Paris Travel Guide
The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower can fill your booking calendar quickly. Leave a little Paris outside it: the free rooms of Carnavalet, a garden bench and a neighbourhood lunch can be just as much a part of the trip. Group your stops by area to save long metro rides.
Example spending plans
Use these room and meal budgets to plan a day. They are spending choices, not average prices or available room offers. Replace the room amount with your full booking price, including tax. If sharing, divide only the private-room cost. Airport and intercity travel are extra.
These are separate spending choices, not price or quality rankings. The alternative plan may have a lower total when its room, meal or activity allowances differ.
Simple stay
€131 / day
A bed, simple meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €55
- Food and drinks
- €32
- Local transit
- €7
- Sightseeing and entry
- €32
- Miscellaneous
- €5
Private room
€237 / day
A private room, meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €140
- Food and drinks
- €47
- Local transit
- €10
- Sightseeing and entry
- €32
- Miscellaneous
- €8
Alternative private room
€326 / day
A second private-room spending plan. Compare the five allowances before choosing.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €200
- Food and drinks
- €67
- Local transit
- €15
- Sightseeing and entry
- €32
- Miscellaneous
- €12
This example sets aside €55 for one bed or a simple stay, €32 per person for food and drinks, €7 for local travel and €5 for small extras. Sightseeing covers one full-rate Louvre visit; eligible visitors pay less. These are spending choices, not measured averages or available room offers. Replace the stay allowance with your full booking price, including tax and cleaning. Divide only a shared private room; meals and tickets remain per person. Add airport and intercity travel separately.
At A Glance
- Currency
- EUR
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Walkability
- High (Metro dense)
- Best value season
- Compare January, February and November, outside major events
A museum day without a crowded timetable
For a Marais day, begin at Place des Vosges, make Musée Carnavalet the indoor stop, then leave time for lunch and the smaller streets. Its permanent collection is free; temporary exhibitions have their own arrangements. This is a suggested walking day, so shorten it if you want more time in the museum.
Put the Louvre or Orsay on a different day. Choose the official entry time first, then add only nearby stops. The saving is not just another ticket: you avoid spending the afternoon travelling between collections you have no time to see.
A ticket comparison you can use
The 2026 transport fares list the ordinary metro ticket at €2.55 and Navigo Day at €12.30. Two metro journeys total €5.10. Walking for the middle of the day can therefore leave a useful amount for lunch compared with automatically buying a day pass.
For an airport trip, use the airport product shown in the journey planner. Do not count airport rail travel as one of the ordinary metro journeys in that comparison. Keep your ticket or phone ready until you have left the station.
Top sights and admission costs
Admission choices, ticket prices and practical advice for your visit.
Louvre Museum
€32.00Booking and rates: Adult rates are €22 for eligible EEA citizens or residents and €32 for other visitors. Reserve a time slot. The museum closes on Tuesdays. Check the source for the documents accepted for your rate.
Ways to save: Under 18s and eligible EEA visitors under 26 can enter free with the required proof. Other free-entry categories and dates are listed by the museum.
Check current pricesSainte-Chapelle
€22.00Booking and rates: Individual adult admission is €22, or €16 for eligible EEA nationals and regular residents. Check the residence conditions and book a time slot. A combined Conciergerie ticket is a separate choice.
Ways to save: Free admission includes under 18s, eligible visitors aged 18 to 25, and disabled visitors with an accompanying adult. The official page lists the nationality, residence and proof requirements.
Check current pricesParis Catacombs
€31.00Booking and rates: The full-rate ticket is €31 with an audio guide. Use the official booking page to select an available visit time and read the access conditions before buying.
Ways to save: Children under 8 enter free. Reduced and free categories need the required proof; check the official list.
Check current pricesWhere to Stay
For a first visit, choose a room near a metro line that serves your main plans. The Marais works for walking and museums; the Latin Quarter suits the river and Luxembourg Gardens. A place near your arrival station can be useful for a short stay, but look at the exact walking route after dark and with luggage.
Getting Around
In 2026, an ordinary Metro–Train–RER ticket is €2.55 and a Bus–Tram ticket is €2.05. Four separate metro journeys cost €10.20, less than the €12.30 day pass. The pass becomes cheaper at five such journeys. Ordinary tickets and the day pass do not cover airport rail journeys.
Airport transfers
View the airport transfer guide
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
RER B (Train)
€14.00Direct rail link using the Paris Region to Airports ticket (€14.00) into Gare du Nord and Chatelet.
Check current pricesExpress 9517 to Saint-Denis Pleyel (Bus)
€2.05RoissyBus ended on 1 March 2026. Express 9517 connects Roissypôle with Saint-Denis Pleyel in about 30 minutes. The €2.05 fare covers the bus only. Allow extra time and a separate ticket for an onward metro journey. Check the timetable for your arrival time.
Check current pricesOfficial Paris Taxi (Taxi)
€56.00 - €65.00Flat rate pricing applies: €56 to Right Bank, €65 to Left Bank.
Check current pricesParis Orly Airport (ORY)
Metro Line 14 (Metro)
€14.00Direct Metro Line 14 service between Orly Airport and central Paris using the Paris Region to Airports ticket.
Check current pricesEating for Less
Use a bakery sandwich or a lunch formule for one meal, then spend more on the restaurant you actually want to try. In a café, ask whether the displayed price is for takeaway, the counter or table service before sitting down.
Worth Paying For
Pay for a timed visit to the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay if the collection is a main reason for the trip. Pick one for the day and arrive with time for security, rather than scheduling another major museum immediately afterwards.
Skip / Save Your Money
Musée Carnavalet’s permanent collection is free. Use it for a history-focused visit in the Marais instead of buying a museum pass solely to make that stop.
Common Tourist Traps & Money Mistakes
An ordinary metro ticket is not the €14 Paris Region–Airports ticket. Keep that distinction clear when travelling to Charles de Gaulle or Orly by rail. Also remember that museum entry and a timed reservation can be separate requirements.