13 Top Things to Do Your First Time in Paris

Bonjour

If this is your first time on The Weithouse - welcome! My name is Taylor and I’m the girl behind the screen and camera bringing you resources to help you plan the trip of your dreams.

In January of 2022, my husband and I left our home in Atlanta, packed our bags and moved to Paris! Every day we wake up in disbelief that we get to call this incredible city our home, a city full of rich history, world-renowned food, and beauty hidden around every corner.

In this First Time in Paris Guide, we’re sharing 11 things that you should do your first time visiting the city of lights. We know that Paris can be overwhelming to plan, so use this list to get your Paris travel itinerary started.

visiting paris for the first time

Ah to be you! There’s nothing like traveling to Paris for the first time, where you take your first strolls through picturesque streets, feel the joy of peeping the Eiffel Tower around a corner, and taste the perfection of a real French pastry.

However, as much as a first trip to Paris can bring joy, it can also bring decision fatigue as you try to figure out what to do your first time in Paris. That’s because Paris is sprawling and dense. Every square inch (or centimeter) of Paris is packed full of things to discover, like world-famous museums, best-in-class restaurants, intentionally designed hotels and 20 enchanting arrondissements (neighborhoods).

If you’re currently planning a trip to Paris and are starting to feel the overwhelm of figuring out the best things to do your during your first trip to the city, rest at ease. This simple list of 11 things to do your first time in Paris will be your starting point and guide for planning your Paris itinerary.

The Best Things to do in Paris (Your First Time) List

We’ve created the list of things to do your first time in Paris based on personal experience discovering Paris as expats and helping over 40 of our friends and family plan a trip Paris.

Of course, there are always more things to do in Paris (you can find anything and everything in this Paris Guide), but by prioritizing the things on the things to do list below, you’ll get the maximum Parisian experience and a robust feeling for what the city has to offer.

The list doesn’t include hard rules, such as going to the top of the Eiffel Tower or eating at specific restaurants, and instead includes a handful of options for seeing each site or experiencing each experience. That’s because your travels to Paris are going to be uniquely yours. We don’t believe in photocopying someone else’s travel experience.

That being said, we recommend using the following list of things to do in Paris as rough parameters for spending your days exploring the French capital. It’s helpful to have certain destinations in mind or tickets booked (like if you DO want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower). But it’s also important to have some flexibility in your day to stroll down a street that looks interesting to you, or to sit in a park that you find enjoyable.

All that being said, your first trip to Paris is going to be amazing. And we hope this list helps get you started on how to see it to its full.

1) see The Eiffel Tower

Assuming this is already on your Things to See in Paris list, but you never know. If for some reason it’s not, you’ll definitely want to add seeing the Eiffel Tower to your first time in Paris itinerary. You’re likely going to see it at some point during your travels, and below are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy the Iron Lady.

• Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower: Book tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. You can visit the first level, second level or ascend all the way to the top. You can book tickets in advance directly here. If they’re sold out on the website, you can book through GetYourGuide here.

• Picnic on the Champ-de-Mars: Pack a picnic or bring some pastries and sit on the grass of Champ-de-Mars, the lawn that sprawls from one side of the Eiffel Tower.

• View the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero: Directly across the river from the Eiffel Tower is Trocadéro Gardens, which is a public place in Paris, mostly used to view the Eiffel Tower. This is a great spot for taking pictures with the Eiffel Tower in the background and for sitting and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour at night.

• Head to a rooftop for Eiffel Tower Views: If you want to disperse little sightings of the Eiffel Tower throughout your first time in Paris, then you’ll want to head to some Parisian rooftops. A few of my favorite rooftops to see the Eiffel Tower from are:

  • The rooftop at Hotel Rochechouart - they have a restaurant and bar in the summer.

  • The rooftop at Galeries LaFayette - it’s free to go to the top and gives you a stunning view over the city, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

  • The rooftop of Hotel Dames Arts in the 6th arrondissement - you can’t make reservations, and its first come, first serve.

