Flights to Paris
Café terraces in the Marais, sunset on the Seine quays and the Louvre's endless galleries: Paris rewards every kind of traveler, and nonstops from across North America land at CDG each morning.
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- French
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
- Plug type
- Type C and E, 230 V
- Main airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
Overview
Paris is a city built for walking. Its 20 arrondissements spiral out from the Île de la Cité, and each has a distinct personality: the Latin Quarter's bookshops and student cafés on the Left Bank, the Marais' medieval lanes and falafel counters on the Right, and the grand Haussmann boulevards around the Opéra Garnier where department stores like Galeries Lafayette sit under stained-glass domes.
Beyond the icons (the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, which reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, and the Louvre) the city's pleasures are often small ones: a picnic on the Canal Saint-Martin, a morning market on Rue Cler, a film at an art-house cinema in the 5th. Montmartre still feels like a hilltop village once you step off the main square, and the Belleville and Oberkampf areas in the east are where younger Parisians eat and drink.
First-timers should know that the Metro is dense and fast, so it rarely makes sense to take a taxi within the city. Many major museums close one day a week (the Louvre on Tuesdays, the Musée d'Orsay on Mondays), and August is when many independent restaurants and shops close for summer holidays. A few words of French, starting with a simple "bonjour" when you enter a shop, go a long way.
Highlights of Paris
Louvre and the Tuileries
Book a timed slot for the world's most-visited museum, then decompress in the Tuileries Garden that stretches toward Place de la Concorde.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Reopened in December 2024 after five years of restoration, its bright, cleaned interior and new furnishings are free to visit.
Musée d'Orsay
A Beaux-Arts railway station turned museum, home to the world's richest collection of Impressionist paintings, including works by Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur
Climb the steps to the white-domed basilica for city views, then wander the vineyard, artists' square and quiet lanes of the hilltop village.
A Seine river cruise
Evening boat trips from near the Eiffel Tower or Pont Neuf glide past the illuminated bridges and quays, a UNESCO World Heritage stretch of the river.
Where to stay
Le Marais (3rd and 4th)
Central, walkable and lively, with boutiques, galleries and the Place des Vosges; ideal for first-timers who want to be out in the evenings.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th)
Classic Left Bank elegance with literary cafés, the Luxembourg Gardens and easy walks to the Louvre; suits couples and returning visitors.
7th arrondissement
Quiet, residential streets near the Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler market and Musée d'Orsay; good for families and anyone who wants calm nights.
Canal Saint-Martin and the 10th
Trendier and more local, with canal-side bars, bakeries and quick access to Gare du Nord for the RER B to CDG and Eurostar trains.
Airports and getting into town
From Charles de Gaulle, RER B trains run to Gare du Nord and Châtelet–Les Halles in about 35–50 minutes, and bus 9517 has replaced the discontinued RoissyBus; the dedicated CDG Express train is scheduled to open in March 2027. From Orly, Metro Line 14 reaches Châtelet in about 25 minutes. Official taxis wait at marked ranks outside every terminal, and the ride into the center typically takes 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.
Best time to visit
Late spring (May to mid-June) and early fall (September to October) bring mild weather, long light evenings and fewer crowds than midsummer. June 21 fills the streets with free concerts for the Fête de la Musique, July 14 brings Bastille Day fireworks over the Eiffel Tower, and early October's Nuit Blanche keeps galleries and installations open all night. Winter is gray and chilly but quieter, with shorter lines at the big museums.
Airlines flying to Paris
Popular routes to Paris
Flying out of Paris
Travel tips from our desk
- Reserve timed entry for the Louvre, Eiffel Tower summit and Sainte-Chapelle online well ahead, especially from April to October.
- Buy a reloadable Navigo Easy pass or use the official Île-de-France Mobilités app to load Metro, RER and bus tickets on your phone.
- Check museum closing days before planning: the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and the Musée d'Orsay on Mondays.
- Service is included in restaurant bills in France; rounding up or leaving a little change for good service is appreciated but not expected.
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Flights to Paris — frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from New York to Paris?
A nonstop from New York JFK or Newark to Charles de Gaulle usually takes around 7 to 7.5 hours eastbound; the return flight is typically about an hour longer because of headwinds.
Which Paris airport should I fly into?
Most transatlantic flights use Charles de Gaulle (CDG), which has the widest choice of nonstops from the US and Canada. Orly (ORY) mainly handles European, domestic and some leisure long-haul flights, while Beauvais (BVA) is a distant budget-airline airport best avoided unless your fare requires it.
When is the best time to visit Paris?
May to mid-June and September to October offer the best balance of pleasant weather and manageable crowds. July and August are busy with tourists, while many locals leave the city in August.
How do I get from Charles de Gaulle to central Paris?
The RER B commuter train runs to Gare du Nord and Châtelet–Les Halles in about 35–50 minutes. Taxis from the official ranks take roughly 45–60 minutes, and the CDG Express rail link is scheduled to open in March 2027.
Can I travel from Paris to other European cities by train?
Yes. High-speed trains leave from Gare du Nord (Eurostar to London, Brussels and Amsterdam), Gare de Lyon (TGV to the Alps, Provence and Italy) and Gare de l'Est (Germany), making Paris an easy starting point for a multi-city trip.
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