France Tourist Traps

  Paulien at the beach. Wow!
by Jerelis
 
  • Paulien at the beach. Wow!
      Paulien at the beach. Wow!
    by Jerelis
  • Just relaxing a bit.
      Just relaxing a bit.
    by Jerelis
  • Two lovely girls enjoying the sun.
      Two lovely girls enjoying the sun.
    by Jerelis
  • Playing with Sam on the beach.
      Playing with Sam on the beach.
    by Jerelis
  • Sam
      Sam
    by Jerelis
 

Most Viewed Tourist Traps in France

1.

Eiffel Tower   Paris

Eiffel Tower, Paris

 61 Reviews  The most elaborated scam I've seen (on me!) in Paris, when someone passing through you simulates catching an gold ring and then try to give it yo you saying it was the destiny and you should keep it... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

2.

Car Parking   Strasbourg

Car Parking, Strasbourg

 2 Reviews  Many of the street level car parks in Strasbourg are occupied by men (unofficial) hussling you for money to look after your car. They will normally tell you not to put any money in the machine, but to... 

 See All 19 Tourist Traps in Strasbourg

3.

Montmartre/Sacré Coeur   Paris

Montmartre/Sacré Coeur, Paris

 59 Reviews  NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! One million times NO! I went to the romantic square of Tertre and couldn't believe what I saw: the artists, expelled from the square by a... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

4.

Encountered nothing   Strasbourg

Encountered nothing, Strasbourg

 6 Reviews  I did not encounter any tourist trap...But the sign inside of the Cathedral said 'Beware of Pick Pockets' I was also told not to leave my car on the street..which I did and was lucky..no break in or... 

 See All 19 Tourist Traps in Strasbourg

5.

Lido, Moulin Rouge, etc.   Paris

Lido, Moulin Rouge, etc., Paris

 27 Reviews  We were booked for a mini tour to Moulin Rouge. The guidelines told us the men should wear a coat and tie which they did. But before we shown to our table the attendants told the men (and me but I... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

6.

Shops around the Cathedral   Strasbourg

Shops around the Cathedral, Strasbourg

 2 Reviews  Anyone who knows Strasbourg and particularly te Petite France area will know that it has become a bit of a honeypot for tourists and the tourism hub of the region, providing plenty of income for the... 

 See All 19 Tourist Traps in Strasbourg

7.

Street Artists   Paris

Street Artists, Paris

 30 Reviews  We chose to visit Montmarte as we read about the artists' village at Place du Tertre which sounded absolutely charming. When we arrived at the little enclave I was immediately met by an artist with a... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

8.

Dining and Drinking   Paris

Dining and Drinking, Paris

 38 Reviews  Ok..I have to admit....I was wondering what was so special about the "French Breakfast" that I saw advertised everywhere we went sooooo.....as a typical tourist (the first time I went to Paris was in... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

9.

Disneyland Paris   Paris

Disneyland Paris, Paris

 17 Reviews  Disneyland Paris My first warning, it isn't very clear what metro tickets to get to Disneyland. Expect to pay €15 for two people to get to Disneyland on the metro, if you pay any less you got the... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

10.

Champs-Elysées   Paris

Champs-Elysées, Paris

 17 Reviews  Avoid buying overpriced souvenir items from the shops in around this street. Just browse, but don't buy chintz. Champs Elysées has many other offers like ... just taking pictures of the plaque with... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

11.

Louvre   Paris

Louvre, Paris

 24 Reviews  The Louvre is one of the most visited Museum in Europe. The majority of visitors gets in by the pyramide entrance. Because of security you often have to wait a long time. They control every one one by... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

12.

Versailles   Paris

Versailles, Paris

 17 Reviews  Yeah, it's impressive...for about the first 15 minutes. And that's not including the half hour to hour you wait in line. I had a bad experience there, going in mid-July (both the hottest week of the... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

13.

Taxis   Paris

Taxis, Paris

 10 Reviews  It's not a surprise Taxis are very expensive in Paris (also we knew we should avoid illegall taxi). The problem is that taxi drivers can make it even more costly for you. 1. Check the taxi price with... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

14.