• See the Eiffel Tower from the river: One of the best views of the Eiffel Tower is from the Seine River, and I recommend ending your first time in Paris with an evening cruise on the Seine. You can book various cruise options here.

2) visit the louvre museum

Is the Louvre worth visiting on your first time in Paris?

This is probably my most frequently asked question by our guests traveling through Paris and I’m always left a little bit surprised when they ask me.

The Louvre is an incredible museum full of thousands of years of historical monuments and works of art, such as the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. If you’re worried it’s too “trendy,” for you to visit, rest assured that the Louvre has been an operational museum since 1793, so it’s had a couple hundred years to make it famous. And even if you don’t like art or history, the Louvre is housed in an impressive French Palace, full of halls, rooms and staircases that are sure to leave you in awe.

In order to make the most of your time visiting the Louvre, do some research before your visit to determine what works of art you would like to see and mentally prepare yourself that if you visit in the high seasons (May-August), it will be quite crowded. Depending on how much you’re interested in seeing and how long you enjoy museums, you could spend all day or just a few hours inside. If you’d prefer a guided tour of the museum, you can book one here.

The museum has a handful of restaurants and cafes for a break or a quick espresso (in the same wing as the Mona Lisa is Café Mollien which offers outdoor seating with beautiful views over the Louvre courtyard and pyramids below).

• Hours: The museum is open from 9:00AM to 6:00 PM Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 1 hour before closing and the clearing of rooms begins 30 minutes before closing.

• Public holidays: the Louvre is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. It remains open on all other public holidays unless they fall on a Tuesday, the museum’s day of closure.

• Tickets: a reserved time slot is needed prior to entrance, which you can purchase here and costs 17,00 € (under 18 admission is free with proof of ID). You can also purchase guided tours for an additional fee.

While in the vicinity of the Louvre, be sure to take your photograph with the famous Louvre Pyramids (directly in front of the Louvre) and take a stroll through the Louvre Tuileries, a beautiful French garden perfect for relaxing and taking a pause after your time in the museum.

3) stroll through the Palais-Royal gardens

After your time in the Louvre, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to walk through the famous Palais-Royal Gardens during your first time in Paris. The gardens are set within a courtyard and are lined with chestnut trees, abundant rose bushes and fountains that are a wild oasis against the symmetry of the surrounding buildings.

Upon entering the Palais-Royal gardens from rue Saint-Honoré, you’ll be greeted by the more recently famous black and white striped columns, known as Deux Plateaux. These columns, installed in 1985 Daniel Buren, are now an iconic landmark in Paris, and often the backdrop for those quintessential Paris photos.

The Palais-Royal garden is free to enter, and the courtyard is lined with small coffee shops and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat while enjoying the tranquility of the space. One of my favorite things to do is to grab a coffee from the Café Kitsuné located in the interior courtyard, or to grab a coffee or bubble tea from Laïzé (just outside the Palais-Royal gardens).

Palais-Royal Hours: The garden is open from October 1 to March 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m and from April 1 to September 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It’s exceptionally closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25.

4) Admire Notre Dame Cathedral

Taking in the grandeur of La cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, or commonly known as Notre-Dame, is a must-see your first time in Paris. The gothic cathedral began construction in the 12th century, which then lasted over 200 years. More recently, in 2019 the cathedral experienced a tragic fire and has been closed due to renovations. It is still closed for the entirety of 2023 and likely 2024.

Nonetheless, you can still visit the exterior of Notre-Dame, which is located on one of Paris’ two islands: Île de la Cité. Île de la Cité is one of the oldest parts of Paris as it was the original center of the city, so after you take in the exterior of Notre-Dame (which won’t take too long), you can spend some time wandering around the narrow streets of the island. And if you’re visiting from Metro Line 4, don’t miss the chance to walk through the flower market, Marché aux fleurs Reine-Elizabeth-II.

