The 25 Biggest MISTAKES Tourists Keep Making in Paris

Since we moved to Paris two and a half years ago, we visited every single landmark, including this one. And we've made our fair share of mistakes since we've been here in Paris. And we hear from people all the time with unrealistic itineraries, afraid to wear the wrong clothes when they're in Paris, and doing things that they simply should not be doing. So in this video, we're gonna tell you the top mistakes people make when they come to the city of Paris, so you don't make them. Allez, on y va. Now let's talk about getting ready for your Paris trip and all of the planning. Because the first thing we hear people say is, I need to find a hotel right by the Eiffel Tower. And maybe that's how you pictured it, like waking up with a cappuccino and a croissant and a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower. But the truth is, there's not much to do around the tower. And you're probably not gonna get that view, and it's gonna cost you a lot more. What you really want is to be in a vibrant neighborhood near a good metro. The next mistake we see is people overpacking their itineraries for their three-day visit. They are trying to cram way too many things to visit in just three days. Sometimes we look at itineraries that are dizzying. Look, Paris should be a seven-day visit in order of being able to see everything. Trying to cram seven days worth of visits into three days, or sometimes just two days, is crazy. Make sure to schedule some serious downtime to just take it all in. Sit on a bench in a park for an hour, or have a two-hour picnic on the St. Riverbanks. This will give you much better memories than being packed like a sardine going from room to room in Versailles. Another mistake we see is people booking at big chain hotels. Now, this may not be a mistake, but it's definitely a missed opportunity. If the reason you're booking at a chain hotel is because they're familiar, consider booking a small family-owned boutique hotel. They're much more charming, and you'll have a better chance of getting that authentic Paris experience. The next mistakes visitors do in Paris is they don't pack comfortable shoes. In Paris, on average, you'll do 20,000 steps a day. And just to give you a context, Le Louvre is nine miles of galleries alone. Paris is very walkable, and you'll do a lot of it during your stay on cobblestone streets and a lot of stairs everywhere. Make sure to pack a pair of comfortable shoes for your trip to Paris. We get messages all the time from people saying, do I have to go to the Louvre? Everybody says I have to, but you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. It's your trip. You don't have to go visit Versailles or go through all of the museums you don't want to. There is nothing wrong with just sitting in cafes and discovering the neighborhoods of Paris. Do some research to find out things that appeal to you. And we've done a lot of videos about this, including where things are and how long they take to visit. But the bottom line, it's your trip, you do you. The next big mistake that people do is spending way too much time in Paris. Paris is not France. Now, I get it. You want to see all the major landmarks, but there's so much more to see than just Paris. The region of Dordogne near Bordeaux is spectacular, and the Alsace region is absolutely gorgeous. Look, there's no denying that the city of Paris is absolutely gorgeous, but it's also hustling and bustling with hundreds of thousands of visitors every day. Another mistake we see when people are visiting Paris is overthinking the wardrobe and what to pack. This may be the fashion capital of the world, but that doesn't mean you need to look like a fashion model. If you want to blend in with the locals, pack for comfort. Of course, you want to look nice and you want the photo memories to look fabulous, but you don't need a new fabulous outfit for everything you do. Bring comfortable shoes and accessories to transition from day to night, and you'll be fine. Another mistake that people do is they completely overpack when traveling to Paris. We see them in the metro struggling with their suitcase and carrying them up the stairs. Most people end up not wearing half the stuff they took with them. Too many shoes and too many outfits. For most of Europe, you should attempt to pack what can fit in a carry-on luggage. Another mistake that people make in Paris is not drinking enough champagne. I mean, I remember the first time I ordered a pizza just in the afternoon and the waiter asked, do you want a glass of champagne? But I'm used to America where champagne is for celebrations and beer goes with pizza. So whether you're just hanging out in the afternoon, having an afternoon pizza, just order the champagne. You won't regret it. Now as a side note, if you're coming to Paris, I would highly recommend that you check out our Paris travel tip PDF guide right there. It has information about where to eat, where to stay, and where to have fun in Paris. And we also have it as an online version on the Thatch app. So there's a link in the description below. Just check it out, see if it's a good fit for you. And now back to the video. One mistake that people do is always ordering a la carte. Most restaurants offer a formula menu, especially at lunchtime. The lunch formula will include an app plus a meal or a meal plus a dessert at a very good price. Now that may not be the case at dinnertime, but you can always ask because some restaurants offer it at dinnertime too. But it's usually a lunch thing. You'll save a few bucks and you'll feel like a local. Another mistake people often make is when you go to a cafe and you order a cup of coffee, expecting American style service. In France, a cup of coffee is an espresso. If you want American coffee or coffee with milk, you have to tell them when you order it or you won't get it. And if you're expecting free refills, you're gonna be disappointed. If you want two cups, you buy two cups. And there's a big difference in price whether you're getting an espresso or another kind of coffee. It's not a scam. It's just how much they charge for coffee in Paris. Another mistake that we see people do is to go to these Instagram famous eateries all around Paris. In our experience, in those places, you'll end up waiting in line to get in, sometime up to 45 minutes. And we've been very underwhelmed by a few of them. Angelina on Rue de Rivoli comes to mind. So does L'Asse du Falafel on Rue des Rosiers or Les Deux Magots in Saint-Germain. And I'm not saying that they're bad, but personally, I wouldn't wait 30 minutes just to get a seat to eat an overpriced dish. I don't think so. Another mistake travelers make is only eating French food. And I get it. French food is delicious. But the French philosophies about food, together