11 Tourist Traps You Need to Avoid When Traveling to Paris
Paris is an amazing destination!
Millions of people visit the city every year. Sadly that does mean that there are quite a few tourist traps in Paris.
To help you plan an amazing trip to Paris, here is a list of 10 Paris tourist traps I would recommend you skip to not only save you some money but also a lot of time.
Here are 10 tourist traps in the city of light you should dodge on your next trip to Paris, including overly crowded spots just to see the Eiffel Tower.
1. Eiffel Tower Restaurants
A first tourist trap you should avoid are the Eiffel Tower restaurants. Sure, dining with the Eiffel Tower in the background is super romantic, but here’s the thing: these restaurants can be pretty pricey and often the food isn’t really that good.
Instead of risking a letdown, why not have a picnic in the Champs de Mars? It’s this huge park and major tourist attraction right by the tower, and honestly, the view of the Eiffel Tower is just as breathtaking.
Just head to one of the supermarkets around the Eiffel Tower and grab some of your favorite French snacks, find a cozy spot, and enjoy a meal with the tower looming over you.
This is actually a great tip for other tourist areas as well! You can always have a picnic instead of going to a restaurant for a meal in Paris!
The Eiffel Tower is obviously something you won’t want to miss. 🎟️Book your tickets early!
✈️ Also read: 10 Best areas to stay in Paris – and what hotels to book!
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2. Montmartre’s Place du Tertre
Montmartre is one of my favourite places in Paris, but I absolutely cannot stand Place du Tertre. It is one big tourist trap, unlike the more genuine Parisian charm found in the neighborhoods of Belleville or the Left Bank. Here you will find lots of artists and painters showing off their work or offering to do a portrait of you and your friend or partner, an experience reminiscent of the artistic vibes on the Left Bank.
It’s all rather overrated – especially when it is busy during the high season, making a peaceful visit to see the Eiffel Tower from the Sacré Coeur nearly impossible. The art here is often bad. And if you go down the side streets to the little art shops you will actually find that most of the paintings were made on an industrial scale in large factories in Eastern Europe (yes! really!).
Obviously if you see something you really like you can always buy it – but I would not invest in any of the art on Place du Tertre hoping it is an undiscovered masterpiece.
3. Souvenir Shops Near Major Attractions
Ever notice how souvenir shops by big tourist spots like Notre Dame or the Louvre jack up their prices? They know they’re right by where everyone’s going, so they charge more for stuff you could get cheaper elsewhere.
If you want souvenirs that are both cooler and won’t break the bank, I would recommend you head away from the major attractions or to haggle with one of the men trying to peddle hundreds of little Eiffel tower key chains. If you are good at haggling you can get them quite cheap.
Other areas where you will want to watch out for inflated prices are near the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre with the Mona Lisa, the sacré Coeur basilica, Centre Pompidou, and even the bustling street of Rue des Martyrs.
4. Open Top Bus Tours
I don’t have anything against open-top bus tours – in fact, if you are looking for a hop on hop off tour in Paris I would recommend big bus – however, thanks to the Paris metro it is so easy to see everything and anything on foot.
These bus tours are often rather expensive and you end up sitting in traffic a lot. Instead you can just buy a ”Cartnet” of tickets to the Paris Metro and do everything on your own pace.
Walking also lets you stumble upon hidden treasures and really soak up the city’s vibe. Walking allows you to explore the banks of the river Seine, rue de Rivoli or even the George V and Bir-Hakeim bridges from where you have an amazing view on the Eiffel Tower without waiting in line to take a picture.
5. Les Champs-Élysées
Once the epitome of Parisian glam, Les Champs-Élysées isn’t what it used to be.
In all honesty – today it’s mostly filled up with chain stores, car dealerships, and loads of tourists.
Instead of the exclusive shops and cafes it was known for, it feels way more commercial.
