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Keep My Paris Wardrobe Neutral and Timeless

What Parisian Women Actually Wear (It’s Not What You Think)

Paris has a way of making trends look desperate. The women who look effortlessly chic on the streets of Le Marais or Saint-Germain aren’t wearing whatever arrived in stores last month.

They’re wearing the same navy blazer they’ve had for ten years and it looks perfect.

My Paris packing palette: navy, camel, cream, black, a soft stripe. Colors that work with everything I bring, that photograph beautifully against limestone architecture and cobblestones, and that feel inherently Parisian.

These aren’t boring choices but instead they’re timeless ones.

Timeless also means quality. I would rather pack three beautifully made pieces than six items I feel lukewarm about.

A cashmere sweater, a well-cut blazer, leather shoes I’ve already broken in, this is what reads as chic. Not newness. Intentionality.

You can see all the pieces I always pack for Paris no matter the season here.

A Note on Shoes

Comfortable shoes are non-negotiable in Paris. You will walk 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day. I bring loafers or leather sneakers that have been worn in at home before I leave. Blisters are not a Parisian accessory.

Book a Few Key Paris Reservations Before I Leave Home

The Best Paris Restaurants to Reserve in Advance

Paris is best when you slow down but a few well-chosen reservations make the experience feel seamless.

Paris rewards wandering. Some of my favorite moments in this city have come from turning down a street I didn’t plan to and finding something beautiful.

I never want to over-schedule a Paris trip. But a few key reservations, made in advance, create the structure that makes real spontaneity possible.

What I always book ahead of time:

• One special dinner.The Paris restaurants worth going to — Septime, Frenchie, Le Comptoir du Relais — often require weeks, sometimes months, of advance notice. If there’s a restaurant on your list, book it the same week you book your flights, if available. Some restaurants only allow reservations a few weeks out.
• Museum timed entry.The Musée d’Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, and Versailles all have timed entry slots that sell out. Booking online means you walk straight in while others queue.
• A salon or spa visit, if that’s part of how you like to experience a city. Paris has some of the world’s best, and they fill up.

These anchors don’t constrain the trip but they free it. In between, I wander without pressure. I sit at a café and watch Paris go by. I discover the things I didn’t plan. That’s when the city really opens up.

Pack My Airplane Bag Intentionally for the Paris Flight

What to Pack in Your Carry-On for a Long-Haul Flight to Paris

A long flight is so much better when you’re prepared. My non-negotiables: Bombas socks, AirFly bluetooth adapter, charger, and a cashmere wrap. Comfort and chic even at 30,000 feet.

A transatlantic flight to Paris is eight to ten hours. You will feel exactly as good when you land as you prepared to feel when you boarded.

Your airplane bag is not an afterthought but the first step in a beautiful arrival.

My carry-on non-negotiables for the flight to Paris:

• Bombas socks— I slip into these the moment I board. Soft, cozy, and my feet genuinely thank me on arrival.
• AirFly Bluetooth adapter— so I can use my own wireless headphones with the in-flight entertainment system. A small thing that makes a real difference over eight hours.
• Charger and portable battery— phone fully charged before landing means navigation is ready the moment I walk out of Charles de Gaulle.
• A cashmere wrap— my most-used airplane item. It serves as a blanket, a pillow buffer, extra warmth, and doubles as a scarf once I’m on the ground in Paris.

Make Sure My Tech Is Completely Ready Before Leaving for Paris

Paris Trip Tech Checklist: What to Prepare Before You Fly

Before I zip my bag: adapters, all cords, portable charger, cameras fully charged, and Google Maps downloaded offline. Tech chaos is not a chic arrival.

There is nothing less desirable than arriving at Charles de Gaulle tired and disoriented. Only to realize you forgot your adapter, your camera is dead, and Google Maps won’t load because you didn’t download offline maps. I have learned this the hard way so you don’t have to.

My pre-Paris tech checklist:

• EU power adapter (Type E)— France uses a different outlet than North America. I pack two because one always ends up buried when I need it most.
• All charging cables— phone, camera, earbuds, portable battery. I lay them all out before I pack and check them off one by one.
• Portable battery pack— fully charged before departure. Non-negotiable for long days of walking and photographing Paris.
• Camera batteries fully charged— Paris deserves your best photography. Dead batteries on day one are a real heartbreak.
• Google Maps offline — Paris downloaded— Go into Google Maps, search Paris, and download the map before you fly. Offline navigation means you’re never lost even without data.

