In some ways, London and Paris feel worlds apart. One has wide boulevards, the other has a higgledy-piggledy road map. One is famed for chivalry and politeness, the other… not so much.
Yet, just 215 miles apart and connected by a 2hr 15m train journey, the two cities feel closer today than ever. After all, these are two multicultural, sprawling metropolises, each showcasing architecture treasures on their streets and artistic masterpieces in their galleries.
The two cities each receive around 20 million visitors per year, jostling for the title of Europe’s most popular tourist city. Indeed the brotherly competition will come to a head in another sense this weekend, when Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain go head-to-head in the Champions League final in Budapest.
So, which is the best for a city break? To find out, we have assessed a number of categories – museums, cuisine, transport and more – plus included insights from our experts. Let us know whether you agree or disagree in the comments section below.
For food and drink
Winner: Paris
Tomé Morrissy-Swan, a food and drink expert at The Telegraph, says: “London is a world-class food city. You can find almost anything at any price point. You can easily waste £100 on a subpar meal, but, if you know where to go, £20 can get you a feast.
“There’s wonderful diversity, too: South Asian, Turkish and Caribbean cuisines are a highlight. There are more trendy, modern restaurants than you can shake a small plate at, plus pubs offering world-class food in a relaxed setting, boundary-pushing Michelin-star spots and tiny community cafes where the food is just as good.
“I had believed the rumours about Paris: the bistro was dead, everything was microwaved. I hadn’t been in more than a decade before visiting several times over the past two years, and while that may be true in touristy spots, if you head a little further out, Paris is thriving. Incredible cooking is everywhere; modern bistros are taking inspiration from all over.
“In most places you’ll pay less, but not by much, than the equivalent in London. The service is immeasurably better, too. I absolutely love London’s food scene, but Paris shades it – just.”
For museums and galleries
Winner: London
This is where things get tricky. Paris has the world’s largest art museum in the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Meanwhile, the Musée d’Orsay, set in a converted railway station, has what is probably the planet’s best collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art, packed with the works of Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir and more. For the big masterpieces, Paris might edge it.
But then again, the British Museum exhibits the planet’s greatest display of human history, and the Tate Modern, National Gallery, V&A, and Science Museum form a network of world-beating collections. Kensington might be the most intellectually stimulating urban neighbourhood on the planet.
With all that in mind, the deciding factor has to be cost. Paris’s national museums come with an entry fee (except on the last Sunday of every month), whereas London’s are all free to enter. This is a privilege for any tourist. And for this reason alone, London edges it.
Shopping
Winner: Paris
Caroline Leaper, The Telegraph’s Deputy Fashion Director, says: “There are plenty of wonderful places to shop in London. Mooching in Liberty or Selfridges – though I do hate the crowds – or in good old M&S or John Lewis. These are experiences of convenience, quality for price and customer service standards that cannot be matched.
“And yet Paris is the undisputed fashion capital of the world, and it offers a romantic and fantastical shopping experience. This is the home of Dior and Chanel; there’s history in every building. Browse the original Avenue Montaigne Dior store, then pop into the adjoining La Galerie Dior museum to become completely immersed in the story of the house. Go into Chanel on Rue Cambon and glimpse the mirrored staircase leading to Coco Chanel’s private apartment.
“Paris’s ‘high street’ experiences feel elevated and boutique, too: a trip to a curated L’Appartement Sézane or Balzac feels more like a nose around a chic friend’s place than a schlep round a stalwart store.
“Even the city’s supermarket clothes hit differently, with every fashion editor I know buying their children’s clothes from Monoprix.
“Finally, Paris kicks London’s derriere on vintage. London is great for those who truly love the trawl. But can you really beat the thrill of acquiring a designer archive piece at a place like Thanx God I’m A VIP? Ignore the name, this is where the serious label lovers find the gems they will treasure for decades and pass down to their children.”
Tourist attractions
Winner: Joint
Where do we even begin? In London, you have the historic fortress of the Tower of London, Big Ben, the bustle of Soho and the West End, plus the grandeur of St Paul’s Cathedral. In Paris, there’s the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the charm of Montmartre and the spectacle of Notre-Dame. And that is to name just a few of each city’s blockbuster tourist attractions.
Both London and Paris are steeped in such history and populated with such glorious architectural relics that it is impossible to make a sensible differentiation between the two. So, it’s a tie.
Sports
Winner: London
There’s not much to debate here. London is home to half a dozen Premier League sides plus Wembley Stadium and countless lower-league stadiums, making it the footballing capital of the universe. Paris has just two big stadiums in the Stade de France and Parc des Princes, plus the smaller Stade Jean-Bouin. Sure, Roland Garros is the world’s best clay tennis court, but does it have the charm of the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon? Non. Throw in Lord’s and the Oval for cricket, Twickenham for rugby, the world’s most prestigious marathon, and London has a sporting event to cater for every taste.