Seine   Paris

Seine, Paris

 9 Reviews  The Seine Sightseeing Cruise boards near the Eiffel Tower. After buying a ticket and waiting in line, you get on a crowded boat. There are limited spots with a good enough view to take pictures.... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

15.

Notre Dame   Paris

Notre Dame, Paris

 10 Reviews  If you want to see Notre Dam, be sure to chose a time when there is lack of tourists. The ques can be awful and you be stuck for hours. Come back later or strategically chose another time or date. You... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

16.

La Défense   Paris

La Défense, Paris

 3 Reviews  It is a big square and a bunch of office buildings. Other than a small shopping mall below ground it is just not worth the effort to go and visit. We were pretty dissapointed in it. Turn around and go... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

17.

Driving   Paris

Driving, Paris

 3 Reviews  I always look for free or cheap place to park a car and Paris is in my top worse 5 cities in Europe in this matter (hmm... the worst for me was Florence - but it's the best city in Italy). 1. Stay at... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

18.

Catacombes   Paris

Catacombes, Paris

 2 Reviews  We made our way to the catacombs hoping to find an extraordinary sight. Unfortunately it was nothing but rooms and rooms and rooms full of bones. I mean, it's interesting and all, but I would rather... 

 See All 509 Tourist Traps in Paris

Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Find the perfect activity!
Expedia.com Book early before things sell out. Skip long lines and save on tickets!

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Rail Pass - A BIG tourist trap in France!

by Matchello_Lulu

Me and my wife bought 1st class rail passes for traveling around France for up to 9 travel dates. What we didn't know is that France rail system is REALLY BAD and that most long routes are covered by private companys. Well, I bet you can't see the problem yet... So here it is: private companys (all tgvs) reserve less than a handfull places for railpass holders! To get one of those few places you have to make reservations ages before your trip!!! Of course if somebody didn't do it before you! Also you will find yourself always having to go in those trains cause most routes you may have to go through are not covered by the regular ones!So after paying a considerable price for our 1st class rail pass (Rail Europe) we found ourselves having to buy ultra expensive last time 2nd class tickets to go where we wanted (and had hotel reservations) to. And since all that wasn't enough... we had to...

Tip Photo
Sneaky Cafe Pricing

by vcr89

Cafes price their food/drinks differently depending on where you consume them. You'll get the lowest price at the bar. A table will come with a price increase, and sitting outside will bump you into the highest price range.

The Mousia

by sourbugger

Whatever Disney call their theme park this week, (its variously been 'Euro Disney' 'Disneyland Paris' 'Disney Euro resort' 'Mickey's gaff' or whatever) it still remains the No1 tourist venue in France and easily the most over-hyped nightmare.the biggest complaint has to be in terms of price. A day ticket is a whopping 53 euro for an adult (there are some ways of reducing this - look at my page on the area in due course), and not much less for a child. On top of that there is a 15 euro charge for parking! They do at least allow you to bring in your own food and drink (but no large picnic baskets allowed) and provide drinking fountains.Once your in, your 'in' as they say, although you may have spent over an hour queueing to actually get the tickets to get in the bloody place. Merchanise and food /drink will all be overpriced to they same degree. 1) Search the website of disney for '...

Tip Photo
Tourist cheeks kissing is NOT a French custom

by vinc_bilb

Local custom or cultural alignement could be a bad excuse for some men trying to kiss the cheeks of tourist women (cheeks kissing: "la bise" in French...). This is clearly an abuse, without agreement - Cheeks kissing means a light kiss, usually given to a friend in greeting or before parting.- kissing should be sharedAll photos from Robert Doisneau (Paris) Don't be paranoiac, but if it happens, an explicit "Stop" should be enough. If not, cry "Police" .1/ Be city-conscious2/ Don't be too friendly or adapt to the situation

Tip Photo
Pigalle Pigalle Pigalle

by djpublicenemy

if you come from a middle eastern country like mine, or are curious in general to see the sex culture of paris, then you will definitely go to 'Pigalle', it is known for being the sex center of paris where there are strip clubs, sex shops and cross dresser bars.It's landmark is the "moulin Rouge" , and its on the main street where most of the sex shops and theatres are, and the alleys that connect to the main street has prostitute bars.My one and only advice is ... DONT ENTER THE STRIP CLUBS !! they will tell you at the door that all you need to pay is 10 - 30 Euros , and you can have any drink you want in the house. As soon as you enter the place girls will be fighting to deal at your table. If the place is empty then take your money back and run , because they will charge you for the General strip show 200 Euros , The private show (which you will be forced to have) 300 Euros, The...