5) Enjoy The Seine River

The Seine River runs through the heart of Paris and draws all of its residents and tourists alike to its waters. The Seine divides the city into two sections: Rive Gauche (left bank) and Rive Droite (right bank). This dividing of land mass is so strong that the left bank of Paris and the right bank of Paris have very different feels to them. And Parisians will even call out if you’re a left or right bank person (and judge you one way or the other).

Regardless of whether you’re a left bank or right bank tourist, during your first trip to Paris you should enjoy the beauty and shared gathering place of the Seine. Here are a few ways to enjoy the river:

• Have a picnic on the Seine: In nice weather, you’ll notice small and large groups of Parisians gathering along the banks of the river to enjoy picnics and the sun (if it’s out) with friends.

• Take a stroll along the Seine: If you don’t feel like being still, you can always opt to stroll along the Seine. For your first time in Paris, you can walk from a bank near the Louvre museum and walk yourself all the way to the Eiffel Tower. It’s a beautiful stroll and you will feel like you’re in a French movie.

• Book a river cruise on the Seine: For your first time in Paris, I highly recommend seeing the city from the river. The city is much of what it is as a result of the river, and seeing all of the famous buildings from the water provides a different and beautiful perspective. You can book various cruise options here.

6) Spend a half or full day in MOntmartre

Montmartre, or the 18th arrondissement of Paris, sits high up on a hill overlooking the city below. Montmartre was independent from Paris until 1860, and maintains much more of a French village feeling when compared to the rest of the city, making it a must for your first time visiting Paris.

You could easily spend a half or full day exploring the area of Montmartre, and here are a few things to do while in the area:

• Visit Basilica of Sacré Coeur (Sacré-Coeur): Situated at the very top of Montmartre is the beautiful Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Consecrated in 1919, the basilica is much younger than most of the other cathedrals in Paris, but sits on a site that has been inhabited by monks for centuries longer. Sacré-Coeur is free to enter, however, you can also climb to the top of the basilica for amazing views over Paris.

• Get your portrait drawn by the artists in Place du Tertre: A short walk from Sacré-Coeur and you’ll arrive in the heartbeat of Montmartre: Place du Tertre. Place du Tertre is a small square, surrounding by the cafes of Montmartre where you will find the artists who come out each day to draw portraits of tourists. Whether you want your portrait made or not, it’s worth visiting to see the skill of the artists as they draw their muses.

• See one of the prettiest streets in Paris: Near Place du Tertre, you’ll discover a small street that has been named one of the prettiest in Paris: rue de l'Abreuvoir. It’s on this rue that the Instagram famous cafe of La Maison Rose sits and is a popular spot for photos in Paris.

7) Discover a classic french garden at Jardin du Luxembourg

Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Gardens) is one of the most iconic gardens in Paris and a must visit for your first time in the city. Located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, this vast green space is an oasis for both locals and tourists alike.

Here are a few things to do your first time visiting Jardin du Luxembourg:

• Have a lunch or snack in the gardens: Grab lunch nearby in the 6th arrondissement, bring it into the park, select your green chairs in an ideal spot and enjoy your lunch as the Parisians do. There are also two restaurants within Luxembourg Gardens and a few food stands around the central fountain that sell waffles, crepes, coffee and an assortment of other foods.

• Rent the sailboats: If you have children under the age of 10, bring them to Jardin du Luxembourg to rent one of the sail boats available for rent. The boats are branded with different countries and are placed in the central fountain.

• Walk through the gardens: If you’re in Paris in the spring, you can wander around and enjoy all of the beautiful trees and bulbs that are in bloom, in the summer the array of wild plants and tropical trees and in the fall the stunning colors of foliage and the abundance of mums. Take a stroll along the path along the outer perimeter to get a 360 feel of all the park has to offer and to discover both the beehives and orchard.

