day tour in paris

Paris in a Day Tour with Louvre, City Walk, Eiffel Tower & River Cruise

777 reviews

Why take this tour?

• Drink in views of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero Square and reflect on the beauty of the city
• Explore the Sacré Coeur Basilica and the neighborhood of Montmartre
• Delve into the heart of Medieval Paris and pay a visit to Notre Dame
• Tour the Louvre Museum to see the Mona Lisa and other masterpieces
• Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the River Seine and take in the city from the water
• Sites Visited
• Sacré Coeur Basilica
• Charming French cafe
• Louvre Museum
• Notre-Dame (exterior)
• Île de la Cité & Pont Neuf
• La Conciergerie (exterior)
• Sainte-Chapelle (exterior)
• Latin Quarter
• Trocadero Square
• Eiffel Tower (exterior)
• Place du Tertre (exterior)
• Le Moulin de la Galette (exterior)
• Le Lapin Agile Cabaret (exterior)
• Seine River Cruise
• Tour Includes
• Local English-speaking guide
• Expertly guided walking tour
• Ticket for Louvre Museum
• One hour Seine River Cruise (flexible ticket)
• Metro tickets

Explore the City of Light on this complete Paris in a Day tour

Total customer reviews: 777, latest reviews.

Meeting Point

Meeting Point Anvers Metro Station. Meet in front of the information kiosk labeled "Paris Tourisme" directly across from the staircase down into the metro station. Your guide will be holding a green Walks sign.

Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.

You Can Also Experience These Similar Tours

• We’re Hiring Guides - Join Us!
• Press / Media
• Terms & Conditions
• Terms Of Use
• Cancellation Policy
• Health & Safety
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Settings
• Affiliate Program
• Travel Agents
• City Experiences
• Devour Tours

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

Paris in a Day: A 1 Day Paris Itinerary

Last updated: December 1, 2023 . Written by Laurence Norah - 32 Comments

We love Paris, it’s one of our favourite cities in Europe and one we have visited many times. Ideally, we’d love for you to visit it for as long as possible! Still, we know that’s not always possible, and you might only have a short amount of time to see the city.

The good news is that whilst having a few days to explore Paris is wonderful, it’s also possible to see many of the highlights of Paris in a day. And in this post, that’s just what we’re going to help you do.

We’ve put together this post to help you get the most out of your 1 day in Paris. It’s going to take you to the highlights of the city – everything you’re going to want to see, even on a 24-hour timetable.

As well as a step-by-step itinerary, we’re also going to share some tips for getting around efficiently, saving money in Paris, tips on where to stay if you’re here overnight, and the fastest way to get to and from the major Paris airports, if you’re arriving by plane. Let’s get started.

Paris in a Day: Itinerary

This is a full all day Paris itinerary that will have you seeing some of our favourite sights in Paris – which also happen to be the highlights of Paris that most visitors want to see. It’s definitely set up to be a full day, with the sights towards the end opening late so you can keep sightseeing even into the evening.

It’s just a suggestion though, so don’t feel obliged to see everything on this list – it’s important to tailor any itinerary you read to your specific interests, available time, budget, and travel style.

• Sainte Chapelle

It took me multiple visits to Paris before I finally made it to Sainte Chapelle . Now I urge everyone to make it a priority on their trip to Paris!

This is a relatively small chapel that is not too far from Notre Dame, but the interior, which consists of almost floor to ceiling stained glass, is absolutely outstanding. It will definitely take your breath away.

The 13th century Saint Chapelle is quite popular, and the small size and mandatory security checks mean that the line to get in can be long. This is why I have put it on my list as the first thing for your second day in Paris – you want to get here early, ideally get in line ten – fifteen minutes before the opening time. After all, no-one wants to spend their time standing in lines.

There’s a fee to enter Saint Chapelle, and you can buy tickets online here .

Sainte Chapelle is close to Notre Dame , one of the world’s most recognisable cathedrals. However, following a devastating fire seriously damaged Notre Dame in 2019, and the cathedral is closed to visitors as a result. We definitely still recommend walking by to get a glimpse of Notre Dame, however you can’t currently go inside.

Other nearby attractions on Île de la Cité include the Conciergerie (you can get a combined ticket for that and Sainte Chapelle here ), and the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation (Deportation Memorial) .

If you’re arriving into Paris on the same day as this itinerary, getting from the airport to Sainte Chapelle isn’t too hard.

From Charles de Gaulle, RER line B stops at St. Michel / Notre Dame, and a single ticket at time of writing costs under €10. From Paris Orly, you can take the Orlyval light rail train to the Antony RER station, from where you can also take the RER line B to the Sainte Chapelle area.

Another option is to take the bus, with bus companies operating routes from both airports into Paris city center. You can also book a shuttle bus transfer or a private transfer from the airports of course.

From Sainte Chapelle to the Louvre Museum , our next stop for our day in Paris, it’s either an 18 minute walk, or around 13 minutes if you take Metro line 7. We’d recommend walking as the views along the river are very pretty, and it doesn’t take much longer.

The Louvre was originally built as a fortress, and the first buildings date from around the 12th century. However, as the city developed, it evolved in function, and in the 16th century it became the main palace of the French Kings when they lived in Paris. Following the French Revolution, it was turned into a museum, and has served as an art museum since 1793.

Today, it is the world’s largest art museum, and is home to over 380,000 objects, with 35,000 on display at any one time. Highlights include the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but as you would imagine, there’s a great deal to see here. In fact, you could probably spend a full day (or more!) just exploring the Louvre.

