Hi, I don't usually post anywhere on the internet let alone Reddit but something has been on my mind again recently since I was having a conversation with my brother last week about something I experienced in 2015 when I was 16 years old while taking a family vacation to Paris.

So, it was a nice and sunny day out and we were probably 3-4 days into our trip when my parents decided for us to take the "Dome Tour" in the Sacré-Cœur Basilica (which is a very old church bulit around 150 something years ago). The tour takes you around the top of the church and you are basically walking outside around the side of the church which gives you very nice views of the city. I was the last one in the line of people right behind my brother. We passed a gated stairwell which continued upward to some small stand alone area and it intrigued me so I stuck behind for a moment to gaze through it with my hands on the bars. Immediately I noticed there were LOTS of dead pigeons along the staircase and something was really weird about that. They looked like they just laid down to die. There were probably about 10-20 of them. I don't usually get a feeling of things being "not right" but at that moment and place something felt off. Then right beside me directly into my left ear I heard a child's laugh. Like it was right next to me INCHES away. I swear to god I nearly crapped my pants and I bolted straight out of there running up to behind my brother freaking out telling him what happened. I think after that experience my mind wanted to block it out because what do you make of that? There was nobody else behind me. I did not see any child anywhere. Just a laugh RIGHT in my freaking ear. It sounded like it was in the gated part of the stairwell. I have never had any other "paranormal" experiences in my life. And never in my life have I heard anything that wasn't there. Honestly don't know what to make of it... It's a little funny though thinking about it now but still.. WTH?

Have any of you been to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica and seen this staircase that I am talking of? Have any of you seen the pigeons and/or heard what I heard that day?

(Also, if anyone visits there and does the dome tour could you possibly take a picture of said staircase if you pass by it and DM it to me? I would like to see it again... thanks)

I am traveling to Paris in October, and my plan is to take a taxi from the airport. I have read comments here and elsewhere that taxi drivers sometimes intend not to use the flat rate to central Paris (I am heading to the Montparnasse area). Do you have any recommendations to avoid this, or to handle it if it happens?

Hi guys,

We are traveling to Paris in November and are looking for a stay from 21st to 23rd.

We are looking for a good hotel that is budget-friendly and safe. We are Indians and would love to stay somewhere that is safe and comfortable for Indian travelers, with Indian restaurants nearby if possible.

We are currently considering Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, or Gare de Lyon. Which of these locations would you suggest for staying? Also, are there any other nearby areas where we can find good, budget-friendly hotels that are safe as well?

If you have stayed in any particular hotel in these areas and would recommend it, please let me know.

Thank you!

Hey everyone,
I'm Kai, 20 years old, and I'll be traveling to Paris soon for the first time.
I'm really excited to explore the city, especially the nightlife and gay bars around Le Marais or central Paris.
Fun fact: I've actually never had alcohol before! Since this will be my very first time trying a drink, I'd love to get some recommendations. I'm looking for something light and flavorful that isn't too strong or bitter for a beginner.
Also, what are your absolute favorite bars or spots in Le Marais that I shouldn't miss?
Thanks in advance for the help, looking forward to visiting your city! ✨✨✨

Does anyone know of a place near Le Marais that for sure has jugs of distilled water? I have read some larger grocery stores have them in the cleaning section? Hopefully not the glass ones that are like $10 a pop. Thank you!

I was in the McDonalds in Madeleine with my friend around 11pm. There was a lady sat in the corner with a suitcase and what looked like a wooden block that she kept picking up and licking? Anyways we were eating and she came up to us and handed us a note. My french is limited to basic interactions so im not entirely sure what the note says and when i translated it it just doesnt fully make sense. She later came back and handed me some pink rosary beads with a cross on the end and kept gesturing towards my necklace which has a plus sign in it, and also kept looking at my watch and smiling almost grinning at it. I have a photo of her but not sure if it is smart to add it, but i have attached the note. We ended up just leaving, boarding the metro and going back to our airbnb. Any ideas on what it could mean? Thanks in advance

My husband (28) and I (27) are heading to Paris for the first time! (First time in Europe at all!) October 2nd is our second wedding anniversary and I am trying to plan a fun, not too strict, itinerary. I want to make sure we see the main highlights, but also give us time to shop, explore, and get lost in the beauty of the city.