• Enjoy the Medici fountain: My favorite spot to pass the time is in a chair under the shade of the trees lining the beautiful Medici fountain. There are often ducks or ducklings enjoying the fountain and in my opinion it’s one of the most romantic spots in Paris.

8) Go to the Arc de Triomphe and stroll down the Champs Elysées

The Arc de Triomphe is an iconic French landmark and a must-see your first time in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe sits at the end of the Champs-Élysées, a large avenue in Paris that runs from the end of the Louvre Tuileries to Place Charles de Gaulle, the famous round about in Paris that the Arc de Triomphe sits directly in the center of.

Either before or after your visit to the Arc de Triomphe, stroll up and down the Champs-Élysées and wander into the various shops, including the grandeur of the buildings home to many of the famous French designer stores, such as Louis Vuitton and Dior. This street and area is especially touristy, and gives off similar vibes to 5th Avenue in New York City.

To visit the Arc de Triomphe, you can either simply take your photo with it in the background from the corner of Champs-Élysées, or you can book tickets to climb to the top for beautiful views of the city sprawling out from the monument in an etoile or star design.

9) eat at a traditional french cafe or brasserie

If it’s your first time in Paris (or your 100th time in Paris) you should eat at a café or brasserie at least once. Eating in a French café is a cultural experience, especially during petit dejeuner (breakfast).

At a traditional petit dejeuner, you will get a hot drink, orange juice, croissants, toast and jam, and sometimes an egg. The goal is to sit curbside, facing the street, and watch the passersby as you consume your coffee and croissant at a leisurely pace.

The difference between the words café and brasserie is that one is for getting coffee and one is for drinking. In Paris, they are often synonymous, as you can get a coffee in the morning and dinner and a drink at night. Below are the more famous, or our favorite café/brasseries in Paris, however, there are thousands of cafés in the city so don’t feel like you have to pick one of these (this is just a starting point if you need one).

• Les Deux Magots (also a “brasserie” option for lunch or dinner)

• Café de Flore (order the cappuccino to get a coffee that says “Cafe de Flore”)

• Le Bonaparte (also a good cafe option, near Deux Magots)

• Café Varenne (in the 7ᵉ, near Musée Rodin)

• Les Antiquaires (7eme arrondissement, near Musee D’Orsay)

10) go shopping

Regardless of the kind of shopper you are, if you’re visiting Paris for the first time, you should go shopping. Shopping in Paris is essentially inevitable because the city is just one seemingly endless walking mall. Every single street you walk down in Paris will have a store on it of some kind.

If you’re not a big shopper, you’re still bound to find a store in Paris that is selling something of interest to you (ahem, food anyone?). Even more, the stores themselves often have incredible architecture that is worth walking through and appreciating which makes for a great activity if there’s rain in your Paris forecast.

Go Shopping at the Grand Magasins of Paris: If it’s your first time visiting Paris, I’d recommend shopping in a few different ways. The first would be to visit some of the beautiful grand magasins (department stores) within the city. These department stores aren’t anything like those in America, and also aren’t only for the high-end shopper. Most of the grand magasins of Paris offer a range of items and their interiors are some of the most stunning and decadent spaces in the city.

• A few of my favorite grand magasins to see your first time visiting Paris are: Galeries LaFayette (visit this one first), Printemps, Le Bon Marché, and Samaritaine. If you’re looking for an amazing grocery, don’t miss visiting La Grande Épicerie de Paris, located across from Le Bon Marché.

Visit the antique markets of Paris: If you love antiques, or you love rummaging through old things, then you’ll want to spend some time discovering the antique markets of Paris during your first visit. In order to do so, you will need to be in Paris over the weekend, as both of the more popular markets below only happen on the weekend.

• Le Marché aux Puces: Located north of the city, and the largest antique market in the world, the dealers range from curated, high-end antiques (frequently shopped by celebrities and designers) to “flea-market” items scattered across tables. There are 12 covered markets and five shopping streets, meaning the market is quite vast and overwhelming. Nevertheless, if you’re in search of an antique painting, beautiful French mirror, or various other knick-knacks to bring home as a souvenir, you’re sure to find it at one of the booths. You can find all the details on how to access the market as well as hours and vendors here.

