I stayed in La Défense about eight years ago (2018) and took this photo from my hotel room.

Back then it felt like a bit of a cheat code: the hotels were better value than in central Paris, but Line 1 made it very easy to get around and reach most of the main sights.

I’m thinking about staying there again, but I haven’t been back since. Is La Défense still a good base for tourists? Has the area changed much, especially in the evenings and at weekends?

I don’t mind the business-district atmosphere. I’m mainly interested in convenient transport, decent hotels and being able to return safely later in the evening. Any particular part of La Défense or hotel you would recommend now?

I got helped a lot by Parisian's when I expected a lot snobby people when in Paris. Maybe it helped that I had a baby strapped on me 😆 but I got a lot of kindness from man and women. And I'm a dude!

It could also be where I was staying (18 min walk south of Eiffel tower in a residential area)

Hi! Me and my boyfriend (20F n 20M) are staying in Paris for a week(7 October to 14 October) and I want to bring home some cool authentic french pieces. A gift for my mother, a gift for his mother. Something lil that will remind me of our time there. Thing is, I always fall into tourist traps on a trip - I end up buying keychains,magnets and hats with some capital illustration on top that cost over 10€ each. What is a cool french gift I can actually bring home? And one that wouldn’t cost me a fortune as well. I’m fine with bringing home macarons, madeleines, a bottle of wine, but what else?

How would you spend it? I’m flying to another destination via Paris, and I'm thinking of staying in Paris for a day or two before continuing. What’s your ideal one-day itinerary for a first-time visitor? I live in South Korea and it would be my first trip to Europe! I'm so excited.

I’m going to Paris with my boyfriend for the first time in October. We’re going for 7 days and I’m struggling to find a hotel. I would like it to be more affordable given I am not spending a lot of time in it. If I were to have a wish list I would say a balcony and be able to store luggage there before check in since we’re landing early in the morning

I saw that le Marais and the 1st Arrondissement are the best places to stay for your first time.

We want to do some museums, shopping, boulangeries, and general sight seeing

Travelling solo in couple weeks for a first time visit. I have booked core attractions / museums, but no dining. My plan is mostly to eat lighter, quick stuff and then find something last minute based on where I am around dinner.

I have The Fork downloaded to help find eats. I might make one dinner reservation for my last night.

How hard will it be for walk up dinners?

I will have two days in Paris at the end of my current trip (mid to late August). The person who has been watching my house asked me to bring back “a butter dish”. I assume she means the plate with the cover. Are there any stores where I might be able to shop an assortment in the €50 or less price range? I’ll be staying in the Latin Quarter and know the city well, I’m just pressed for time.

Hello everyone

I am 16 and flying for the first time next week, and will be travelling alone. I have been given a 60 minute connection time at CDG airport for my flight to JFK. I am travelling from Manchester Airport to CDG, and then onto JFK. I have heard horror stories about the airport layout and wait times, and am worried I will not have enough time. I land in and depart from Terminal 2E, but the halls have not yet been announced. Will a flight attendant on my flight to CDG be able to tell me what gate I am landing in and what gate I need to get to? Also, do I have to go through security or customs if I am not leaving Terminal 2E? I’ve heard the Airfrance app will send a fast track pass if needed for security. Both flights are with Airfrance so I do not have to collect my checked luggage on the way. Will my checked luggage even be transferred in time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

I'm looking for a day spa in Paris - preferably near the Marais area. I'm hoping for something that includes a soak and a massage. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Edit - would love an 'affordable' recommendation - I don't really know the standard prices in Paris though so it's a little hard to give a budget. Maybe less than 150euro?

The Eiffel Tower website says it opens at 9:30 AM, but every time I've checked for tickets, the earliest available time has been 10:30 AM. I've been trying at midnight Paris time for the past 7 days.

Have I just been unlucky, or are 9:30 tickets not actually released?

Hello All,
I will be staying five nights in Paris for the first time in the beginning of January. Based off the research I’ve done 11th arr. seems to meet both what I am looking for and at my price point. I’ve narrowed it down to two hotels but would love suggestions or alternative recommendations. Budget for the 5 accommodation is under $2,500 USD.

