Travelore Tips: Expect To Pay More For Airline Tickets To France Starting Next Month

After months of delays, the government of France is poised to increase ticket taxes on airline flights to, from, or within the country as early as next month.

France has imposed a “solidarity tax” (Taxe de Solidarité sur les Billets d’Avion – TSBA) on airline tickets since 2006, but the TBSA is set to significantly increase on March 1, 2025. For economy class tickets on short flights within France or Europe, the tax will increase from €2.63 to €7.40. For business class, the tax is €30.90. Longer economy flights will see new tax amounts ranging from €15 – €40, while business and first class will pay €120 per ticket.

Private jets will pay the most, with taxes of €2,100 for long-haul flights.

Flights to the island of Corsica, and French overseas territories, including Mayotte, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and French Polynesia will be exempt from the tax increases.

The taxes were originally introduced to fund international aid programs and were extended in 2020 for environmental reasons in the hopes that higher taxes would drive down demand for air travel and its subsequent carbon emissions. Now, it’s a combination of environmental concerns and a large budget shortfall that are driving the tax increase.

The increase had originally been proposed last fall, but was shelved following the collapse of the Barnier government after a vote of no confidence in early December in the National Assembly. A new government was appointed by the end of December and has since begun returning to much of the legislation that was tabled by the government change.

Airlines, of course, aren’t happy. Air France has estimated the increase will cost them €100M, and compromise the competitive position of France as an aviation hub, allowing Air France to lose market share to other European competitors. The Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair threatened last fall to end service at ten French Airports if the tax increase is ultimately passed. Ryanair serves 22 airports in France.

Air France had already begun collecting the higher taxes from October 24, but suspended the practice after the government collapse in December, when the tax hike was ultimately not implemented by the original deadline. The French state owns 28% of Air France parent Air France-KLM, while The Netherlands owns 9%.

In spite of Air France’s protests, it’s worth noting that other European countries (with whom France competes for air traffic) are also planning increases to passenger taxes. The United Kingdom proposed a tax increase set to take effect in 2024, with a further increase annually through 2026.

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and France’s national aviation union (FNAM) also condemned the tax increase, saying that the taxes on aviation are already high. The FNAM also criticized the government for increasing the taxes without conducting and economic impact study.

Amélie de Montchalin, France’s minister for public accounts, explained that the tax increase is a solidarity measure—essentially a luxury tax: “Twenty per cent of the population with the highest income is responsible for more than half the money spent on air travel.”

Many EU countries levy taxes on air passengers. Belgium, Denmark, and Bulgaria have plans to introduce the taxes. But other countries, specifically Spain, Portugal, and much of Eastern Europe continue to allow air passengers to travel without similar taxes added to the cost of their ticket.

Travelers won’t need to do anything extra to pay the taxes; they’ll be collected as part of the ticket taxes that airlines collect within the total ticket price.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global airline trade association, estimates the aviation industry directly supports just under 5% of France’s GDP and is responsible for supporting some 1.3 million jobs. France is a major base for European commercial plane maker Airbus, which is headquartered near Toulouse.

https://www.fodors.com/news/author/scott-laird

France Seeks To Avoid A Lockdown With Tougher Vaccine Rules

Facing a jump in COVID-19 hospitalizations, France’s government is trying to push through a law requiring vaccination to enter any restaurant and many other public places, and warning of tougher measures if the current surge of infections doesn’t recede.

The government on Tuesday dropped efforts to require a health pass for all workplaces, however, amid opposition from unions and employers..

French Prime Minister Jean Castex spent the day Tuesday meeting with French mayors and lawmakers to persuade them to support tougher vaccine rules.

French travelers and families, meanwhile, were flocking to virus testing tents ahead of the holidays.

France’s virus hospitalization numbers have shot up in recent weeks, with some 16,000 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 60% of the country’s ICU beds occupied by virus patients, according to the state health agency. Confirmed weekly virus infections are at the highest level in France since the pandemic began.

Most are infected with the delta variant, but more than one in three new cases in the Paris region is the fast-spreading omicron variant, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said.

