Paris tips

Much has been said about avoiding tourist traps, both domestically and abroad, while traveling. They're bemoaned as too crowded, too tacky, too expensive, and often don't give you the full picture of a place's culture.

Sleek and sophisticated, the City of Love isn't known for being a cheap date. However, Paris has a whole heap of fun and free attractions even the most budget-conscious traveler can enjoy, ranging from free-entry museums and galleries to frenzied markets and canal-side strolls.

An American tourist who visited Paris said it's the most rat-infested city he's ever been to, and people online are agreeing with him. 

Paris' wealth of architectural icons, monumental museums and unmissable dining experiences makes it difficult for visitors to contemplate straying beyond the city limits. Yet on Paris’ doorstep are magnificent châteaux, exquisite gardens, medieval cathedrals, and rambling forests, which can add a new dimension to a holiday in the French capital.

Paris prosecutors told AFP that two American tourists were found sleeping inside the Eiffel Tower on Monday morning.

A TikTok video of an American woman documenting her experience of paying $100 for the "most disgusting breakfast" in Paris has sparked debate and highlighted some cultural differences when it comes to breakfast food.

Paris is a fabulous place to travel en famille (as a family), with a host of specially designed activities for kids of all ages, both inside for rainy days as well as out and about in the city.

Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates "la belle vie" (the good life).

When I visited Paris last year for the first time, I couldn't wait to eat my way around the city.

Located about an hour outside of Paris by train, the Palace of Versailles is often among France's most-visited tourist attractions, per data from Statista. It's easy to see why: the palace, once home to generations of French royal families, is a sprawling, gilded feat of human artistry. 

Years ago, as my 26th birthday approached, I decided to take myself to Paris. Although I'd initially invited friends, circumstances changed, and I embraced the idea of going solo.

Paris will allow people to swim in the Seine following the 2024 Olympics for the first time in more than 100 years.

It's not often that I'm treated with a stay at a five-star hotel. It's even less often that I can stay at a hotel that's been ranked even higher than five stars — in fact, it's only happened once, earlier this month.

"Paris syndrome" describes the feeling of visiting Paris for the first time, only to feel disappointed that the city is not as beautiful or enchanting as you expected it to be.

One aspect of the Paris Métro is minimalism. Most stations are simply white subterranean vaults with no surface building to sully the beauty of the streets. Sometimes, a station entrance is indicated by art nouveau iron flowers of no known genus (except possibly triffid), and these – the creations of Hector Guimard in the early 1900s – signify the flamboyance that coexists with the minimalism.

Could you justify spending $35,000 for a year’s worth of unlimited business-class flights between New York and London or Paris? Probably not. But if so, La Compagnie has a deal for you.

Enter the Atout France USA “Lancome Paris 2016” sweepstakes by August 8, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a one-week trip for two to Paris, including air, hotel, and a day trip out of the city.

Paris Hilton hasn’t been much in the limelight lately, and now we know why. The 35-year-old socialite and media magnet has been busy developing a new line of luxury hotels to open in Dubai, New York, and Las Vegas.

La Compagnie, an all-business-class airline based in France, is selling round-trip flights from Newark to Paris for just $1,300. And because it’s called the Family Trip Offer, the airline has cut the fare for kids ages 2 to 11 to $1,000.

Your visit to the City of Light can either be a checklist of guidebook suggestions or something so much more special. See Paris like a local and design your trip around these unique Paris experiences.

In our A Total Trip series, writers document what they spent on a recent getaway. In this edition, Stephanie Ong shows us how much a weekend of food and fun cost her and her partner in Paris.