Working Remotely in Paris, France
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Paris, France: Travel Guide for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
Paris is where my digital nomad journey ends — for now! It’s a bit surreal to think about as I’ve been traveling and writing this Working Remotely series consistently for the past 4 years. Soon, I’ll be picking a more permanent home base and putting away my carry-on suitcase for the foreseeable future.
But what better place to end my digital nomad journey than the baguette capital of the world? This is my second time visiting this city of romance and cheese, and I loved every moment of it. Instead of spending just 3 days here like my first trip back in 2019, I spent over 3 weeks exploring the city with my partner Kyle.
If you love art, architecture, and cheese — this is the place for you.
Where to Stay in Paris, France for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
We stayed at the cutest Airbnb with stunning views in the neighborhood of Montmartre. From one set of windows we were able to see Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, and from the other we could see the Eiffel Tower. Plus, the French woman who runs this flat is just the nicest, and when we needed some extra things for our stay she was quick to accommodate us. I highly recommend you book it if you can for your next stay in Paris!
If the place we stayed in is booked for your dates, you should also check the host’s profile as she has a brand new apartment opening up soon (as of fall 2024) with a full-on view of the Sacré-Coeur from the bedroom. We took a look at it before we left and it looked very dreamy as well.
We loved staying in the Montmartre neighborhood as it’s located by tons of great restaurants, attractions, and subway stops. We went to the Neoness gym nearby (which was around $100 for a one-month pass) and were walking distance of some of the best bakeries in Paris. We were also a long walk from many of the tours I’ll recommend to you in the next section, and it was also easy to hop on the subway if we wanted to get somewhere faster.
What to Do in Paris, France for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
We did so much during our three weeks in Paris! There’s a ton of fun things to do in this city — even moreso compared to other European cities like London. Paris has always had some really once-in-a-lifetime type stuff to do, and I feel like the city is so unique and has quite a vibe to it. You have to experience it for yourself to see what I mean.
Here are my favorite things to do in the city:
Take a Parisian Food and Market Tour with a Local Chef. This was one of my favorite activities we did in Paris. For this tour, a local chef will guide you through a market tour with tons of bites and tastings. Even something as simple as grapes are made so much more magical here in Paris — and the cheese tasting selection was out of this world. This is a must-do and I recommend you book way in advance.
Play a Magician-Themed Escape Room. My partner Kyle loves escape rooms, and he has a knack for finding some of the most inventive rooms in the world. This magic-themed room featured a cool magic show within the escape room itself, and we had a great time. This is a great activity to do with a date or a group of friends, and it’s a rare escape room that you only need 2 people to complete.
Visit the Fairground Museum. This was one of the most unexpected museums I’ve ever been to — and I’m not usually what you would call a “museum person.” To experience this museum, you go through a guided tour (only offered in French, but they give you handouts to follow along) and you get an immersive look on some really fun Fairground and Carnival pieces that are just so fun. I don’t want to spoil anything — just book this!
Visit the Paris Catacombs. I wrote an entire story set in the Paris catacombs for my book The Nomad Detective: Volume I, so I was excited to visit in person. To be honest, I feel like it was a bit overhyped, but I still really enjoyed my visit. Tickets can be hard to get, so make sure to book in advance via the official website.
Visit the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is a classic Parisian attraction and worth a visit. You can ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower (which we didn’t do) but I honestly think just a stroll by it is enough to enjoy this famous landmark.
Visit Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. If you’re a John Wick fan, you’ll remember this as the location of a famous fight scene in the most recent movie. If you’re not, it’s still a cool attraction to visit: go at night to see it at its most impressive when it’s all lit up.
Visit Musée d'Orsay. If you like museums, go here instead of the Louvre. I mean, you can go to both if you have time, but I loved this museum more! The architecture of this building is particularly breathtaking, and there are lots of great exhibits and famous paintings housed here.
Take a Ghost Tour of Paris. We took this fun ghost tour of Paris — perfect for spooky season. It had a nice balance of historical and ghost stories.
Go to Paris Disneyland. Kyle and I are on a mission to go to all the Disneyland theme parks in the world, so we had to check this one off of our list :) This was lots of fun, but I have to say not the best Disneyland we’ve been to. It’s a fun day trip, but you can definitely do two parks in one day as Walt Disney Studios Park doesn’t have very much open to the public as most of it is under construction.
What to Eat in Paris, France for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
If you’re coming to Paris, expect to eat tons of cheese and bread. Italian food is the most common here, but if you’re hankering for something that resembles a vegetable, you’ll need to find a Mediterranean or Lebanese restaurant of some kind.
Here are some of my favorite food picks:
For Brunch: Kozy. This brunch place in Montmartre is one of many locations around Paris, and it was easily our favorite brunch place. Their eggs benedict with halloumi cheese was amazing, and their chocolate chip cookie was also great.
