home Other countries Traveling around Paris. How to travel to Paris cheaply: personal experience

Traveling around Paris. How to travel to Paris cheaply: personal experience

The last couple of months have been quite busy in terms of work, and in August I'm finally going on a long-awaited vacation. Therefore, I haven’t taken tourists on walks for a long time and I don’t plan to do so in the next few weeks. Since I have to say “no” to people quite often, I decided to correct the situation a little and create 3 walking routes for everyone. Enjoy it for your health :)

WALK WITH A FORK

Start of the route - from the metro Felix Faure (line No. 8). At the exit from the metro we admire one of the few residential buildings in Paris in the Art Nouveau style and head towards rue du Commerce , passing the Catholic Cathedral Saint Jean Baptiste . Rue du Commerce is a miniature version of how life works in the districts of Paris: grocery stores, clothing stores, a public garden with a playground, bakeries, locals with shopping carts, parents with children, dogs with owners... I live nearby and I really like to walk here in the evening. One of my favorite places is the restaurant le cafe du Commerce (look inside). We walk along the street to the end, it turns into avenue de la Motte-Picquet - without turning anywhere, we reach Ecole Militaire And Champ de Mars , from where you can clearly see the Tower (photo above).

And then our goal is a small, lively street rue Cler , which I have mentioned many times in my texts here. Flower shops, market, restaurants and small cafes, pastry shop Francois Pralus - a charming, truly authentic place, despite its proximity to tourist mecca as Eiffel Tower. And now - a fork!

Arriving along rue Cler to rue de Grenelle , you have a choice - turn right or left. If to the right, we reach hotel des Invalides and go into the courtyard (photo above). This is one of my favorite places in the city. It is not necessary to go to the military museum - just walk around the territory, go to the chapel Saint Louis , go up to the second floor. This is if you go right after rue Cler.

And if to the left, we run into avenue Bosquet and go right to rue de l"University . We turn left along it and reach Branly Museum . Here we are only interested in the garden. We pass right through it - and now we are already at Quai Branly , before pedestrian bridge passerelle Debilly . As you can see, there is a wonderful view of the Tower from here.

Then we move to the right bank, a little to the right along avenue de New York there will be an entrance to the territory palais de Tokyo And museum d"Art Moderne . We need the last one. This is a free museum with an excellent permanent exhibition. Stop by here for an hour and a half if you want. And if not, cross the road (this will avenue du President Wilson ) and go to the kindergarten for Galliera Museum . Here you can take a break after a walk and eat a pre-bought/prepared sandwich while sitting on a bench :)

ROMANTIC WALK FROM 6 DISTRICTS TO 1

We start from the metro Saint-Germain-des-Pres (line No. 4) and the church of the same name. We immediately choose where to eat/drink coffee/wine: there is a cafe l es Deux Magots And Cafe de Flore - both legendary, beautiful and quite touristy, but still delicious and very Parisian. Is there Brasserie Lipp - a place where Picasso, Hemingway and other creative crowds visited. We may not stop at the establishments, but it’s definitely worth at least looking at them. And further along rue Bonaparte heading towards the square, fountain and cathedral Saint-Sulpice (pictured above).

We admire the pigeons, sit on a bench, and then turn right onto a narrow rue Ferou and we thank the French for their creativity: here the famous poem by Arthur Rimbaud “The Drunken Ship” adorns the entire wall. In the original language, of course. This is one of the small, seemingly not particularly remarkable moments that ultimately leave the most vivid impression of the city.

Along rue Ferou we reach Luxembourg Gardens . We lie on the grass, sit on a chair, take pictures of ducks, let our eyes rest on the greenery. And we leave the garden to the side rue Vaugirard , To Odeon theater . We go around it and get to rue de l'Odeon which leads us to boulevard Saint-German .

Here we need to go through the gate to the right of the candy store Maison Georges Larnicol - this will be one of the oldest and most beautiful passages in Paris Cours du Commerce Saint-Andre (photo above). We pass through the passage and exit to rue Mazarine . We walk along it until we see the entrance to a cozy alley on the right passage Dauphine . We turn here and reach the end - here we are rue Dauphine . From here we need to go left, towards the Seine...

