How to Plan a Trip to Paris

Success is in the details, and for a truly marvelous vacation experience in Paris you want to make sure you have planned all the details in advance. By doing a little research before you go you can ensure a fabulous time in the beautiful City of Lights. You will have to plan how to get to Paris, where you’ll stay and what kind of attractions you’ll want to enjoy while you are there. Of course, the easiest method of planning a trip to Paris is to engage the services of a private guide in Paris who can make all the arrangements for you, but for the do-it-yourself trip planner these tips can be helpful.

Travel Arrangements

The first thing is getting there. As a major European air and rail hub, Paris offers an excellent transportation system, both for travel to and from the city and for travel within Paris itself. Because this is the world’s top vacation destination, there are a lot of great deals available for plane tickets and rail passes, including fabulous package deals that combine travel and accommodations.

Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport is the second busiest airport in all of Europe, second only to Heathrow in London for the number of travelers. Air France, Delta, United Airlines, and British Airways all fly into and out of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, as well as budget and charter flights. You may also fly into Orly or Beauvais airports, and all will have convenient ground transport into the city by suburban train, shuttle, taxi or bus.

Hotel Accommodations

Where you stay while you are in Paris will probably depend in part on your budget. Some of the world’s finest hotels are here offering luxurious, first-class accommodations such as the five star Four Seasons Hotel George V, Hotel Meurice, and Plaza Athenee. More “price friendly” hotels can also provide great places to stay, such as Hotel Alize Grenelle, a three star boutique near the Eiffel Tower or two star Hotel Royal Opera. By staying even further from the city center you may be able to find even less expensive accommodations, such as some of the quaint inns or a bed and breakfast.

Attractions

Once you know how you plan to travel to Paris and where you’ll stay when you’re there, now you can plan your itinerary. This all depends on your specific interests, and whether you want to mix it up or stick to a certain theme. Wine tasting tours in the Avignon countryside, art and history tours in the Louvre, boutique shopping, or sight-seeing, or some of each, make a trip to Paris something to truly enjoy and an experience you’ll never forget.

Article author: Cathy Jones