Of course, with just a day in Paris, this won’t let you see anything else if you really want to explore the Louvre. But if you want to see a lot of highlights in Paris, we suggest you limit yourself to about two hours. Entry is ticketed and timed, and as one of Paris’s most popular attractions, the lines here can be long. This is definitely an attraction you’ll want a skip the line ticket for.

You can buy them from GetYourGuide here , or on the official site here . It’s also included on the Paris City Card .

Alternatively, you can take advantage of a Paris Museum Pass , which includes skip the line access to the Louvre as well as a number of other attractions, however see the note below about reserving your entry time.

Note that in the busy times, which tend to be the summer periods especially, the Louvre gets very busy, and it’s recommended that you purchase a ticket online in advance to avoid disappointement.

If have a Paris Museum Pass , you must reserve your entry online on the official website . This is mandatory for pass holders in order to guarantee entry, and we highly recommend you do this in advance. If you do not reserve your slot in advance, you are not guaranteed entry even with the pass.

Another pass option to consider is the Paris City Card . This includes entry to the Louvre, and you can book the timeslot when you buy the card.

For more on the various pass options in Paris, check out the section further on in the post on saving money during your time in Paris to make sure you get the right option for you.

If you do not have a pass, you can reserve your ticket online on GetYourGuide here , on Tiqets here or on the official website here .

We have found that third party websites may have availability even if the official site does not as their allocation comes from a separate pool. Just note that sometimes there will be a booking fee added to these services which makes the price a touch higher.

We would recommend only using reputable websites – we can recommend either GetYourGuide , or Tiqets , both of which we have used in the past.

• Eiffel Tower

You can’t really avoid seeing the Eiffel Tower when you visit Paris, and a visit to this huge wrought iron tower is a definite must for your day in Paris!

Almost every time we visit Paris we visit the Eiffel Tower, and we are always awed by just how big it is. When it was opened in 1889 it became the tallest man-made structure in the world, with a total height of 324 metres to the very tip. As a visitor, you can go nearly to the top – the very top observation platform is 276 metres above the ground, making it the highest publicly accessible observation deck in Europe.

Of course, you don’t have to go to the very top to enjoy the Eiffel Tower, or in fact, to climb it at all. You can enjoy excellent views of the tower from the Champ de Mars gardens, as well as from the Trocadero on the other side of the River Seine. If pressed for time or not really into the tower, we’d recommend coming here instead for a nice view.

That said, if this is your first visit to Paris, we do recommend that you go up inside the tower. There are three floors that you can visit, and the first two levels even have restaurants. If it’s near a meal time, this is certainly a unique place to get a meal whilst you’re in Paris!

The more casual eateries don’t require reservations but if you want eat at 58 Tour Eiffel or Jules Verne you’ll want to make a reservation before your trip. You can reserve directly with the restaurants here .

The Eiffel Tower is definitely one of the most popular attractions in Paris, and if you want to go up it, it’s very much worth planning a little in advance. The on-site ticket lines get very long, so you definitely want to book in advance.

Tickets for going up the Eiffel tower are available from the official website , and prices vary depending on which level you want to access, and if you want to take the lift or stairs to the first floor.

We very much recommend that you buy your tickets in advance to save time. The best prices are definitely available by booking direct on the official website.

If you’d prefer to take a tour, we recommend this one with 2nd floor access or this one with summit access. These both include free cancellation last time we checked, which official tickets do not.

If you have a Paris Pass , a guided climb to the second floor is included. These tend to run in the middle of the day, so check times on the official site to ensure they meet your schedule. The Paris City Card also includes guided access to the second floor, with optional summit access.

Note that even with pre-booked tickets, you will still need to go through security screening, as with all the other major Paris attractions.

Getting to the Eiffel Tower from the Louvre will involve either a lovely 40-minute walk along the Seine, a 30-minute metro ride, or a 25-minute bus ride. For more tips on visiting, see our complete guide to the Eiffel Tower .

• Seine River Cruise

If all this walking around seems a bit much, then we suggest you take a Seine River Cruise . These are a really popular way to sight-see in Paris, and a number of Seine River cruises depart from right next to the Eiffel Tower.

There are a wide variety of Seine Cruise options available, from shorter cruises of around an hour to ninety minutes, as well as longer cruises that feature a meal.

Additionally, cruises differ in terms of commentary, from pre-recorded to live commentary, as well as the languages on offer. In terms of sight-seeing, cruises usually start at the Eiffel Tower and head along the Seine River towards Notre Dame.

We have a full post comparing Seine River sightseeing options , which we definitely recommend reading to understand all your options. If you’d prefer a dinner cruise, we also have a comprehensive guide to Seine River dinner cruises .

Our recommendation for an Eiffel Tower departure is a cruise with Bateaux Mouches (small discount with our link ) or Bateaux Parisiens . The latter is also included for holders of the Paris Pass and the Paris City Card .

You can also see a selection of cruise options, some of which include dinner, here or here .

• Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is a massive monument in the shape of an arch, which commemorates and honors those who fought and died for France in both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It was commissioned by the Emperor Napoleon in 1806, but due to its massive scale, it was not completed until 1836.

Today, the Arc de Triomphe stands alongside the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre as a must-visit location in Paris. You can admire it from the outside for free, but my suggestion would be to pay the entry fee and to go to the top.

