Paris What to Pack

Luggage and bags: Light, depending on how far you are travelling from. Guys don't do yourselves in, have wheels, but remember not all metro stations have escalators and lifts, in fact a lot don't so if possible pack very lightly and have rucksacks / hiking packs so that you can carry most of the weight on your back. This will leave your hands free to negotiate the stairs!

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Comfortable walking shoes for walking around town. If you want to dress for dinner in a swanky restaurant, then make sure you have something to go out in. Thin stiletto heels for ladies can get stuck in ventiliation shafts for metro stations that are all over Paris streets, as cobbles can break/ damage heels and ankles. Keep shoes as stable as possible unless you plan on getting a taxi everywhere.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: You can find everything you need in pharmacies, though if you need something special, make sure that you bring it with you to avoid the shock of need a doctor's prescription for it. You won't find medication anywhere else but in a pharmacy, unlike in the UK or US where you can find paracetamol in supermarkets. The French are also picky about over the counter medication. Even high dose iron tablets need a prescription, in the UK and Canada I have seen 200mg ferrous sulphate tablets, but in France 80mg was the highest I saw.

Photo Equipment: All can be found here in camera shops.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: For Paris you won't need this kind of stuff

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Luggage and bags: Look at the photo below. Would you want to haul all that stuff up a Parisian stairway? Those stairways can be mighty small and steep.
Bring some essential clothes in your carry on bag in case the airline loses your suitcase.
Extra empty duffel bag (thin material) On the way home you can check some of your souvenirs in your good bag and dirty clothes in another. You can wrap clothes around wine bottles and check the bags.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: 1 small bag per person, no exceptions. windbreaker in summer, hat, sunscreen, handkerchief, twine for clothes line in hotel, to tavel light over one week, you will be doing wash in your room--plastic clothes pins.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Bring copies of your medical prescriptions and eye glass prescriptions.
Wipes to clean your hands, and phone numbers of your doctors, banks and close friends.
Stomach settling medicine like pepto bismol,etc.
band aids, headache and pain medicine. reading glasses?--always an extra pair of those cheap ones from home.

Photo Equipment: Your charger for camers will need a converter and the appropriate plug for that country. They are all different. AAA has these or a good travel agent.
Buy your film there and have it processed. The airport can fry your film in your carry on/ checked baggage. Digital is safe.
Bring extra cards for your digital camera. Batteries...European ones at the souvenir stand are terribly inefficient.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Buy your mini fold up stove in Europe. You can't bring gas on the plane.
You can buy fold up chairs and table in Europe at a camping store. They make towels that are very small but suck up a lot of water. mini binoculars. Small tent. Sleeping bag that crushes down and fits in a small bag the size of a canteloupe, plastic bag of dishwashing soap, sponge with scraping side, flip flops for the shower.

Miscellaneous: 1 water bottle to refill when you get there. Pack it in your checked bags. Bring the plastic one from the plane.
1 small bag of raisins, nuts, etc. for emergencies--like the stores are closed. Peanut butter is a lifesaver for backpackers.
Bringing children? Paper towel, toilet paper--crush it down, take out cardboard core, put in plastic bag. Extra baggies.
1 pocket knife for cheese and meat, cork screw, soda cap opener, plastic forks, ketchup and honey in those small packages from McDonalds, diary, pens, addresses from home, needle and thread, nail clipper, mini flashlight, maps, copies of passport front pages, driver's licenses, and have someone who is back home with the numbers on your credit cards,

Luggage and bags: Always have your money in a safe location and in additon best to keep one credit card stored in the safe at the hotel in case you lose your money. If your are not an EU citizen, you must have your passport on you at all times, while all EU citizens need either a passport or national identity card. Always make a photocopy of your passport and store in the hotel safe so if you ever lose it you can go to the embassy or your country and get a new one.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Paris generally has a moderate climate and although it does snow occassionally in the winter, it really gets extremely cold, while summers are warm but rarely excessively hot. If going in the winter bring warm clothes, but not excessively heavy, while in the spring or fall dress in layers as the weather can be variable. In Paris people tend to be more formal than in most other cities so avoid being too casual as you will stand out as a tourist. That doesn't mean you need to be overdressed, however a dress shirt, jeans, and leather shoes is common for Parisians to wear.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Shoes ! I really can't emphasise enough the importance of comfortable shoes . I don't mean ones that you can walk happily around the shops in for a few hours- though I don't think anything can really prepare you for how much walking you will potentially be doing. I took a pair of tried and tested flat, leather ballet-type pumps. In every day life they are like a second skin - after 14 hours of sight-seeing I don't think the Inquisition could have devised a more excruciating torture devise! Five weeks later I still bear the blood blister on my heel . However the strappy, heeled sandals which I took for evenings were actually wonderfully comfortable for the next four days.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: As for clothes, I'd say dress up a bit - It's a stylish city and you feel more a part of it- rather than being just another flouro-clad tourist . I wouldn't be caught dead in 'leisure wear' anyway - I'm sure 'normal clothes' are just as comfortable:-). Thin layers are a good idea here , so you are prepared for all eventualities - and don't take too much , the same skirt /trousers can be worn for a few days - no-one will shout " hey , weren't you wearing that yesterday?"

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: I never like to be caught without my regular types of medication when abroad - you may not be able to get the particular brand you use and as medicines are all behind the counter you may not like to try explaining ! However, my boyfriend got indigestion from a particularly heavy galette, and the guy who served us in the Pharmacy at Les halles spoke perfect English (we had our request prepared - just in case! ) and they were cheaper than in the U.K . I had to be dragged away from the toiletries - I could quite happily have spent all my money on the beautifully wrapped goodies - they sure know how to make a 10 euro soap look alluring!

Luggage and bags: I'm not going to recommend what type of luggage you take -Paris is like most cities ( the pavements aren't extra bumpy or the streets super narrow) so really, whatever you are comfortable with - though I don't know how I managed before wheeled luggage was invented(my boyfriend lets out a snort of derision at this point as I have never actually carried any luggage -but it's better for him!).Although I don't think there are more pick-pockets in Paris than any other large city, I did make sure that I took a shoulder bag with both a top zip and a zipped inner compartment . You do see some fellow visitors with their backpacks at the front, hugging them for dear life - I'm sure nothing short of a flashing light on your head says 'I am a tourist and here is my cash! '

Luggage and bags: small day pack

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: sturdy comfortable shoes...you will do lots of walking
I took one pair of comfy running type sneakers and a
good pair of walking sandals--brand name "Born". I
had purchased "Clarks" but prior to the trip found them
uncomfortable. The "Born" sandals were comfortable from
day one. You can find them on the "Net" I happened to
find them at TJ Max.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Remember the 3 ounce rule on the airline---its inforced all
over the US and Europe.
If you forget somethng there are Pharmacies all over town.

Photo Equipment: A digital camera is the way to go!

Miscellaneous: I visited in May---I was glad I brought one lightweight sweater and
jacket---evenings and early mornings were cool.