“We don’t have a second to lose,” he told reporters. “The situation in the hospitals is tense.”

The French government wants a law passed by Jan. 15 requiring vaccination to enter restaurants and many public venues, he said. Currently a “health pass” is required to enter all such spaces in France, but people can get the pass with either a vaccination certificate, a negative virus test or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19.

France also is ramping up vaccination and booster efforts, with doses made available to all children 5-11 starting Wednesday. More than 89% of French people 12 and over have had at least two vaccine shots, and about 40% of adults have had three doses, Attal said.

Eiffel Tower reopens; COVID Passes Required As Of July 21st.

PARIS (AP) — With “Welcome” messages in multiple languages, the Eiffel Tower greeted tourists Friday for the first time in nearly nine months, reopening to the public even as France introduces new virus rules aimed at taming the fast-spreading delta variant.

Smiles were broad and emotions palpable as the first masked visitors mounted the elevators heading to the top of the Paris monument.

“It’s such a lovely place and wonderful people...and now the wonderful Tour Eiffel,” German tourist Ila Mires said, using the French name for the tower. She came with her 19-year-old daughter before the young woman leaves for studies in Amsterdam. Seeing the tower on their last day together in Paris “is such a gift to mother and daughter,” Mires said.

The “Iron Lady” of Paris was ordered shut in October as France battled its second virus surge of the pandemic, and remained shut for renovations even after other French tourist draws reopened last month.

The tower’s reopening came four days after President Emmanuel Macron announced new measures aimed at warding off a fourth surge, including mandatory vaccinations for health workers and mandatory COVID-19 passes to enter restaurants and tourist and other venues.

Starting Wednesday, all visitors to the Eiffel Tower over age 18 will need to show a pass proving they’ve been fully vaccinated, had a negative virus test or recently recovered from COVID-19.

Masks are required, and the number of daily visitors to the tower will be limited to about half the pre-pandemic norm of 25,000.

The rules didn’t seem to scare crowds away on Friday, July 16th.

“Bienvenue - Welcome - Wilkommen - Bienvenido” flashed on a screen as families, couples and groups lined up or posed for photos beneath the tower.

“We worked, we worked, we worked (for this day). And when I saw my first visitor, I was very, very happy. Emotion and happiness,” Eiffel Tower director Patrick Branco Ruivo told reporters.

“Before COVID, it was 80% foreigners, 20% French. Last year, it was 80% French, 20% foreigners. And this year, it’s amazing because it’s fifty-fifty. And for us, it’s the time that foreigners are coming back to the Eiffel Tower,” he said.

France has opened to international tourists this summer, but the rules vary depending on which country they are coming from. While visitors are trickling back to Paris, their numbers have been far from normal levels, given continued border restrictions and virus risks.

Looking over the elegant French capital, Philippe Duval of Bordeaux and his family admired the view.

“It’s an event we didn’t want to miss,” said Duval, who was among the first to make it to the tower’s top-floor viewing deck. “To be on top of the world’s most beautiful city, what else can you ask for.”

One Of Paris's Oldest Museums Is Reopening After A 5-year Closure And Major Renovations

The Musée Carnavalet in Paris is dedicated to documenting the city's history with an eclectic mixture of artifacts.

A trip to Paris is incomplete without a stop at the Louvre, but this iconic museum isn't the only one worth visiting in the City of Lights. After a five-year closure and €58 million renovation, the Musée Carnavalet is finally set to welcome visitors again starting May 29 — just in time for France's reopening to international tourists on June 9.

Opened in 1880, Musée Carnavalet is one of the oldest in Paris and an often-overlooked gem dedicated to recording the city's history. Set inside two neighboring mansions, the museum takes visitors through time with an eclectic mix of artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, and some of Marie Antoinette's belongings. From the Mesolithic period (9600-6000 BCE) to the 21st century, everything in Musée Carnavalet is presented in chronological order — a welcome change that came with the renovations, Lonely Planet reports.