  • For when you inevitably get hungry, grab the petite gourmet burgers from Térèse, located at 19 rue Paul Bert, 93400 Saint-Ouen.

  • For when you need some more caffeine, grab a cup from La Crème Cafe (located in the Paul Bert Serpette Market) and sit on the terrace for a view over the market, or if inside Marché Dauphine, grab a cup from the Noir location towards the back.

• Les Puces de Vanves: If the previous market sounds a bit too overwhelming, yet you still want to find that French diamond in the rough, every weekend you can scout for French gems at the Les Puces de Vanves market. The market is every Saturday and Sunday, year-round, and features 380 merchants. Be sure to bring cash!

Discover the local boutiques of Paris: If you’re wanting a unique and authentic souvenir or article of clothing, then during your first trip to Paris you should scout out some of the best boutiques within the city. There are so many amazing stores, but I’ve outlined a few of my favorites below:

• For clothes: Sézane, Merci, Jonak (Shoes)

• For home goods: Merci, Marin Montagut, Mezzanine Paris, Alix D. Reynis, La Trésorerie

11) try as much french cuisine as possible

This should be a given thing to do your first time in Paris, and eating through Paris is a must! French cuisine is an art itself, and there are so many different amazing dishes to try while you’re visiting Paris and France. You can find many of these items on menus throughout the city or at boulangeries and patisseries and my advice is to eat your heart out!

A shortlist of foods to try your first time in Paris:

• Croissant

• Pain au chocolat

• Baguettes

• Crêpes

• French Onion Soup

• Steak and Frites

• Macarons

• Duck (Duck Confit or Duck Magret and Foie Gras)

• Cheeses

• Wines

• Crème brûlée

• Chocolat Chaud (hot chocolate)

12) take a french baking or cooking class

If you love cooking (or eating) food and want to learn from the best chefs in the world, book yourself a cooking or baking class during your first travels to Paris. The French take massive pride in their nation’s cuisine (the French baguette was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2022), and there’s no better place to learn the ins and outs of French cuisine than in the city of Paris.

If you take yourself more seriously in the kitchen, you can sign up to take an intensive short course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Their short courses are half-day, full-day and sometimes two day courses, and includes cooking categories such as the art of sauces and juices, the pastry school workshop, and the art of French cuisine. You can find their full list of short courses here.

If you’re more casual in the kitchen or are just looking for a fun experience with family and friends, you can find endless cooking and baking classes in Paris that are beginner friendly. I personally enjoyed learning how to make croissants at this baking class or you can find other baking and cooking options here.

13) walk everywhere

The last, and in my opinion one of the most essential, thing to do your first time in Paris is to walk as much as possible. Paris can and should be walked as much as feasibly possible. There aren’t that many things to do in Paris that don’t require walking, and walking is how you will fall in love with the magic, mystery and beauty of the city.

If you’re not normally a big walker, don’t let the walk time dissuade you. A forty-minute walk might sound miserable in your hometown, but in Paris time flies as you find yourself lost in the winding streets, passing cafes, stumbling upon cute shops and taking in the architecture.

Walking is where you will discover your own Paris. You’ll find a new coffee shop no one has ever heard of, or you’ll discover a cute little bookstore that has never made it into a blog post.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Need more help planning your first trip to Paris?

Now that you’ve got a starting point on things to do your first time in Paris, be sure to check out all of our other guides to make your trip planning effortless. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about Paris in our Complete Guide to Paris, we’ve rounded up our favorite hotels in the city, we have digestible guides for days trips to popular destinations like Giverny and Chantilly, and we have a detailed month by month guide on when the best time of year to visit Paris is.

Discover all of our Paris content.

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