Direct translation: common traps

by vinc_bilb

Seeing your hosts smiling, laughing or blushing is somewhere a good indicator of direct translation errors (identifed like bad friend below):- I'm hot = J'ai chaud ( Je suis chaud(e): I'm horny, looking for sex)- I'm finished = J'ai fini (Je suis fini(e): I'm dying)- Buffet = Buffet ( the english pronunciation = bouffer: to gobble, to eat like a dog)- A bit = un petit peu ( une bitte = the male genital organ (not formal...))- I'm fed-up = je suis rassasié(e) (je suis pleine = I'm pregnant)- Mat at someone=en colère après quelqu'un(fou de quelqu'un = mad for someone)- To deceive = tromper (décevoir = to disappoint)- To charge = faire payer (charger = to load)- It is of the pig=c'est du cochon(c'est cochon = It is dirty)- God=Dieu(god in French = sex toy (abbreviation))- Bless = bénir(blesser = Injure)- St = Saint (abbreviation)(and not street)"I'm hot, fed-up and finished" "Could you...

Tip Photo
La bise: a trap also for the French

by Mikebond

I have already written a Local custom tip about la bise, the typical French cheek-kiss.However, I think that a better explanation is needed for some aspects of this gesture, so I thought I'd write a Tourist trap tip because la bise can be something hard to understand and to accept for peoples who don't know the cheek-kissing custom.1) People do la bise mainly to greet each other. It hasn't got any affective meaning.2) The bise is not a real kiss. People don't plant their lips on the other's cheek and often the cheeks don't even touch. Also, while doing so, they never hug (unlike other Latin peoples); at most, they lightly touch each other's shoulder.3) You don't need to know someone well to get la bise. If you are going to meet a French friend or acquaintance, s/he will kiss you and so will all his/her relatives, friends, acquaintances do, who may be so polite as to ask you "On se fait...

Tip Photo
Trains to CDG Airport

by Andrew_W_K

The more I think about this the stupider I feel but I'm not alone I assure you.After a short break in Paris I bought a couple of tickets to go back to the airport. The trouble is I didn't specify airport I just bought standard Metro tickets without thinking (they are the same size and colour as the others - the only difference being the tiny words "Dans Paris" on the Metro tickets).When our train pulled out of the Gare Du Nord a flock of ticket inspectors descended on us and asked to check our tickets. When my mistake was pointed out I was apologetic and asked if I could purchase the correct ticket now. Unfortunatley I couldn't and instead they fined me 40 Euros (for 2 tickets). They even had portable machines that took credit and debit cards.I felt foolish and also a bit cheated - the amount of people that had fallen into the same trap was incredible so I think its an easy thing to do...

Disneyland - Paris

by Elodie_Caroline

I cannot see, for the life of me, why anyone would want to go to Paris and waste their time at Disneyland, when there is just so much more better things to see in Paris?! If you want to see Disneyland, bugger off to America and see it! I couldn't possibly say, It would be miles too rude! LOL Go and see The Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, Sacre coeur; walk around the Parisienne streets, go to the parks, visit the old cemetaries, the underground, anything but waste your time and your money here! I wouldn't even go there if it was painted all in pink!

Tip Photo
French Customs

by mileslunn

As a member of Scheghen, there are no longer external border controls with other Scheghen member countries (Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and Spain), however random customs checks still do occur and not necessarily at external frontiers. I was stopped twice by Customs on the Autoroute. They usually hang out around the toll booths. Therefore always have your passport handy (or National ID card if an EU citizen, or Papiers if French citizen) as you can face serious trouble if you don't have proper ID on you. Unlike in Canada and the United States, it is illegal to travel anywhere without proper ID.

