14 Paris Questions Answered: From Skip-the-Line to the Bonjour Rule
Paris generates more pre-trip anxiety than any city I know. The perceived rudeness, the pickpocket warnings, the museum logistics. But most of it dissolves with good information. Here are 14 questions I answer on repeat.
Logistics
Q: Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
The 2-day pass costs 55 EUR and covers 60+ museums with skip-the-line entry. The Louvre alone is 22 EUR, Orsay is 16 EUR, Versailles is 21 EUR, Sainte-Chapelle is 11.50 EUR. If you visit 3+ museums in 2 days, it pays for itself and saves hours of queuing.
The 4-day pass (70 EUR) is even better value. Buy at any participating museum or online.
Q: How do I get from the airport?
CDG to central Paris: RER B train, 11.45 EUR, 35 minutes. Orly: Orlyval + RER B, 14.10 EUR. Taxi flat rates: 55 EUR to Right Bank, 62 EUR to Left Bank. The RER B is faster than a taxi in traffic.
Q: Is the Metro confusing?
16 lines, well-signed, trains every 2-4 minutes. Single ticket: 2.15 EUR. Buy a carnet of 10 for 16.90 EUR or use a Navigo Easy contactless card. Google Maps has accurate Paris Metro routing.
Culture
Q: Is it true I should always say bonjour?
Yes. This is the single most important cultural tip for Paris. Say "Bonjour" when entering any shop, cafe, or restaurant. Say "Au revoir" when leaving. Not doing so is considered genuinely rude and will visibly affect the service you receive.
Even a stumbling "Bonjour, parlez-vous anglais?" opens doors that "Hi, do you speak English?" keeps firmly closed.
Q: Are Parisians really rude?
No. Parisians have a different social code. The "rudeness" visitors experience is almost always a response to being greeted without a bonjour, expecting English to be everyone's default language, or behaving in a way that's considered impolite in French culture (being too loud, too casual, too familiar too quickly).
Say bonjour. Attempt a few French words. Be polite. You'll find Parisians warm, helpful, and often charming.
Q: Is the cappuccino-after-11AM thing real?
That's Italy, not France. In Paris, you can order whatever you want whenever you want. Nobody cares. But if you want to do what Parisians do: espresso after meals, never with milk.
Food
Q: How do I eat well without going broke?
Skip sit-down lunch at restaurants (expensive, tourist-trap-prone). Instead:
Grab a jambon-beurre sandwich from a boulangerie (4-6 EUR) and eat in a park
Look for formule/menu du jour (set lunch menus) at bistros — 15-20 EUR for 2-3 courses
Supermarkets like Monoprix sell excellent prepared food and cheese
Avoid restaurants directly facing major monuments — tourist traps with inflated prices
Q: Best affordable food experiences?
L'As du Fallafel in Le Marais (~8 EUR for the best falafel in Europe). Rue Mouffetard market street for cheese, bread, and charcuterie. Any boulangerie for a pain au chocolat (1.50-2 EUR) that's better than the "French pastry" you've had anywhere outside France.
Sightseeing
Q: Do I really need to book the Eiffel Tower in advance?
Yes. Walk-up lines can exceed 2 hours. Book timed entry at tour-eiffel.fr weeks ahead. Summit by elevator: 29.40 EUR. Stairs to 2nd floor: 11.80 EUR (good exercise, better experience, less queue).
Q: Is the Louvre worth it?
Yes, but manage expectations. You cannot see everything — it has 380,000 objects across 72,735 square meters. Pick 2-3 highlights (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory), allow 3 hours, and enter via the less crowded Passage Richelieu or Carrousel du Louvre entrances. Timed entry booking online is essential.
Q: What about Notre-Dame?
Still under reconstruction as of 2026, with partial reopening. Check notredamedeparis.fr for current visitor access. Meanwhile, Sainte-Chapelle (11.50 EUR) has the finest medieval stained glass in the world and is less crowded.
Safety
Q: How bad are pickpockets?
Professional teams operate at the Eiffel Tower, Metro lines 1 and 4, Sacre-Coeur steps, and around the Louvre. Common tactics: clipboard petition distraction, the "gold ring" scam, and crowding at Metro doors.
Use a crossbody bag with zippers. Keep phones in front pockets. Be extra alert on crowded trains. Don't engage with petition-holders. You'll be fine.
Q: Are there neighborhoods to avoid?
Paris is generally safe. The areas around Gare du Nord and Chateau-Rouge can feel rough at night. Avoid the peripheral arrondissements (18th, 19th, 20th) late at night if you're unfamiliar. Tourist areas (1st-8th arrondissements) are well-patrolled. For more, check out our Paris travel story.
Tipping
Q: How much should I tip?
Service is included in all French restaurant bills by law (service compris). Tipping is not required. Rounding up or leaving 5-10% for excellent service is appreciated but not expected. At cafes, leaving small change (50 cents to 1 EUR) on the table is common.
Paris has rules. Learn the rules and the city opens up. Say bonjour, book museums ahead, eat baguette sandwiches in parks, and spend at least one afternoon doing absolutely nothing in a garden chair. That last one isn't a tip — it's the whole point. If Nice is also on your itinerary, check out our Nice travel guide.
