These are the websites, companies and tools we, as Paris experts, recommend using when planning your trip. They’re tried and tested, highly rated by our past community members, or are considered the “best of the best” in their industry. We’re proud to recommend these brands.
Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliated which means if you book or buy after clicking, we get a small bit of compensation. This helps us to continue to create all of our free content on Love and Paris and to help our business to keep growing to other destinations. Thanks in advance for your support!
Paris airport transfers and taxi services
Welcome Pickups
If you want to pre-book a taxi to or from anywhere in Paris, we recommend Welcome Pickups. They are especially great for airport transfers as they will track your flight and your driver will wait for you in the terminal with a sign with your name, so you don’t have to stress about trying to find them. You pay a flat fee no matter how much time your trip takes. They also operate in London and over 100 cities around the world.
Paris accommodation bookings
Booking.com
We like Booking.com because they have a TON of filters so you can easily find exactly what you want and need.
Expedia
Expedia is quite similar to Booking.com, and we know those of you from the US really trust them, as do we.
City sightseeing passes
Paris Pass by GoCity
If you want to be a super tourist and see a ton of the major sights, you will most likely save yourself a good chunk of money with the Paris Pass from GoCity. Get a certain amount of days (3+ is the best value) and you’ll get free entrance to a select group of attractions around Paris. Savings do get to be a LOT the more you see and the more people you have in your travel group.
Preferred tour operators
Walks
If you want to book tours of the major sights like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame and more, we always recommend Walks. They have top-notch guides, most of whom are Blue Badge Certified, and usually include things like “skip the line”. They also have tours around other parts of Europe, the UK and the US.
Devour Tours
Our go-to food tour specialists for Europe. We especially love their Montmartre local food tour and their pastry and chocolate tour. A fun and delicious way to experience Paris and hear about its history.
Context Travel
For tours that dig deeper, Context’s incredible network of guides (who double up as scholars and specialists in their field) aim to invite travelers off the tourist track and into the real lives of the people, history, and culture in one of the world’s greatest cities through conversations with new perspectives and untold stories.
Cook’n with Class
Learning about any culture is best done through enjoying its traditional food, and what better way to do that than indulge in a cooking class with chef Eric Fraudeau in historical Montmartre. We highly recommend booking the French market tour and cooking class or the Marie Antoniette experience.
Fat Tire Tours
We love any tour that’s done in a bit of a different way, and that’s what Fat Tire Tours does. They run walking and bike tours around various arrondissements (as well as Versailles and Monet’s Garden), with top-notch guides. They also do kid-friendly private tours.
Paris train and coach tickets
Omio
We love Omio for two reasons. First, you can use their search to find not only trains but also to see coach and plane options, which might be better or cheaper. You can also book journeys using multiple different companies in one go, and if you’re doing a full Euro or UK trip, you can book all of your travel for the entire continent on this site (and in your own currency!)
Travel friendly debit cards
Wise (Worldwide)
Our founder Jess has been a Wise (formerly Transferwise)* user for over ten years, and they have a fantastic travel-friendly debit card that’s great for travelling abroad. Exchange rates are reasonable and you won’t be hit with any unexpected fees.
E-sims and insurance
World Nomads
It is SO SO SO important to have good travel insurance to save you money in case of emergencies and to cover replacements when cash or your stuff gets lost or stolen. World Nomads is known internationally as being one of the best, most reliable insurance companies for travellers.
SimLocal
If you can’t use your phone plan while in Europe due to high roaming charges, you can opt for an E-SIM and skip the old school SIMs that are so hard to install and so easy to lose. Instead you can easily install an e-Sim on your phone and start using your phone in France or anywhere you buy your e-SIM for ASAP. SimLocal is a reliable and affordable option for this.
Paris travel guides and books
Free Paris 101 Guide
Find out everything you need to know before you get to Paris. This includes exactly how to get to your hotel from the airport, how to get/spend the currency, how to use the metro, what to pack, as well as accessibility information.
Language learning and culture
Lingoda
If French isn’t your first language and you want to brush up before you get to France, taking a few group online classes is an easy, effective and also affordable way to do that. We love Lingoda, our founder Jess has done quite a few of their French classes and found doing classes with qualified teachers to be the best way to learn. With our link below, you can get 20 EUR (or 25 USD) off when signing up.
Luggage storage
Nannybag
This handy service has partnered with over 270 partner shops, restaurants, and hotels around Paris that’ll store your luggage for you. These locations are near major tourist attractions, transit links, and popular neighborhoods.
Stasher
Similar to Nannybag and Bounce, Starsher has good coverage across the city, with more than 170 locations covering every neighborhood. Fees begin at €4.99/day which includes insurance coverage of up to €1,200 per bag and 24/7 customer service support.
Bounce
This company has over 250 Paris drop-off points at venues including hotels, cafés, and shops. Some of these are open 24/7 or till late and have very competitive rates starting at €3.40/day.
Luggage Hero
This is another luggage storage service that uses local businesses. They have the added flexibility of an hourly rate starting at €3.10. There are no size or weight limitations and it offers protection with coverage up to €2,500.