Always Have a Travel Wellness Pouch Ready for the Flight

What to Pack in Your Airplane Wellness Kit for Long-Haul Travel

Tucked in my plane bag: a toothbrush, toothpaste, eye patches, hand cream, medications, and face spray. I land feeling refreshed, not depleted.

This small pouch is one of the most impactful things I pack. About an hour before landing, I take it into the bathroom and do a quick refresh.

Brush teeth, press on eye patches, mist my face, apply hand cream. I walk off the plane feeling human. Not perfect, but present. That matters when you’re about to step into Paris.

What lives in my travel wellness pouch:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste— the single most refreshing thing you can do mid-flight.
• Under-eye patches— I press these on a few hours into the flight and wake up looking significantly more rested than I feel.
• Rich hand cream— airplane cabins are brutally drying. A good hand cream is the difference between arriving parched and arriving polished.
• Face mist— I spritz throughout the flight and just before landing. It wakes up your skin instantly.
• Medications— whatever you take regularly, plus melatonin and something for headaches. Don’t wait until you need them to realize they’re in your checked bag.

The Refresh Ritual

About 60–90 minutes before landing, do your full refresh. Brush teeth, apply patches, mist your face, put on hand cream, and change into your landing outfit if you packed one.

You’ll feel the difference the moment you step off the plane.

Download Timeshifter to Beat Paris Jet Lag

How to Avoid Jet Lag When Traveling to Paris From the US

I download Timeshifter before every trip. It tells you exactly when to sleep, get light exposure, and avoid caffeine so you land in Paris feeling human and not jet lagged for the first two days.

Jet lag used to steal the first two days of every Paris trip. I’d arrive exhausted, fall asleep at 4pm, wake at 2am, and spend the early part of the trip in a fog. Then I discovered Timeshifter, and everything changed.

Timeshifter is an app built on circadian rhythm science. You enter your flight details and it generates a precise, personalized plan: when to seek light, when to avoid it, when to sleep on the plane, when to have your last caffeine of the day. It accounts for your specific flight, direction of travel, and your natural chronotype.

I start following the Timeshifter protocol two days before my flight. By the time I land in Paris, my body is already beginning to adjust. I’m tired, yes but it’s the good kind of tired that a strong café crème and a walk along the Seine will fix.

Worth Knowing

Timeshifter has a free version for one trip, and a subscription option if you travel frequently. It is genuinely one of the best travel investments I’ve made.

Start the protocol at least 48 hours before departure for best results.

Book My Airport Transfer from CDG to Paris in Advance

Best Ways to Get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris

No scrambling for a taxi after a long flight. Having my transfer already booked means I step off the plane and glide straight into Paris.

After an eight-hour overnight flight, the last thing I want is to figure out transportation while I’m exhausted and carrying luggage.

Having my transfer arranged in advance means I clear customs, walk outside, and my car is already waiting. It’s a small luxury that makes an enormous difference in how the trip begins.

Your main options for getting from Charles de Gaulle to Paris:

• Pre-booked private car or sedan— services like Blacklane, G7, or your hotel’s car service. More expensive, but the comfort and ease are worth it on arrival day. Your driver meets you at arrivals with a sign. My preference is Victors Cabs.
• Uber— available at CDG and generally reliable. Book as soon as you land while you’re waiting for luggage.
• RER B train— the most affordable option and surprisingly pleasant. It runs directly to central Paris (Saint-Michel, Châtelet, Gare du Nord). Perfectly manageable if you have a rolling bag rather than heavy luggage.

The Ritual Is the Arrival

When I do all eight of these things before a Paris trip, the journey becomes part of the experience rather than something to survive.

I arrive at my apartment or hotel already settled and not frantic, not depleted, not wishing I’d packed differently.

Paris rewards presence. When you’re not scrambling, you can actually see it.

The light at 7am on the Seine. The perfectly stacked croissants in the boulangerie window.

The woman in a perfectly tied scarf who doesn’t look like she’s trying at all.

That ease begins before you leave home. These eight steps are how I create it.

Planning Your Own Paris Trip?

Your Essential Guide to Paris covers everything the best neighborhoods, favorite cafés, unique Parisian experiences, and how to move through the city like you belong there.

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