My Sister's Paris Advice After Visiting Me, a Local

A few years ago, my sister Liana came to visit me in Paris. A poet and Spanish-to-English translator, she’s a world traveler who has lived in Peru. But she hadn’t been to Paris since we were children!

Meanwhile, I’ve lived in Paris for ten years. I’ve written about Paris, constructed Paris itineraries, and hosted guests from around the world on my sofa! There are definitely benefits to this (insider knowledge!).

But it can be hard to remember what it’s like to visit Paris for the first time. I can forget what the city’s like when you don’t speak French or aren’t used to walking on cobblestone streets for eight hours a day.

Liana, on the other hand, remembers it all too well. She ended up staying in Paris with me for two months that summer, going from visitor to local in a short time. Even after one day in Paris, she was settling into local life. But her journey had some bumps along the way!

With that in mind, I sat down with Liana to see what she thought you should know if you were coming to Paris for the first time.

Here’s our conversation about being a 30-something visiting Paris, along with some thoughts I had on Liana’s musings!

View of The monument at République in the streets of Paris — *The monument at République*

Street art mural of a woman's face on the side of a building in the 11th district — *… and street art in the 11th district (two very different sides of Paris!)*

RKD: What were your expectations of Paris?

LKD: Before I left on my trip, I had the idea that Paris would be more or less like any other very old European city: beautiful, certainly, but not particularly special. This is perhaps a strange vision of Paris to hold in one’s mind considering the mythos that surrounds the city; it certainly feels strange to me now that I’ve spent two months there.

Paris might seem “generic European” when you think about it in passing. But finding off-the-beaten-track things to do in Paris makes visiting the city a unique experience!

A colorful mural adorns the side of a building — *Some of the street art we saw*

RKD: What surprised you about Paris’s atmosphere?

LKD: Paris is full of magic and light. Its beauty is not at all superficial but rather runs profoundly through the city. Paris’s intensity also surprised me: everything I saw was incredibly evocative. I came across rose gardens partially hidden in the middle of the city. The street art, especially in the 19^th arrondissement, provides a stunning backdrop for walking excursions.

Wooden doors featuring intricate Parisian designs — *Gorgeous Parisian doors*

A turquoise door featuring two
decorative carvings, reminiscent of Parisian architecture — *… with unique architectural details*

But more so than anything—the architecture! You can’t fully comprehend how exquisite Paris is without taking some time to walk around it. There are 21^st-century stores and boutiques in centuries-old buildings. Americans are used to “historic” buildings having been constructed during the last two centuries or so, but people who travel to Paris can come away with a much different understanding of what it means to be historic or ancient.

Agreed. Parisian history is fascinating, and Paris can seem a little weird to Americans!

View of the entrance going to Louvre-Rivoli Métro station — *The Louvre-Rivoli Métro station*

RKD: What surprised you about Paris’s practicalities?

LKD: The Metro is incredibly easy to use, and I highly recommend it as a fast, simple mode of travel within the city.

I promise I didn’t ask her to say that! But I absolutely agree–see my advice about getting around Paris for more tips.

The grave of writer Oscar Wilde in Pere Lachaise cemetery — *Oscar Wilde’s tomb (photo: Iren Key / Shutterstock.com)*

RKD: What were the highlights of your trip?

LKD: Some highlights of my trip included: Visiting Père Lachaise Cemetery and specifically Oscar Wilde’s tomb; drawing in the Places des Vosges; visiting the Musée Rodin and seeing some of my favorite sculptures; sitting and writing by the Seine. I think it’s good to have a mix of structured and unstructured activities in Paris.

Liana’s visit to Oscar Wilde’s tomb actually inspired her poem “With Oscar Wilde, One Afternoon at His Tomb.” Check it out at The Quarter(ly)!

RKD: What problems did you run into in Paris? How did you solve them?

LKD: I don’t speak much French, which isn’t a huge issue as many Parisians speak English, but I solved this in two ways: by using Google Translate when necessary, and by downloading and practicing with language apps whenever I could.

I also just tried to speak French as much as possible, even though I knew I was probably making many mistakes. I think the native Parisians I met appreciated my feeble attempts, and after two months in Paris I came away with some new language skills.

People stroll along a cobblestone street in Paris — *A walker on a cobblestoned Paris street*

RKD: What advice would you give to a first-time visitor in Paris?

LKD: DO NOT TRY TO WEAR HIGH HEELS. The streets and sidewalks, where they’re not made of cobblestone, are still incredibly uneven and very difficult to walk on with uncomfortable shoes. If looking fashionable is something that’s important to you, as it is to me, I recommend trying loafers or, depending on your style, combat boots. Either way, wear shoes that you can walk in!

100%! This is why high heels are not a recommended item on my Paris packing list.

A pig with wings tattoo — *Liana’s magical Paris tattoo*

RKD: What was the best souvenir you got?

LKD: My tattoo. I got a tattoo of a pig with wings (who I named Framboise, or “Raspberry” in French) to commemorate my trip a few days before I left. I also came home with one more suitcase full of clothing than I’d left with!

Liana was able to do this because she had other tattoos and knew what to look for in a tattoo parlor. I was then able to use my French to help her find what she needed. I wouldn’t recommend this to most visitors.

RKD: What experience(s) will you repeat on your next visit?

LKD: I will definitely go back to visit Oscar Wilde’s tomb. But honestly, I’d love to re-experience the entirety of my trip! I fell absolutely in love with Paris and some of my favorite memories are just of walking around the city.

A man cycling down a narrow Marais street — *A street in the Marais*

A street art in Paris featuring a painted portrait of a man — *Street art ®*

RKD: What will you do differently when you come back?

LKD: I spent most of my time in Le Marais and the 3^rd and 4^th arrondissements during my visit; I would have liked to have explored more of the city. In particular, I would have liked to explore the Left Bank more.

RKD: What would you tell people visiting Paris for the first time to avoid?

LKD: Avoid driving in the city if you can! The narrowness of the streets as well as the high number of motorcycles and scooters make driving uncomfortable and occasionally treacherous.

A garden surrounded by lush greenery — *A garden we found at random during unstructured time*

RKD: What would you recommend to adults visiting Paris for the first time?

LKD: I highly recommend scheduling in some unstructured time. Do your research ahead of time and have a general idea of places you’d like to visit, but also schedule some open time when you can just wander around, people watch, or picnic by the Seine.

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Thanks for reading! If you’ve visited Paris, tell us what you think first-time visitors should know in the comments below.

Next up, read my article on Paris then and now: 1999 vs. 2024.