From here, you get stunning views across the city. Twelve roads radiate out from the arch, including the Champs-Élysées, and from the top you can see the majority of the highlights of Paris.

Note that the Arc de Triomphe is in the middle of a huge traffic roundabout, and many visitors make the mistake of trying to walk across this. Don’t do this! There are pedestrian access tunnels which are far safer and what you should be taking.

You can purchase tickets on site for access, although you may have to queue. You can also purchase a skip the line ticket online here which is what we would recommend doing as the cost is the same and you get to skip the ticket line.

From the Eiffel Tower it’s a 15-minute metro ride or half-hour walk to the Arc de Triomphe. If you walk, we suggest going via the Trocadero for great views back to the Eiffel Tower.

Champs-Élysées

From culture to consumerism! The Champs-Élysées is the most famous shopping street to Paris, particularly for luxury items. It’s over a mile long and is home to everything from car brands to clothing stores to French macaroon shops .

It’s also one of the major streets in Paris for celebrations. The Bastille Day military parade for example, passes down the Champs-Élysées every year on the 14th July, and Europe’s most famous cycling race, the Tour de France, has finished here every year since 1975.

The Arc De Triomphe is at one end of the Champs Elysees so it’s easy to get here!

• Tour Montparnasse

Our last suggested stop in Paris, if you still have time and stamina, is the Tour Montparnasse , one of our favourite photography locations in Paris . We’d even argue that if you only go up one “tower” in Paris, you make it this one. That’s because from the top you get a spectacular view of Paris that includes the Eiffel Tower.

The 210 metre high tower has two main observation decks, an inside one which is also home to a restaurant, and an open top floor deck. This is surrounded by glass, but it does have cutouts through which you can take pictures and avoid nasty reflections – something I wish more observation decks in towers had!

This is a wonderful spot for watching the sunset over the Paris, and experiencing the city turning into the “City of Light”, as all the street lights come on and the daylight fades through dusk into night. It’s also open late, so you can come up here relatively late into the evening to enjoy the view.

The Tour Montparnasse is next to Gare Montparnasse, from where you can get the bus to Orly Airport, or take the Metro / RER out to Charles De Gaulle, if your day in Paris doesn’t involve an overnight stop and you have to get out to a transport hub. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to check-in and catch your flight.

There’s an entry fee for visiting, and you can either buy your tickets in person, or you can buy skip the line tickets in advance here on GetYourGuide . Free skip the line entry is also included for holders of the Paris Pass .

Map for Spending A Day in Paris

Here’s a map of the attractions to give you an idea of how it all fits together. As you can see, the route forms a rough circle, and sticks to central Paris, making it easier to get around. You can also see this map  here on Google Maps .

Paris 1 Day Itinerary Summary

Here’s an overview of what you will be doing on your day in Paris for quick reference:

• Louvre Museum
• Champs Elysees

How to Get Around Paris

Paris is an easy city to get around. For much of this itinerary you will be able to travel by foot, and then you can use public transport for any slightly longer trips. The Metro network is easy to use, and there are also buses. Jess loves using this Streetwise laminated map which also includes a metro map.

In terms of tickets, you can buy a single ticket which is valid on Zones 1 and 2 (this includes everywhere on our itinerary), and with this you can travel on either the bus, metro or RER (suburban railway). A better deal though is to buy a pack of ten tickets, known as a Carnet, which can only be loaded to a Navigo Easy card.

The Navigo Easy Card is a rechargeable card system which costs €2 to buy, but if you will be using public transport a few times the savings from the T10 carnet can add up.

Other than being electronically stored, the tickets work the same, so we would recommend visitors to Paris using the Navigo Easy system as the most cost effective method of paying for transport as a visitor to Paris.

You can buy the Navigo Easy card at all Paris Métro stations or RER ticket booths across the city.

It’s also possible to buy a ticket that is valid for a whole day. This is called a Paris Visite Pass. Depending on your situation, this may or may not be better value.

We have a full guide to how to get around Paris , which should help you plan your transport in the city.

Getting to and from Paris Airport

There are three major airports in Paris. Charles de Gaulle is the main airport for international arrivals, with Paris Orly being the second most popular international airport. Both of these airports are easily reachable by public transport from the city centre.

From Paris Orly to central Paris you can take the bus (see information here ), which takes 15 – 20 minutes to get to central Paris.

Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is a little further away. You have the option of taking the bus, which will be around 30-45 minutes, or you can take the RER train from the airport which takes between 25 and 50 minutes to Gare du Nord, depending on if it is a fast or a slow service.

Another option, which might be more cost effective if you are travelling in a group, is to take a taxi or private shuttle. This will take you for a fixed price from the airport to central Paris. You can book this service in advance here .

Walking Tours of Paris

If you want to see the highlights of Paris in a day, but would prefer to do so as part of a guided tour, then we suggest you take a look at Take Walks . We’ve used them for walking tours in cities around the world, and have never been disappointed.

They focus on small group tours, led by experts, and they have a number of walking tours in Paris we can recommend. These are:

• A full day walking tour of Paris which includes many of the highlights in our post, including a major art museum, the Eiffel Tower, and a Seine River Cruise
• A three hour tour that includes Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame
• They also have more tours in Paris, see all the options here

Of course, there are other operators running tours in Paris, such as  this delicious looking food tour ,  this in-depth tour of Hemingway locations  in Paris or  this tour of Montmartre .