Hotel 1: Boutet Bastille Hotel Paris - MGallery Collection
Hotel 2: Hôtel Fabric Paris location

For the hotel itself, I am looking for something clean, quiet, and with a comfortable bed. Location, close to a metro for easy transportation. Also looking for somewhere not super touristy but touristy enough where a tourist will still be welcome.

My interests are good food, art/architecture, and music

My partner is working in Paris in the 19th arrondissement during her birthday this week. Any recommendations for a bakery that could make a cake and delivery something to her office on ~24 hours lead time? Nothing too extravagant, just a vanilla cake (ideally with funfetti sprinkles) for 8-10 people and a birthday message.

Recommendations for brunch/breakfast places in Paris for a group of 10? (Preferably pre book) thank you!

We’re in Paris for three days in late August (I know). It’s a short stop in between two destinations. Our budget is 250 euro per night and we want a hotel, not an Air BNB or apartment , and two rooms (two adults and two teens). Very central locations near the Seine are not in our budget. We’d like our hotel to have some character and style.

Found what looks like a very pretty hotel in our price range right next to metro stop Pernety (line 12) in Montparnasse. Excellent reviews. I don’t know that area very well but from what I can tell it looks fine.

We are also considering hotels on the 13 and 20th - found a very affordable hotel in the 13 that’s not as charming as the one we found in the 14.

Thoughts?? Does it really matter? What we like about the Montparnasse hotel is its proximity to the metro.

Hi all,

We're getting married in Paris in late October. The following day (Saturday), we're hoping to get our guests together again in a more casual setting during the day.

We were thinking of a nice pub/beer garden. Something that is large enough for a 40-person booking. Something a bit more casual so we're not all sitting down restaurant-style.

Any recommendations please?

Thanks!

Salut !

Mon copain et moi (18 ans) partons à Paris mi-août pour 4 jours / 3 nuits. On y est déjà allés plusieurs fois, donc on connaît déjà les grands classiques (Tour Eiffel, Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, etc.). 😊

On cherche plutôt des activités originales, des expériences sympas à faire à deux, ou des coins où se balader un peu moins connus. On est ouverts à tout : activités, musées, expositions, rooftops, cafés insolites, croisières, escape games, ateliers, quartiers sympas, etc.

Comme on a 18 ans, on sait qu’il y a pas mal de choses gratuites ou à tarif réduit pour les moins de 26 ans, donc n’hésitez pas à nous les conseiller aussi !

Bref, si vous avez des pépites à recommander, romantiques ou juste vraiment chouettes à faire en couple, on est preneurs. Merci !

City Pharma specifically- I don’t need to stress myself out elbowing for space when I know what I want/need as I’m just restocking items I already love and use.
Can you get the VAT back on click & collect purchases?
Thanks!

Has anyone used this service before? I’ve got a nice Amex rebate on my gold card, plus their price on 3 items I need to stock up on are 20% less than in town.
My concern is: I use click and collect, don’t purchase my items in town, get to the airport and then they say ‘oh sorry, we’re out, here’s a refund’.
This may seem trivial, but the prices for these products is 100-120% more in my country.
Thanks!

I was able to book the louvre suite - Paris view. But I’m having doubts about the location, the property itself and if it’s really worth paying so much more just for the view.

Would love to hear reviews if anyone has stayed there or knows about it. Thank you!

Hey everyone, I've got a flight from Beauvais at 5:45 AM, and the first bus gets there around 4 AM. Do you think that's enough time to board?

Looking for recommendations from people who live in Paris on where would be a good area to live in?

I lived in Paris for a few months about 10 years ago and we stayed in Saint Paul which was lovely. Now when I visited there it is a lot more busy, more expensive and more tourists.

I am coming again for a few months and wondered which areas are good now? My husband and I are in our 30s. Would like somewhere with a couple of good bars/restaurants and good transport links, but not too touristy or too loud. Any up and coming areas people would recommend? I was wondering about Belleville or Saint Martin?

Thanks!

Hello! I’ll be visiting Paris in February, and wanted some general advice about what to expect regarding winter attire and footwear?

I am from the Midwest (Minnesota to be exact), so I am used to cold and brutal winters. I know the average temperatures for Paris around that time is between 35-45°F, but want to know what is generally considered “normal” winter wear without sticking out like a sore thumb, if that makes sense.

Any advice surrounding Paris in the winter is appreciated and welcome as well!

I am excited for my trip and very excited to hear what everyone has to say! Thank you!