When you visit Paris, it is essential to have access to useful addresses and numbers in the capital. Paris Select recommends a non-exhaustive list of practical and simple information that you will need. The City of Light will have no more secrets for you!
FAQ
THE MODE
1. When are the sales in Paris?
Beginning of January until end of February (winter) and end of June until end of August (summer)
2. What time do the shops close in Paris?
Usually between 19:00 p.m. and 20:00 p.m.
3. Are the shops open on Sundays?
Most shops are closed on Sundays, some are open in tourist areas.
The Marais, Saint Honoré/Vendôme, Saint Germain, Champs-Elysées/Montaigne
GASTRONOMY
1. A good Italian restaurant in Paris?
Penati al Baretto : 9-11 Rue Balzac, 75008 Paris; 01 42 99 80 00
2. A good Chinese restaurant in Paris?
Lili at the Peninsula Hotel : 19 Avenue Kléber, 75116 Paris; 01 58 12 67 50
3. A good Thai restaurant in Paris?
At the 3 Nagas : 18 Avenue du President Kennedy, 75016 Paris; 01 42 88 27 95
4. A good Japanese restaurant in Paris?
Inagiku : 14 Rue de Pontoise, 75005 Paris; 01 43 54 70 07
5. A good kosher restaurant in Paris?
Rafael : 105 Rue de Prony, 75017 Paris; 01 44 40 05 88
6. Where to find good ice cream in Paris?
Berthillon : 31 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île, 75004 Paris; 01 43 54 31 61
7. Where to find good chocolates in Paris?
La Maison du Chocolat : 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris; 01 42 97 13 50
8. Where to find the best macaroons in Paris?
Pierre Hermé : 18 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004 Paris; 01 43 54 47 77
9. What is the best bakery in Paris?
Cakes and Bread : 63 Boulevard Pasteur, 75015 Paris; 01 45 38 94 16
10. Where to find a nice cocktail bar?
Buddha bar : 8-12 Boissy d'Anglas, 75008 Paris; 01 53 05 90 00
11. Where can I find a good tea room?
brothers wedding : 17 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris; 01 42 68 18 54
12. Where to taste a good French wine in Paris?
Bordeauxtheque – Lafayette Gourmet: 35 Boulevard Haussman, 75009; 01 40 23 91 75
PARTIES
1. Where to spend a relaxing evening on a barge and the quays of the Seine?
Miss Pink : Quai des Célestins, Port de l'Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris; 06 40 59 90 57
2. What magazine to see in Paris?
Moulin Rouge : 82 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris; 01 53 09 82 82
Lido : 116 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris; 01 40 76 56 10
3. Where to have a romantic evening on the Seine?
The Parisian VIP : 9 Port de la Rapee, 75012 Paris; 01 46 34 75 40
4. Where to find a jazz evening?
The Duke of the Lombards : 42 Rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris; 01 42 33 22 88
EXCURSIONS
1. What are the market days in Paris?
Paris is home to many markets, usually market days are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Flea Markets of Saint Ouen : open Saturday until Monday, Grandes-Carrières, 75018 Paris
2. Where can I spend a day outside of Paris?
Château de Versailles : Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles; 01 30 83 78 00
Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte : 77950 Maincy; 01 64 14 41 90
Disneyland Park : 77777 Marne-la-Vallée; 08 25 30 05 00
Feline Park : Domaine de la Fortelle, 77540 Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux; 01 64 51 33 33
Giverny (Monet's House and Garden): 84 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny; 02 32 51 28 21
3. Where to have a picnic in Paris?
On the Quays of the Seine
Tuileries garden : 113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Jardin du Luxembourg : 75006 Paris
