Planning a Trip to Ile-de-France

Paris is most of all a city for tourists. If you're a stereo type, you should defenitely visit the Notre Dame (Ile de la Cité), Eiffel Tour, Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Champs-Elysées, Sacre-Coeur, la Défense, de Tuileries and the Jardin du Luxembourg.
The metrosystem is really good and cheap in Paris, although very busy. The site www.ratp.fr. is the best to find information about this.

If you have more time you should check the parcs Parc André Citroën and Parc Bercy.
The neighbourhood le Marais is really interesting if you're looking for architecture and bars.
The best places to go out in the night (if you're young) are the areas known as Montparnasse and Quartier Latin.

The biggest musems: Musée du Louvre (www.louvre.fr)Centre Pompidou (Centre Nat. d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, www.centrepompidou.fr.) Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Musée d'Orsay , Conciergerie.

More details will follow..

Go to the tourist information. They can book amazingly cheap accomodation for you, and they are one of the best Tourist Info's in Europe. It is near the Arc d'Triomph at Charles De Gaulle Metro. ( NOT Champs Elysees metro even though it is on that street- it is a very long street!!!) A visit to the outdoor markets followed by a picnic under the Eiffel Tower is highly reccomended. 3 Ducks is overpriced and not very clean, but if you are up for a party and meeting other travellers, this is your hostel. Better to go to Tourist Info and book into a cheap hotel if you are on a budget. We got a room with private shower but shared toilet for 17 Euros (for the whole room!) whereas the hostels averaged 22 Euros (per person!) If you go late to the Louvre (I think after 3pm) you get in at a discounted rate. Well worth it if you are just into seeing a couple things. Anyways one of my all time fave cities- you'll love it!

Take the Metro it is the best way to get around if you only have a short time in paris the metro really helps out you can see all the sites and eat at great resturants and have time to shop!!!

Lovely place, but do watch out for thiefs. Best time to go (at least for me) - April through June.

Best time to go up the Eiffel tower is at 8pm and spend an hour up there as you get to see paris in the dusk just before the sun goes down and as you are far up in the sky you see it dissapear over the side of he earth. not to be missed.

Look before you use the public telephone booths, I saw some used as public toilets.

Be brave and get on the Metro and see where it takes you. If you want to visit the Louvre get there really early, as in just before it opens as within a short time the queue will be very long and you could spend hours waiting in line and its a pretty boring wait.
Le Tour Eiffel is a must, there are several lifts so find one with the shortest line. For those who get a little excited, there are toilets at the top and for the adventurous there is a pissoir without a door which is quite entertaining:)
No visit to Paris is complte without a visit to a show. The Lido is amazing, but book early and get a table close to the front to enjoy the full spectacle.

Go to the tourist information. They can book amazingly cheap accomodation for you, and they are one of the best Tourist Info's in Europe. It is near the Arc d'Triomph at Charles De Gaulle Metro. ( NOT Champs Elysees metro even though it is on that street- it is a very long street!!!) A visit to the outdoor markets followed by a picnic under the Eiffel Tower is highly reccomended. 3 Ducks is overpriced and not very clean, but if you are up for a party and meeting other travellers, this is your hostel. Better to go to Tourist Info and book into a cheap hotel if you are on a budget. We got a room with private shower but shared toilet for 17 Euros (for the whole room!) whereas the hostels averaged 22 Euros (per person!) If you go late to the Louvre (I think after 3pm) you get in at a discounted rate. Well worth it if you are just into seeing a couple things. Anyways one of my all time fave cities- you'll love it!

Mad and crazy drivers on the road so look very carefully before crossing the roads.
Don't go to the big shop go to the markets for a little culture. transport on underground is easy to follow but overground are not so easy get on the wrong train later evening you can get stuck in the middle of no where.
French food isn't all that. I've had better served here in London. 
You can get a cheep Hotel but be prepared it is very basic. you just get a room with a small shower and toilet in one and thats it.

Look before you use the public telephone booths, I saw some used as public toilets.

