The 16 Best Things to Do in Paris (And the Top Things to Avoid)

The best things to do—and the top things to avoid—in Paris. Plus, the best hotels, restaurants, and tips for a memorable vacation. All curated by a trusted Fodor's writer based in the French capital.After 20 years of living and writing in Paris, I sometimes feel I’ve only just scratched the surface. Beauty that she is, Paris is so much more than skin deep, and a single visit, as lovers of Paris well know, is a tantalizing toe dip into an ocean of possibility. Certain sights are a must—the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, Notre Dame—but to feel the deeper essence of Paris, do what Parisians do: splurge at a great restaurant, cycle through the city, or stroll the parks, catch a concert, opera, ballet or jazz festival, and seek out the rarer cultural gems. As world capitals go, Paris is compact and easy to cover on foot, so budget some unstructured time to just wander, dream, discover, and be inspired. 1 OF 28 Climb up the Eiffel Tower WHERE: 7th arrondissement Adventurous visitors to Paris’s most iconic monument can avoid long lines by striding up the 360 stairs to the first floor then hopping on an elevator to the second and third floors. You can also book a tour that skirts the line or reserve a table at Thierry Marx’s Madame Brasserie or multiple-Michelin-star chef Frédéric Anton’s two-star Jules Verne restaurant—both give access via a private elevator (there are also food stands and a third-floor champagne bar that don’t).The Eiffel Tower is most breathtaking at night when 20,000 glittering lights perform a sparkling display for five minutes every hour on the hour until 1 am. In-your-face views of the tower are best from the Trocadéro plaza just across the river (hang on to your wallet). Whether best seen from near or far is an ongoing debate, so do both! 2 OF 28 Be Transported at the Philharmonie de Paris WHERE: 19th arrondissement Paris’s reigning concert hall’s innovative programming, music-education workshops, accessible pricing, location at the fringes of Paris (a calculated decision to bridge the cultural gap between Paris and its suburbs), acclaimed acoustics (partly due to its 360-degree seating), world-class exhibitions on subjects like The Velvet Underground, David Bowie and Disco, and hallucinatory architecture by Jean Nouvel have earned it a top spot on Paris’s cultural landscape.There’s a delight here for every age, taste, and musical preference—and ways to visit last minute on the cheap. The online ticket exchange lets you purchase tickets, often for sold-out concerts, at the same or a lower price. Those 28 and younger or 65 and older get the best deals: one hour before concert time, tickets go on sale at discounted rates as low as €11—tickets that sell for €170, for example, can go for as little as €30. In a hall where no audience member is more than 38 meters (125 feet) from the conductor, that’s a steal. 3 OF 28 Sail Around Paris on a Bateau Mouche WHERE: 6th arrondissement A dozen of the city’s major landmarks, including the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, Notre Dame, and Invalides sit on or near the riverbanks, and a boat trip is a great way to get a good look at Paris’s 37 historic bridges. Below the Pont Neuf—meaning New Bridge, but actually Paris’s oldest bridge, go figure—several boating companies offer rides that include anything from a flute of champagne to a gourmet meal or straight sightseeing with or without commentary. Rides range from 90 minutes to four hours and take you 15 kilometers (9 mi) through the heart of the city. A cheaper option: get an all-day ticket to hop on and off the Batobus—Paris’s water taxi—from 10 am until 9:30 pm, leaving every 20 minutes from nine stops around the city. An expensive option: take a Michelin-star ride on the Don Juan II yacht, hosted by multiple Michelin-star chef Frédéric Anton (chef at 2-star Jules Verne, atop the Eiffel Tower and 3-star Le Pré Catalan in the Bois de Boulogne) or Alain Ducasse’s Ducasse sur Seine for a blowout meal and the city’s most romantic views. 4 OF 28 Stroll in a Park Paris has 500 parks and gardens, ranging from postage-stamp size to sprawling Bois de Vincennes’ 2,500 acres of gardens, forests, lakes—and a nudist park. There’s nothing like passing a lazy afternoon at the Institut Suedois’s hidden garden and café in the Marais, watching the river go by at Square Barye at the tip of the Île Saint-Louis, or catching up on a novel at the secluded gardens of the Archives Nationales.The Luxembourg Gardens’ tree-lined walkways, sculpted flower beds, and immaculate lawns (meant for admiring, not for lounging—there are benches for that) is a must-visit, with romantic Palais Royal, mile-high Parc de Belleville, bucolic Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, exquisite Parc Floral de Paris (with jazz and classical