Of the big touristy things in Paris, the [Musée d’Orsay](https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en) is my favorite. The Louvre is amazing, but also overwhelming and often very crowded. There are plenty of smaller museums to take in. Walking along the Seine never gets old. Nor does sitting in any random cafe sipping wine or coffee and watching people. Or taking some bread and cheese to [Luxembourg Gardens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jardin_du_Luxembourg) for a mid-day snack. Here are a few of my favorite places / tips: - [Paris museum pass](http://en.parismuseumpass.com) - If you’re going to any museums, this is a must-have. You’ll get a break on the entry fees, but better than that, you can skip the line at most museums, which can save you quite a bit of time. (We once encountered a 2-hour wait *just for tickets* at the Orsay.) - Getting around - Take the Metro anytime you can (and stay alert for pickpockets). Uber works, too. - Montmartre - From the Moulin Rouge to Sacre Coeur, Montmartre is a tourist trap. Sacre Coeur itself, in particular, is swarming with tourists and people looking to take advantage of them. Avoid it. But just north of Sacre Coeur, walking down the other side of the hill, Montmartre gets pretty charming. - [Musee de Montmartre](https://museedemontmartre.fr) is a great small museum on the quiet side of Montmartre that has a lot of history and a great collection of art by Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, and others, all of whom lived and worked in the immediate area around the house. - The Champs Elysee isn’t much better than an open-air mall these days. It’s really touristy and you could give it a miss. - [Musee Rodin](http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en) - The museum is in Rodin’s house and is filled with his amazing sculptures. The garden is quite lovely, too. - [Musee Marmottan Monet](https://www.marmottan.fr/en/) - Another small, off-the-beaten-path museum that has a wonderful collection of Monets. - [Cafe Varenne](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d1035454-Reviews-Cafe_Varenne-Paris_Ile_de_France.html) - Really charming cafe, excellent food and friendly service. We did this for dinner and for an afternoon snack. There’s a great chocolate shop on the opposite corner. - [Chez Fernand](http://www.chezfernand.fr) - Had a delicious dinner here. Great atmosphere and service. - [E. Dehillerin](https://www.edehillerin.fr/en/) - If you’re into cooking, this shop has one of everything you need. Fun to go and just browse around. - [Giverny](http://fondation-monet.com/en/) - If you can get out of Paris at all, visit Monet’s house in Giverny. Walking around the lily pond and wandering through Monet’s house and studio is pretty great. Giverny also has the [Museum of Impressionisms](http://giverny.org/museums/impressionism/index.htm), another great small museum.