with amazing quality ingredients, make any food in France fantastic. Mideastern, Indian foods are all amazing. And some of the best Asian food I've ever had was right here in Paris. They even have excellent Cuban food. So when you're visiting Paris, broaden your options and try some new cuisines. Another mistake that people do is they don't try new dishes because they don't know what it is or what's in it. Now, I get it. Some dishes may be a little scary when you don't even know how to pronounce it. But be adventurous and try something new. You can always have the way to Google Translate what's in it for you. And we recently did a video called 10 French Dishes Explained. Watch it, and you'll learn what's in it. In Europe, most hotels offer a breakfast plan. And it's not exactly a mistake to accept that, but there are other options you wanna consider before making your decision. It's probably not gonna be what you expect as an American-style breakfast. And depending on your jet lag, you may not make it down in time for the service. And if you're taking this option just so you have some details handled, don't. There are way too many options like boulangeries just around the corner where you're gonna find better costs, save some time, and you may wanna skip breakfast and have more room for the fabulous lunches and dinners. Another mistake that we see people do is to only take taxis and Ubers because the metro is a little scary and complicated. The Paris metro is super efficient to move from place to place in Paris, and sometimes much faster and way cheaper than taking a taxi. Once you get the hang of it, the metro in Paris is not that complicated. And I'd recommend you watch this video to understand how to navigate the metro. One of the big mistakes we see is when you're in the airport or a train station like Gare du Nord, people will offer you a taxi ride. Just don't take it. If anyone is offering you a ride, that's gonna be a scam. We suggest using the G7 Taxi app, and that works just like Ubers where you can schedule it, get the driver and car information, and pay through the app. Now you could use Uber, but it's not as reliable. And as private drivers, they don't get to ride in the bus lanes, and that will slow you down even more in traffic. If you wanna hire a ride, only go to specifically marked taxi stands and get a cab with the official marker on top of the car. The ones who approach you won't be licensed or insured, and they're gonna charge you a lot more. Now I can't tell you the number of people that told us they got ripped off or scammed by the tuk-tuk like this one in Paris, especially near the Eiffel Tower. Almost none of these guys are regulated or insured. It's almost like going on a roller coaster that hasn't been inspected with an operator that wants to steal your money. Now there are a couple of operators that are professional, but you need to do your due diligence. Don't just hop in the first one available. It's probably not going to be the experience you were hoping for. Now, if you're traveling from one town to another throughout Europe on your trip, you may be thinking about flights, and that would be a mistake. There is a really robust railway system throughout Europe, so don't make the mistake of flying from one place to another because it's more expensive. The airports are outside of town, and with the time you need to arrive before flights and to get back into town and your destination, it's all a big waste. Book your transfers on trains, leaving and arriving from the center of town where you can pretty much show up and hop on. In Europe, trains are the way to get around. Another mistake that people do is not using a bathroom when you have the opportunity and having to use one of those. Paris is famous for a lot of things, including not having enough bathrooms. You won't find a bathroom in a store, a supermarket, or a pharmacy. They have public bathroom, but they are often broken or just plain nasty. Our trick is to never pass a bathroom when we see one, and if we have to go, we'll often stop in a cafe, order a beverage, and use their bathroom. Something we see all the time is people crowded together to get the same Instagram shots, and I get it. These are beautiful shots, but there's often a much better angle just a few steps away, and people do crazy dangerous stuff like standing in the middle of the street to get the shot. Please don't do that. There are great locations all over Paris to get amazing shots. We did a whole video right here on places where you can find them. Another mistake that people do is blocking the way where they're on an escalator or a people mover. If you're on the right, you can be standing. The left is for people passing you. Now, remember, Paris is not a theme park. Most people around you are going to work or are headed home. That's the complaint from many of our Parisian friends about people standing in the middle of a sidewalk taking pictures or just walking slowly as a big group. Move to the side. Make sure you're not blocking the way. The people around you are probably going to work or headed home. Paris has some iconic shopping spots and some amazing places to buy souvenirs, but if you're not visiting the neighborhoods and finding small boutique shops, you're missing out. The paper stores alone are worth a whole video and you'll find all sorts of curiosities in the little shops around and some amazing items to remind you of your trip when you're back home reliving the memories. Another mistake that people do is accepting help from a complete stranger, especially in a train station like Gare du Nord. That's one of the tactics used by scammers. They look for confused tourists and offer help. And next thing you know, your wallet is gone. Most Parisian won't offer help unless you ask. Anyone coming out of the blue to help is going to be suspicious to me. I'm going to take a good look at the person before I engage with them. And Parisian can be very nice and very helpful, but use common sense before you engage with someone. Another mistake that many travelers make is only hitting the big landmarks. Of course, when you come to Paris, you wanna hit the highlights and depending on how much time you have, you could end up spending a lot of that time standing in line. There are over a hundred museums and some you've never heard of are simply wonderful. Like the home of Victor Hugo who wrote the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the museum of Eugene Delacroix who shaped the Impressionist movement, the Clooney Medieval Museum, and this place which has a stunning view of all of Paris. And a lot of these lesser known places have free or really affordable entry fees and they are simply not to be missed. If you've enjoyed this video, next I would watch this one on how to plan your Paris travel itinerary.