Use the post office (la Poste) for everything here, banking, currency exchange, shipping etc... the one behind Notre Dame is open 24 hours.

Hi, Always check the 5-day forecast at your destination on the internet, a scarf is a must for ladies. Please avoid wearing tennis shoes because it tells everyone you're a tourist. Black shoes are a necessity if you want to go into most nightclubs. Also, bring along black pants and try to avoid jeans. Black is very common and works well for traveling.

The Louvre - Several years ago they gave a small discount for entry on Sundays between certain times. Camera's were welcomed when I went so take yours. There is a gift shop available. The Mona Lisa is a much smaller painting then you would imagine. The painting is behind bullet proof glass and suggest if you are taking a picture use a flash that you can adjust the angle so as not to get a glare. The Eiffel Tower - Admission Charged; Prepare to wait in line. There is a post office inside the tower that allows you to get a postmark however they are not open the whole time the tower is open. There is restaurants in the tower so take advantage (Some are inexpensive but I believe there is one for sit-down dinners and reservations may be required. Be careful of crossing roads as the drivers do not pay much attention to pediestrians. However while I was there the people in Paris were very friendly and more than glad to help if I got lost. The Paris Opera House (The Phantom of the Opera is based here). The do give a tour for a charge and they have a gift shop. Ask about taking photos inside as I did not go on the tour and cameras may not be allowed. The Moulin Rouge - You can have the matinee or dinner and show or just the show. The dinners themselves run around 88 euros and with the show start around 145 euros. The prices vary according to the times. It is a non-smoking facility and photography, recording or filming the shows is strickly forbidden. No children under 6 allowed. They use to give discounts for some age groups so ask. Elegant attire required (tie and jacket not necessary): no shorts, no short-pants, no sport shoes such as tennis shoes, no sportswear - No Exceptions. WARNING: The theater/restaurant is not really in the best part of town so be aware of your surroundings.

Nice city at Xmas time and in summer! World-known to be the most rommantic city, and that's true! This is an absoluetly nice city to shop eventhough it could be quite expensive. The photographs would enjoy to spend time in its streets!!!

go to ice skate on eiffels tower and get as many photos as you can. but be careful!!! it's really cold out there

If it is a sunny day, take a walk on the river bank opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral at sunset. You will be greeted with shades of pink and purple, and the sky will be crossed by airplanes that leave behind golden condensation trails. If you're into photography, it will be a memorable shot.

J'ai vu beaucoup de choses en deux jours qui sont dans mon album photo pour ceux qui sont intéressés

ON CHRISTMAS TIME IT IS VERY COLD BUT IT WORTHS THE TROUBLE...IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!

Many Americans find the French people are rude - but you have to understand it's a different, much more reserved culture. For example, the French people don't naturally smile when they first meet someone. Smiles are reserved for people they've had a chance to know. So don't smile right off the bat as is our custom in the US. No matter what country you travel to - try to learn at least a few words and phrases. You get more into the experience of the place and people will be much more friendly. Especially ask shop keepers how business is - many love talking about their business and their wares.

There's a side-entrance to the Louvre Museum named Port de Lions. It's located between the Pont du Carrousel and the Pont Royal in the southwing of the museum. If you don't want to wait for hours in line at the pyrmid, this is the way to be in the Louvre in 2 minutes.

oh Paris so many things to see and do here the best I can reccommend is at least stay here for 4 nights minimum to really get a feel of the city and to experience the wonder of Paris....dont just pass though on a day trip!

If you don't have a fear of height, please go up with the elevator to the Eiffel Tower and look around. Being on the top of Paris is amazing and if the weather is good you can see very far.

The Bateaux Mouches were such a fun way to get a tour of Paris. The boats are narrated and go right along the Seine River. Plus I love the way that sounds when you pronounce it. I can say it 10x. Bateaux Mouches. :)

Don't go out in clothese that you would go clubbing in here in the UK, as the Parisians were a lot more laid back with their dressing up and we got a little mauled when we went - this is a tip from Parisian when we had to hide in a night cafe form scary guys!