For Bread and Pastries: Le Pain Retrové. You know it’s a legit bakery when locals are lined up around the block for it — which is how we discovered this gem! The chocolate chip cookies, pizza bread thing, and their croissants were next level. Worth the wait!
For Lunch: Le Zingam. Get a baguette sandwich here for an easy, no-frills lunch at this quaint grocery store/restaurant. They have a great vegetarian option with in-season produce that rotates.
For Juice and Lunch: Soup and Juice. We would go here after our workouts to grab — you guessed it! — some juice and occasionally soup.
For Dinner: Pink Mamma. This legendary Italian restaurant has a line around the block, but it has multiple levels so don’t be intimidated. Get there early and sit at the bar if you don’t have a reservation so you can experience some amazing burrata and pizzas. This was also the (very rare!!) place that we were able to serve a salad at (which can be hard to find in Paris) so we were thankful for the nice greens.
For Dinner: Kuna. What a great Indian food restaurant with some awesome flavors — the naan wraps here are great. Highly recommend the vegetarian one with the halloumi cheese (the French love their Halloumi!)
For Boba: Machi Machi. This is one of my favorite boba tea places and it has a few different locations around the city.
For Dessert: Bachir. I had never tried Lebanese ice cream up until recently, and I’m newly obsessed. Get their classic pistachio-coated ice cream — it’s mindblowing and way better than you think.
My Overall Thoughts on Paris, France
It’s weird to be writing this on a flight back to the United States. Even though I have one more international business trip planned for the year, it’s strange to be returning home to find a place to live and not booking my next leg of travel as a digital nomad.
With that said, I thought Paris was a great sendoff trip. This city feels romantic and sweet — and the bread and cuisine here is just next level. While the city isn’t as affordable as other digital nomad hubs, it’s not crazy unaffordable, either — especially if you’re earning in USD.
I will say that there are a few sections of Paris that feel a bit seedy. Just be careful if you’re walking alone at night. As a woman I felt safe, but there were a few areas I wouldn’t have chosen to walk down. I felt safe taking the train, but often ended up taking Bolts (their version of Uber) because they gave us a 30% off coupon for several weeks and the rides were nearly the same price as the subway.
Just be aware that there isn’t a ton of infrastructure for digital nomads. Co-working spaces are rare and laptops aren’t really allowed at most cafes, so you’ll need to find accommodation with a good desk.
Otherwise, there were lots of English speakers and I found that the expat community felt very present in France. You won’t have any trouble getting around in France, and everyone was so friendly that you’ll likely make new friends fast. Paris is one of those cities that is worth the hype and everyone should spend time here at least once in their lives.
My Ratings of Paris, France as a Digital Nomad
Affordability: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Paris is a big city, and is slightly cheaper than American cities like NYC or SF. Plan accordingly!
Food Quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. Food in Paris is great, but can be very heavy. You’ll have a hard time finding things like salads here. We did eventually find some favorites, but just be prepared to have bread and cheese at every meal.
Vegetarian Options: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. There were lots of vegetarian options in Paris, and if you eat cheese you’ll never go hungry.
Adventures/Day Trips: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. We took a day trip to Tours, France and saw a cool castle. There are a lot of different trips you can do using Paris as your home base — especially in sunnier times of the year!
Cafes/Co-Working Space Availability: ⭐️ 1/5 stars. There were very few coffeeshops with co-working spaces, and even the co-working spaces I researched only looked so-so. You’ll have a hard time finding good work spaces here, so I’d recommend finding an accommodation with a desk or a good workspace.
Digital Nomad-Friendly City: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. Paris has a huge expat community, and contrary to popular belief everyone is incredibly nice and welcoming — including the locals! English is spoken pretty much everywhere in Paris, and it’s easy to get around on the metro or by foot. This is a great city to be in even with the less-than-ideal co-working options.
Value of Accommodations for Remote Workers: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. While you can find some nice places for longer-term stays, expect them to be a bit pricey, even in the off-season. Paris is a bustling hub, so Airbnbs will be more expensive and smaller here.
General Weather: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. I was pleasantly surprised by how many sunny days we got even at the end of October, despite it getting cold at the end of the month. While it can get rainy and cold, we had some really gorgeous days here and the temperature was never too abysmally freezing. I’ve been in Paris in the summertime as well, and it’s generally gorgeous year-round with the exception of deep winter.
Air Quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. There were a few days where pollution jumped up a bit, so just be aware that Paris deals with pollution like other major cities do.
Water Quality: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. People say the tap water safe, but we tested the tap and it was hard water. Better to go bottled.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. Paris is a city of romance, art, and great food. It’s an inspiring place to live and work — and a perfect place for digital nomads.
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