Tourist Attractions in France

Top 3 Hotels in France

Four Seasons George V Paris  Paris

 5 Reviews and 551 Opinions  The Four Seasons George V is truly one of the world's great hotels. I really, really love to stay... 

 Hotels in Paris

Palais de la Mediterranee  Nice

 3 Reviews and 672 Opinions  The hotel was amazing, right on the beach. It was very clean and the rooms were of excellent... 

 Hotels in Nice

Hotel Gutenberg  Strasbourg

 1 Review and 183 Opinions  I toured Alsace by bicycle in mid-September, 2008. After the group ride was over, I stayed for 3... 

 Hotels in Strasbourg

14,274 Hotels in France
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
Travel Highlights

The Place

Reviews and photos of France attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for France sightseeing.

Experience France
Tourist Traps: Cities in France
  1. Paris Tourist Traps
  2. Nice Tourist Traps
  3. Lyon Tourist Traps
  4. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Tourist Traps
  5. Versailles Tourist Traps
  6. Marseille Tourist Traps
  7. Cannes Tourist Traps
  8. Strasbourg Tourist Traps
  9. Lille Tourist Traps
  10. Toulouse Tourist Traps
  11. Rouen Tourist Traps
  12. Aix-en-Provence Tourist Traps
  13. Avignon Tourist Traps
  14. Grenoble Tourist Traps
  15. Carcassonne Tourist Traps
  16. Reims Tourist Traps
  17. Lourdes Tourist Traps
  18. Antibes Tourist Traps
  19. Marne-la-Vallée Tourist Traps
  20. Mont Saint Michel Tourist Traps
  21. Colmar Tourist Traps
  22. Montpellier Tourist Traps
  23. Arles Tourist Traps
  24. Dijon Tourist Traps
  25. Bayeux Tourist Traps
  26. Nantes Tourist Traps
  27. Annecy Tourist Traps
  28. Chartres Tourist Traps
  29. Tours Tourist Traps
  30. Villefranche-sur-Mer Tourist Traps
  31. Menton Tourist Traps
  32. Saint-Malo Tourist Traps
  33. Nîmes Tourist Traps
  34. Éze Tourist Traps
  35. Saint-Tropez Tourist Traps
  36. Biarritz Tourist Traps
  37. Amiens Tourist Traps
  38. Honfleur Tourist Traps
  39. Beaune Tourist Traps
  40. Nancy Tourist Traps
  41. Perpignan Tourist Traps
  42. Angers Tourist Traps
  43. Rennes Tourist Traps

More Cities in France

 

Popular Regions in France

Île-de-France Tourist Traps  Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourist Traps  Rhône-Alpes Tourist Traps  Languedoc-Roussillon Tourist Traps  Basse-Normandie Tourist Traps  Bretagne Tourist Traps  Aquitaine Tourist Traps  Centre Tourist Traps  Midi-Pyrénées Tourist Traps  Alsace Tourist Traps  Nord-Pas-de-Calais Tourist Traps  Haute-Normandie Tourist Traps  Bourgogne Tourist Traps  Pays de la Loire Tourist Traps  Picardie Tourist Traps  Champagne-Ardenne Tourist Traps  Lorraine Tourist Traps  Poitou-Charentes Tourist Traps 

More Regions in France

Questions and Answers

Mongy profile photo

Q:  Dear all, Does anyone knows whether it is possible to get a phone sim card in France for use during a short term/traveller stay... 

gwened profile photo

A: get it at any mobile phone provider Bouygues, SFR or Orange. I use Orange. very easy http://agence.orange.fr/search?query=paris&st_like%5BSERVICES%5D%5B%5D=%25 have... 

Read 3 Replies

postQuestion_button

France Members Meetings

Jun 21, 2012 
Music Festival in Paris
Jun 22, 2012 
Picnic and Dancing by the River in Paris

see all France member meetings

Click here for best deals for France

Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Save money, Book now !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates
Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Find the perfect activity!
Expedia.com Book early before things sell out. Skip long lines and save on tickets!

Sponsored Links