As you can see, there are lots of good options for walking tours in Paris!

Where to Stay in Paris

If you have the time to spend a night in Paris, this will definitely give you more time to fit more into your day as you won’t have to rush off and catch a flight or train to your next destination. You might even be able to fit in a bit more sight-seeing, so check out our 2 day and 3 day Paris itineraries for some inspiration.

Paris has no shortage of accommodation options across a wide variety of budgets. Whilst it’s by no means a cheap destination, we think good value can be had. Based on our itinerary, we’d recommend finding somewhere as central as your budget will allow, to reduce time spent travelling to and from your accommodation.

Our recommended tool for finding accommodation in Paris  booking.com . They’re our favourite booking engine when we travel, usually giving us the best choice and the best prices. They also have everything, from apartments and hostels to high end hotels. Here are some options we suggest, depending on your budget.

• The People – Paris Marais , a well-reviewed hostel in the Marais, one of our favourite parts of Paris to stay
• Hôtel Eiffel Turenne , a well rated 3* hotel within a ten-minute walk of the Eiffel Tower
• Hotel Dress Code & Spa , a highly reviewed centrally located 4-star hotel right a few hundred yards from the opera house
• Hotel le Compostelle , a highly rated 3* hotel centrally located near the Louvre Museum
• The Montparnasse Studio Deluxe – a highly rated apartment right next to where our itinerary ends

If you prefer an apartment, then we recommend Plum Guide or Vrbo .

Plum Guide carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. We’ve stayed at a number of their properties around the world, including a beautiful apartment in Paris with spectacular Eiffel Tower views. See their listings for Paris here .

If you can’t find what you want from the above choices, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the  best alternatives to AirBnB  which you should check out!

We also have a page full of travel resources, which includes our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find  here .

How to Save Money in Paris

Often when we put together a city itinerary, we recommend a city pass. For Paris, our favourite passes are the Paris Pass  (see our review here ) the Paris Museum Pass (see our review here ), and the Paris City Card .

For the Paris Pass, and the Paris Museum Pass, the minimum duration for both these passes is two days, which means that for just a day in Paris, you might not see much in the way of cost savings.

Here’s how the costs break down, as of November 2023, along with which passes they are included on and links to book tickets directly.

• Sainte Chapelle (€11.5) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .
• Louvre Museum (€17) – included on Paris Pass, Paris Museum Pass and Paris City Card. Book on  GetYourGuide here , or on the official site here .
• Eiffel Tower (€34 for guided tour, €11.30 for standard stair access ticket) – tour included on Paris City Card and Paris Pass. Book tickets on the official website here
• Seine River Cruise (€18) – included on Paris City Card and Paris Pass. Book online here .
• Arc de Triomphe (€13) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here .
• Tour Montparnasse (€19) – included on Paris Pass. Book online here .

Whilst all the attractions are included on the Paris Pass, as this is only available for two days, we don’t think it offers good value.

Honestly, with only a day in Paris, we think you are better off booking individual tickets for each attraction for the best value for this Paris itinerary.

If you are in the city for a bit longer though, or choose to visit some different attractions, then they are definitely worth checking out. In this case, we recommend comparing inclusions and prices between the following attraction passes to see which might work for you:

• The Paris Pass  (see our review here )
• The Paris Museum Pass (see our review here )
• The Paris City Card
• The Go City Paris Explorer Pass

Practicalities for visiting Paris

Eating in paris.

Paris has a wide range of dining options to choose from, from Michelin starred restaurants through to bistros and cafes.  You certainly won’t go hungry!

Generally we don’t recommend specific restaurants as they can change so quickly, however we do have a guide to some of our favourite restaurants in Paris here to give you some options.

Usually you’ll find that most restaurants in Paris and France will offer some sort of menu of the day, or “menu du jour”, which can be a cost-effective way to get a great meal.

We’d also suggest that if you want to eat at one of the more popular restaurants in Paris that you consider booking in advance. We recommend and use La Fourchette (the fork), which is the most popular online restaurant booking website in France.

It’s easy to use and makes booking a breeze, especially if you don’t speak French. Check it out here to find reviews, sample menus and book a table.

Electricity in Paris is of the 220v standard, with the 2 pin European style plug. Travellers from countries like the UK and the US will need an adapter like this . See more on travel adapters and how to choose one for your trip in our guide to the best travel adapters .

US travellers need to check their equipment supports the 220v standard – it will be written clearly on the power adapter. As a general rule, we have found that laptops, phone and camera chargers and other small electronics are universal, whilst larger devices like hair dryers and hair straighteners are not.

Paris is part of the Eurozone, so the currency is the Euro. You can get Euros from ATM’s, banks and currency exchanges, although credit cards are of course widely accepted, and there is no need to carry large quantities of currency.

Internet Access

Internet access is widely available in the form of WiFi all around the city and in hotels and coffee shops, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting online. You can also pick up local SIM cards if you have an unlocked phone. If you are travelling from the USA, consider a Google Fi package which lets you use your data overseas, or an eSIM service like Airalo .

For more options on getting online when travelling, check out our guide to getting online when travelling to help you figure out the best options. We also have a guide to picking the best travel router , which can help you extend a weak WiFi network and share it across multiple devices.

Water 

The water in the taps in Paris is safe to drink unless otherwise indicated. If you don’t like the taste, bottled water is widely available.