So we go to bridge Nave (which, by the way, offers views of the breathtaking Parisian sunsets). From here you can go down to the edge of the Ile de la Cité in Vert-Galant public garden . Where to go next is up to you to decide)

TWO ROOFS AND THREE PASSAGES

Let's start right from the terrace art center Pompidou . Come here early, before opening, to avoid the line (there is almost always a long line). Regardless of how you feel about modern art, the Pompidou terraces are worth both the time and the entrance fee (6 euros). From here you can see Montmartre and the roofs of the entire right bank. It’s especially great to come here in the first half of the day. In general, Paris in the morning is a delicacy.

Next we head along rue Rambuteau towards the updated shopping center Forum des Halles , which has already become the object of criticism local residents(but it's in their blood). The architectural solution in the form of a huge openwork pavilion looks very contrasting among the old four-five-story buildings in the area Chatelet . But that's the beauty of it. Passing through the pavilion, we come to Church of Saint-Eustache , which houses the largest organ in France. There are also heart-shaped stained glass windows. We walk past the church to the side rue du Louvre and turn to rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (everything is very simple on the map). On the right along the street awaits us the gate to an incredible gallery Vero-Dodat (pictured above). We admire, take pictures and go out on the other side to rue Montesquieu .

She leads us to a small closed Place Valois , and there it’s just a stone’s throw away columns Buren (striped black and white columns) and magnificent Palais Royal garden (pictured above). Here you can drink coffee at Cafe Kitsune or just hang out for an hour on one of the chairs by the fountain.

On the opposite side of the Palais Royal there is access to rue de Beaujolais - we need to turn right and go up the stairs to Passage des 2 Pavillons - he will lead us straight to the entrance to Galerie Vivienne (on the picture). There's a great wine bar, a couple of restaurants and... just a lot of beauty. Take your time - rummage through old postcards from a bookstore, look at a mosaic, sit on a wooden bench. Stay here and now)

From Vivienne's gallery we go to rue Vivienne which leads us to Exchange , and behind it - rue Saint-Marc , which rests on rue Montmartre . Here is the time to turn left and on the left side you will see a gate - the entrance to Passage des Panoramas . Dark, cool, filled with shops and restaurants. Here you can buy collectible stamps or just look in the windows. If you find yourself here at lunchtime, great: grab a table at Canard & Champagne and order plat du jour.

We leave from Passage des Panoramas on boulevard Montmatrte and go straight to the shopping center Galeries Lafayette or Printemps , which is right here. We go up to the roof. I prefer Printemps - the view from it in the photo.

Here are three walks for you. I personally like travel in which there is no clear plan, but only a desire to see new things. Then you get the most wonderful routes. But at the same time, in a city like Paris, where your eyes are filled with variety and number of opportunities, sometimes you want to focus on something specific. And the main thing is not to make a mistake. I hope my tips help you have a great holiday :)

Photo: taken from my blog about life in Paris -

Some time ago, I sent out a letter to our blog subscribers offering help in organizing an independent trip to the country of their dreams. Of course, the help offered was not material :)). I was interested in simply providing information based on which you can safely begin planning your vacation. In one of the letters that I received in response, reader Natalya asked for help in organizing a trip to - the specific place and season were not important. In this article we decided to tell you how to go to Paris on your own.

In my deep conviction, you should start getting acquainted with France from Paris. Impressions of Paris can be completely different - someone falls in love with this city forever, while others remember only the many tourists and emigrants on the city streets. Be that as it may, it’s worth trying to get to know this city at least a little.

Since I myself was also wondering how much it costs to go to Paris on my own, and not through a travel agency, I was happy to sketch out a small plan.

So, let's go to Paris!

Let's start with air tickets. I found great flight options to Paris in less than 9 thousand rubles(round trip from November 6 to November 13) per person with one transfer.

two air tickets to Paris for 16.5 thousand with one transfer in Amsterdam

This, I think, is just a great price! Even with one transfer, but fly with the National Airlines of the Netherlands to Paris and back for 8.5 thousand rubles- simply fantastic!

Yes, and another important note - do not buy tickets with a transfer if the connection time is less than 2 hours— there is a big risk of not catching the second plane! Do not forget that it is in the Netherlands that you will need to take place customs control, not in Paris. Just in case, you need to print out and take with you the map of Schiphol airport so as not to get lost when transferring.