If you’re after a real, cool shopping experience, check out the boutiques in Le Marais or the artsy vibes of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. These spots are packed with unique shops offering everything from cutting-edge fashion to rare finds.
6. Latin Quarter’s Greek Restaurants
One of the things the Latin Quarter is actually quite known for is its Greek restaurants along rue de la huchette. But sadly these are almost all tourist traps. They try to lure you in with cheap prices, serve you less than great food, and try and get you back out onto the street as soon as possible. Not the experience you were after in Paris.
Instead of falling for these tourist traps in the 5th and 6th arrondissement, how about wandering a bit deeper into the neighborhood? That’s where you’ll hit the jackpot with some truly authentic French bistros.
These spots are the real deal, serving up traditional French dishes that are not just tasty but also rich in the area’s culinary history. Try heading to the area around canal saint-martin or explore the vibrant streets of Rue des Martyrs for a more authentic Parisian experience. I also always had amazing food in Rue Daguerre which is near the catacombs, a spot often overlooked by those strictly following a guidebook.
7. Seine River Dinner Cruises
Taking a cruise on the Seine is a must-do in Paris, offering a unique perspective to see the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame from the water. However, quite a lot of the seine dinner cruises are actually very expensive and the food isn’t that great. It’s often just ”okay”.
My tip? Go for a regular bateaux tour to catch all those sights from the river, then hit up a cozy bistro by the water for your meal. That way, you get the cool views doing the boat tour and still enjoy amazing French food in a beautiful spot.
You can also just take a batobus which is a hop on hop off boat.
8. Wax Museums
Many of us travel to Paris to see the museums. Sure, the city’s got all kinds of attractions, even wax museums, but they’re not quite the same if you’re looking to really dive deep into art and history.
The wax museums are often quite expensive and can be found all over Europe – there is one in London, there is one in Amsterdam…
If Paris is your only chance of going to a wax museum – fine, but if not, just head to the original Madame Tussauds in London.
PS: the art museums such as The Louvre, musée d’orsay and musée de montmartre are free to enter on the first Sunday of the month.
9. Overpriced Cafes on Major Squares
Ever noticed how cafes in famous spots like Place Saint-Michel or Place de la Concorde charge a ton just because of where they are, not really because their coffee is that amazing?
If you want to get a real taste of local cuisine without paying through the nose, try wandering into some of the lesser-known streets, away from the touristy spots. That’s where you’ll stumble upon the places where locals actually eat.
You get to enjoy authentic food at prices that won’t make your wallet cry just a stroll away. Plus, it’s a cool way to discover the city’s hidden spots, amazing street art, and really get a feel for the local vibe.
10. Locks of Love on Bridges
Sure, I know that locking a padlock to a bridge railing and tossing the key into the Seine River is seen as super romantic by lots of couples, but, here’s the thing – this cute act can actually mess up the city’s infrastructure.
In other European cities such as Prague and London they actually found that these locks put a lot of strain on the bridge and started to damage the bridges in question. The city has to pay a lot of money to remove the locks every now and then.
There are better ways in Paris to celebrate love that don’t damage bridges (and cost a lot! Because these padlocks are expensive!!).
If you are looking for romantic things to do in Paris, head to either tour Montparnasse or the sacré Coeur for amazing panoramic views of Paris. In Montmartre you will also be able to grab a drink after in one of the many great cafés.
11. Ladurée Macarons
Sorry guys, the Macarons in Ladurée you are paying top dollar for are not made in-house. In fact most of the macaron is made in Switzerland and then shipped to a place 20 minutes outside of Paris to be baked. They are then shipped out in a ‘hibernation state’ – but they don’t want to call it frozen, to the shop in Paris. In other words, the Ladurée Macaron you were craving is not made in the shop.
Instead you can always head to Galeries Lafayette or even Printemps for some luxury pastries. Added bonus is that you’ll find a café on the top of Galeries Lafayette with great views of the city and the Iron Lady.
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