Musée Carnavalet closed in 2016 after the collection had grown so large that curators could not find a way to present all of the information in a layout that would make sense for visitors. But with the renovations, which were completed in part with the help of François Châtillon, chief architect for France's historical monuments, the museum is reopening with a reimagined, more modern experience.

Other updates include the addition of ramps and lifts that make the space more accessible, as well as the lowering of over 10% of the museum's exhibits — including paintings, sculptures, posters, photos, and artifacts — so children can easily enjoy them, too. Digital displays have also been introduced for a touch of modernity, while the basement — the oldest part of the museum — has been fully renovated and now houses the Mesolithic and Renaissance exhibits.

Visitors can also expect to start their experience in the two new introductory rooms, and when they find themselves in need of refreshments, they can head to the new restaurant overlooking the gardens.

Entrance to the permanent collection of the Musée Carnavalet is free. Admission will be charged for temporary exhibitions. The museum opens on May 29, and booking a time-stamped ticket is mandatory.

For more information, please visit: https://www.carnavalet.paris.fr/musee-carnavalet

BY JESSICA POITEVIEN

Source: https://www.travelandleisure.com/

France Starts Testing Travelers From 16 Nations For Virus

PARIS (AP) — Travelers entering France from 16 countries where the coronavirus is circulating widely now must undergo virus tests upon arrival at French airports and ports.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced last month that the tests would be required starting Aug. 1 for passengers France is allowing in from a list of approved countries unless they present proof of a negative test done within 72 hours of their departure.

Those who test positive in France as of Saturday must quarantine for 14 days.

France is not permitting general travel to and from the 16 countries, which include the United States and Brazil. The testing requirement therefore only applies to people entering under limited circumstances: French citizens who live in these countries or citizens of these countries with an established residence in France.

Daniel Court was tested at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport after coming in from the French Riviera city of Nice. He acknowledged not loving the experience.

“It’s very fast, but I have to say that it’s not very pleasant,″ he said. “But we have to do it.″

Another passenger who got tested after landing at Paris’ main airport, Nadia Vusik of Belarus, said she thought the new policy made sense.

“It is definitely necessary, and I am happy that in France it is possible to do right here. It’s very convenient,” she said.

French health authorities say the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases has jumped on the French mainland in recent weeks. The government has already made mask-wearing mandatory in all indoor public spaces.

France has had over 225,000 confirmed infections and over 30,200 virus-related deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, but experts say all numbers in the pandemic are too low for various reasons, including limited testing and missed cases.

The French government has so far ruled out imposing another nationwide lockdown after the one that brought the country to a standstill for nearly two months between March and May.

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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

What's New In France 2017, The Things You Need To Know About.

© Shiregu Ban Architects Europe - Jean de Gastines Architectes

2017 is a year for celebration in Paris and the rest of France, offering a delectable assortment of cultural initiatives, major openings and anniversaries for all to come and experience and fall in love with France.

These countrywide developments and major events will allow visitors to explore along the way France’s diverse landscapes and heritage – from renewed cities to medieval villages, enticing vineyards, towering alpine settings, pristine countryside, and the expanses of the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

• December 15, 2016

Opening of the Lascaux IV, the complete facsimile of the most famous prehistoric cave in the world. Click here for details.

• February 23 to May 22,2017

Major Vermeer retrospective at the Louvre: "Tout contre Vermeer", Masters of genre painting in the Golden Age at Musée du Louvre. Click here for details.

• April 2017

Opening of the Cité Musicaleon the Seguin Island to the west of Paris, designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and French architect Jean de Gastines. A plastic and visual arts portal "R4" designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. Click here for details (French language only).