music festivals in summer), Parc de Bagatelle’s botanic gardens, and the museum-filled Jardin des Plantes as close seconds. Many museums harbor hidden gardens, and the Marais is packed with tiny flower-strewn enclaves of peace. Don’t forget Père Lachaise cemetery—its tranquil alleys are perfect for wandering on a fine day in spring or fall. 5 OF 28 Seek Out Under-the-Radar Cultural Spaces Le 19M, funded in part by Chanel, was created to house and preserve the knowledge of more than 700 “petit mains,” artisans practicing the centuries-old métiers that make couture possible. The center offers creative workshops for adults and kids, as well as an art gallery, café, and bookstore. Also in the 19th arrondissement, Centquatre-Paris is a haven of cultural life for all ages, welcoming artists in residence from around the world, contemporary art exhibitions, workshops for all ages, dance, concerts and nightlife, boutiques, and a café, all in the spirit of community, diversity, and inclusion. Sweden’s only cultural institute abroad, the Institut Suédois offers free admission to art exhibitions and events, including music, film, and live performances. Set in a historic mansion in the heart of the Marais, its garden café is a perennial favorite. The BnF Museum features masterpieces from France’s most famous library’s collections from antiquity to the present. Rare books, manuscripts, maps, jewelry, coins and photography, musical scores, prints and posters displayed in the historic Richelieu site’s glorious rooms. 6 OF 28 Go to a Music Festival Not a month goes by in Paris without a music festival to liven things up, but summer is when things really get going. Kicked off by the all-city (and all-France) Fête de la Musique, held every year on the summer solstice (June 21), when the city becomes an all-night open-air concert hall—with bars open till dawn and musical performances on every street corner—Paris welcomes more than 28 summer festivals, from the candlelit Festival Chopin in the Bagatelle Gardens to Rock en Seine, featuring live performances by internationally acclaimed artists at the Parc de Saint-Cloud. On the rolling lawns of Paris’s bucolic Park Floral, you can picnic to the notes of world-class Jazz at the Paris Jazz Festival, cutting-edge contemporary music at the eco-friendly We Love Green Festival, and classical music at Classique au Vert. Parc de la Villette hosts a multitude of festivals, outdoor movie screenings, and live performances, including the La Villette Jazz Festival and Villette Sonique for rock, electronic, and other up-to-the-minute genres. Escape the heat for a week in June and July at the Philharmonie de Paris’s Days Off festival, featuring an eclectic line-up of pop, folk, and electro in the city’s top music venue. 7 OF 28 Visit Paris’s Smaller Churches Notre Dame, Sacré Coeur, and Saint-Sulpice aside, some of Paris’s smaller churches have been tending their flocks for nearly 1,000 years. Maybe it’s the soaring gothic stones or centuries of prayers murmured between the walls, but there’s no denying the uplift at Paris’s churches, both great and small. If the ancient hushed aisles don’t move you, an intimate candlelight concert at tiny 12th-century Julian le Pauvre, minuscule Saint Ephrem, or under Sainte-Chapelle’s glimmering windows certainly will. Hidden away a few steps from the Bon Marché department store, the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Medaille Miraculeuse is where the Blessed Virgin appeared before 24-year-old novice Catherine Labouré in 1830. Visitors can see her “incorruptible” remains as fresh as the day she died, in 1876.In the heart of the city, recently restored Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés is one of the oldest churches in Paris (excellent concerts here too). A scandalously overlooked masterpiece just 30 minutes by metro from central Paris, the Basilique de Saint-Denis—among the first of France’s masterpiece Gothic cathedrals—is the final resting place of 43 French kings, 32 queens (including Marie Antoinette and Catherine de Medici), 60 princes and princesses, and Europe’s most important assemblage of recumbent statuary. 8 OF 28 Splurge on a Cocktail at a Swanky Hotel At Paris’s luxury hotels, especially the 12 palaces, you’ll pay 20%-30% more for an experience that’s far beyond most cocktail bars. At the Hôtel de Crillon’s Les Ambassadeurs, a listed historic monument, you can sip a cocktail or a frosty coupe de Champagne under soaring gilded and frescoed ceilings. Flop into a leather club chair at the Meurice’s legendary Bar 228, where Salvador Dali (and his ocelot) liked to go before retiring for the night. Joséphine, the Lutetia hotel’s winsome piano bar (steps from the Bon Marché) features glorious art nouveau murals discovered during the hotel’s restoration. If the Ritz’s Bar Hemingway speaks to you, as it does hundreds of others lining up at its doors, you can drop a cool €30-€1,500 for a cocktail served with a rose. Other cocktail greats: Shangri-La’s Bar Botaniste and La Bibliothèque Duc de Morny at La Réserve Paris. 