Where to live in Paris

Now let's decide on housing. First of all, I started looking for hotels in Paris on my favorite booking.com. But here he let me down... Of course, I know that Paris is not cheap, but not so much! Having set quite acceptable criteria - a 3-star hotel at a price up to 4 4oo rubles per day I did not receive a single offer... The minimum hotel cost for the entire trip of 8 days (and even then with a big discount) was about 35 thousand rubles.

Of course, if you reduce your requirements to two stars and the rating is not particularly good, then you can find offers for 18-20 thousand rubles (8 days), but when reading reviews about these hotels, any desire to go anywhere disappears, even to Paris!

I continued my search on my second favorite site, Airbnb (we wrote about it, and I wrote about our experience). What great options I found here!

And apartments with a view of Montmartre, and a 10-minute drive from the Eiffel Tower, and even a barge on the Seine River (fully suitable for a comfortable stay), but my choice was this amazing apartment with its own garden.

I imagined that in the evening, after a walk around Paris, I could sit in this courtyard with a bottle of French wine and cheese and macarons from Laduree... mmmmmm.... Just a delight! Moreover, for the same period this wonderful apartment costs only 25 thousand rubles, which for Paris is simply cheap.

By the way, when you register on Airbnb, you will receive a €28 discount on your first booking!

Medical insurance

required to be presented when applying for a Schengen visa. Everything is very simple here - you can buy insurance online, and voila - the cost of insurance from the Zurich insurance company for two people is only 1,240 rubles. And you don’t have to go anywhere!

Visa to France on your own

Now you can submit documents for a visa (confirmation of air tickets, accommodation and insurance are required when applying for a visa. The official website of the French Embassy is.

List of required documents, rules for filling them out and submitting them -.

That's it, the visa documents have been submitted, the next stage is

Paris itinerary planning

and exploring transport links in Paris. The Internet can help us all, information about this sea, these are just a few resources.

Don't ask me to tell you about Paris -
How can I convey the aroma?
Love's kiss from Nina Ricci
And Van Gogh's red sunset?

poets and writers, ancient and modern, romantic and pragmatic? You can read all the books about it, but only a trip to Paris will help you understand what kind of city it is and make you fall in love with it for the rest of your life.

Independently or “under supervision”?

You can go on a trip to Paris, first of all, by purchasing from an agency. This option is suitable for first-time travelers, as well as for those who are very busy and cannot organize a trip to Paris on their own. For those who already have experience of traveling and are not afraid to make decisions, make a similar self-guided tour It won’t be difficult, and the advantages of such a trip, compared to a holiday with a package from a tour operator, are much greater.

What are the advantages? Let's list it point by point:

1. You decide for yourself when and what type of transport you will travel or fly.

2. Nothing limits your length of stay in France except the visa date.

3. You are free to choose where you will live: in a hostel, hotel or rent an apartment.

4. With an open Schengen multiple visa, you can go for several days, for example, to Italy or Spain.

5. By completing all the documents, booking tickets and accommodation yourself, you can reduce the cost of your trip several times. For example, he offers to spend a romantic weekend together in Paris for 77,000 rubles. This amount includes accommodation in a 4-star hotel and flights. Additional costs for a visa, medical insurance and aviation fuel tax will amount to another 10,000 rubles. Thus, a romantic weekend in the French capital will cost 87,000 rubles per person. Experienced Travelers They calculated that if you apply for a visa yourself, choose cheaper tickets (flights with transfers or early in the morning) and a less star hotel, you can save from 9,000 to 20,000 rubles per person. Impressive?

About the positive moments that will bring independent trip in Paris , We've talked, now about what actions

you need to take steps so that everything goes as planned, and the trip leaves only wonderful memories and emotions.

When is the best time to go?

At any time of the year, the French capital can surprise you, enchant you and make you fall in love with it. However, if you organize a trip to Paris yourself and want to save money, then it is better to hit the road after the New Year and before mid-March or at the end of September and make it before Christmas. At this time, the French capital is in low season, which means prices for air travel and hotel rooms fall.

Collecting documents

Before booking tickets and booking a hotel, you need to find out what official papers you need to collect to obtain a visa and check the validity of your foreign passport. Detailed information information about what documents are needed, where and how to submit them to obtain a French visa can be found on the Embassy’s website. The requirements for documents are the same as when registering for any country: air tickets or reservation, valid international passport with a validity period of 3 months and mandatory three blank pages, documents confirming financial capabilities (employment certificate or bank account statement). Medical insurance and confirmation of hotel reservation are required. Now let's talk about everything in order.