• April 1 to May 1, 2017
1st Côte d’Azur Garden Festival.The Alpes-Maritimes department has decided to celebrate this priceless heritage with a brand new event: The Côte d’Azur Garden Festival, which will take place between 1 April and 1 Mai 2017 with the theme “Awaken your senses”. The gardens in the Côte d'Azur region have significantly contributed to the area's reputation as a top tourist destination and today harbour an exceptional wealth of botanical heritage. The Côte d’Azur was the playground of the 19th century aristocracy, and botanical enthusiasts wintering in the area had plenty of time on their hands to acclimate many of the species they brought back from their travels to the Mediterranean environment, thus creating extraordinary gardens. These include botanical gardens, acclimatisation gardens, conservatories of fragrant plants for perfumes and flower gardens. These sites can be found both on the coast and in the mountains, and several have earned the label “Remarkable Gardens” of France. Click here for details

• May 27 to October 8,2017

The 500th Anniversary of the founding of Le Havre by Francois 1er– The great Impressionist artist Claude Monet painted the famous “Impression, Sunrise” in Le Havre, in 1872. To this day, Le Havre offers a captivating mix of industrial and natural grandeur. Reaching the centre of town, though, where estuary and Channel meet, there’s a remarkable feeling of space and light in this port city almost completely rebuilt after the terrible destruction wrought through World War II. Just a handful of historic buildings made of fine stone survived the appalling devastation. A modern architect with a big vision was put in charge of the post-war reconstruction. Auguste Perret was one of the world’s pioneers in employing concrete. Not only was concrete readily available, Perret reckoned he could achieve many new effects with it, and Le Havre is a result of it. The whole design, though altered many times, turned out to be bold and grand. Perret’s modern transformation of Le Havre helped the place become the first modern town in France recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

During the entire summer season, the whole of the city and its port will come alive with art installations, street parades, concerts and exhibitions. The festivities will begin on 27 May with an impressive opening ceremony orchestrated by the Art Point M Collective, the team behind the popular N.A.M.E electronic music festival that takes place every year in Lille. The event will be a spectacular celebration of all things cultural, with festivities extending all the way from the upper town in the hills to the beach. The highlight of the summer will be the return from 7 to 9 July of the Royal De Luxe Company’s impressive giant mechanical marionettes for a unique show which will take place throughout the entire city.

From 9 September to 8 October 2017, Monet's masterpiece returns to Le Havre from its home at the Marmottan Museum in Paris. Claude Monet's “Impression, Sunrise”, which gave its name to the Impressionist movement, returns to the city where it was originally painted in 1872. During a one-month exhibition at the MuMa (Modern Art Museum), visitors will be able to view the painting alongside a selection of works by Eugène Boudin, William Turner or Raoul Dufy. On 8 October, the closing ceremony will be a huge public get-together and visual spectacle, starting with an impressive firework display at sunrise. An interactive digital installation will also be unveiled as a new landmark for the city and will act as a permanent legacy of the anniversary celebrations. Click here for details.

Summer 2017

• June 24th, 2017 2017 marks the ongoing centennial anniversary of WWI and is the anniversary year of the entry of the United States into the conflict. The Franco-American Museum at the Chateau de Blerancourt in Picardy, France will reopen June 24, 2017 after a significant expansion and re-organization of its large collection. Franco-American Museum - Click here for details. 

Fall 2017

• Opening of a Yves Saint Laurent museum at 5 Avenue Marceau in the 16th arrondissement, in the historical headquarters of the couture house. Click here for details.

• Opening of Lafayette Anticipation, contemporary art foundation designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas at 9 Rue du Plâtre in the Marais. 2,500 m² of exhibition space in a historic building dated 1891 with an impressive glass tower. Click here for details.

RECENTLY OPENED

• June 2016

Opening of La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. Situated in Bordeaux, La Cité du Vin is a unique cultural facility where wine comes to life through an immersive, sensorial approach, all set within an evocative architectural design. La Cité du Vin gives a different view of wine, across the world, across the ages, across all cultures and all civilisations. Click here for details.

• July 2016

The opening of the Cité internationale de la Tapisserie in Aubusson – a cultural center created in response to UNESCO incorporating the craftsmanship of tapestry into its list of intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. The task of the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie is to preserve, increase and highlight the great craftsmanship of tapestry in Aubusson. Click here for details.

2017 marks only the beginning of developments and news from France. On the 2018 horizon lies the opening of the much anticipated Cité de la Gastronomie in Lyon. Further ahead the iconic Ryder Cup will take place in France in 2018 at Le Golf National near Versailles, marking the second time that the tournament will be held in continental Europe since its inception in 1927.

