answer you in English, even if your French is advanced. These workers tend to deal with thousands of foreign-speaking tourists, and responding in English is often faster than repeating themselves in French. This is not the case for the rest of the city. Before you leave you may want to read a book like French or Foe by Polly Platt or Almost French by Sarah Turnbull — interesting, well-written records from English-speaking people who live in France. For most Parisians, English is something they had to study in school, and thus seems a bit of a chore. People helping you out in English are making an extra effort, sometimes a considerable one. Parisians younger than 40 are much more likely to be fluent in English. Immigrants, often working in service jobs, are less likely to speak English. If it's your first time in France you will have some problems understanding what people are saying, even with prior education in French. Unlike most language education tapes, real Parisians tend to speak fast, use slang, and swallow some letters. When attempting to speak French, do not be offended if people ask you to repeat, or seem not to understand you, as they are not acting out of snobbery. Keep your sense of humour, and if necessary, write down phrases or place names. And remember to speak slowly and clearly. Unless you have an advanced level and can at least sort of understand French movies, you should also assume that it will be difficult for people to understand what you are saying (imagine someone speaking English to you in an indiscernible accent). When in need of directions what you should do is this: find a younger person, or a person reading some book or magazine in English, who is obviously not in a hurry; say "hello" or " bonjour " (bon-zhor); start by asking if the person speaks English, "Parlez-vous anglais?" (Par-LAY voo on-glay?) even if the person can read something in English, speak slowly and clearly; write down place names if necessary. Smile a lot. Also, carry a map (preferably Paris par Arrondissement ); given the complexity of Paris streets it is difficult to explain how to find any particular address in any language, no matter how well you speak it. If anything, the person may have an idea as to the place you are looking for, but may not know exactly where it may be, so the map always helps. On the other hand, you will probably get the cold shoulder if you stop a random person in the métro, fail to greet them and say "where is place X or street Y". Now, if you speak French, remember two magic phrases : "Excusez-moi de vous déranger" [ex-kuh-zay mwuh duh voo day-rawn-ZHAY] ("Sorry to bother you") and "Pourriez-vous m'aider?" [por-EE-AY voo may-DAY] ("Could you help me?") especially in shops; politeness will work wonders. It is considered polite to always say "bonjour" (during the day) or "bonsoir" (at night) to employees when entering any type of shop even if you have no intention of buying anything. Upon leaving you should say "merci" to thank the shopkeeper for allowing you to browse and say "bonne journée" (bun zhur-nay) or "bonne soirée" (bun swa-ray) to wish them a good day or evening. "Bonne nuit" is only used when telling someone "goodnight" when going to bed. Finally, if you speak a language other than English or French, and your French is limited or non-existent, offer to speak your second language with the phrase "Parlez-vous anglais ou XXXX?" (Par-LAY voo on-glay oo XXXX?) as this shows that you are making an effort to speak somebody else's language as well as your own.
See
Highlights are listed below. Detailed information can be found on each individual district page (click on the name of the sight).
Sightseeing passes
One of the best value and most convenient ways to see the sights of Paris is with the Paris Museum Pass [dead link] , a pre-paid entry card that allows entry into over 70 museums and monuments around Paris (and the Palace of Versailles) and comes in 2-day (€62), 4-day (€77) and 6-day (€92) denominations (August 2024). These are consecutive days. The card allows you to jump lengthy queues, a big plus during tourist season when lines can be extensive, and is available from participating museums, tourist offices, FNAC branches and all the main Métro and RER train stations. You will still need to pay to enter most special exhibitions. To avoid waiting in the first long queue to purchase the museum pass, stop to purchase your pass a day or more in advance after mid-day. The pass does not become active until your first museum or site visit when you write your start date. After that, the days covered are consecutive. Do not write your start date until you are certain you will use the pass that day and be careful to use the European date style as indicated on the card: day-month-year. Also consider the ParisPass , a pre-paid entry card + queue jumping to 60 attractions including the Louvre, The Arc de Triomphe, as well as a river cruise which allows free metro & public transport travel.
