Always a popular destination, Paris has taken the spotlight as the host of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2024. Instead of relegating all the events to stadiums on the outskirts of town, Paris is placing the games right in the heart of the historic city.
Whether you’re lucky enough to see the Games in person or you're visiting another time, Paris is always a good idea (as Audrey Hepburn once said). Here’s your quick guide to planning a trip that’s truly magnifique.
3 reasons to buy travel insurance for France
- Emergency medical benefits are essential for tourists in France. “France does not offer free health coverage to tourists, and treatment may be expensive if you require medical treatment while on vacation,” MarketWatch warns.1 A travel insurance plan with emergency medical benefits can advance payments to a healthcare provider and/or reimburse the cost of medical care for a covered medical emergency.
- You need emergency medical transportation benefits, too. The good news: If you experience a serious covered medical emergency, France has an excellent ambulance system and hospitals comparable to the United States’. The bad news: Without travel insurance, how are you going to get home? Emergency transportation benefits can cover not only the cost of transportation to a hospital following a covered emergency, but also your flight home — with medical accommodations, if you need them.
- Travel insurance safeguards your trip investment. Paris isn’t exactly a cheap destination… and if you’re traveling to attend the Olympics or Paralympics, expect sky-high prices. “Many hotels and rental apartments have doubled or tripled their typical summer rates (think an average of €1,000 a night instead of €300), and some have even quintupled them,” The New York Times reports.2 If you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason, travel insurance with trip cancellation/trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs (up to the limit specified in your plan).
3 of the best travel insurance plans for France
- OneTrip Prime is a popular choice for international vacations. You know you’re well protected with all the key benefits for overseas travel: emergency medical, trip cancellation/interruption, travel delay, baggage protection and more. Kids 17 and under are covered for free when they’re traveling with a parent or grandparent.
- OneTrip Basic is ideal for travelers on a budget, because it includes a full slate of benefits at an affordable price point. You get up to $10,000 in emergency medical benefits, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation/interruption benefits, up to $50,000 for emergency transportation, and more.
- Are you a world traveler? If you’re planning two or more trips in the next 365 days, an annual travel insurance plan like AllTrips Prime. may be your best bet. Buy it once, and protect all your adventures for a year!
Discover why more than 70 million American travelers each year trust Allianz Travel Insurance to protect them. See all our plan options and get a quote for your next trip.
3 of the best things to do in Paris this summer
- Tour the royal wine cellars. Need a break from the summer sun? Visit Les Caves du Louvre, a historic wine cellar and museum in the heart of Paris. Master sommeliers will show you how wine is made and guide you through a tasting.
- Shop the Sunday markets. One of the best things to do in Paris is spending a Sunday morning browsing the open-air market. There are more than 60 Sunday markets in Paris, selling everything imaginable: oysters and old books, baguettes and Brie, scarves, and stamps. The Rue Mouffetard is known for street performers, while Le Marché Bastille has musicians singing traditional French songs.
- Say hello to some skulls. In the late 1700s, Paris ran out of room in its cemeteries. The city moved millions of skeletons — some more than a thousand years old — into disused quarries under its streets, creating eerie catacombs with carefully arranged bones. Today you can tour a section of the catacombs and learn about its macabre history.
3 of the best hotels in Paris
Wrap yourself in the glamour of a bygone time at the Hôtel Providence: an elegant 18-room hotel in a 19th century townhouse. Guests swoon for the lovely décor and warm hospitality. The 24-hour concierge service is a nice touch. Best of all, it won’t break the bank: Nightly rates under $300 are available in the off-season.
If money’s no object, book a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel George V. Located on the Champs–Élysées, the George V is known for its breathtaking flower arrangements, superlative service and Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Cinq. If you book the penthouse, you can enjoy breakfast on a private terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
Traveling on a budget? It’s still possible to find a cute and affordable hotel in Paris. Our pick is Babel, a gorgeous small hotel in Belleville. The small but well-appointed rooms are thoughtfully decorated, and the hotel makes a point of honoring its multicultural neighbors.
Three of the best restaurants in Paris
If you have a taste for luxury, dine at Le Grand Véfour, a grand Parisian restaurant that first opened in 1784. The décor is lavish, befitting the classic French cuisine, and the prices exorbitant — which is why many people recommend the prix-fixe lunch.
The opposite of the traditional dining experience you get at Le Grand Véfour is Fulgurances L’Adresse, an ever-changing hot spot that hosts fresh culinary talent. Owned by three food writers, Fulgurances offers residencies to young chefs from all over the world. Tonight, it might serve Japanese cuisine; next month, you might find a Moroccan-inflected vegan tasting menu.
When in Paris, you must visit at least one (and preferably several) pâtisseries. There’s no shortage of options, but we’ll recommend Stohrer. This charming bake shop is the oldest in Paris, founded nearly 300 years ago. Stohrer’s baba au rhum cake is famous, but you should also try the passionfruit-raspberry tart, the éclair au chocolat, the St. Honoré pastry… everything in the case.
What do I need to travel to Paris?
Share this Page