Whether you find yourself in the French West Indies or mainland France, there is a place for all to enjoy the Art de Vivre of French culture.

Come join us and visit France in 2017 for an enriching journey into the past, present and future.

Travelore Tips: 10 Things Not to Do In Paris

1) Don't Shop on the Champs-Elysées  

The Champs-Elysées may once have been the most beautiful avenue in the world, but its fortunes have risen and fallen many times over the years, and it's currently overrun with global chain stores, auto dealerships, and movie multiplexes. Aside from the über-glam Vuitton flagship, which draws label addicts in droves, you'll find yourself dodging throngs of teens as you trudge past McD's and Sephora, wondering what in God's name all the fuss is about. And whatever you do, don't succumb to hunger on this strip: The cafés prey on tourists, and a local wouldn't be caught dead in one.

© Jack Sullivan / Alamy

Instead: Follow in the well-heeled footsteps of locals.  

Die-hard fashionistas should head straight to the designer shops of the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the chic Marais neighborhood, while haute-couturistas should point their stilettos in the direction of the Avenue Montaigne, for the likes of Chanel, or the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, home of trendsetting concept shop Colette. For old-fashioned ambience, look to Paris's covered passages. Dating back to the 19th century, these were the city's first malls, and beneath their vaulted ceilings of glass and wrought iron, you'll find more unusual wares: French designers, but also antique book dealers, art galleries, quirky toy shops, and more. Galerie Vivienne, just north of the Palais Royal, in the second arrondissement, is the most elegant of the lot.

© Alex Segre / Alamy

2) Don't Get Starstruck at Mealtimes  

Home to 66 Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris is a foodie's paradise. But a lot of pomp and circumstance—not to mention sky-high prices—accompany most of these traditional fine-dining establishments. (The prix fixe dinner at three-star L'Arpège, for example, will set you back a staggering $480. And that's before wine!) Does the idea of half a dozen waiters hovering buzzardlike around your table sound appealing? Or how about spending as much on dinner as you did on your plane ticket? No, we didn't think so.

age fotostock Spain, S.L.

Instead: Have your dinner à la mode.  

Recently, several Michelin-starred chefs have abandoned the rigid confines of haute-cuisine restaurants to open convivial bistros that serve up simpler (yet still outstanding) meals. And the locals are just crazy about them. Yves Camdeborde's pioneering Le Comptoir du Relais, in the sixth arrondissement, is so popular that it can be hard to get a table. But once you're sampling Camdeborde's famous foie gras terrine for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere (the weekday dinner prix fixe is about $68), you'll understand why the place is booked months in advance. If you can't get in at dinner, try arriving by 11:45 am for lunch (reservations are not accepted, so it's first come, first serve). Christian Constant's charming Café Constant, in the seventh, is another popular option that serves impeccably prepared favorites, such as roast chicken, for a mere $20. Still hell-bent on a Michelin-star meal? Try booking at lunchtime, when many restaurants offer excellent-value prix fixe menus.

© Photos 12 / Alamy  

3) Don't Spend All Day at the Louvre or Musée d'Orsay

The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay are Paris's most celebrated museums, and yes, they do house some famous works of art. But don't for a second think that they're your only—or, indeed, even your best—options. The lines to get in can be harrowing in high season, the crowds are exhausting, and the sheer quantity of art on display is overwhelming. If the prospect of beating back the hordes seems like it will detract from the experience (and, really, how could it not?), don't despair.

Instead: Get to know Paris's lesser-known museums.  

Many of Paris's smaller museums contain equally important and beautiful art—and are often more pleasant, since you won't be elbowed out of the way by a photo-snapping swarm. You'll find Monet's famous Nymphéas (water lily) murals in the Musée de l'Orangerie, at the far end of the Tuileries Gardens. The Musée Marmottan is home to the world's largest collection of Monets. And the Musée Rodin, housed in a luminous villa with a lovely garden, is one of the most romantic places in all of Paris. Not in the mood for an art lesson? There are plenty of museums in Paris that focus on lighter and frothier fare, including fashion, wine, and money. Once you've discovered the pleasures of these intimate galleries, you might be hard-pressed to bother with the Louvre at all.