Booking accommodation

Before you begin this stage, it doesn’t matter whether you’re planning a weekend trip to Paris or a whole month, decide in which area of this big city you would like to live. Accommodation prices in the French capital vary greatly: from 15 euros per bed in a hostel in a suburban area to very large sums in luxury hotels.

If you plan to walk a lot and also visit the suburbs of Paris, then it is worth considering the options of hotels located near the Gare de l'Est or Gare de Lyon. For example, the Helvetia or Hôtel de l’Aveyron hotels, located near the Gare de Lyon, will cost about 80 euros per night.

Despite quite low prices, you should not book hotels located in the rather criminal Parisian Gare du Nord area, next to the North and Western stations.

If you are planning a trip to Paris to Disneyland, then it is better to focus on hotels near this huge amusement park. The cost of rooms in such hotels, located within walking distance, starts from 100-110 euros.

Where and how is insurance obtained?

The list of documents required to obtain a visa to France must include a medical insurance policy for foreign trips. It is quite easy to buy such a policy, and the French Embassy has a list of insurance companies with consular accreditation.

If you are planning a trip to Paris for two, you can buy it either at the representative office of the insurance operator, or use the web resources of well-known insurance companies or accredited by the French Consulate and issue a policy online.

You must have the received insurance policy with you at all times. In addition, before the trip, you should scan it and save it in your email inbox, so that in case of force majeure you can easily access it.

How to get to Paris?

Today, you can get to the capital of France by bus or train, which is quite long and tiring, or fly to Paris by plane. Regardless of which mode of travel you choose, this is the most expensive part of your upcoming trip. For most tourists, a trip to Paris begins with a flight.

Let's not dwell on how to buy bus tour around Europe with a visit to France and get to Paris by train. By plane, although more expensive, it is much faster. You should select your departure date in advance and book a ticket for one of the regular flights. There are direct and connecting (one transfer) flights to Paris from many Russian cities, primarily from Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as from Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen and many others.

To save some money on excursions and other pleasant entertainment, when organizing an independent trip to Paris, it is better to immediately buy tickets both there and back. The final cost of travel documents will be lower.

When searching and booking tickets, you should pay attention to the airport of arrival. It is important that it is within the city limits, since public transport in Paris is not cheap. Best located international Airport named after Charles de Gaulle.

Transport in Paris

An independent trip to Paris will most likely not be complete without moving around the city. Of course you can rent

car or take a taxi, but both options are quite expensive. And, besides, the system public transport in the capital of France is very well developed. For buses, trams and metro there are the same type of tickets, which are divided only by the number of uses. You can buy them both at the box office and from the driver. The latter option will cost a little more.

According to the Parisians themselves, the most convenient capital transport is a metro that is connected to the network commuter trains RER. On the metro map they are marked with letters from A to E.

Another convenient mode of transport for travelers is buses. In Paris, in addition to the usual city routes, there are special tourist routes that pass through the historical part of the city and cover most of the attractions.

If you have a plan budget trip to Paris, the cost of travel on such tourist buses will please you - it is one of the cheapest! You can save on single tickets: for example, one ticket for a trip costs 1.70 €, but a set of 10 will cost only 13.70 €.

The tram service in the French capital is not very developed - only four lines. Moreover, only tram number 3 runs around the city, all the others serve the suburbs.

Where to go and what to see?

For someone who has dreamed of a trip to Paris for most of his life, such a question does not arise: Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Versailles, Fontainebleau and Montmartre. Everyone has their own list of attractions!

If you want to see everything at once, but it’s difficult to decide on the order, then you can use the services of various travel agencies and Russian-speaking guides.

Holidays with children at Disneyland Paris

For those traveling with children, a trip to Paris to Disneyland will give the kids a fairy tale, and adults some time

time to feel like children. Before heading there, be sure to research the attractions and their locations, and be sure to buy your tickets online at least five days in advance. This kind of forethought will help you save up to 30 euros per person.

In general, ticket prices in amusement park different, and they can cost from 55 € to 145 €. However, it should be noted that their validity period ranges from 6 months to a year.

