Paris Packing List

You have finally secured your vacation to Paris. Congratulations and welcome to the city of lights and the city of romance. This is a dream come true for so many travelers and the start of an epic world traveler journey. But now that you have your tickets and hotel prepared, what do you pack? Traveling to Paris is no walk in the park. There are so many items needed to guide you through a successful trip and it is important to know what essentials you must pack. So, to ensure you’ll have everything you need, here is your perfect Paris Packing List. 

Antitheft Crossbody Bag

The first thing you need on your Paris packing list is an anti-theft crossbody bag. Paris is notorious for scams, pickpocketing, and conning. So much that I had to write an article about it. You can read the most common Paris scams and how to avoid them here. I see so many travelers fall victim to pickpocketing simply because they don’t have the right bags. You don’t want to carry an obvious tourist backpack with zippers on the back. This makes it easy for pickpockets to zip it open without your knowledge and take out its contents. You also don’t want to skip the bag in total and just put your things in your pockets. This also makes it easy for pickpockets to slip in and take it out. 

When traveling to Paris, you want a crossbody anti-theft bag. This bag will deter pickpockets from making you the victim. If they come up to you and try to take it from your bag, they won’t be able to do it sneakily as it will be in front of you or on the side. Then, the zippers are built in a way that makes it hard for anyone to take anything out without the wearer feeling a tugging on it. A crossbody anti-theft bag is one of the most important items on your Paris packing list, it ensures the safety of you, your money, and your important documents. 

You can find the most popular anti-theft crossbody bag on amazon here!

Antitheft Money Belt

In the same sense, you can also opt to purchase anti-theft clothing accessories. More specifically, an anti-theft money belt. If you really don’t travel with much and are against using any type of bag, that does not excuse you from pickpockets. If you are the type to simply put things in your back pocket, jacket pocket, or zippered pocket, trust me, pickpockets will find a way to get in and steal your wallet without your knowledge. 

There is a way around this if you don’t want to wear a bag. The answer is a money belt. A money belt is as the name says, a belt with a hollow inside for you to stow away your money and other very small valuable items. If you plan on only carrying cash and your Identification, invest in a money belt to protect them from pickpockets. With this, pickpockets will assume you are wearing a simple belt and are unlikely to approach you, try anything, or try to scam you. If they did figure out you are wearing a money belt, it is still impossible for them to steal your valuables, because you would obviously feel a tugging at your belt.

If this is the way to go for you, you can purchase your TSA approved money belt on Amazon here.

Pre-Booked Itinerary

Then, on your Paris packing list, you want to make sure to bring your pre-booked itinerary. I say this in every post, and I will say it again, you cannot visit Paris and expect to see every attraction without a reservation. Thousands, if not millions, of travelers visit Paris every single day. This means without a reservation for certain monuments and attractions, you will be waiting in line for hours, sometimes in the cold of rain.

When I visited, I made the mistake of not booking the Eiffel Tower experience before my trip. I figured my party would be tired and wouldn’t want to climb to the second level. When we arrived, it turned out that was just what everyone wanted to do. When we arrived at the Eiffel Tower, first thing in the morning, we found a long line wrapping around the park with a sign indicating a wait time of two hours. Two hours…. First thing in the morning. I can’t imagine how long the wait would have been if we got there any earlier. 

The same applies to the Louvre, Versailles, and most other attractions in Paris. It is best to avoid having to waste time in line or having to miss out on the experience in total. Make the best of your time in Paris and prebook your experience. This will secure your spot in the activity, allow you to skip the line, and make sure you get to see everything you want to. Here are a few experiences below from the top-rated tour groups and guides. You can book them here to ensure your Paris packing list is complete.

Wind Resistant Umbrella

Then on your Paris packing list, you will also need a wind-resistant umbrella. During my travels, I visited Paris and London in the same week. I was thoroughly briefed on how rainy and windy London is and heard nothing of the weather in Paris, so I assumed the weather would be perfect. The truth is, Paris is only about 4 hours from London and is located incredibly close to it. Therefore, the weather will be quite similar year-round. Despite what old Hollywood movies and Netflix shows would like us to believe, Paris is rainy and windy at all times of the year.

I was unprepared for this and found myself in the cold rain trying to take a picture of the Eiffel Tower. Luckily there was an umbrella stand nearby selling Paris-themed umbrellas, but I am pretty sure I was overcharged for it. Don’t be overcharged for a large umbrella you may or may not even be able to take home with you. Instead, buy a good quality travel-sized and wind-resistant umbrella in advance. 

Most umbrellas are usually one or the other. If you find a travel-sized one that fits in your suitcase, it is often flimsy and breakable. At the same time when searching for a wind-resistant one, they are often clunky, heavy, and huge. Neither of these will do for a Paris trip, as you want it to last and be able to fit in your suitcase. 

Here is the top-rated Travel-sized and wind-resistant umbrella for Paris travelers. 

Comfy and Stylish Shoes

Another essential for your Paris packing list is comfy and stylish shoes. Paris is just like New York City, for those of you who have been. This means, there is tons of walking. In fact, there is only walking. You will have to walk everywhere. Though there is the Paris metropolitan and public transportation, you will find everything you want to see is along the block and there is no reason to pay money for something fifteen minutes away. But things will be fifteen minutes away for the entire day. You will be walking all over town and you will see every other local and tourist doing the same. Enjoy it, it is nice to experience a walkable city, especially when coming from a country dependent on cars. However, you need to be well prepared for it. 

In order to prepare you will want to get yourself a pair of comfy shoes. Something with padding, arch support, and whatever other feature you know you will need for your full day of walking. However, don’t wear the 1990’s dad new balances in the streets of Paris, please. For any other destination, that would be fine, but in Paris, style is just as important as comfort. Opt for some minimal white sneakers, chic memory ballet flats, and nicer shoes. Here are two of the most popular shoes I often find locals and tourists strolling through the Paris in. The Ecco White Sneakers and Sketchers Memory Foam Ballet Flats. Both shoes will brave the streets of Paris without sacrificing style or comfort!

Travel Adapter

Lastly, on your Paris packing list, you are going to need a travel adapter. This is essential and something most first-time travelers don’t know about. When you travel to another country, you have to consider the change in outlets. When I first visited Paris a few years ago, I was shocked to find out that they used a different outlet. Therefore, I had to search stores everywhere for a travel adapter to be able to plug in my American three-prong electronics.

You do not want to wait until the last minute or until you fly in to purchase this. One, you will be greatly overcharged, and two, you will be completely desperate for it. Your tickets and documents will be on your phone, your work will be on your laptop, etc. You don’t want to be without a way to charge all of your electronics, especially as dependent as we have been on them in the past decade. 

Here is one of the best travel adapters on Amazon. With this, you can plug in, laptop chargers, phone chargers, and basically everything you will need to plug in on your visit to Paris. 

Searching for more Paris travel tips? Try 6 things you need to know before visiting Paris for the first time.

Don’t know what to do on your Paris trip? Check out 2 days in Paris itinerary.