Carin Olsson

4) Don't Commit a Fashion Faux Pas  

For starters, don't ever, even in the sweltering dog days of summer, think about wearing a pair of shorts in Paris unless you really want to be treated like a hapless tourist. As the French would say, ça ne se fait pas(it simply isn't done). And while you're at it, leave those gleaming white running shoes at home, too. As a general rule, Parisians avoid dressing like they're going to climb Mount Everest, and while you're in their town, so should you. On the other end of the spectrum, don't overdo it just because you're headed to the world's fashion capital.

Instead: Take a crash course in French style. 

Parisian style isn't really about dressing to the nines; the French are quite casual these days—they've just mastered the art of the clean, coordinated look. Here are a few tips to keep your attire simple, tidy, and thoughtfully assembled: Black is always a good bet (or gray, if you really want to go nuts); accessorize with a single bold scarf, hat, or jewel (but, please, not all three at once); and make sure things fit the way they should (no sagging or squeezing). Complete your outfit with a fitted jacket and the best shoes in your closet. The final effect should look utterly effortless.

© Sarah Hadley / Alamy

5) Don't Get Around Town in a Cab  

Taxis can be hard to come by and can't be flagged down on the street (you need to call ahead for one or find a taxi stand). Cabbing around town also leaves you vulnerable to Paris's famously snarled traffic: Careening to a halt on a narrow one-way street, then watching the meter tick ever upward while you're trapped behind a double-parked car, is a definite buzzkill.

© Chad Ehlers / Alamy

Instead: Take to heart the French word flâner.  

While flâner technically means "to stroll," it more generally suggests "to walk the city in order to experience it"—words to live by in the City of Light. The center of Paris is only a couple of miles wide, maps are ubiquitous, and the rewards for taking to the streets on foot include world-class window shopping, observing flirtatious exchanges taking place in sidewalk cafés, and walking off that extra croissant. Worried about dog droppings? Fear not, the city has cleaned up its act. When going longer distances, hop on the Métro. From any given spot in Paris, you're never more than 500 yards from the nearest station; it's cheaper than a cab and often faster, too. So there's really no excuse—unless you've stayed out late (the Métro closes at 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights and 1 am the rest of the week). We wish we could recommend Paris's inexpensive Vélib' bikes (the gray models you see lined up on the street), but the rental program is off-limits to most visitors since a smart chip–enabled credit card is required to access the system.

© Directphoto Collection / Alamy

6) Don't Seek Out Bohemian Ambience on the Left Bank  

Sartre and de Beauvoir may have loved Les Deux Magots on the Boulevard St. Germain, but these days, this onetime hangout of intellectuals has all the authenticity of Times Square. You're far more likely to find yourself cheek to jowl with your tourist brethren than eavesdropping on any famous philosophers. You may, however, find yourself delivering a tirade on the immorality of charging $16 for buttered toast and orange juice.

© scenicireland.com / Christopher Hill Photographic / Alamy

Instead: Find the "real" Paris on the Canal St. Martin  

Bobo (short for bourgeois bohemian) hipsters have laid claim to the area around the Canal St. Martin, a once-derelict part of the tenth arrondissement that now buzzes with cafés and hip boutiques, particularly along the Rue Beaurepaire. Settle at a sidewalk table at Chez Prune, the see-and-be-seen ground zero for this trendy Right Bank 'hood (36 Rue Beaurepaire; 33-1-42-41-30-47), sip your café crème, eavesdrop on the locals, and enjoy the views of the picturesque canal—and bask in the smug knowledge that you've found a corner of real Paris.

© Glenn Harper / Alamy

7) Don't Waste Time at the Eiffel Tower  

In 2009, 6.6 million people visited the Eiffel Tower and, like lemmings, embarked on the laborious task of reaching the top. After trudging through one labyrinthine line for tickets and re-queuing for the cattle car–like elevators, you'll start to lose faith in the whole endeavor. And just when you think the ordeal is over, there are the lines to get back to terra firma.