If you want to further reduce the cost of a trip to Disneyland Paris, then it is better to plan it for the end of September - mid-December, and also book a hotel nearby in advance entertainment center. If you live in the center, you will have to spend time and money on travel, since Disneyland is located in a small Parisian suburb - Marne-la-Vallee, located 35 kilometers from the capital.

So, if you go to Disneyland Paris on your own, you will have to spend 250-300 € on a flight, 75-100 € on a night in a hotel, 55 € on the most cheap ticket to the park. The total looks like 400-450 € without a visa and insurance. The price may increase slightly, but only due to the location of the hotel, since you will have to pay for travel if you stay away from Disneyland. Tourist operators offer to pay for such a vacation from 700 €, excluding the cost of a visa, health insurance and various additional duties.

It is worth visiting Paris at least once in your life to feel the romantic atmosphere of its narrow streets, the beauty of the Seine and its bridges, and understand all the writers, artists and poets who sang the praises of this beautiful city. And how much to pay for all this is up to you to decide!

Trip to Paris

Paris is the city of dreams. The number of world-famous attractions here is simply off the charts: the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, the Louvre, Moulin Rouge, Montmartre... Add to them cozy restaurants, charming narrow alleys, picturesque parks and colorful townspeople - and you will understand why great writers and artists sought and found their inspiration in Paris.

However, we should not forget that this is a multimillion-dollar city with busy traffic, vast distances and a large number of visitors, and not at all the scenery from a movie. A trip to Paris is full of contrasts: it is at the same time a city of pompous palaces and shabby facades, romantic love and cruel revolutions, high art and the simple joys of life. It may not turn out to be what you imagined, but give it a chance and Paris will enchant you!

How to get to Paris?

The fastest and most convenient way to get to Paris from Moscow, St. Petersburg or Kyiv is by air. The non-stop option is provided by several airlines: Aeroflot, Transaero, Air France, Aigle Azur. Travel time from Moscow to Paris is about four hours, from St. Petersburg even less. Ukraine International Airlines or Air France will take you from Kyiv to the French capital in 3.5 hours. Many airlines offer options with one or more transfers, which will take longer, but will cost much less than direct flights.

The Aviasales service will help you speed up your selection of the most convenient and affordable flight. It provides flexible filter settings that will allow you to specify various parameters: departure dates and times, number of transfers, desired airports. But the main thing is, of course, the opportunity to compare prices among dozens of offers various airlines and ticket sales agencies.

Where to stay in Paris?

Paris is beautiful all over - from the tip of the Eiffel Tower to the Luxembourg Gardens, from Montmartre to Montparnasse, in any of the 20 administrative districts This great city has its own charm. But still, there are areas that are more suitable for staying during a tourist visit, especially if you are visiting for just a few days and want to see as much as possible.

Map of Paris districts

City center

The ideal option would be to find housing in the central part of Paris, on the banks of the Seine. Districts 1 to 7 form the historical and tourist centre cities. Here you'll visit some of Paris's most famous landmarks and museums, admire its stunning architecture, and understand why this city is considered the most romantic in the world. , the Orsay Museum, the Tuileries Gardens, the Saint-Germain district and, of course, all this will be within walking distance if you choose a hotel in the center of Paris.

Visa to France

France is one of the countries of the Schengen zone, so to enter its territory you will need to obtain a Schengen visa. To receive it, you must provide a package of documents. We advise you to check what is included in it and how much this pleasure will cost on the official websites of the French Visa Center in Russia and the France Visa Service Center in Ukraine.

As a rule, when you first contact visa centers France, you will receive a six-month visa with a period of stay in the country of up to 90 days. For repeated applications, the validity period of the visa may be increased to a year or two.

Applying for a Schengen visa usually looks like a rather intimidating and troublesome task, especially if this is your first time. In addition, to guarantee a positive result, all your documents must be in perfect order, because if you are denied a visa, your vacation plans may be hopelessly ruined. If you are not sure that you can cope with bureaucratic intricacies, or you just don’t have time to deal with the hassle with documents, use the service. You will only need to take photos, answer a few questions on the website and give a package of documents to the courier, and then the specialists will do everything for you. A few days later, your passport with the coveted visa will be delivered directly to your home!

