You are currently viewing A First-Timer’s Guide to Paris: How to Do It Right & What Will Absolutely Ruin Your Trip

A First-Timer’s Guide to Paris: How to Do It Right & What Will Absolutely Ruin Your Trip

A First-Timer’s Guide to Paris: How to Do It Right & What Will Absolutely Ruin Your Trip

Introduction

Welcome to Paris—the city of love, lights, and some of the most avoidable tourist disasters known to mankind.

You’ve seen the Instagram photos. You’ve dreamed about the croissants, the Eiffel Tower views, and the magical Seine sunsets. But what no one tells you? Paris will absolutely wreck you if you don’t plan it right.

If you want to experience Paris like a pro (instead of a frustrated tourist ready to cry at a metro station), here’s exactly how to do it right—and what will ruin your trip if you’re not careful.

1. DO: Skip the Lines & See More. DON’T: Waste Half Your Trip Waiting

Paris has some of the longest queues in Europe. If you just show up to the Eiffel Tower or Louvre without a plan, congratulations—you’ve just signed up for a waiting marathon.

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Wasting 3 hours in line at the Eiffel Tower while smarter travelers zoom past you.
  • Arriving at Versailles at peak time, seeing the crowds, and regretting every decision.
  • Walking into the Louvre without a pre-booked ticket, realizing the queue is longer than a Netflix subscription, and giving up.

🚀 How to do it right:

Skipping lines isn’t just about saving time—it’s about saving your will to live.

2. DO: Learn a Few Basic French Phrases. DON’T: Assume Everyone Speaks English

Yes, many Parisians speak English. No, they do not appreciate being spoken to like a tourist who couldn’t even try.

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Starting every conversation with “Do you speak English?” (without even saying bonjour first).
  • Expecting every menu, every sign, and every person to accommodate your language.
  • Getting the cold shoulder from waiters because you didn’t even try.

🚀 How to do it right:

  • Always start with “Bonjour” (hello) before anything else.
  • Learn basic phrases (Merci = thank you, Excusez-moi = excuse me, L’addition, s’il vous plaît = check, please).
  • If you need help in English, say: “Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais?” It’s polite—and people will be way nicer.

Even a little effort goes a LONG way.

3. DO: Use the Metro. DON’T: Take Expensive Ubers Everywhere

Paris has one of the best metro systems in the world. It’s fast, cheap, and way easier than dealing with traffic.

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Taking €50 Ubers everywhere because you’re too scared to try public transport.
  • Standing on the left side of the escalator (Parisians will actually push past you).
  • Getting fined €60 because you didn’t validate your metro ticket properly.

🚀 How to do it right:

  • Get a Navigo Easy pass for unlimited metro rides.
  • Stand on the right, walk on the left (this rule is sacred).
  • Google Maps works with Paris metro—use it to plan routes easily.

Trust me, you’ll save hundreds of euros AND avoid sitting in Paris traffic for no reason.

4. DO: Eat Like a Local. DON’T: Fall for Tourist Traps

Yes, Paris food is legendary. But not all restaurants are created equal.

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Eating at any café next to the Eiffel Tower and paying €20 for a bad croque monsieur.
  • Sitting at a restaurant with a five-language menu and a waiter waving you inside.
  • Ordering a “latte” and getting a glass of warm milk with espresso on the side.

🚀 How to do it right:

  • Go where locals go—boulangeries, small bistros, hidden gems.
  • If the menu is ONLY in English, run.
  • Do a food tour through Wonder Meets and Tours to find the real Paris food scene.

You didn’t fly all the way to Paris for microwaved meals and overpriced coffee.

5. DO: See the Mona Lisa. DON’T: Expect a Magical Moment

Every first-timer wants to see the Mona Lisa. But let’s be real—it’s nothing like the movies.

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Expecting to have a quiet, personal moment with da Vinci’s masterpiece.
  • Walking into the Louvre at peak hours and seeing only the backs of people’s heads.
  • Realizing you’ll get 10 seconds to look before you’re pushed out of the way.

🚀 How to do it right:

  • Book a fast-access Louvre ticket through Allejo.fr so you don’t waste time.
  • Go early or late—avoid the 11 AM – 3 PM disaster zone.
  • See the rest of the Louvre, too! The Mona Lisa is cool, but the whole museum is mind-blowing.

6. DO: Plan Your Days Wisely. DON’T: Overstuff Your Itinerary

🚨 What WILL ruin your trip:

  • Thinking you can see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and Versailles in one day.
  • Booking back-to-back activities with no time to eat or relax.
  • Forgetting that Paris is best enjoyed at a slower pace.

🚀 How to do it right:

  • Pick 2-3 big attractions per day. Anything more = stress.
  • Give yourself breaks. A café stop is part of the experience.
  • Book tours and tickets in advance so you don’t waste time figuring things out on the spot.

Paris isn’t a race. Enjoy the moments, not just the checklist.

Leave a Reply