We usually recommend you travel with a re-usable water bottle like one of these to save on having to buy water bottles. We love our Klean Kanteen water bottles for travel as they are lightweight, easy to clean and the company is a certified B-Corp.

Paris is a safe city in our experience, although it does have a reputation for being home to a number of scams. Most of these are easy to avoid once you know about them (read up on some of the common scams in Paris here ).

As with any major city, of course you need to keep your wits about you – keep your possessions in view all the time, keep your wallet or phone in a front pocket (with a zip if possible), and don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do at home.

We’ve not had any problems in Paris, although there are a few scams to be aware of – check our guide to avoiding common Paris scams so you are prepared in advance.

Further Reading for Your Paris Visit

We’ve been lucky enough to visit Paris a number of times, and from our visits we’ve put together quite a few articles to help you plan your trip. We hope you find them useful!

• If you decide to stay longer, we have a guide to spending  3 Days in Paris , as well as a guide to spending 2 Days in Paris
• If you’re looking for good photos, we have a guide to the  best photography locations in Paris
• We have detailed guides to  choosing a Seine river cruise , Seine River dinner cruises , buying Paris opera tickets ,  attending a fashion show in Paris  and  saving money on Michelin starred restaurants in Paris
• We have a detailed  review of the Paris Pass , to help you decide if it might save you money
• Galeries Lafayette is one of the most well-known stores in Paris. However, there’s more to do here than shop! See our complete guide to visiting Galeries Lafayette for more information.
• If you like afternoon tea, check out our definitive guide to the  best afternoon tea locations in Paris
• We have a detailed guide to attending the famous Moulin Rouge show in Paris
• For walking tours in Paris, we can recommend both  Context Tours  (link gives 10% off) and  Take Walks who both offer tours in Paris.
• If you want a guide book to Paris, we always like to recommend the Rick Steves guides – here’s the  Rick Steves Paris  edition. We also recommend the Lonely Planet guides, and they have a guidebook on Paris .

And that’s it for our guide to getting the most from a day in Paris! Is Paris on your travel list? Would you visit Paris for just a day? Do you have any feedback or questions about our day in Paris? Let us know in the comments below!

Enjoyed this post? Why not share it!

There are 32 comments on this post

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

6th November 2022 at 4:04 pm

Hello Laurence, Your blog is very helpful. Thank you and I appreciate it. We are traveling to Paris august 24 arrival early at 645 am. It’s our first time, from CDG airport what transportation that can you recommend going to hotel? I am going to book the hotel dress code and spa or can you recommend centralize hotel. We would like to visit rue de bac For St. CAtherone laborie church? Lastly we would like to visit Lourdes for one day an overnight stay there ( can you recommend a hotel please) will take a train from paris and then from there take a train going to London. Any suggestions please?

Thank you so much in advance and for taking time to read my questions.

Many Thanks, Karen

Laurence Norah says

7th November 2022 at 11:10 am

Probably the easiest option from Paris to the Hotel Dress Code & Spa (which is a good centrally located option) is the Roissybus . It will drop you at Opera which is a five-minute walk from the hotel. So that is probably what I would recommend. You can also book a car transfer service , which will be a bit more expensive (depending on group size), but will take you door to door.

For Lourdes we don’t have any experience as we haven’t visited. I’d recommend visiting this page on booking.com for Lourdes , and then choosing a property based on price. It is already filtered to those properties with a good guest review score.

Have a great trip and let me know if you have any more questions!

10th November 2022 at 12:28 am

Thank you so much and taking time to answer my questions. 😊

Linda King says

14th May 2022 at 12:11 pm

This is really helpful. Thanks. I have one day in Paris alone, and a second with my husband who is abandoning me on day 1 to attend a conference :-/ We have booked tickets to Versailles, but apparently you can’t leave luggage at the moment? We want to take a picnic, and brollies just in case, but it says they’re not allowed. Any hints?! Linda

15th May 2022 at 8:21 am

So according to the Versailles website , there is left luggage available on site. I’m not sure where you saw that it is closed, but I can’t find reference to that. In terms of picnics, you can picnic in certain areas, as described here .

Hope this helps, have a great time in Paris!

peter Murrell says

19th January 2020 at 9:45 pm

Can I walk around the grounds of Museum Louvre as i am more interested in talking photos of the exterior.

20th January 2020 at 9:54 am

Yes, the exterior of the building including the famous glass pyramid is open to all and free to walk around,

Peter Murrell says

20th January 2020 at 11:44 am

Thank you Laurence.

18th December 2019 at 9:05 pm

Hello, My father is travelling to USA , has a layover in pairs for a day. He would like to see the places in pairs and prefer to take taxis for all the places. Can you please provide me list of taxi services which are cheaper and trustworthy. Can i book them in the online? If so, please provide me the websites and please let me know about 1 day packages for taxi? And what would the minimum cost for taxi from/to airport to hotel to sightseeing places. Does taxi drivers accept credit cards/travel cards? Please reply me asap so that i can make necessary arrangements. Thanks!

19th December 2019 at 1:57 pm

My suggestion would be rather than trying to book a series of taxis, would be to book a specific layover tour. These are designed for the purpose you have in mind, and can be booked in advance and tailored to your need. For example, there’s this layover tour , plus a selection of others here .

20th December 2019 at 5:47 pm

Thank you Laurence. This Blog and your suggestions help me explore more things about Paris. Thanks alot!