Theatres
The 48.871944 2.331667 5 Paris Opera , as well as its associated ballet company, the Paris Opera Ballet, are considered to be among the premier classical performance companies in the world. If you are under 26, there is a flat rate of €10 for every private theatre of the town every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night. This fare does not apply to public theatres nor opera.
Buy
Paris is one of the great fashion centres of the Western world, up there with New York , London , and Milan , making it a shopper's delight. While the Paris fashion scene is constantly evolving, the major shopping centres tend to be the same. High end couture can be found in the 8th arrondissement. In summer, there is nothing better than browsing the boutiques along Canal St-Martin, or strolling along the impressive arcades of the historic Palais-Royal, with beautifully wrapped purchases swinging on each arm. Le Marais is a mostly Jewish neighbourhood, most of the shops in Le Marais are open on Sundays. The stores in this area are intimate, boutique, "Parisian" style clothing stores. You will no doubt find something along each street, and it is always well worth a look. Other great areas to shop around in are around the area Sèvres Babylone (Métro Line 10 and Line 12). It is in this area you will find the Le Bon Marché 7th , particularly rue de Cherche Midi 6th . The area boasts some of the major fashion houses (Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, etc.) and also has smaller private boutiques with handmade clothing. In the Quartier Saint-Germain-des-Prés , you can find a handful of vintage clothing shops, carrying anything from couture early 20th century dresses, to 70s Chanel sunglasses. Walking along Boulevard Saint-Germain , you will find major brands. However, if in search of eclectic finds, opt to walk the northern side of the Boulevard, especially along rue Saint André des Arts , where you can always find a nice café to stop in. The area south of Saint-Germain is just as nice, and comes with a price tag to match. In the artsy quarters of 1 and 4, there are many bargains to be had, once again, if you are prepared to look. Souvenirs are easily found and can be fairly inexpensive as long as you don't buy from the tourist sites. For cheap books of French connection, try the University/Latin quarter as they sell books in all languages starting from half a euro each.
Eat
Paris is one of Europe's culinary centres, where the haute cuisine has flourished since at least the French revolution. It may however come as a surprise that Paris isn't considered the culinary capital of French cuisine ; many people prefer the French cooking found in small rural restaurants, outside of the city, closer to the farms and with their focus on freshness and regional specialities. Even among French cities, Paris has long been considered by the French as second to Lyon for fine dining. There have been other challenges in the last 20 years or so as restaurateurs in places like San Francisco and Sydney briefly surpassed their Parisian fore bearers, again with an emphasis on freshness of ingredients but also borrowings from other cuisines. Parisian cooks didn't just rest on their laurels during this time, rather they travelled, taught, and studied, and together with Paris's own immigrant communities, have revitalized the restaurant trade. Today you can find hundreds of beautiful restaurants with thoughtful (or just trendy) interior design and well-planned and executed cartes and menus offering a creative mélange of French and exotic foreign cuisines. It's safe to say that Paris is once again catching up with or edging ahead of its Anglophone rivals. Of course there are also some traditional offerings, and for the budget conscious there are hundreds of traditional bistros, with their sidewalk terraces offering a choice of fairly simple (usually meat centred) meals for reasonable prices. It is unfortunately possible to have a uniformly poor dining experience during a stay in Paris, probably because mass tourism attracts price gougers. It is frequent to hear people complaining of very high Parisian prices for very poor food and service. Since so many of the restaurants are sub-par, the best approach is to rely on a restaurant guide and personal recommendations. Do your research in advance if possible and be prepared to travel some distance. Don't just walk down the street expecting to find good food; you probably won't. Many restaurants are tiny and have tables close together - square metres are at a premium and understandably restaurateurs need to make the most of