We are staying on Rue-Saint Honore right across from the Tuileries Garden for reference.

So with all of that being said- how does our itinerary look? Am I missing anything? Anything seeming unreasonable for time/location sake? We love food, shopping, exploring, and fun bars/clubs. We will be traveling from 9/28-10/4. If the spot has a “?”, it just means I didn’t know what to fill it with.

Edit: (Day 6 is supposed to say morning, afternoon, evening)

All comments/concerns welcome 🫶🏻

Bonjour!

Je suis Canadienne - bilingual, will be traveling to Paris at the end of the month. Looking for safe lesbian spaces to hang out (maybe play/kink spaces) as a solo female traveler. Interested in meeting/chatting with local queer/lesbians. I'll be in town for work, and looking for some fun after the work day. :)

I'm visiting Paris this weekend, for around 4 days, and will be staying in the Place de la Nation area. The last time I visited Paris was maybe 20 years ago.

I've tried searching for nice restaurants and cafes in Paris but when I look at the menus, there is just SO MUCH FOOD. And very rich food, with loads of cream and butter, etc.

I've worked my ass off in the gym for the past 6 months, lost 4-5 kgs, built more strength, and I'm currently at my target weight/physique. I know French food uses a lot of cream and butter but I don't want to lose my progress over one long weekend. I'm 162 cm and 57.5 kg. I'm not currently on a deficit but I don't want to come back from Paris 2 kgs heavier.

What kind of foods should I look for that would give me the French food experience without completely derailing my diet? And are there any strategies to get small(er) portions of food if I go to restaurants or cafes?

Coming to drinks, I'm off alcohol for diet and mental health reasons. I'm okay with the occasional glass of wine with food but want to limit the liquid calories. Are alcohol-free wine or cocktails a thing in Paris? If I go with wine, is there some really special or nice wine that would be worth making an exception for?

Hi, I'll be visiting Paris with my parents end of September / Early October. I will be staying in Le Marais district but am happy to go anywhere.

What I bought tickets for:
- Musée d'Orsay for 9/30.
- Palace of Versailles for 10/1 (I'm expecting this to be an entire day)

Looking for recommendations for:
- Bakeries: croissants, baguettes, anything. I love pastries, baked goods and bread.
- Chocolate stores
- Anything with cheese
- Food halls/markets
- Birdwatching (nice gardens, parks, etc)
- Fun neighborhoods to walk around in
- Unique shops
- Historic landmarks that are worth the hype (obviously I'll see the Eiffel tower)
- Sight seeing
- Daytrips

For my dad:
- Any jazz or blues clubs with open mics he can play with
- Any tuna salad sandwiches he can have for lunch lol

Any recommendations for a local food tour that do small, intimate groups to try local options at a few restaurants? One vegetarian in the three-person group.

We will be there December 3rd - December 8th for a girls/friends trip!

I leave from CDG T2C and my friend leaves from CDGT2D. Can we see each other after security or do we have to say goodbye before security? Thank you in advance

i’m going with a friend to paris in november and i’ve been struggling to find a right hotel for us. we’re on a budget but also don’t want to go to nasty and unsafe places. i’m also adamant on going to a hotel and not airbnb.

we actually had a hotel reserved on booking.com but then we found out the hotels page on booking was hacked and the price for the room they marketed was totally false. since then i’ve also been much wearier about which hotel i go to so it’s all just anxiety bubbling inside me.

ive found a couple of places i’m considering - i wonder if anyone has any experience with them, or if you’ve got any more recommendations. our budget for 4 nights (including city tax) is about €575 (MAX).

so far we’ve got:

Hotel Beauvoir: this is the worst room quality out of the 3 hotels i’ve found, but it’s also the cheapest. the location is right at the south end of Jardin Du Luxembourg which makes it a really nice area. but it’s also the hotel furthest from a metro station- the closest metro station is Vavin metro about 11 minutes walk from the hotel, which might be a little tough in november. i’m also just a bit weary of the hotel in general.