9 OF 28 Visit the Fondation Cartier WHERE: 1st arrondissement One of Paris’s great contemporary art centers has left in its former home in the 14th arrondissement to emerge in late 2025 in the heart of Paris as a major player in the Paris art scene. The Fondation, now across from the Louvre and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and a few minutes’ walk from the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection and the Centre Pompidou, is set in a 19th-century building redesigned by French architect Jean Nouvel, featuring a state-of-the-art modular interior with 80,000 square feet of exhibition space. The new museum showcases the foundation’s entire contemporary collection along with a program of solo exhibitions, workshops, talks, and tours. 10 OF 28 Visit the Arc de Triomphe WHERE: 8th arrondissement Yes, it’s a big triumphal arch conceived by an even bigger ego—namely Napoleon Bonaparte’s—who abandoned the idea and the half-built arc well before his exile and death. Construction of the arc resumed during the restoration, but deterred by mishaps, regime change, and revolution, it was finally finished 30 years later by Louis-Philippe, who dedicated it to those fallen in the service of France.It wasn’t until Baron Haussmann’s overhaul of Paris that the arc became what it is today—the central star from which 12 monumental avenues, including the Champs-Élysées, radiate. Though it’s a steep walk up (284 steps), you can go by elevator to all but the top terrace, which is 46 stairs up. The views are stupendous, and because you’re above, but not too far above, the city it feels all the more dramatic. You take your life in your hands if you attempt to cross the traffic circle at Étoile: enter at the Passage du Souvenir at the top of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées or at the Avenue de la Grande-Armée. 11 OF 28 Enjoy French Pastries and Chocolate Throw a stone in Paris, and you’ll hit a gourmet pastry shop, with more arriving every minute. Chocolate is also a favorite pastime; you’ll find at least 15 world-class chocolatiers in Saint-Germain-des-Prés alone. If you’re short on time, the Rue du Bac (7e) is lined with some of the city’s best pâtisseries and chocolatiers.An absolute favorite, at Des Gâteaux et du Pain, genius pâtissier Clair Damon’s sublime breads, pastries, cakes, and tarts are as sophisticated as they come. The Absolu Citron tart: a sablé crust lined with a delicate crisp of olive oil meringue topped by tart Corsican lemon cream—is a masterpiece of textures and flavor. Another favorite: Carl Marletti’s pilgrimage-worthy violet-perfumed spaceship of a chou pastry called Lily of the Valley. Other greats: Bontemps delectable ganache or fruit-filled sablé cookies, Jean-Paul Hévin’s orange-curd tart, Yann Couvreur, Arnaud Larher, Tapisserie for absolutely everything, and Du Pain et des Idées’ orange-flower-perfumed mouna brioche loaf, braided sacristain, and an outstanding apple-filled chausson au pommes. For chocolates, head to Jacques Genin, Maison Chaudun, Franc Kestener, Patrick Roger, Alain Ducasse, and Plaq for their velvety unsweetened hot chocolate. 12 OF 28 Head to the Montmartre Neighborhood The bucolic landscape and naughty nightlife on Paris’s highest hill were siren songs to generations of Parisian artists, and their spirit lingers on. A stroll through Montmartre’s winding cobbled streets reveals notable architecture (including windmills), Paris’s oldest producing vineyard (Clos Montmartre), the fabled Musée de Montmartre—with spectacular views from its enclosed garden and adorable café—street art, worthy restaurants and cafés, spectacular views and charm galore. Go in the early morning or late afternoon (sunset at Sacré Coeur is a drama) and avoid Place des Ternes, a shameless tourist trap. When you’re ready to go, don’t take the métro; walk down the marvelous Rue des Martyrs, a historic Parisian market street. 13 OF 28 Don’t Limit Yourself to the Rock Stars at the Louvre WHERE: 1st arrondissement Want to see the Mona Lisa? Absolutely! But know that in the Grande Galerie, a 20-second walk away, hang three da Vinci masterpieces, often without a soul in front of them. For a madcap French décor, head to the Napoléon III rooms (Richelieu wing), a riot of crimson velvet, gilding, and crystal, or the French crown jewels in the stupendous Galerie d’Apollon (Denon wing). With more than 780,000 square feet of exhibition space (basically a dozen football fields) and about 35,000 works on view, a few hours of wandering will take you from Mesopotamia (the spectacular Porte d’Ishtar) to modern masters (Cy Twombly ceiling in the Salle des Bronzes) by way of the great