How to get from Paris airport to the city

Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport (L"aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle) or Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle (Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle)- one of largest airports peace. Located 25 km from the capital. A trip to Paris by public transport will cost about 10 euros.

High-speed trains RER (line B) connect the airport with the city center and Gare du Nord station, where you can change to the metro or trains of other lines. The movement interval is 12-15 minutes, the trip duration is about half an hour.

There are also several buses from the airport bus routes to different parts of the city, including at night. This trip will take about an hour.

Taxi ranks are located at the terminal exits. A trip to the center of Paris by taxi during the day will cost approximately 50 euros, from 17:00 to 10:00, and on weekends and holidays - 15% more. Low-cost airlines fly to Beauvais Airport (Aéroport de Beauvais-Till). It is separated from Paris by about 70 km. By bus this distance can be covered in 1.5 hours and 15 euros.

Arriving in Paris late at night, with large suitcases or small children, finding a taxi or public transport is not an easy task. To save yourself the stress, it is better to book a transfer from Paris airport to your hotel in advance. We recommend using the KiwiTaxi service for this. On their website you will not only choose the car you want, but also immediately find out the exact cost of the service. 100% meeting at the airport guaranteed!

Car rental in Paris

If you want to visit not only Paris, but also its surroundings, such as Fontainebleau or Disneyland, we recommend that you consider renting a car. It will be a little more expensive than using public transport, but imagine the freedom you get! By renting a car, you can spend a day on Cote d'Azur or even one of neighboring countries. It is most convenient to use the RentalCars service to rent a car. It compares prices from several companies at once, allowing you to choose the most attractive option.

Paris city transport

In Paris there is an extensive network of bus routes, including night routes, and several tram routes. However, the most popular and convenient transport is the metro. Actually, the word “metropolitan” itself originally meant Parisian underground transport.

Paris Metro- record holder for the density of stations: from any point in the city to the nearest station will be no more than 500 m. The average travel time between them is 2 minutes. The RER high-speed train network operates within Paris similarly to the metro, the only difference being that there are fewer stations and trains run less frequently but faster. Navigation is well organized - you can easily reach your destination if you carefully follow the signs. The outputs are labeled “Sortie”.

It is very convenient that a universal T+ ticket costs 1.7 euros for all types of public transport in Paris. A set of 10 tickets - “carnet” - is sold for 13.3 euros, which allows you to save money. Almost every station has a ticket vending machine with a menu in English.

Bicycle rental Velib

The city's bike-sharing network is considered part of the public transport system. It is very popular and easy to use. First you need to register in the system using a credit card. The cost of registration for 24 hours is 1.7 euros, for a week - 8 euros. 150 euros are blocked on the card as a deposit until the bike is returned. The first half hour you ride for free, then every 30 minutes the cost increases from 1 to 4 euros. However, no one forbids you to change your bike every half hour - there are really many rental counters.

Tourist cards Paris

And those who don’t like to think through anything can use ready-made guides to Paris:

Main telecom operators: Vodafone, Orange, SFR, Bouygues. Tourists can buy a SIM card for about 10 euros, of which 5 will be credited. To register a SIM card, you usually need to provide your local address (for example, a hotel). The same card can be used when traveling around Europe - the tariffs are practically the same.

Shopping in Paris

It's hard to name the best place for shopping in the capital of world fashion, but we can say with confidence: here you can find everything - from haute couture masterpieces to affordable youth brands, from inexpensive souvenirs to works of art. Flea markets, small designer clothing stores, luxury boutiques and outlets - there is something for every taste and budget. The department store Galeries Lafayette is even considered a city landmark in its own right.

Sales with discounts up to 60% are held twice a year: in January-February and July-August. Most stores are open from 9:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday. IN tourist areas(Champs-Élysées, Le Marais, Carrousel du Louvre) boutiques of famous brands are also open on Sundays. On weekends, numerous street markets are open until lunchtime.

French cuisine

The number of cafes and restaurants in Paris seems impossible to count. The townspeople know how to enjoy food and do not refuse gastronomic pleasures. Everyday food is quite simple but tastes very good. In addition to wine and cheese, they love all kinds of soups: onion, tomato, potato, cream soup “Saint-Germain” from green peas, meat soup in a pot “potofeu” and bouillabaisse from different types of fish. Parisian chefs cook excellent meat and fish, the taste of which is enhanced by a variety of sauces. Moroccan cuisine is very popular, especially couscous. Hot flavored crepe pancakes (Crêpe) with or without filling, which can be bought on almost every corner - a wonderful snack while walking around the city.