© Aurora Photos / Alamy

Instead: Enjoy dinner and a view.  

An infinitely more civilized approach to the whole Eiffel Tower business is to book a table at Les Ombres, the rooftop restaurant of the Musée du Quai Branly. The restaurant's glass latticework ceiling (like a dragonfly's wing) makes the most of its tall neighbor by enabling diners to feast their eyes on the tower in its gorgeous entirety while dining on French classics such as foie gras, oysters, and grilled steak. The view is at its most magical at night, when the tower glows ethereally and bursts into manic sparkling every hour. At dinner, main courses start at $40, but there are excellent deals to be had at lunchtime ($34–$52 for two to three courses). Or you can just head to the adjoining salon de thé to toast your savvy tourist skills with an alfresco flute of champagne.

© Chad Ehlers / Alamy

8) Don't Book the Cheapest Hotel  

Finding a decent Paris hotel for a reasonable price can bring even the savviest travelers to the brink of despair. You might find a screaming deal at a big chain hotel and think you've got it made, but once you're sitting in a beige I-could-be-anywhere cube on the outskirts of town, you'll realize that you're missing out on the Parisian atmosphere in the city center.

© BSTAR IMAGES / Alamy

Instead: Book a furnished apartment.  

Furnished apartments can be found to suit absolutely every budget and taste. You'll be amazed at how much living space you get for your money—especially if you plan to stay for more than a couple of days—and you don't have to eat out for every meal. The real estate mantra "location, location, location" definitely applies. When in doubt, opt for an apartment in a single-digit arrondissement and check how close the nearest Métro station is. And if the price seems too good to be true, try to find out what they may be hiding. Do-it-yourself services abound (Airbnb, VRBO), but if you want to leave it to the experts, try a rental agency (Paris Perfect Guest Apartment Services and Haven in Paris are reputable options). Once you're in your private pied-à-terre, glass of wine in hand, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood through the open windows, you'll feel like you've truly arrived.

Courtesy Perfectly Paris

9) Don't Fill Up on Croissants  

We all swoon over those flaky golden crescents. But it would be a big mistake to limit yourself to Paris's best-known pastries and miss out on deluxe confections that aren't as well known, or as easily accessible, across the pond.

© Bon Appetit / Alamy

Instead: Munch on macarons.  

Unlike macaroons, the dense coconut cookies in the United States, French macarons consist of two meringue-like cookies bound together by a delicious ganache. A few patisseries, Ladurée in particular (pictured), have been carrying macarons for ages, but recently these have become the hottest sweet in town. Debate rages among Parisians over which are the city's best; to decide for yourself, sample rose atPierre Hermé, caramel with sea salt at Ladurée, and orange-ginger at Gérard Mulot.

Courtesy Misha Hettie and Amanda Gentis

10) Don't Buy Into Stereotypes  

Yes, we've all heard plenty about Parisians' legendary rudeness: The waiters are surly, the salespeople unhelpful, and everyone else is snobby and standoffish. It's true that Parisians are more reserved than most Americans and less apt to break into wide, toothy grins every time they meet someone new. Theirs is not a culture of instant BFFs and "Hi, how can I help you today?" extroversion. But you won't be doing yourself any favors by assuming that the locals don't like you—and then being rude in return.

© Eddie Gerald / Alamy

Instead: Be mindful of your manners.  

Try to understand (and imitate) the local customs and you'll no doubt be amply rewarded for your efforts. Do learn a few French words and phrases. Even if it's just a crash course on the flight over, and your delivery is less than perfect, the fact that you're trying will win points. Salespeople in smaller boutiques greet customers and expect to be greeted in return: A simple "Bonjour, Madame" upon entering a shop will do wonders for your status there. And note that French people tend to talk softly—their voices never carry in the streets, on the Métro, or even when they're sitting at the next table. Keep your voice low, too, and some of your neighbors might even venture a smile.

© LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH / Alamy

Written by Christina Henry de Tessan, www.cntraveler.com

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