Taxis & apps: our essentials for Paris

Used as the official guide by over 3,000 museums worldwide, izi.TRAVEL offers audioguides and geolocated walking routes created by 20,000 storytellers: journalists, historians, local guides. The app detects your location and automatically triggers the narration at exactly the right spot, with text, photos and audio. For families, the multimedia stories keep children engaged while adults discover the behind-the-scenes of each place.

Why use it: Great for exploring Paris at your own pace, without a group.

Good to know: Bring earphones and download content in advance to save data.

Live waiting times at the entrances of the major museums, plus hour by hour crowd forecasts for the days ahead.

Why use it: Know before you leave whether the queue at the Louvre is reasonable, and above all which entrance to head for: the tool separates the Pyramid, Carrousel and Richelieu queues. The Louvre itself points visitors to it. Orsay, Versailles, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Orangerie and the Arc de Triomphe are also covered.

Good to know: Free, ad free and no account required. The app also covers many libraries and swimming pools of no interest to a visitor, so go straight to the search box and look up the place you want.

Curated Paris guide for restaurants, bars and cafés with a trendy angle; useful to find good spots fast; double-check hours and booking.

The official app of the French police and gendarmerie: a chat open 24/7 with an officer, and online reporting for theft, fraud or bank card scams.

Why use it: If you are pickpocketed or lose your papers, it lets you start the process without going to a police station, which is what unlocks your travel insurance refund. The chat offers interpreting in more than 130 languages.

Good to know: The app interface is in French. For a life threatening emergency, call 112: free, reachable from any phone and in every language. Do tell reception as well, we will help you with the formalities.

Big Bus Tours offers a hop-on hop-off open-top bus circuit with two lines: Red (11 stops: Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Champs-Elysees, Louvre) and Blue (Montmartre). Buses run every 10 minutes, with commentary in 11 languages and free wifi. The pass is available in 24h, 48h or 72h options, and can include a Seine cruise, a good way to connect the major sights without wearing yourself out.

Why use it: Saves time linking the big spots (Eiffel Tower, Opera, Champs-Elysees...), all above ground.

Good to know: Check the frequency and last-bus times to avoid an unexpectedly long journey back.

Instant translation, including through the camera: point your phone at a restaurant menu or a sign and the translation appears directly on the image.

Why use it: Decipher a menu, a label or a museum opening time in a second, and hold a conversation using voice mode, which translates both ways.

Good to know: Download the French language pack before you arrive: translation then works offline, which matters in the metro where the signal is poor. Free and with no usage limit.

FlashInvaders is the urban treasure hunt dreamt up by the artist Invader himself: you photograph his pixelated mosaics (inspired by the Space Invaders arcade game) with the app, a recognition algorithm validates them, and you score points. Paris is home to hundreds of Invaders scattered across every arrondissement, more than 500 m² of mosaics in total. The app has gathered 340,000 active "flashers" worldwide.

Why go: A playful way to explore neighbourhoods and discover urban art.

Good to know: Works best in good weather; wear comfortable shoes.

Founded in 2009 in Germany, GetYourGuide has become the world's leading platform for booking tourist activities: over 300,000 experiences across 8,000 destinations, with 200 million tickets sold to date. For Paris, you'll find skip-the-line tickets, city passes, food tours, walks through lesser-known neighbourhoods, all bookable in minutes from your phone, often with free cancellation the day before.

Why use it: Good for planning and securing time slots in advance.

Good to know: Compare inclusions (guide, skip-the-line, schedules) before booking.

The 2, 4 or 6 day pass giving access to more than 50 museums and monuments in Paris and the Paris region: the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe and many more.

Why use it: Worth it from three visits onwards, and it saves you the ticket queue at most sites. Bought online, delivered as an e-ticket to show on your phone.

Good to know: Since 2026 the pass no longer exempts you from booking a time slot at the Louvre, Orsay, the Orangerie, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, the towers of Notre-Dame and Versailles: book your slot in advance or you will be turned away. There is no official app for the pass, the ones found on the stores are published by third parties. The Eiffel Tower is not included.

Paris Aéroport: the official app to track flights, find your terminal and gate, and locate on-site services at CDG and Orly.

Why use it: Practical for real-time updates and stress-free airport navigation.

Good to know: Enable notifications for gate changes and delays.

Paris restaurant finder with filters (neighbourhood, budget, cuisine) to quickly pick a reliable address; save favourites and book ahead for popular spots.

A bespoke private tour agency in Paris: you choose the theme (history, gastronomy, photography, family, shopping...), the pace and the language, and a dedicated guide builds the itinerary around your wishes. A private Louvre visit, a Marais stroll, a Versailles excursion or a wine-and-cheese tasting: everything is customisable, without the constraint of a group. It's the ideal format for a discovery that's truly tailored to you.

Why go: The most efficient way to see highlights with context and smart pacing.

Good to know: Book in advance for peak seasons and popular museums.

The hop-on hop-off river shuttle on the Seine: nine stops at the foot of the great monuments, including the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, Notre-Dame, the Louvre and Concorde. Get on and off as you please all day long.

Why use it: Link the main sights without taking the metro, seated, warm and with the finest view in Paris. A boat every 25 to 40 minutes depending on the season. 24 h pass 23 €, 48 h pass 27 €, reduced rate for children.

Good to know: There is no app to install: the web app guide.batobus.com shows the live waiting time at each stop plus an audio guide in five languages, with free wifi at the landing stages. Sailing can be suspended when the Seine is in flood, so check the traffic notice before setting off.

Citymapper: ultra-handy Paris navigation app comparing metro, bus, walking, bike and shared mobility options.

Why use it: Saves time with reliable routes and real-time suggestions.

Good to know: Enable notifications for disruptions and service changes.

G7: well-known Paris taxi service, convenient for quick bookings (airport rides, late returns, scheduled pick-ups).

Why use it: Reliable option when you prefer official taxis in Paris.

Good to know: Booking in advance can save time during rush hour.

VoiceMap turns your phone into a personal guide: walking-tour podcasts that trigger automatically via GPS, at exactly the right place and the right moment. Created by local storytellers (journalists, novelists, guides) the routes work offline with an integrated map. You walk at your own pace, pause whenever you like, and the narration picks up where you left off. Over 600 destinations are covered worldwide.

Why use it: Great for self-guided sightseeing with local stories and smart routes.

Good to know: Bring headphones and ensure your phone battery is charged.

A TripAdvisor subsidiary since 2014, Viator is one of the world's largest activity-booking platforms: over 300,000 experiences across 8,000 destinations. For Paris, you'll find skip-the-line tickets, food tours, vintage 2CV rides, day trips to Versailles or Giverny, Seine cruises: every provider is vetted, and most offer free cancellation. The app lets you book in minutes.

Why use it: Easy way to plan top Paris activities in one place.

Good to know: Double-check meeting points and time slots before confirming.