21st December 2019 at 6:52 pm

My pleasure Harry – have a wonderful time in Paris, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions 🙂

K V Mohan says

25th September 2019 at 10:18 am

Hi I will be in Paris from 14/12/19 afternoon till 15/12/19 with my wife & daughter. First time visit, heard scam and conman stories in Paris. Also heard Parisians don’t like to speak English. Need your kind advise and itineraries. Thank you.

25th September 2019 at 9:20 pm

So there are a few scams in Paris, but I cover most of them in this post: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/tips-for-surviving-scams-of-paris/

To be honest, anything that seems to good to be true is, and ignore anyone with a clipboard or who tries to give you something “for free” and you should be fine.

In terms of Parisians being unfriendly or unwilling to speak English, this is definitely a well perpetuated stereotype. I’ve personally not found it to be true, although it depends how you approach it. Personally, I always try to start with a few words of French, like “bonjour”, and then most Parisians in my experience will realise I am not a native speaker, and switch to English. However, if one starts in English, this can sometimes work out less well.

However, consider if a French person appeared in your home town and launched into French, I’d suspect most people wouldn’t be too excited about that. So I think this is quite normal 🙂

I hope you have a great time in France!

26th September 2019 at 1:01 am

Thank you very much for your kind reply,hope to have a wonderful trip to Paris.

Ty Stewart says

13th September 2019 at 8:59 pm

I have a 7 hour layover in CDG Sept. 30. What do you recommend for seeing as much of Paris I can?

14th September 2019 at 2:46 pm

if you have not been to Paris before, then my recommendation would be to visit the Eiffel Tower and then take a Seine River Cruise. This will use up around 3 hours in total I’d say. You have to consider the time getting in and out of Paris as well, which will probably be around an hour each way, so that’s five hours. With your final couple of hours, you could have a meal, wander the left bank, or visit the Arc de Triomphe. You could also visit the outside of the Louvre, but I’m not sure it would be worth going inside unless you did a really quick visit.

I hope this helps – have a great trip!

16th September 2019 at 2:23 pm

Laurence, Thanks for the quick reply. I will let you know how it goes when I return home.

Anna Nelson says

9th September 2019 at 7:43 pm

Hiya folks, I will be visiting Paris for a day in January 2020 with an overnight stay.. Landing in CDG.. Is the itinerary recommended here good for winter too ? Any other tips ?

10th September 2019 at 9:14 am

It will certainly work for winter. The only thing to be aware of is that it gets dark a bit earlier in winter and obviously it’s colder, but the good news is that there will be less visitors to the city 🙂 I don’t think you need to change anything though, just wrap up warmly 🙂

Have a great trip!

Dave makota says

13th May 2019 at 11:55 am

Thank you very much for this guide. It was very useful for me when I visited Paris!

13th May 2019 at 5:21 pm

Our pleasure Dave, delighted to have been able to help!

Rajesh Kalla says

21st March 2019 at 4:56 am

I plan to be in Paris on way to Barcelona from 17th to 19th of June;2019. I have visited Paris in 2011 just for a day . However want to experience life in Paris without the guided tour. Would like to spend time walking .Have coffee at Maxims. Kindly guide how to reach from CDG Airport to City center. I am staying at Airport hotel Thanking you in advance. Rajesh

21st March 2019 at 11:01 am

The section of the post on how to get to Paris CDG from the airport should answer your question: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/paris-in-a-day-a-1-day-paris-itinerary/#Getting-to-and-from-Paris-Airport

I’d suggest taking the RER train into central Paris, it’s quite easy to do, you can buy a ticket at the train station 🙂

Lisa Shaw says

15th March 2019 at 6:19 am

Such wonderful tips, thank you so much! Will be in Europe for the first time ever, and Paris from May 5-7, 2019, all the way from Hawaii! Arrive the 5th, and leave the 7th. My boyfriend is not thrilled about a lot of walking and is not comfortable exploring on our own (unlike me, who LOVES to walk every where!) So I was looking for a tour that hits the main sites, as you listed: 1. Notre Dame 2. The Louvre 3. Champs-Élysées 4. Arc de Triomphe 5. Eiffel Tower 6. Seine River Cruise 7. Tour Montparnasse Any suggestions for a tour that covers the above? Mahalo nui loa!

15th March 2019 at 4:45 pm

So I have a couple of options for you, but this is quite a tough ask 😉 Many of the guided tours in Paris involve walking – it’s often faster than taking a vehicle due to traffic, and parking is also a challenge in the city. In addition, finding a tour that includes all of the above is probably going to be a bit of a challenge too!

I have done my best though to come up with some options for you.

So the first option option is this tour . It covers many of the sights you’ve requested, including the River Cruise, lunch at the Eiffel Tower and a guided visit of Notre Dame and the Louvre. I think this is a good starting point, although it does note in the description that there is some walking, largely in the attractions. The walking does seem to be minimal as the longer distances are covered by boat. With the inclusions it’s also pretty good value I think.

Another option would be to take a Hop on Hop off bus. This will hit all the major sites you want to see, however you would have to plan your own itinerary and this wouldn’t be guided.

Lastly, the tour I mention in the post is this full day walking tour of Paris . So obviously that one is going to involve some walking, but the tour does include metro rides between the main sites, so the only real walking will be around the various attractions, which is kind of unavoidable 🙂

Hopefully one of these options works for you. Have a wonderful time in Paris!

4th February 2019 at 8:44 pm

Booked a last minute trip to Paris for the day and this is exactly what i needed to help plan my trip as there is no much detail and information. Thanks so much!

