A first trip to Paris takes a slightly different kind of planning than your average city break. The city carries a reputation that’s both magnificent and a little intimidating — too much to see, too many clichés to confirm or disprove. Here are a few things we hear ourselves repeating to first-time visitors.

Don’t plan your first day too tightly

It’s tempting to want to fit in the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Montmartre before dinner on day one. Resist it, especially after a long-haul flight. Jet lag and travel fatigue make the first day genuinely well suited to doing… not much. An aimless walk, a coffee on a terrace, some time to simply watch the city go about its day. The Louvre will still be there tomorrow, and you’ll actually enjoy it with your eyes open.

The metro isn’t as confusing as its reputation suggests

A lot of first-time visitors dread the Paris metro because of its maze-like reputation. In reality, it’s fairly logical once you realize each line is named after its terminus station in each direction. A ticket, an app like Citymapper, and you’re set. Just keep in mind that some stations, especially at rush hour, aren’t the friendliest places to navigate with large suitcases.

Book your first journey ahead of time

This is the piece of advice we repeat most, and not only because we happen to be chauffeurs: your very first experience of the city, the one that sets the tone for the rest of the trip, shouldn’t start with a tired search for a taxi outside an airport you don’t know yet. Booking your airport transfer in advance — whichever option you choose — removes that initial uncertainty that can otherwise dampen the first hours of a trip you’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

Arrondissements aren’t as mysterious as they sound

Paris is arranged in a spiral, from the 1st arrondissement (the centre, around the Louvre) out to the 20th. In practice, a hotel in the 4th or 6th puts you right in the historic heart of the city. In the 15th or 17th, you’re further out but often better connected than you’d expect. A quick glance at a map before you leave will save you a few surprises with your daily commute around the city.

Plan meals with some flexibility

Parisians eat dinner late — rarely before 8pm — and many restaurant kitchens close between lunch and dinner service. If you land starving at 3pm on a Sunday, the nearest bakery will often be your best friend until dinner time rolls around.

One last thought: Paris rewards a slower pace more than a rushed one. Leave room in your schedule, let an unplanned street surprise you, and the rest tends to follow.