Transport
Winner: Paris
The two cities have two quite distinct metro systems. The London Underground has a far wider geographic coverage, stretching into suburbia, whereas the Paris Métro is more compact with more frequent stops in the city centre, which is ultimately more useful for tourists.
That said, the London tube network generally feels cleaner and more modern than in Paris, and it is a bonus that tourists can tap in and out using their debit card. In Paris, you must buy a Navigo Pass (like the Oyster) or an individual ticket for travel, but you do get 120 minutes for €2.55 (£2.15), whereas a single Zone One journey in London costs £3.
The deciding factor, then, is what occurs above ground. The London bus is an icon in its own right. However, Paris has one of Europe’s best cycling networks – more than 621 miles laid out in a grid pattern with segregated lanes. London is catching up, but Paris is better. The city also voted in a referendum to ban the wretched e-scooters from its streets, whereas you can still rent these in London. By a whisker, Paris wins.
Outdoor space
Winner: London
According to Husqvarna, which logs green coverage in global cities, London has 41 per cent of total green space with a tree coverage of 24 per cent, whereas Paris has 15 per cent of green space and 13 per cent tree coverage.
Both cities boast wonderful public parks. In Paris, the Tuileries were the backyard of both Marie Antoinette and Napoleon, while the picturesque Jardin du Luxembourg comes alive in summer with pétanque games, basketball and busy tennis courts.
However, for the visiting tourist, central London’s chain of Royal Parks is unrivalled. To have Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, St James’s Park, Green Park and Kensington Gardens all within Zone One is a superlative tourist offering. For bonus points, at 2,500 acres, Richmond Park beats Paris’s largest park, the 2,088-acre Bois de Boulogne.
Safety
Winner: London
It’s close. According to the Numbeo Crime Index, in a poll of more than 1,200 people, 60.64 per cent of respondents said they had worries about being mugged or robbed in Paris, compared to 58.84 per cent in London. A higher percentage of people reported feeling safe in London both during the day and after dark compared to Paris, while a recent study by UCL showed that the annual rate of personal robbery was higher in Paris than London between 2012 and 2020.
In some crime categories, London has worse crime and safety records – business robbery, residential burglary, motor vehicle theft – but where tourist crimes are concerned, London is marginally safer than Paris.
Hotels
Winner: Paris
Patrick Hamilton Courtney, content editor for The Telegraph’s hotels team, says: “If we start at the top, with London’s grandes dames and Paris’ ‘Palaces’ – a hotel designation unique to France – the race is tight.
“London has infallible icons such as Claridge’s alongside billion-pound newcomers Raffles at the OWO and the Peninsula. But it’s hard to compete with the transportive fantasy of Paris offerings. There’s nothing, for example, quite like the neoclassical architecture and majestic Place de la Concorde setting of Hotel de Crillon. And, if we look at spiritual sisters the Ritz London and Ritz Paris, the latter edges ahead thanks to its legendary location and splendid swimming pool.
“In the boutique category, the two cities are quite evenly matched. London offers eclectic hideaways, including Broadwick Soho and Hazlitt’s, but Paris tempts more potently with the impossible chic of Hôtel Balzac and Hôtel Des Grands Voyageurs, plus the maximalist La Fantaisie.
“So, what of affordability? At the top end, London’s best addresses are more wallet-friendly than Paris’s exorbitant equivalents – but at that level, one has to wonder how much the lofty clientele cares. And if we’re planning a weekend away, Paris’s smaller boutique properties offer a lower price point, making stylish sojourns a little more doable. For that reason, Paris ultimately wins thanks to its combination of fairy-tale hospitality and thriftiness where it matters.”
The deciding vote
So, Paris wins in four categories and London wins in four, with nothing to separate the two when it comes to the calibre of their big-hitting tourist attractions. In this situation, we turn to our destination expert, Hannah Meltzer, for the deciding vote.
“As a Londoner by birth and Parisian by adoption, I most definitely have skin in the game on both sides here. Both cities are breathtaking in different ways; the sparkling Seine and its beautiful banks and bridges or the murky old Thames lined by a glorious hotchpotch of architecture from every era? There is no doubt that London’s parks and free-to-enter museums are world-beating, and the friendliness is, well, much friendlier.
“But for a city break specifically, I have to give it to Paris. Hotels-wise, it really has it all, from tiny, eccentric addresses to the superlatively lavish Palace-grade hotels such as the Ritz and Le Bristol. As a Brit living here, I tire of the mockery of English food, but I must admit that the overall quality of restaurants, even just local bistros, is really excellent [in Paris], and there are countless independent addresses, versus the more chain-led London dining.
“Lastly, but importantly, Paris is so much more compact than London, meaning you can easily whizz about on the Metro, hit the big sights on foot or get around using the excellent cycle network. London will always have my heart, but, in this instance, I’m afraid the French capital has my vote.”