Romance, art and gastronomy at the heart of Europe. From the glittering Eiffel Tower to the labyrinthine Louvre, Paris rewards every type of traveller. Compare cheap flights and find the best time to visit.
Paris has been drawing visitors for centuries and shows no signs of losing its appeal. The French capital straddles the River Seine, its iconic skyline punctuated by the wrought-iron silhouette of the Eiffel Tower — still the most-visited paid monument on earth. Yet Paris repays those who look beyond the obvious landmarks. The city's 20 arrondissements each carry their own distinct character: you might spend a morning among Impressionist canvases in Montmartre, an afternoon picking through the bouquiniste stalls along the Left Bank, and an evening nursing a carafe of Beaujolais in a neighbourhood bistro that hasn't updated its chalkboard menu in 40 years.
For UK travellers, Paris is exceptional value on time if not always on budget — at 1 hour 20 minutes, it's closer than Scotland by air. Spring brings cherry blossoms to the Luxembourg Gardens and long-weekend deals on accommodation; autumn strips the châtaignier trees along the Champs-Élysées and keeps the queues manageable. Summer is peak season: expect full museums, premium hotel prices, and the festive atmosphere of Bastille Day on 14 July. January and February are the bargain months — cold, yes, but uncrowded and surprisingly stylish, with the January sales filling the designer boutiques of the Marais.
| Visa (UK passport) | No visa required for stays up to 90 days (Schengen Zone). ETIAS authorisation expected — check gov.uk before travel. |
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| Currency | Euro (€). Cards widely accepted; ATMs abundant. Avoid dynamic currency conversion at point of sale. |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) in winter; CEST (UTC+2) in summer. 1–2 hours ahead of UK. |
| Language | French. Most tourist areas have English-speaking staff; a few phrases in French are warmly received. |
| Best time to visit | April–June and September–October. Spring for blossoms and mild weather; autumn for harvest festivals and shorter queues. |
| Getting around | Métro is fast and affordable — a carnet of 10 tickets offers better value. Vélib' bike share covers the central arrondissements. |
| Airport transfer | RER B from CDG to central Paris takes ~35 min (£12). Orlybus connects ORY to Denfert-Rochereau in ~30 min. |
Paris rewards spring and autumn visitors with mild weather, gardens in bloom or autumn colour, and manageable crowds. July and August are humid and strangely empty — many Parisians flee the city and smaller shops close for a month. For the cheapest flights, travel November through February: cold, yes, but magical, with fewer crowds and January-sale bargains.