According to the official Paris website, all prices already include a 15% service surcharge, so tipping is not necessary. However, if you want to personally thank the waiter, it is not forbidden to leave him 5-10% of the bill. By the way, the price of food and drinks may vary depending on where the table is located: indoors is cheaper, on the terrace more expensive.

History of Paris

It is believed that the capital of France was named after the Celtic tribe of Parisians, who lived on the Isle of Cité even BC. At the beginning of the new era, Julius Caesar built a military fortification and a city here. Until the 4th century, these places were called Gaul and belonged to the Romans - before the leader of the Franks, Clovis I, annexed them to his kingdom, making Paris the capital.

In the 12th-13th centuries, a period of rapid development began: new buildings were built, streets were paved, trade developed, and a university appeared. Since then, Paris has slowly but surely developed - hampered by plagues, wars, and uprisings. Craftsmen and officials, scientists and artists came here. At the beginning of the 18th century, half a million people already lived in the city.

In 1789, Paris thundered throughout the world: under the slogan “Liberty, equality, fraternity,” the townspeople seized the Bastille, giving rise to the French Revolution. After several decades of terror and chaos, power passed to Napoleon I. The ten-year reign of the emperor left many masterpieces as a legacy to the capital.

Napoleon III gave Paris its modern appearance. The actively developing city needed redevelopment. In the second half of the 19th century most of dense medieval buildings were destroyed, giving way to spacious boulevards and modern houses. The project was led by police chief Eugene Haussmann and, as they say, he had his own interest. On the wide streets, explosive Parisians could no longer build barricades, but it became very convenient for the authorities to disperse demonstrations.

It is important to know:

Official language: French
City area: 105 sq. km. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, numbered in a clockwise spiral from the center. In the very heart is the island of Cité, full of attractions, where the city itself was once born.
Population: 2.2 million people. Together with nearby cities, it forms the so-called “Greater Paris” - an agglomeration with a population of about 10.6 million people. About 15% of the residents are foreigners.
Visa: Schengen, standard requirements. Price tourist visa for citizens of the Russian Federation - 35 euros.
Currency: Euro
Time difference with Moscow:-2 hours in summer, -3 hours in winter
Climate: The best time Spring and autumn are considered the best time to visit Paris. It can be very hot here in summer, but quite cool and rainy in winter and late autumn. Temperatures rarely drop below zero, but frequent rain and high humidity can make walking the streets uncomfortable. Officially, the high season is considered to be the period from April 1 to October 31.

Holidays:

Also celebrated in Paris:

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) - the European analogue of Maslenitsa

Third weekend of September - days cultural heritage. Many historical buildings open their doors to visitors.

The third Thursday of November is Beaujolais Nouveau, the holiday of new wine.

Every first Sunday of the month is Museum Day. Entry to most museums is free.

This concludes our review of the French capital. The next step is yours: find places and walking routes that interest you, synchronize your travel plans to Paris with and go to conquer this beautiful city!

Photos used in the review ,

Trip to Paris

Paris is the city of dreams. The number of world-famous attractions here is simply off the charts: the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, the Louvre, Moulin Rouge, Montmartre... Add to them cozy restaurants, charming narrow alleys, picturesque parks and colorful townspeople - and you will understand why. Great writers and artists sought and found their inspiration in Paris.

How to get to Paris?

Where to stay in Paris?

Paris is beautiful all over - from the tip of the Eiffel Tower to the Luxembourg Gardens, from Montmartre to Montparnasse, any of the 20 administrative districts of this great city has its own charm. But still, there are areas that are more suitable for staying during a tourist visit, especially if you are visiting for just a few days and want to see as much as possible.

Map of Paris districts

City center

The ideal option would be to find housing in the central part of Paris, on the banks of the Seine. Districts 1 to 7 form the historical and tourist center of the city. Here you'll visit some of Paris's most famous landmarks and museums, admire its stunning architecture, and understand why this city is considered the most romantic in the world. The Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris, the Orsay Museum, the Tuileries Gardens, Les Invalides, the Latin Quarter, the Saint-Germain district and, of course, the Eiffel Tower - all this will be within walking distance if you choose a hotel in the center of Paris.

