Name: 30 ESSENTIAL Paris tips in 9 minutes
Uploaded: 2026-02-20T14:37:24.000Z
Duration: 9 min 50 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Are you coming to Paris for the first time?

To-infinitive

Then you need to know these 30 essential things about the city.

it took me a while to master how Paris works when I moved here seven years ago.

These nine minutes are gonna spare you a lot of confusions and maybe even some embarrassing situation.

Not all Parisians speak English and you shouldn't expect them to.

So learning a few basic words is not only polite, it will also get your interactions with the French off on the right foot.

So when you first meet a fren person, whether it's in a restaurant, in the street or a salesperson, it's important to say bonjour, which means hello.

And also important words for you to know are thank you, which are merci in French or parlez vous anglais.

So that they understand that you don't speak the language and then they'll try to help you with the English.

But it's a polite way to start a conversation.

So if you come from North America or the uk, you're gonna need an adapter.

Make sure you get one from there, or else you can go to these tech shops or small shop shops near touristic areas and you can find an adapter for your chargers.

this isn't strictly enforced except at supermarkets where alcohol is for sale.

So if you're around 18 or look on the younger side, you might want to carry your ID with you, but

otherwise you don't really need to worry about this.

Most stores are open from 10am to 7 or 8pm, while bakeries are usually open at 8am and supermarket markets at 9am Some independent shops only open at 11am and don't be surprised to find specialty food shops closed from few hours mid afternoon.

The currency in France is the Euro and only euros are accepted.

So you can leave your dollars, pounds or any other currency at home.

You can pay by credit or debit card at most places, but not all.

Some bakeries and smaller shops may have a minimum to pay by card, so that's why it's useful to have a little cash on you.

Well, you can either get some from your home bank or withdraw some at a cash machine.

In Paris, you shouldn't have to pay a transaction fee from your bank, and

if you do, check the link in the description for the best cards without fees.

If you do withdraw cash in Paris, make sure it's from a real bank.

Cash machines stuck into the facade of shops in tourist areas are not attached to a real bank.

These will charge you an additional fee on top of your own bank spend, so unless it's an emergency, do not use these.

So in France, waiters are paid a living wage and do not work for tips.

At restaurants and bors, there's a 15% service charge that is always included in the bill.

So if you leave a tip, it's not really obligatory.

And actually, most French people don't leave tips.

But of course it's like they're gonna love you if you tip them.

If you're taking a taxi, simply round up to the nearest euro.

And if you're paying by card, you can ask the driver to add this to the total.

Speaking of taxis, before we talk about the different transport options, Paris is a fantastic walking city, and

you do a lot of walking here, so wear comfortable shoes.

Navigation apps like citymapper and Google Maps will be a lifesaver in Paris.

And even the ERA TP app is really, really good.

The advantage of Citymapper is that it'll tell you the best ways to get a destination by transport, taxis, bike or on foot, as well as the approximate cost of each option.

It's fast, affordable, and goes everywhere.

These are buses in Paris, but most people use the subway, which is called Le Metro.

The one downside of the metro is that there aren't many escalators or elevators, and

there's a lot of stairs and super long corridors.

Another reason to wear those comfy shoes.

So when it comes to Metro tickets, you can buy them via the Bonjour Era tip app, which is also useful for planning your route.

You can also get tickets at machines or the ticket counters in Metro stations.

Don't get an unlimited Metro pass, so unless you're staying really far from the center, do not get an unlimited metropas.

Remember what I said about all that walking you do here?

While you likely only use the Metro a few times a day, so these passes aren't worth it.

How to hail a taxi so taxis in Paris always have a taxi sign on the roof, and

when it's green it's available, and when it's red, it isn't.

Now, while you can flag down a passing taxi by waving your hand, you'll usually find taxis waiting at taxi stands in busier areas and at train stations.

And the easiest way to get one is to book one through an app like jset, or you can use Uber, Bolt, Lyft or any other app.

Tip number 16 how to Bike in Paris so there are lots of bike lanes in Paris and it can actually be the fastest way to get around the city.

You can rent one via the Paris bike share system called Velibe, or book an electric lime bike via your Uber app before we move on to the next tip.

If you're enjoying our advice so far, we have even more in our downloadable Paris 101 guide, and

it goes into details on many of the tips in this video and a lot more.

You can get it via the link in the description box.

Oh, and did I mention that it's totally free?

17 so Paris is divided into 20 districts called arrondissement, and

if you ever want to know which arrondissement you're in, just look for a street sign.

The arrondissement number is right above the street name.

Tip number 18 how to find the Metro so if you're looking for the metro, there are a few different types of signs that look like this.

You might also see these signs which are for the Aureor Paris suburban train.

And when you want to leave a metro station, just look for the word sorti, which means Exit 19.

Accommodation There are tons of great hotels in Paris, but

whatever you do, do not pick one near the Eiffel Tower or the Champs Elysees.

These areas are super expensive, they have no local life and they're far away from most sites.

Tip number 20 good central areas if you do want to stay in a central area, but

one with a little soul, consider Saint Germain la 10, Cartier and the Marais.

You can walk to virtually everywhere from any of these locations around.

The Louvre is okay and super central, but it lacks local spirit.

Tip number 21 more local and affordable if you'd like to stay in a real local neighborhood, consider Sao Pigalle, the Canal St Martin or the 11th.

These areas are safe and still central enough, although you might need to take the metro a little more to get around.

Tip number 22 Best budget option Hostels so hostels are the best options for budget travelers, and

I suggest choosing one by the canal St. Martin, Montmartre or Belleville.

Although Airbnb exists in Paris, we don't recommend it for several reasons, mainly the bad effect it has on the local housing market.

And if you'd like to have a little more space or kitchen, book in a parked hotel.

These offer you all the conveniences of an apartment as well as the extra facilities of a hotel.

Book in advance Wherever you decide to stay, book in advance Hotel prices fluctuate a lot and you don't want to be stuck paying double what you budgeted because you waited too long to book.

Tip number 25 attractions book any must see sites in advance Many of Bear's top sites can be booked in advance and they can even sell out in high seasons.

So if you have your heart set on visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or Versailles, don't wait.

Tickets come up for sale usually three months in advance, so book them ASAP.