Top 11 Tourist Mistakes in Paris
(and how to avoid them)

ABOVE: Why view Paris from a tour bus when the city is so easy to explore on foot?

Mistake #7: Booking unnecessary tours

Escorted sightseeing tours have their place. If you've got mobility problems or you're in Paris for only a short time, a guided tour from a company like Viator (an Internet tour broker) can help you enjoy the city without running short on energy or time.

Tours can also be handy if you want to go outside the city with minimum fuss--to Versailles and Giverny, for example--or if you have a specific interest, such as:

• A Da Vinci Code walking tour,

• Zipping through Paris by Segway scooter,

• Riding around the city in vintage Citroën 2CV,

• Touring by bicycle at night.

However, if all you want to do is see the sights, we recommend buying a good Paris tourist map (we especially like the Blay Foldex Paris par Arrodissement street atlas) and exploring the Paris on foot. You'll save money, you'll enjoy your own itinerary at your own pace, and you'll have more serendipitous encounters than you would in a tour group.

Our Paris sightseeing articles will give you ideas for planning an itinerary, and our Paris transportation articles will help you find your away around by Métro, bus, boat, and other forms of transit when you don't feel like walking.

Tour tip:

For an occasional break from do-it-yourself sightseeing, try one of the "Meet the Parisians at Work" tours that are co-sponsored by Meeting the French and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The tours are an astonishing bargain (prices started at 7 euros the last time we checked), and they're a great way to see how Parisian artisans, designers, bakers, chocolatiers, instrument makers, and other craftsmen go about their daily tasks.

Read our La Boulangerie par Véronique Mauclerc and Boulangerie Patisserie Au Grand Richelieu articles to learn what to expect on these outstanding tours.

Next page: Mistake #8: Driving in Paris

Top photo copyright © Paris Tourist Office. Photographer: Catherine Balet.

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