limited space. In some cases when the restaurant is crowded, you may have to sit beside strangers at the same table. If that does not appeal to you, go to a more upscale place where you will pay for the extra space. Trendy restaurants often require reservations weeks, if not months in advance. If you haven't planned far enough ahead, try to get a reservation for lunch which is generally easier and less expensive. For an easy-to-manage eating budget while in Paris, consider: breakfast or "petit déjeuner" at a restaurant, possibly in your hotel, consisting of some croissants, coffee, and maybe a piece of fruit. Get a 'walking lunch' from one of Paris' many food stands—a panino in the centre of the city, a crepe from a crepe stand, a felafel pita or take-out Chinese in the Marais. Traiteurs serving Chinese and/or Vietnamese food are ubiquitous in the city and good for a cheap lunch and many pâtisseries sell inexpensive coffee and sandwiches. All these are cheap (about the same as breakfast), easy, and allow you to maximize your sightseeing and walking time while enjoying delicious local or ethnic food. For dinner, stroll the streets at dusk and consider a €20-40 prix-fixe menu. This will get you 3 or 4 courses, possibly with wine, and an unhurried, candlelit, magical evening. If you alternate days like this with low-budget, self-guided eating (picnicking, snacking, street food) you will be satisfied without breaking the bank. If one of the aims of your trip to Paris is to indulge in its fine dining, though, the most cost-effective way to do this is to make the main meal of your day lunch. Virtually all restaurants offer a good prix-fixe deal. By complementing this with a bakery breakfast and a light self-catered dinner, you will be able to experience the best of Parisian food and still stick to a budget.
Drink
The bars scene in Paris really does have something for everyone. From bars which serve drinks in baby bottles, to ultra luxe clubs that require some name dropping, or card (black Amex) showing, and clubs where you can dance like no one's watching, (although they will be). To start your night out right, grab a drink or two in a ubiquitous dive bar, before burning up the dance floor and spreading some cash, at one of the trendy clubs. Canal St Martin . Many cozy cafés and other drinking establishments abound around the Canal St Martin in the 10th . The Marais . The Marais has a large number of trendier new bars mostly in the 4th and to a lesser extent the 3rd with a few old charmers tossed into the mix. A number of bars and restaurants in the Marais have a decidedly gay crowd, but are usually perfectly friendly to straights as well. Some seem to be more specifically aimed at up-and-coming hetero singles. Bastille . There is a very active nightlife zone just to the northeast of Place de Bastille centered around rue de Lappe , rue de la Roquette , rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine (especially the amazing Club Barrio Latino) and rue de Charonne in the 11th . Many of the bars closest to Bastille have either a North, Central, or South American theme, with a couple of Aussie places mixed in for good measure, and as you continue up rue de Charonne the cafés have more of a traditionally French but grungy feeling. Quartier Latin - Odeon . If you're looking for the nouvelle vague (new wave) style, student and intellectual atmosphere of Paris in the 1960s and 70s, you'll find a lot of that (and more hip and chic) places in the quartier Latin and between place Odeon and the Seine. The neighbourhood is also home of many small artsy cinemas showing non-mainstream films and classics (check 'Pariscope' or 'l'officiel du spectacle' at any newspaper stand for the weekly programme). Rue Mouffetard and environs . The area in the 5th on the south side of the hill topped by the Panthéon has a little bit of everything for the nighthawk, from the classy cafés of Place de la Contrescarpe to an Irish-American dive bar just down the way to a hip, nearly hidden jazz café at the bottom of the hill. Châtelet . In some ways the Marais starts here in the 1st between Les Halles and Hôtel de Ville but with between all of the tourists and the venerable Jazz clubs on rue des Lombards the area deserves some special attention. Montmartre . You'll find any number of cozy cafés and other drinking establishments all around the Butte Montmartre in the 18th , especially check out rue des Abbesses near the Métro station of the same name. Oberkampf-Ménilmontant . If you are wondering where to find the hipsters ( bobos for bohemian-bourgeois), then this is where to look. There are