What people ask before booking the flight.
Do I need a visa to enter France?+
It depends on your nationality. EU citizens enter with an ID card. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, and 50+ others enter visa-free up to 90 days in any 180. From 2026 they must fill out the ETIAS electronic authorization before boarding (€7, 3 years valid). Citizens of India, China, Russia, Morocco, Egypt, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and most African and Middle Eastern countries must apply for a Schengen visa at the consulate.
What's the best month to visit Paris?+
May, June, and September tie. 18-24°C, gardens in bloom, museums on full hours, restaurants open. April and October are excellent alternatives for price (15-20% cheaper) and cinematic autumn light. Avoid August (la fermeture annuelle: half the bistros shut for holidays). January-February are cold but authentic, with Christmas markets and brocantes. July is bearable but can hit a heatwave.
How much does it cost to go up the Eiffel Tower?+
Walking up to the second floor costs €11.80 (adult) or €5.90 (ages 4-11). Elevator to the second floor €18.40 / €9.20. Top by elevator €29.40 / €14.70. Buy online on the official Tour Eiffel site at least 30 days ahead — tickets sell out in high season. Free photo alternative: Trocadéro at dusk. Higher alternative: Tour Montparnasse (€18, view that frames the Eiffel).
How safe is Paris from pickpockets?+
The risk is real, especially on the metro (lines 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 and RER B), Trocadéro, Champ-de-Mars, Sacré-Cœur, Gare du Nord, and Châtelet-Les Halles. Wear your bag zipper in front, keep your wallet out of back pockets, don't hold your phone in your hand on a busy street. Violent crime is rare compared with major US or Latin American cities — pickpocketing is the issue. Keep a digital copy of your passport in the cloud.
How does Paris compare with other European capitals?+
Paris is more expensive than Lisbon, Madrid, Berlin, or Prague (30-50% on average) and cheaper than London, Zurich, and Geneva. For gastronomy and museums, it's incomparable within Europe. For nightlife and queer scene, Berlin offers a more experimental alternative. For monumental architecture, Rome and Vienna compete. For a first trip to Europe, Paris is the benchmark — every other capital takes on meaning when compared to Paris.
Which is the best historic café?+
Café de Flore (Saint-Germain) and Les Deux Magots (across the street) are legendary for hosting Sartre, Beauvoir, Hemingway, Camus, Picasso. Café Procope (6e) is the city's oldest café, open since 1686 — Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, and Napoleon all passed through. Café de la Paix (facing the Palais Garnier) has served the Parisian elite since 1862. For honest coffee without historic theater, any neighborhood comptoir with a zinc counter pours an espresso at €1.20-2.00 that puts 80% of any other capital's cafés to shame.
What's the best romantic walk?+
Pont des Arts → Quai de Conti → Quai des Grands Augustins → Pont Saint-Michel → Sainte-Chapelle → Notre-Dame → Île Saint-Louis (with Berthillon ice cream) → Pont de Sully → Quai d'Orléans, at dusk (between 6:30 and 8:30 PM May-September). Two hours, two kilometers, completely flat. End with a light dinner on Saint-Louis or in the Marais. Morning alternative: Place des Vosges → Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine → Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis → breakfast on Île Saint-Louis.
Is Paris good for families with kids?+
Excellent. Jardin du Luxembourg has a huge playground, sailboats on the central pond (€4 for 30 min), a historic carousel, and puppet shows. Jardin des Plantes includes a zoo and the Natural History Museum. Disneyland Paris is 40 min by metro. Cité des Sciences (La Villette) is interactive for kids 4-12. Museums offer free entry for under 18s. Most restaurants welcome kids; traditional bistros offer a menu enfant for €8-14.
How much per day do I need in Paris?+
Backpacker: €70-90/day (hostel, self-catering, free first-Sunday museums). Mid-range: €140-180/day (3-star hotel, three meals with wine, 1-2 museums). Comfortable: €280-400/day (central 4-star hotel, dinner at reputable bistros, curated experiences). Luxury: €700+/day (palace, Michelin-starred, private transport). In parallel currencies, a mid-range day equals US$162, £128, R$930, ¥24,000.
How do I get to Versailles by train?+
RER C toward 'Versailles Château Rive Gauche' departs from several central stations (Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel). 40 min, €8.30 round trip. Tickets at station machines. Versailles Château station is a 10-min walk from the palace. Alternative: train N from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers (12 min walk to the palace). Leave by 8:30 AM to beat the entry line.
Vale a pena Disneyland Paris pra adulto sem criança?+
Casais sem crianças têm retorno limitado. O parque clássico (Disneyland Park) é menor que o americano e tem alguns brinquedos defasados. O Walt Disney Studios (reformado em 2025-2026 com Frozen Land e World of Pixar) ficou mais interessante. Pra fãs de Disney/Marvel/Pixar, vale 1 dia; pra turistas comuns, Paris tem entrega cultural muito superior pelo mesmo tempo investido. Ingresso 1 dia 1 parque adulto €56-105 (varia por data).
Mont-Saint-Michel dá pra fazer em day trip de Paris?+
Dá, mas é cansativo — 350 km de distância, total de 12-14h porta-a-porta. Recomenda-se forte pernoite em Pontorson ou na própria vila pra ver a abadia ao amanhecer e ao pôr-do-sol sem multidão diurna. TGV de Montparnasse a Rennes (1h30), ônibus shuttle Rennes-Mont-Saint-Michel (1h15). Alternativa: aluguel de carro (4h direto, mais flexibilidade). Verifique calendário de marés altas — algumas datas isolam totalmente a ilha.
Paris tem boa opção pra vegetariano e vegano?+
Sim, embora a culinária tradicional francesa seja carnívora. Restaurantes 100% vegetarianos/veganos reputados: Le Potager du Marais (3e, vegetariano clássico), Hank Burger (várias, vegan), Wild & The Moon (várias, vegano saudável), Gentle Gourmet (12e, vegan refinado), Jah Jah by Le Tricycle (10e, vegan caribenho). Bistrôs tradicionais geralmente oferecem omelete, salada e gratinado vegetariano. Em pâtisseries, viennoiseries são todas com manteiga (não-veganas). Mercados de rua e fromageries amam veganos por curiosidade — peça pão, azeitonas, frutas.
Inglês é falado em Paris?+
Em hospitalidade (hotéis, restaurantes turísticos, museus, atrações principais), sim — equipes geralmente atendem em inglês. Em bistrôs locais, padarias de bairro, pequenas lojas e taxistas, varia: muitos parisienses entendem inglês básico mas resistem a usar por preferência ou por insegurança. A regra de ouro: sempre comece com "bonjour, parlez-vous anglais?" antes de qualquer pergunta. As cinco palavras mais úteis: bonjour (oi), merci (obrigado), s'il vous plaît (por favor), pardon (desculpe/com licença), au revoir (até logo).
Qual é o melhor museu menos turístico?+
Musée Carnavalet (3e, Marais) cobre a história de Paris em 3.800 obras, num conjunto de duas mansões do século XVI. Entrada gratuita. Musée Jacquemart-André (8e) é mansão privada do século XIX com coleção de Boucher, Fragonard, Rembrandt, Botticelli — sente-se pra tomar chá no café-pátio. Musée Bourdelle (15e) preserva ateliê do escultor Antoine Bourdelle, discípulo de Rodin — gratuito. Musée de la Vie Romantique (9e) num casarão da era romântica, com café-jardim. Museu Marmottan Monet (16e) tem maior coleção de Monet do mundo, longe do circuito turístico do Orsay.