Bois de Boulogne : 75016 Paris
Bois de Vincennes : 75012 Paris
4. Where to find an outdoor swimming pool in Paris?
Piscine Molitor : Avenue de la Porte Molitor, 75016 Paris; 01 53 70 74 18
5. Can we fly over Paris in a helicopter?
IXAIR : 4 Avenue de la Porte de Sèvres, 75015 Paris; 01 30 08 80 80
BEAUTY
1. Where to find a good hairdresser in Paris?
Massato : 21 Rue de Tournon, 75006 Paris; 01 56 24 03 03
2. Where to get a good Chinese massage?
Tu Nui House : 14 Rue Duvivier, 75007 Paris; 01 45 55 02 61
3. Where to get a good Thai massage?
Zen Thai Spa : 12 Rue du Pic de Barrette, 75015 Paris; 01 44 26 02 55
4. A massage in my hotel room?
Body Relaxation: 06 85 81 09 05
5. Where to find a relaxing spa in Paris?
The Baths of Lea : 62 Rue Pierre Charron, 75008 Paris; 01 45 61 42 08
PARISIAN ACTIVITIES
1. Where to find the best place for a green walk in Paris?
Tuileries garden : 113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Jardin du Luxembourg : 75006 Paris
Bois de Boulogne : 75016 Paris
2. When is Paris Plage?
July 20 until August 23 (dates subject to change)
3. How to see Paris by boat?
Bateaux Mouches : Port of the Conference, Pont de l'Alma, 75008 Paris; 01 42 25 96 10
4. Where to find a chateau in Paris?
Vincennes castle : Avenue de Paris, 94300 Vincennes; 01 43 28 15 48
5. Where to find the best view of Paris?
Eiffel Tower : Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris; 08 92 70 12 39
Arc de Triomphe : Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris; 01 55 37 73 77
Tour Montparnasse : 33 Avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris; 01 45 38 52 56
6. Where to hang your padlock in Paris?
The new bridge : 75001 Paris
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. How can I easily move around Paris?
Five-S : www.five-s.com
2. Is there a bus to get me to the airport from Paris?
The Cars Air France : www.lescarsairfrance.com; 08 10 81 20 01
3. A good florist address?
Rene Veyrat : 168 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris; 01 45 62 37 86
4. A pharmacy open 24 hours a day?
Champs Dhery Pharmacy : 84 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris; 01 45 62 02 41
5. How much to tip?
In France, it is not mandatory, however, between 3% and 10% is acceptable.
6. When is the music festival?
June 21
7. When is French Revolution Day?
July 14
tourist information
The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, located on Rue des Pyramides, will provide you with maps, information and brochures, as well as a hotel reservation service, a ticket sales office (for exhibitions, shows, and other cultural events…), but also some ideas for excursions and shopping.
Office of Tourism
25, Pyramids Street
75001 Paris
Public transport
The line number and direction are displayed above the windscreen on the bus. A journey requires a ticket, if you change buses during your journey or if you take the tram, you can keep the same ticket, as long as your journey does not exceed 2 hours. Booklets of 10 tickets are sold in metro stations and tobacconists – the bus driver only sells one-way tickets. The bus stop indicates the line number, on a white background for daily lines and on a black background for those that do not operate on Sundays and public holidays.
SNCF provides two types of trains: suburban lines and long-distance lines. Those in the suburbs form a network of 5 transport zones, all included in the Paris region, and they allow you to visit tourist sites in one day. Before boarding a train, you must stamp your ticket in the machine which is placed in front of the platform.
The Paris metro has 14 lines, identified by their number, direction and color (lines 1 and 14 are completely automatic). They intersect throughout Paris and its suburbs. The first metro starts at 5:30 a.m. and the last at 1:15 a.m. There is an extended service until 2:15 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and the nights before public holidays.
The tramway is a new form of transport whose speed and regularity increase its success. The T3 goes directly to Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles. Buy yourself a one-way ticket and hop on board.
The lines of the RER intersect from Paris and end up in the center, but go further than the metro, to the suburbs of Paris. The 5 lines are identifiable by their color and their letter: A, B, C, D & E. Some stations in Paris are shared with the metro. Each train has a name, it is easier to read the timetables on the platforms and halls, before getting off on the platform. The signs indicate the direction of travel as well as the stops. Transport zones 1 and 2 (urban section) require a one-way ticket. You can travel everywhere in Paris with the metro and with the RER. Transport zones 3 to 5 require a specific ticket depending on your travel destination. The RER is particularly interesting because it allows you to go to certain places such as Disneyland Paris® (line A4) and Versailles (line C5), or to Paris airports: Aéroport Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle (line B3) and Orly airport (lines B4 and C2).