Visa to France

As a rule, when you first apply to French visa centers, you will receive a six-month visa with a period of stay in the country of up to 90 days. For repeated applications, the validity period of the visa may be increased to a year or two.

Applying for a Schengen visa usually looks like a rather intimidating and troublesome task, especially if this is your first time. In addition, to guarantee a positive result, all your documents must be in perfect order, because if you are denied a visa, your vacation plans may be hopelessly ruined. If you are not sure that you can cope with bureaucratic tricks, or you just don’t have time to deal with the hassle with documents, use the VisaToHome service. You will only need to take photos, answer a few questions on the website and give a package of documents to the courier, and then the specialists will do everything for you. A few days later, your passport with the coveted visa will be delivered directly to your home!

How to get from Paris airport to the city

Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport (L"aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle) or Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle (Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle)- one of the largest airports in the world. Located 25 km from the capital. A trip to Paris by public transport will cost about 10 euros.

There are also several bus routes from the airport to different areas of the city, including at night. This trip will take about an hour.

Car rental in Paris

If you want to visit not only Paris, but also its surroundings, such as Versailles, Fontainebleau or Disneyland, we recommend that you consider renting a car. It will be a little more expensive than using public transport, but imagine the freedom you get! By renting a car, you can go to the Cote d'Azur or even to one of the neighboring countries for a day. It is most convenient to use the RentalCars service to rent a car. It compares prices from several companies at once, allowing you to choose the most attractive option. Read more about this in the Ever.Travel review.

Paris city transport

Bicycle rental Velib

Tourist maps of Paris

And those who don’t like to think through anything can use ready-made guides to Paris:

Shopping in Paris

It’s difficult to name the best place for shopping in the capital of world fashion, but we can say with confidence: here you can find everything - from haute couture masterpieces to affordable youth brands, from inexpensive souvenirs to works of art. Flea markets, small designer clothing stores, luxury boutiques and outlets - there is something for every taste and budget. The department store Galeries Lafayette is even considered a city landmark in its own right.

Sales with discounts up to 60% are held twice a year: in January-February and July-August. Most stores are open from 9:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday. In tourist areas (Champs-Élysées, Le Marais, Carrousel du Louvre) boutiques of famous brands are open on Sundays. On weekends, numerous street markets are open until lunchtime.

French cuisine

History of Paris

Napoleon III gave Paris its modern appearance. The actively developing city needed redevelopment. In the second half of the 19th century, most of the dense medieval buildings were destroyed, giving way to spacious boulevards and modern houses. The project was led by police chief Eugene Haussmann and, as they say, he had his own interest. On the wide streets, explosive Parisians could no longer build barricades, but it became very convenient for the authorities to disperse demonstrations.

It is important to know:

Official language: French
City area: 105 sq. km. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, numbered in a clockwise spiral from the center. In the very heart is the island of Cité, full of attractions, where the city itself was once born.
Population: 2.2 million people. Together with nearby cities, it forms the so-called “Greater Paris” - an agglomeration with a population of about 10.6 million people. About 15% of the residents are foreigners.
Visa: Schengen, standard requirements. The cost of a tourist visa for Russian citizens is 35 euros.
Currency: Euro
Time difference with Moscow:-2 hours in summer, -3 hours in winter
Climate: The best times to visit Paris are spring and autumn. It can be very hot here in summer, but quite cool and rainy in winter and late autumn. Temperatures rarely drop below zero, but frequent rain and high humidity can make walking the streets uncomfortable. Officially, the high season is considered to be the period from April 1 to October 31.

Holidays:

Also celebrated in Paris:

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) - the European analogue of Maslenitsa

The third weekend of September is cultural heritage days. Many historical buildings open their doors to visitors.

The third Thursday of November is Beaujolais Nouveau, the holiday of new wine.

Every first Sunday of the month is Museum Day. Entry to most museums is free.

This concludes our review of the French capital. The next step is yours: select the places and walking routes that interest you on the map, synchronize your travel plans to Paris with the Ever.Travel mobile application and go to conquer this beautiful city!

Photos used in the review Lola Pidluska,

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Collecting documents

Booking accommodation

Where and how is insurance obtained?

How to get to Paris?

Transport in Paris

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