The Montmartre area is the "real" Paris, away from all of the tourist and stuff. Eat at a cafe. Watch out for pushy guys in the Red Light District.
You could stay in Paris forever — if you can afford to — and still not get enough. I ran the whole time day and night and did not see the half of it. And remember, please at least try to speak a little French and you will be surprised how pleasant Parisians will be—don’t try and you will experience the stereotypical aloofness. My advice, buy one of those language learning cd’s at your local book store before you leave home and get the basics like “Ou se trouve le WC”, the last part is pronounced VC (Where’s the restroom.)
Walk everywhere when possible. Go to all the major tourist stuff - the reason these things are so popular is because they really are that beautiful! But don't forget the rest of Paris. Spend some time down by the canal, go to the Parc de Belleville & Buttes Chaumont, Chinatown in the 13th etc. Look up - or you'll miss a lot of the architecture. Sounds dumb I know, but you'd be surprised... Smile at people and make an effort to speak French. Enjoy!
Paris is wonderful. I just finished backpacking across Europe for 5 weeks and it is my favourite place! Try the Berthillon gelato on the Island. Accept no substitutes...it is the best stuff you will ever eat. Also try a Chocolate Crepe with real chocolate (not Nutella). It may be on the menu as Crepe du Chocolate du Maison. And try to speak some French! The locals will laugh with you, try to help you and overall be friendlier. Oh, and watch for the dog poop on the sidewalks!
Montmartre is the best part of Paris, the true Paris, and the area by itself is secure. To stay in Montmartre is a must if you find a nice accommodation to stay -- don't do like me and read carefully the Paris' hostels reviews before you book online because, for some reasons, Paris is a uniformly horrible city for hostels. My parents, who backpacked in Paris in 1978, had warned me -- bad security, rip-off, showers full of mold. Trust me, it has not changed for twenty-nine years! Expect body fluids and dehydrated insects' carapaces on your bedding (not a joke, I saw that!). The area of Montmartre is absolutely gorgeous with its pedestrian streets and its famous basilica du Sacre Coeur. Go there at sunset with a bottle of wine and puckered lips. Relax as Paris lights up around you and enjoy watching people stroll by for hours.
I went to Paris last summer with few expectations, it was the last stop on a European vacation. I fell in love! Paris is beautiful. The Eiffel Tower was amazing especially at night with all the lights. Fat tire bike tours is a must -- four hours of touring around Paris on a mountain bike then a hour on a boat going up the Seine drinking wine! Wonderful. I only encountered two rude french people. One was on the overnight train from Basil Switzerland to Paris, the ticket guy made fun of my high pitched voice, pinching his nose to imitate me! The second was a waiter in a Paris cafe. The waiter was trying his best to be haughty, but he had a black eye and several scratches on his face and looked like he had been in a fist fight, he ended up looking silly. Everyone else I encountered was more than helpful and very friendly. Several people went above and beyond common courtesy to help when I was lost. I love Paris! Going back next year!
Stay in the Latin Quarter if you want to see the "tourist" Paris. Stay in Montmartre if you want to live like a Parisian.
My advice is stay in the Latin Quarter for total funkiness! Also, go up the Eiffel Tower at night, other places like Notre Darme and the Arc will give you great views of the city too, so do those in the day and go up the tower in the night time. They do a light show and it's gorgeous. Also, unless you are in Paris for a full week, the travel pass isn't worth it. Just buy individual tickets or walk.
Ahh Paris! You have to grab opportunities here or they will pass you by... make the most of everyday. Go to a jazz club, try to mingle, befriend a Parisian show puppy. Learning a language opens many doors and I guess I missed out by being a clueless foreigner. Dress well or don't bother at all. Like really, khaki shorts will not be tolerated. Paris is a little more reserved than Italian cities and a little more practical. It's still a mystery to me. Why all the hype? hmmm... to be continued.
Paris is great! There's a fine cabaret in the Latin Quarter called "Les Trois Maillets" -- be sure to swing by. It gets crazy in the basement later at night and, frankly, just a little bit sketchy.
Paris is amazing, I fell in love with it and so do most people. I have to say the Eiffel Tower and the more touristy sites were a little bit of a disappointment. On the other hand Montmartre and places like the Sacre Couer were amazing. But seriously screw what they say about French attitude, people are fantastic.
Paris, it was as beautiful as everything I had read. I just returned from Paris and I am in love. Everything is within walking distance from the Metro/RER system. The Parisians are very warm, friendly, and helpful (especially the police). It is true that Parisians dress well, but that can be said for most of Europe, so if you go to Europe in general, try to dress a little better than you usually do. I fortunately wore black most of my stay, so I fit right in. As far as the "snobbiness" - I did not encounter any. The French were most charming and happy to help me. (I do speak French, so perhaps that was my ticket). I took a night train from Paris to Rome and made some great friends! Train is the way to go - buy one of those Eurail passes! They are well worth the money! Ciao!
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