European painters and Egyptian and Islamic wings that will knock your socks right off. 14 OF 28 Take a Day Trip Versailles was the work of a single king, but Fontainebleau was the home of 34 French monarchs (and an imprisoned pope) all of whose traces remain. Chartres Cathedral, luminous after an 8-year restoration, is a wonder of the world, its jewel-like windows resplendent on sunny days. Go on a Friday between March and November to walk its legendary labyrinth.Love Champagne? Head to Reims, a 45-minute train ride, to descend deep into the chalk cellars before a refreshing tasting at Ruinart, Veuve Cliquot, Taittinger, or Pommery, and while you’re at it, visit the cathedral where the French kings were crowned from the 9th century onward. Consider the beautiful medieval town of Senlis; Van Gogh’s resting place at Auvers-sur-Oise; Château Vaux-le-Vicomte, inspiration for Versailles. Storybook Colmar, about 30 minutes by train from Strasbourg, this postcard perfect Alsatian village is nicknamed “little Venice” for its colorful half-timbered buildings clustered around a charming canal. It’s also a pilgrimage point for art lovers for the Isenheim Altarpiece, Mattias Grünewald’s 16th-century masterpiece housed in the superb Unterlinden Museum. 15 OF 28 Party at Paris’s Food Festivals and Salons Join the happy mobs Taste of Paris slurping champagne and sampling dishes from France’s grandest chefs for a fraction of the restaurant price. But nothing transports you to the heart of France faster than Paris’s Salon International de l’Agriculture, where every year, the president shows up to nibble French cheeses and slap a cow’s rear. The Salon du Chocolat’s hundreds of exhibits range from massive chocolate sculptures to gushing fountains and a fashion show of kinky all-chocolate couture. For some boozy fun, a ticket to the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendents gets you an empty wine glass (soon to be filled) and a map of corridor after corridor of independent winemakers from every region of France. My favorite is the Omnivore festival at the Parc Floral, which gathers 500 top chefs and winemakers for tastings, master classes, and dozens of exhibits on anything and everything delicious. 16 OF 28 Paris’s Fashion Museums In the world capital of fashion, clothes can be masterworks in their own right, and museums are the proof. Palais Galliera, Paris’s reigning fashion museum, displays the marvels of costume and clothing design from the 18th century to the present in an elegant 19th-century mansion and gardens. At the Paris headquarters of Christian Dior and flagship boutique, La Galerie Dior’s dazzling collection in a sweeping space (with a chic café and Michelin-starred restaurant) contains all of the highlights of Dior’s career and every designer who’s carried the house after him.On a quiet street in the Marais, the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, set in the late couturier’s atelier, is dedicated to the master designer’s creations that graced generations of beauties, from Greta Garbo to Naomi Campbell.Besides possessing legendary designer Jeanne Lanvin’s boudoir, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs regularly features fashion in its blockbuster lineup.Saint Laurent ushered in a new fashion era as the first fashion designer to pioneer the artistic Left Bank. Saint Laurent’s 5, Avenue Marceau atelier is now the marvelous Musée Yves Saint Laurent. Closed for renovation since 2025, it will reopen in Fall ’27. 17 OF 28 Things to Avoid: Parisian Chains If there’s an institution in Paris resting on its laurels it’s Ladurée. Both the Champs-Elysées and the historic Rue Royal locations received top-to-toe renovations in 2024 erasing the last vestiges of old-world Parisian charm. The Napoléon III-style tea salon at the Rue Jacob boutique remains as lovely as ever, while vying for worst service in Paris, not to mention the insane prices you’ll pay for the privilege of waiting 30 minutes for your tea only to receive it lukewarm. That said, the pastries are reliably great, but you can get those at any airport. An icon on the Rue de Rivoli, Angelina too has gone the way of Ladurée. Once the elegant (if threadbare) haunt of dowager Parisiennes sipping a chocolat chaud, its spruced-up flagship a TikTok phenomenon. Though the Belle Époque tearoom is lovely, if the lines are too long never fear, you can find bottles of the famously luscious hot chocolate in gourmet shops and smaller outposts of the tearoom around France, the US, and abroad. 