Paris · France
Staying online in Paris
Paris rewards a working phone more than a phrasebook: museum slots, metro disruptions, and the bistro that will not answer if you are five minutes late.
Before you land
CDG and Orly both have official taxis and RER or metro links that are miserable to decode from a paper map when you are jet-lagged. Install on the plane. The RER B into the city is the classic first ride; check the board, because it splits.
Getting around
The metro is dense and the RATP app, plus Google Maps, is how you hear about a closed exit before you walk to it. Buses are the scenic option and the one that needs a live map. Walking is the default inside a neighborhood.
Where the data actually goes
The Marais, Saint-Germain, and the Canal are walking districts. Versailles is a train, not a metro stop, and the gardens eat an afternoon. Montmartre looks close to Pigalle on the map and uphill in person.
Which plan to buy
A 10GB week covers maps, tickets, and photos. A regional Europe plan is the better buy if the next stop is Brussels or Amsterdam on the same trip.
Practical notes
Museum times go to people who booked ahead. Cafes will hold a table if you message; they will not hold it if your data died. Plugs are type C and E.
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