ParisCapital
France · Country profile
Paris needs little introduction — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame have drawn travellers for centuries, and the city’s boulevards, cafés and boulangeries still feel like the backdrop of a film. It’s a city made for slow mornings by the Seine, long museum afternoons and evening walks between illuminated monuments. Beyond the classics, the Marais, Montmartre and Canal Saint-Martin reveal a more local, stylish Paris. With the Paris region’s superb metro and nearby day trips to Versailles or Disneyland Paris, there’s a version of the city for every traveller.
About Paris
Paris is the capital of France. The city's documented population is around 2,103,778 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +33. It is served by 2 airports in our guide: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris Orly Airport.
A Spiral of Arrondissements Best Taken Slowly
Paris is a walker’s city organised around arrondissements numbered in a spiral. Most visitors anchor themselves between the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower district, but the metro makes the whole urban region easy to reach, including day trips to Versailles and the theme parks. The rhythm is unhurried and café-driven: mornings are slow, shops and museums close for long lunch hours in places, and the evening revives on the terraces. Expect crowds at the headliner monuments and plan around them, because the lesser museums are far calmer.
Booking the Headliners and Dressing for the Metro
Book the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre well ahead — both sell out in advance in season. The metro uses a simple ticket system and works from the airports via RER lines, but check which station your accommodation is near before relying on it. Many venues close on Mondays or Tuesdays, so line up your museum days accordingly. In summer the city is hot and packed; spring and autumn are the sweet spots, and December is festive. Learn a few polite French phrases — a greeting before ordering goes a long way. Cafés charge more for seated service than at the counter.
Late Kitchens, Metro Closures and Pickpocket Lines
The metro is dense, cheap and runs late, though some older stations are staffed and close overnight. Buses are scenic and useful for avoiding transfers. Strikes occasionally disrupt transit, so check service alerts around your dates. Museum passes can pay off if you plan several visits. Most places take card, but a little cash helps at markets. Restaurants serve lunch in a fixed window and dinner from around 7pm — late by many standards. Mind pickpockets on crowded metro lines and around the main sights. Parisians eat at set times, and kitchens close between meal periods.
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- Country
- France
- Population
- 2,103,778
- Coordinates
- 49.0097, 2.5479
- Capital
- Paris
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +33
- Country code
- FR
Entry requirements for France
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting France for tourism.
Getting to Paris
Airports we list for Paris:
- Paris Charles de Gaulle AirportCDG≈ 1 km from ParisRail linkMetroAirport busTaxi
- Paris Orly AirportORY≈ 34 km from ParisRail linkTram / light railAirport busTaxi
Other airports in the area:
Cities in France
Other cities we cover in France:
Frequently asked questions
Is Paris the capital of France?
Yes — Paris is the capital of France.
What currency do I need in Paris?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in France include French.
What is the dialling code for France?
The international dialling code for France is +33.
Which airport should I fly into for Paris?
The airports we list for Paris are Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris Orly Airport.
How far is Paris from the nearest airport?
Paris is about 412 km from Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit France?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter France visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Paris? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.