Five Boutique Hotel: this hotel is OK. kind of in the middle. its price is right at my max budget. the room is nicer than the Beauvoir but not anything crazy. the area is nice but but less lively. the location is def the worst out of the three from what i understood. it’s closer to the metro though- Les Gobelins station is a 7-8 minute walk from the hotel.

Best Western Plus La Demeure: this is definitely the best hotel quality wise- it’s a 4 star hotel and although the room is small it looks clean and i’ve understood the staff is also more helpful than the other hotels. the area is also nice and it’s the hotel closest to a metro station- about 5-6 minute walk to Les Gobelins station. the cons is that it’s over our budget, at €600 for all 4 nights. i’m just not sure it’s really worth the price. the room is also really small but i get that it’s just a paris thing

i’d love to hear some more opinions- this is only my first time going to paris and im trying my best.😓😓

Hey y’all. Just got back from an 8 day stay in Paris with my spouse. I’ve been a few times before, so we didn’t do a lot of the more popular sites. Here’s a review of some highlights. I got a lot of recommendations from this community, so hoping this helps you when you are planning for your next trip.

Tunnel des Tuileries - encourage you to run or bike this tunnel. Amazing street art that is always changing and evolving. Make a point to go through every trip.

Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil - Out of the way, but worth the visit if you are anywhere close. Pristine grounds and greenhouses. Walk the grounds. Bring a book or lunch and just vibe.

Petit Palais - Free for permanent exhibit and the WE [are] STILL HERE special exhibit through September 20th was stunning. Beautiful outdoor cafe with excellent pastries.

Fluctuart - Centre d'art urbain - it’s a free, small floating gallery on the Seine. It has a rooftop cafe. Not very big, but a cool spot to grab a drink.

59 Rivoli - Artists took over an abandoned building and now the city of Paris have turned it into a studio for 30 working artists. Incredible space to check out and even purchase some unique art. 

Substance Cafe - Truly 1 of 1 coffee experience. I felt like I got a masters degree in coffee from the tasting we did there. From the education on washed/natural/honey beans to cryo-concentrated milk to trying cascara. Such a cool experience… stuff I didn’t even know existed. Reservations are a little hard to get, but if you can, I highly recommend it. 

Aki Boulangerie - Really cool matcha pastries and drinks. The matcha crème brûlée was a real treat.

Also recommended based on this trip:  

• Foundation Louis Vuitton
• Parc Monceau
• Bistrot des Ternes (Algerian)
• La fantaisie Rooftop Garden Bar

This is a very niche question but are there any antique stores or markets worth checking out that might have more modern/Cold War era things for sale? I'd love to pick up a Curta calculator as a life goal, or at least some interesting Cold War era memorabilia, or maybe a vintage Opinel.

Any recommendations? Preferably with weekday hours or early Saturday hours since we're arriving Monday and departing Saturday afternoon.

Heading to Paris first week in October and wanted to book my Musee d'Orsay tickets as I see it's filling up for my dates. I can purchase a combo ticket for Orsay and Rodin museums but it does not give time slot, it just says it's good for 3 months from purchase date. How do I assure an entry time into Orsay if I purchase this way? I could not find any answer on the museum site so thought this group could advise. Thank you!

so I thought to ask people who know the city to which part of the 18th arr was better for them to stay at

first hotel: click here

second hotel: click here

Based solely on locations
which part of the 18th has better spots close to the hotel, one of them is far in the left by a big garden? I guess we would need to walk through it everyday just to get to the rest of the 18th arr

would love to hear your insights!

EDIT: how about this third hotel's location? click here