18 OF 28 Things to Avoid: Rudeness A few simple codes of behavior will smooth your way with grumpy Parisians. First: speak some French! A few words will do. Always say “bonjour” when entering a shop and “bonne journée” when leaving. If you have a question, preface it with “bonjour madame/monsieur,” you’ll be much more likely to get a cheerful—or any—response. Though Parisians often speak English, don’t assume everyone understands you when you blurt out a question in your native tongue (and don’t ever assume they don’t if you’re talking behind their back). Learning just a few key phrases in French and having the confidence to use them will take you far. 19 OF 28 Things to Avoid: Pickpockets Taking the métro is a Parisian rite of passage. Clean, punctual, cheap, and easy, it’s by far the quickest way to get around the city. That said, take some precautions. Groups of teens, often girls, distract riders while making off with their wallets. Parisians are onto this and will frequently warn unsuspecting riders. Also, keep a good grip on your phone, especially if near the doors, so thieves can’t grab it and dash when they open. When visiting highly touristed areas—the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, the Trocadéro esplanade, etc.—be vigilant, this is where the pros ply their trade. It’s a good idea to carry only the cash and cards you’ll need and keep them stashed in a zippered handbag or belt. Better yet, in a safe at your hotel. 20 OF 28 Must-Try Restaurants: Eme WHERE: 4th arrondissement Uruguayan chef Nazareno Mayol Curti’s new gastronomic hideaway on a tiny street in the Marais is a black book address, but not for long. The talented chef, who’s worked with Mauro Colagreco and David Toutain, offers a nine-course dinner menu featuring refined dishes, such as scallops with smoked almonds and kaffir lime-suffused cauliflower purée, pigeon served four ways, white asparagus with wild garlic and coriander, and a kombu-suffused spelt ice cream soufflé for dessert. The intimate setting, featuring colorful artwork against dusky walls, a swanky jazz soundtrack, and evening candlelight, makes for a quintessentially romantic dining experience. 21 OF 28 Must-Try Restaurants: Comice WHERE: 15th arrondissement A dazzling floral arrangement, lustrous artworks, snowy linens, feather-light stemware, and a warm welcome from Etheliya Hananova, wife of chef Noam Gedalof, set the stage for a timeless evening. Followed by a progression of exquisitely refined dishes that feature vegetables but don’t skimp on luxury ingredients, from a brilliant carrot vélouté starter to the light-as-air chocolate soufflé for dessert: butter-poached lobster with beets and horseradish cream, foie gras terrine with quince, walnuts, and dates, everything is sourced from the top producers around France. No wonder why this restaurant earned a Michelin star less than six months after opening. 22 OF 28 Must-Try Restaurants: Semilla WHERE: 6th arrondissement For a stellar meal that’s both casual and sophisticated, you can count on this laid-back local favorite in Saint Germain. The menu changes frequently and always reflects what’s in season: zucchini and ginger gazpacho with bell pepper coulis and mint oil; barbecued cuttlefish and pesto rosso; Breton monkfish with potatoes Lyonnaise, kalamata olives, and lemon-hazelnut sauce. Leave room for a spectacular dessert, all made by the in-house pastry chef: verbena mousse with strawberry consommé, verbena pesto, almond crumble, and Italian meringue or a sublime hazelnut soufflé with lemon ice cream. Semilla’s exceptional wine list reflects the owners’ three decades of seeking out the best environmentally responsible producers in France. A beloved neighborhood stalwart that just keeps getting better. 23 OF 28 Must-Try Cafés Specialty coffee shops abound in every Paris arrondissement, ranging from trendy takeout-only stands and petite four-to-six seaters to spacious outposts perfect for settling in for breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up. If you’re visiting Père Lachaise cemetery make a beeline to The Dancing Goat, whose giant windows, Thonet chairs, and marble-top tables lend a classic café ambiance, the coffee, hot chocolate, and matcha are excellent, and the pastries top-notch (117 Avenue Gambeta, 20th). At Homade, helmed by Gene Ho, the coffee is great, brunch is served till the late afternoon, and everything you order is, well, homemade (20 Rue Jacques Louvel-Tessier, 10th). Set at a leafy intersection of one of Paris’s most storied market streets, KB Coffee Roasters is a favorite for its friendly ambiance, great coffee roasted on the premises, healthy menu, and spacious terrace (53 Avenue Trudaine). Now with more than a dozen Paris locations and more on the way, Noir serves a reliably great brew wherever you may be. We especially love the larger outposts at Faubourg-Montmartre (33 Rue Richer, 9th) and the Île Saint-Louis (63 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île). 