5th February 2019 at 11:22 am

My pleasure Zay – have a wonderful time!

Shivank Sharma says

9th November 2018 at 11:50 am

This is excellent work, Something I was looking for, Really appreciate the details, maps and written guidelines.

11th November 2018 at 6:08 pm

Our pleasure Shivank – have a wonderful trip to Paris!

21st August 2018 at 12:07 pm

I have been to Paris on 2 separate occasions for multiple days each but you still were able to suggest places I haven’t been. I will definately be reading up your guides before my next visit.

21st August 2018 at 12:17 pm

Awesome to hear that 😀

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let me know when there's a reply to my comment (just replies to your comment, no other e-mails, we promise!)

Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter where we share our latest travel news and tips. This also makes you eligible to enter our monthly giveaways!

We only ask for your e-mail so we can verify you are human and if requested notify you of a reply. To do this, we store your data as outlined in our privacy policy . Your e-mail will not be published or used for any other reason other than those outlined above.

THE 10 BEST Paris Tours & Excursions

Tours in paris.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Walking Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Literary, Art & Music Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator with Summit option

2. Skip-the-Line: Louvre Museum Masterpieces Fully Guided Tour

3. Paris Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music by Bateaux Mouches

4. Versailles Palace and Gardens Skip-the-Line Tour from Paris

5. Paris Walking Food Tour with Secret Food Tours

6. Louvre Museum - Exclusive Guided Tour (Reserved Entry Included)

7. Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise

8. Louvre Museum Timed Entry Ticket

9. Paris Seine River Private Boat Tour

10. Paris: Archeological Crypt Visit + Catacombs of Paris Entrance

11. Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Day Trip with Cider Tasting & Lunch from Paris

12. Big Bus Paris Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

13. Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator

14. Versailles Domain Bike Tour with Palace and Trianon Estate Access

15. Mont Saint Michel Day Trip from Paris with English Speaking Guide

16. Giverny Monet’s House and Gardens Half Day Tour from Paris

17. Skip-the-Line Paris Catacombs Special Access Tour

18. Louvre Museum Semi-Private Guided Tour (Reserved Entry Included)

19. Seine River Guided Cruise with Snack Options by Vedettes de Paris

20. Loire Valley Castles Day Trip from Paris with Wine Tasting

21. Guided Eiffel Tower Climbing Tour with Summit Access

22. Montmartre Hill French Gourmet Food and Wine Tasting Walking Tour

23. Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour by Train from Paris with Skip-the-Line

24. Latin Quarter - Private Guided Walking Tour

25. Giverny Small-Group Half Day Trip with Monet’s Gardens from Paris

26. Louvre Museum Priority Access Guided Tour with Mona Lisa

27. Paris French Bakery Behind the Scenes Experience

28. Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting

29. Paris Top Sights Half Day Walking Tour with a Fun Guide

30. Paris Le Marais Walking Food Tour with Secret Food Tours

What travellers are saying.

• william t 1 contribution 0 5.0 of 5 bubbles Very pleasant day at Versailles Our guide, Guillaume, was excellent. The trip was impeccably planned, Guillaume's history lessons were great, timely breaks. Overall 5 star Read more Review of: Versailles Domain Bike Tour with Palace and Trianon Estate Access Written 24 April 2024 This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

• Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator with Summit option
• Skip-the-Line: Louvre Museum Masterpieces Fully Guided Tour
• Paris Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music by Bateaux Mouches
• Seine River Guided Cruise with Snack Options by Vedettes de Paris
• Paris Eiffel Tower Entry Ticket to 2nd floor or Summit via Lift
• Babylon Tours Paris
• Paris and Beyond Tours
• Fat Cat Tours
• Wheels and Ways - Segway tours in Paris
• LivTours Paris
• Golf Cart in Paris
• April in Paris Tours
• Retro Tour Paris
• Eye Prefer Paris Tours
• 2CVParisTour Tours
• Paris Running Tours
• Wego Walking Tours
• Midnight In Paris On Wheels
• Paris by Scooter
• Left Bank Scooters
• Catacombs Guides
• Woyago Tours

TTC family of brands

My Trafalgar

Destinations

Get Inspired

866 513 1995

See More Paris Trips

5 million happy guests and counting

Capital City

Winter avg temp

Summer avg temp

Good morning

Good evening

"There's nowhere quite like Paris and it's amazing to watch our guests light up when they see bucket list icons like the Eiffel Tower in real life. Don't forget to slow down and savour the freshly baked pastries from the local boulangerie and mingle with the locals in the sidewalk cafés and markets."

Travel Director

See the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the Louvre

You can’t take a Paris trip without visiting the Louvre. It’s the both the largest art museum and the most-visited museum in the world, and you can soak it all in with our special evening experience at the Louvre. You’ll discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa with your Local Specialist and enjoy the quiet atmosphere without the crowds. Simply magical.

Visit the remarkable church of Saint-Sulpice

Paris is full of spectacular architecture, and the church of Saint-Sulpice may be one of the best. This medieval cathedral is the second-largest church in the city and your Paris travel guide will show you around the stunning facades, stained glass windows, impressive fountains, unique sundial, and the breathtaking organ, one of the largest in the world.

Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the River Seine

As the scenic centrepiece of Paris, you can’t miss exploring the iconic River Seine. We’ll wander along the pretty riverbank by day and take you on a special Seine cruise by night, when the City of Light is illuminated in twinkling lights. Look out for icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame, and relax as you drift along this enchanting river.

