I worked as a tour guide in Paris. Here are the 5 biggest mistakes I saw tourists make.

Although seeing the Eiffel Tower is a major reason people travel to Paris, staying near this famous landmark can be pricey.

Instead, I recommend staying in the east part of the city, which has a more relaxed vibe but still offers lots of restaurant and bar options.

I’ve probably spent months of my life climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower every day with groups of tourists. The problem? We would spend what felt like forever waiting to get up there, and I could feel their disappointment when they arrived.

They’d look out across the city, and the view wouldn’t mean much to them because you can’t see Paris’ most iconic landmark if you’re standing on top of it. Sometimes, you can’t even see very far out if there’s morning fog or rain.

Instead, I recommend climbing the Montparnasse Tower or going to the rooftop café at Printemps, a French department store, to look out across the city.

For a special treat, I always tell tourists to get to a viewpoint at night, when the Eiffel Tower sparkles for five minutes at the top of each hour.

Though it can be tempting to flock to the pretty cafés and restaurants covered in fake flowers, I recommend staying away from most of them.

In my experience, these Instagrammable locations often offer disappointing food at higher prices.

For a more authentic experience, seek out small coffee shops, restaurants, and local markets instead.

There’s a stereotype that French people are rude, but in my experience, this is far from the truth. However, it’s important for tourists to understand one simple etiquette norm: saying “bonjour.”

In France, it’s polite to say a simple “bonjour” when entering a store or restaurant. This small gesture goes a long way toward building rapport with the locals.

I’ve seen so many tourists compete over who can do the most during their time in Paris. But I often have to remind people that the Olympics are over and seeing the city isn’t an endurance event.

I always tell visitors to allow themselves to be on vacation. After all, nothing is more Parisian than reading a book in a park or enjoying a calm drink on a terrace.

This story was originally published on October 28, 2024, and most recently updated on June 29, 2026.