24 OF 28 Must-Try Restaurants: Le Grand Véfour WHERE: 15th arrondissement Opened in 1784 under the arcades of the peerless Palais Royal gardens, this Paris icon was a favorite among generations of luminaries, from Napoleon and Josephine to Baudelaire, Balzac, Colette and Cocteau. Its gilded, mirrored, and frescoed interiors were buffed to a fine luster by new owners the Paris Society group, who kept the snowy linens, crystal stemware, and stellar wine list and jettisoned the attitude. Chef Bruno Doucet slyly mixes his bistronomic creds with the codes of luxury cuisine in down-home dishes like pâté en croute, made with velvety foie gras and enrobed in a flaky golden crust, and a hearty beef tenderloin with sauce Bordelaise and sides of mashed potatoes or crisp green beans. The whole catch of the day for two is a good bet for a blowout meal (€90 per person), and desserts, though meant for one, are ample enough for two. The menu is identical at lunch and dinner, so depending on the occasion and time of year, you may opt for a leisurely terrace lunch under the vaulted arcade followed by a stroll in Paris’s most beautiful garden. 25 OF 28 Best Budget Hotel: Hôtel Filigrane WHERE: 2nd arrondissement With all the online hype, it’s rare for a Parisian gem to remain undiscovered. If this chic 43-room boutique hotel in a central neighborhood in Paris isn’t booked up months in advance, it’s because it opened in spring 2025. Serenity is the theme in rooms and common areas, done up in rich indigo, cream, or burgundy and highlighted by furnishings in wood, marble, and rich velvets. At the honesty bar, guests can relax by the fireplace over a glass of local beer or wine, soft drinks, tea, and coffee. Rooms are small, but at these prices, you can afford to splurge on a balcony suite with views over Paris’s silvery rooftops. Book well in advance to claim your free 45-minute spa visit with private use of the pool, steam room, and sauna. 26 OF 28 Best Mid-Range Hotel: Hôtel Balzac WHERE: 8th arrondissement The refined simplicity of Japan meets Art Deco elegance in the refined guest and common rooms of this 58-room hotel on a quiet street two minutes from the Champs-Élysées. Totally restored and reopened in 2024, guests enjoy a roaring fire in winter in the cozy lobby and drinks and snacks in the wood-paneled cocktail bar. Rooms are sleek and luxurious (two suites come with terraces and stellar Eiffel Tower views), with huge marble bathrooms, some with walk-in showers and separate tubs. The Japanese Ikoi spa offers a pool, sauna, and luxe treatments. There’s no on-site restaurant, but high-quality bar snacks are sufficient for lunch or dinner. 27 OF 28 Best Luxury Hotel: Hôtel Saint James WHERE: 16th arrondissement Set in a 19th-century mansion set back in a serene two-acre garden courtyard, it’s less like a hotel than visiting a country house in the heart of Paris. The hotel tapped interior designer star Laura Gonzalez to create the warm, light-filled spaces—especially the atrium rooms, with glass ceilings and greenery. Michelin-star Bellefeuille restaurant is gorgeous by day or night, and the Guerlain spa and giant pool, sprawling garden terrace, and handsome library bar (set in the original library when the mansion was a private school) offer a quintessentially pampered experience. If you’re a family or looking for the ultimate private apartment-style lodging, the villa on a quiet street behind the hotel offers four exquisite apartments with huge terraces overlooking a private garden. Two private pavilions flanking the entrance are little Parisian dream homes. 28 OF 28 Things to Know Recent heatwaves aside, there’s no bad time to visit Paris—and no time when you won’t face crowds at the major landmarks. Though April, May, September and October are probably the finest months in the city (especially April and May for the gardens), don’t shy away from the winter months, when fares are lower, crowds thinner, and restaurant and hotel reservations are easier to come by. May is holiday time and very busy. If you don’t mind cooler temperatures, November is ideal. Christmas in Paris is far less commercial than in other major cities, and every neighborhood has its own charming lights display, making it an enchanting time to be here.The best way to get around Paris is on foot: there are few places in the city where you won’t discover something you may not notice from a bus. That said, Paris’s far-reaching bus network can get you within minutes to wherever you’re going—views included. For getting around quickly, the metro is one of Paris’s finest assets and is simple to navigate once you get the hang of it. The tram, which now runs the full parameter of Paris, is a nice compromise: you move fairly quickly and get to see Paris too.Cycling has become increasingly popular since former Mayor Hildago annexed inner-city highways in favor of new bike lanes and pedestrian areas. There is tension between cyclists and drivers, so be careful when cycling. Not to mention when walking; be mindful of bike lanes when crossing the street. Cyclists here tend to plow through red lights at top speed.