A cultural guide to Paris
One of the world's most iconic destinations, the City of Light continues to enchant with the finest art and fashion, unmissable landmarks, and a revitalized dining scene
Your essential guide to the best things to see and do in Paris. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
While many come for the history and romance of Paris, the French capital’s dynamic cultural scene is now an equally powerful draw—a full immersion in the very latest trends in contemporary art, cutting-edge fashion, and award-winning gastronomy. The cityscape, too, is evolving at a pace: Reshaped by the eco-conscious mayor, Anne Hidalgo, it is being converted into one of the most bike-friendly in the world, while the Seine and city streets were cleaned up in time in time for 2024’s sporting extravaganza—leaving Paris looking her absolute best.
Art & architecture
From the Louvre’s antiquities and Renaissance masterpieces to cutting-edge contemporary art collections, Paris has it all. Much of it, too, is housed in architectural gems, like the beaux-arts era Musée d’Orsay, conceived by Victor Laloux as a train station in 1900. The Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, is an immense glass and steel sail-shaped structure with big-name exhibits.
To conquer a few addresses in one day, start at the Centre Pompidou; then head into the well-heeled Marais for the Perrotin, the Picasso Museum and the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation. Edgier pieces await at 59 Rivoli, a six-story art commune; it’s free to enter. For a view of the city’s famed architectural marvels from above, climb the steps to Sacré Coeur.
Expert tips
The essentials
The local currency is the euro (EUR). Service is typically included in the bill, but double check, and add a 10% tip if not (cash is common for tipping). English is spoken widely but a few spoken phrases in French will be happily received. Bonjour and bonsoir (good day and good evening) and merci beaucoup (thank you very much) are useful basics. Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Gare du Nord is the major train station in the city center. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris in under 3 hours.
Getting around
The Metro is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to get around. Lines are color-coded and labeled one to 14; buy tickets at machines in the stations. The Navigo Pass allows travelers to take an unlimited number of rides in two zones. Trams and buses can be helpful when visiting areas outside the center that are not served by a Metro station. Paris has an extensive network of bike lanes: Rent a Vélib bike for one ride, or buy a 24-hour or three-day pass.
One of the best ways to see Paris is on foot. Walk from the Louvre Museum through Tuileries Garden to see beautiful sculptures and flowers. And if you’re upping your step count, continue up Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées.
Accessibility
Accessible taxis or buses are the most reliable option for getting around the city. All buses have electronic ramps and designated wheelchair areas on board. Very few Metro stations are accessible. 90% of stations on the RER transit system, which runs below the Metro, are accessible.
LGBTQ+
The Paris Pride parade takes place in June every year in the heart of the city. Thousands march through the streets and join together to celebrate love and diversity. The Marais district is a popular LGBTQ+ neighborhood filled with boutiques, cafés and cultural attractions.
Food & drink
Long gone are the days of stuffy dining and uncivil table service: The Paris food scene has completely transformed over the past decade thanks to an influx of younger talent, many from abroad. Sidestepping traditional menu stalwarts and the model of entrée, plat, and dessert, the neo-bistro—smaller venues offering seasonal shared plates and a dynamic wine list—now reigns supreme. This model encompasses more casual affairs like Recoin in the 11th arrondissement, and more elevated offerings, such as Basque chef Iñaki Aizpitarte’s Le Chateaubriand.
In the summer months, secure a spot at the bar (no tables, no reservations) of Les Enfants du Marché, a low-key-looking lunch spot serving seafood-driven fare paired with natural wines in an open-air food market in the Marais. At aperitif hour, head to Folderol for artisanal ice cream and wine, but for a little old-school glamour, the Hotel Costes underwent a recent revamp, and the Bar Hemingway at the Ritz will never lose its gloss.
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Hot ticket
Don’t miss the Bourse de Commerce—Pinault Collection, a revolving curation of luxury magnate François Pinault’s contemporary art collection, including works by visionaries such as Cy Twombly, Judy Chicago, and Maurizio Cattelan. The museum is housed in a former 20th-century trade building, with interiors redesigned by the avant-garde Japanese architect Tadao Ando. It’s worth checking out for the architectural tour alone, which covers four centuries of work, and while exhibits are ever-changing, there are some more permanent and surprising in-situ works like Ryan Gander’s lifelike animatronic mouse, which is nestled in a hole in the wall next to one of the elevators.
Watch before you go
Paris has been immortalized in cinema and on television since the advent of the silver screen, serving as a backdrop for romantic interludes, blockbuster mysteries, and cult indie films. More recently, John Wick 4 featured an epic finale on the steps to Sacré Coeur, and Netflix dramedy, Emily in Paris, has filmed in locations such as the manicured gardens of the Palais Royal and the iconic left-bank literary haunt, Café de Flore. Woody Allen’s 2011 homage to the city, Midnight in Paris, also features some of the city’s finest addresses, including the gorgeous Le Bristol hotel and the decadent belle époque restaurant Maxim’s.
The city center has been reinvigorated in recent years by the opening of the cosmopolitan luxury department store La Samaritaine and modern-art mecca the Bourse de Commerce. While there’s a bevy of stately hotels here, the Hotel Bachaumont, a reasonably priced design hotel set on a cobblestone street, is well located.
Further off the tourist beat but worth a visit is the neighborhood of Canal Saint-Martin—a trendy suburb that skirts the waterway snaking its way through the 10th arrondissement. This is a foodie hotspot, with plenty of small specialty stores, coffee shops, and pedestrian charm. Nearby, the newly opened Martin Brudnizki-designed La Fantaisie hotel is the latest coveted address, set amid gardens with a rooftop bar.
Alice Cavanagh is a Paris-based freelance journalist and editor writing for Vogue, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, The New York Times, The Financial Times, Konfekt, and Monocle.
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