several clusters of grungy-hip bars all along rue Oberkampf in the 11th , and stretching well into the 20th up the hill on rue de Ménilmontant . It's almost like being in San Francisco 's Haight-Fillmore district. Bagnolet . There are a cluster of bar/restaurant/nightclubs along the southern end of the Père Lachaise cemetery in the 20th including probably the best place in Paris for nightly local and touring punk rock. Rues des Dames-Batignolles . Another good place to find the grungy-chic crowd is the northern end of the 17th around rue des Dames and rue des Batignolles , and if you decide you want something a little different Montmartre is just around the corner. Port de Tolbiac . This previously deserted stretch of the river Seine in the 13th was reborn as a center for nightlife (and Sunday-afternoon-life) a few years ago when an electronic music cooperative opened the Batofar . Nowadays there are a number of boats moored along the same quai , including a boat with a Caribbean theme, and one with an Indian restaurant. Saint Germain des Prés . This area has two of the most famous cafés in the world: Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, both catering to the tourists and the snobs who can afford their high prices. This part of the 6th is where the Parisian café scene really started, and there still are hundreds of places to pull up to a table, order a glass, and discuss Sartre deep into the evening. For individual bar listings see the various Arrondissement pages under Drink . Of course there are lots of interesting places which are sort of off on their own outside of these clusters, including a few like the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz which are not to be missed in a serious roundup of Parisian drinking, so check out the listings even in those arrondissements we haven't mentioned above. Some nightclubs in Paris that are worth it: Folies Pigalle (pl. Pigalle, 18th, very trashy, €20), Rex Club (near one of the oldest cinemas on earth, the Grand Rex, house/electro, about €15). You might also want to try Cabaret (Palais Royal), Maison Blanche, le Baron (M Alma-Marceau). Remember when going out to dress to impress, you are in Paris! Torn clothing and sneakers are not accepted. The better you look, the more likely you will get past the random decisions of club bouncers. Also important to remember if male (or in a group of guys) that it will be more difficult to enter clubs; try to always have an equal male/female ratio.
Cope
Famous for its status as "fashion capital", Paris isn't as conservative in dress as one might think. Parisians will tolerate all kinds of clothes as long as they're worn "avec style" (with style). That's why men do not usually wear shorts shorter than above the knee outside of sporting events: it is not considered indecent but may stand out from the locals; shorts are for "schoolboys and football players" only.
Go next
Chantilly - Wonderful 17th-century palace and gardens (and the birthplace of whipped cream). 25 min train ride from Gare du Nord Chartres - The 12th-century cathedral of Notre Dame at Chartres is one of the highlights of Gothic architecture . 60-min train ride from Gare Montparnasse Disneyland Paris - In the suburb of Marne-la-Vallée , to the east of Paris, from where it can be reached by car, train, RER, or bus (the train/RER is probably your best bet). Fontainebleau - A lovely historic town south of Paris (55.5 km or 35 mi). A favourite weekend getaway for Parisians, it is renowned for its large and scenic forest, and for its château. 35 min train ride from Gare de Lyon Rambouillet - A royal palace surrounded by forest and historic town. Giverny - The inspirational house and gardens of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet are but a day-trip away. The gardens and its flowers are the most interesting part of the visit, so avoid rainy days. Lille - By bus 3½ hr (€5) The Loire Valley - a beautiful wine-making stretch of the river Loire that is chock full of renaissance châteaux, including Chambord , as well as medieval cities such as Blois , Orléans and Tours . Trains take 1–2½ hours from Gare Montparnasse and Gare d'Austerlitz . The Orient Express , which historically ran Paris- Istanbul , has been partially recreated as a seasonal luxury tourist train , but tickets are not cheap. Saint-Denis - On the northern edge of the metropolis, site of the Stade de France and St Denis Abbey, burial place of French royalty. Versailles - On the southwestern edge of Paris, the site of the Sun King Louis XIV's magnificent palace. 20-40 min train ride by RER (line C) from central Paris.