PARIS, FRANCE:
5 TOP TIPS
By CAMS
You can’t go too wrong with a trip to the beautiful city of Paris, France. But whether you’re going there for the first time… or the 10th! Check out these 5 top tips before your next trip:
1) 📆 Go for longer than 2 days:
You might be tempted to go to Paris only for a two-day getaway. But there’s so much to see and do there, that can’t be crammed into two days! I’ve been twice already and I’ll definitely be going back again, as there’s still so much more to explore. I’d also recommend visiting Paris/ going to the major tourist attractions (like the Eiffel Tower) during the week. This is because, although there are still crazy queues all week long, they’re even worse on a weekend!
2) 🚊 Use the Metro (and RER):
Paris has two train systems – The Metro (mainly underground) and the RER (mainly overground). They are both super-efficient, fast and affordable. At first, I thought they’d be difficult to navigate around because of the different lines, and language barrier! However, they’re really easy to use and I ended up using them all the time. It only costs €1.90 for a single trip and around €15 for 10 trips.
3) 
Use some basic French:
I loveee a good opportunity to use the few basic French words that I know! But more importantly, the locals really appreciate it when you make an effort to communicate with them in their language. A simple ‘bonjour’ (hello) and ‘merci’ (thank you) goes a long way, especially when entering a place of business and interacting with staff.
4) 🚶♂️Be prepared to walk:
To be honest, I don’t tend to walk a lot on an average day. However, when I’m on holiday I’ll happily walk and explore as far as my legs will take me. Walking allows me to get a real feel for the country I’m in by being in the midst of everything. You’ll get to see a lot of things in Paris while walking, that you would have missed if you were sat in a taxi or a bus. There are also plenty of guided walking tours available.
5) 🎉 Explore outside the tourist areas:
As with every country, it’s important to be careful and remain safe at all times. But be open-minded to exploring different areas of Paris, France outside of the usual tourist spots. Different people recommended going to Chateau Rouge, to experience its African culture, and I liked it there. By venturing outside of the conventional areas, I was also able to find great nightlife!