Explore the Latin Quarter of Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, you’ll join a Local Specialist to discover the Latin Quarter, the city’s epicentre of culture, learning and creativity. See the ancient Sorbonne University, one of the world’s first universities, soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this student hotspot, and perhaps even stop by the legendary Shakespeare and Co bookstore.

Experience a traditional Parisian Cabaret

You’ve probably seen the Parisian Cabaret in dozens of movies and photos, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing the real thing. We’ll take you to the world-famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret, where you’ll enjoy dinner, champagne and a dazzling show of 60 dancers and over 1,000 costumes, for an incredible evening you’ll never forget.

Our top 5 things to do in Paris

With so many incredible Paris attractions to choose from, we’ll show you the very best things to do in Paris, from the beautiful Saint-Sulpice to the original Parisian cabaret.

Musée Rodin

Located just steps away from the Eiffel Tower, you can’t miss the spectacular Musée Rodin. Founded in 1916 by Auguste Rodin himself, the museum features the artist’s incredible sculptures within an 18th-century rocco mansion and a stunning three-hectare garden, along with his personal collection of paintings, photographs and ancient artefacts.

Paris Opera & Palais Garnier

If you want to experience the height of Parisian opulence, it’s got to be the Palais Garnier. This extraordinary building is a 1,979-seat opera house constructed in the late 19th-century, and is renowned as the setting for The Phantom of the Opera. Today you can discover its magnificent treasures or even spend a glitzy night at the opera or ballet.

Grand Palais

Located right across from the Champs-Élysées, the Grand Palais is an icon of Paris with its giant glass ceiling and Beaux-Arts style architecture. Its interior is even more thrilling, with national art galleries, science museums and exhibition halls all held under the famous dome, and you can easily spend a day or two here.

Best museums in Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, we’ll make sure you get your fill of the best Paris museums, from the iconic Louvre to the magnificent Opéra Garnier.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is the ultimate French vegetarian dish, loved by all for its heartwarming local flavors. It’s essentially a vegetable stew, made with a rich tomato sauce and a rainbow of veggies like zucchini, eggplant and squash, and herbs like basil, garlic and thyme. One bite and you’ll fall in love with the home-cooked ratatouille of Paris.

One of France’s most famous recipes, Coq au Vin features wine-braised chicken served alongside ingredients like mushrooms and bacon. Across the country you will try many regional versions of this comforting dish, which translates fittingly to “rooster/cock with wine”.

French cuisine celebrates both savory and sweet ingredients, not just in the form of croissants. Find true street-food joy in the popular dessert of crêpes, with strawberries, Nutella, bananas and lemon curd just some of the toppings loved by locals and travelers alike. Or, try the national specialty crêpes Suzette with orange zest and caramelized butter.

Best food in Paris

Our Paris holidays are filled with the legendary Parisian cuisine, and we’ll show you all the best places to try your French favorites from fresh croissants to delicate desserts.

What to pack for Paris

French phrasebook

It’s a good idea to learn some common French phrases before arriving in Paris, and the locals are sure to appreciate your efforts to learn their mother tongue.

Camera & extra SD card

Paris is full of soul-stirring moments you’ll want to capture forever, so be sure to pack a few extra SD cards for all those special snaps and videos.

Comfortable shoes

Whether you’re wandering through the Louvre, or strolling along the River Seine, you’ll need a comfy pair of shoes on your Paris tour.

Formal wear

If you want to hit the town in Paris with a Moulin Rouge show or a night at the opera, be sure to bring a glamorous outfit to fit in with the chic locals.

All-weather clothing

Paris is known for its unpredictable weather, with rain one day and sunshine the next. It’s best to pack both warm and cooler layers so you’re prepared for everything.

Our Europe & Britain destinations

Bosnia Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Liechtenstein

North Macedonia

Netherlands

Northern Ireland

Switzerland

Other worldwide regions we visit

Africa the Middle East

Australia and New Zealand

North and Central America

South America

Get your free brochure

Find your next escape with the world's leading travel brand

Request A Brochure

Award winning tours

Every year, we're proud to win some of the most prestigious travel accolades around the world - from the Travel Globes to the Agent's Choice Awards

Search Our Tours

Help & Info

WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Unedited Reviews

Our Destination Management Companies

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel Updates

Media & Press Room

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Travel Planning

Get Your Free Brochure

Travel Insurance

Booking Conditions

Trip Deposit Level

Recommendations

Trafalgar Tours Limited is a proud member of  The Travel Corporation  family of companies.

#SimplyTrafalgar

Travel House, Rue du Manoir St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2JH

Selected Region

United States

United Kingdom

New Zealand

South Africa

Copyright 2024 Trafalgar. All rights reserved.

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

The Perfect One Day in Paris Itinerary (How to See Paris in a Day!)

Ah, Paris: the architecture, the food, the art, and the iconic sights are legendary for a reason, and even one day in Paris can be an absolute dream of a quick getaway.

One day in Paris may not be enough to work through a long wish list of what to see in the city (we’re still going strong on ours about 10 visits later), but don’t worry–you can indeed get a fantastic glimpse of Paris in one day.

Planning to spend a day in Paris and want to make sure you have the perfect itinerary?

Here’s how to see the best of the City of Light in a limited time!

I f you’re anything like us, when the sun sets on your day in Paris, you’ll say goodbye already dreaming of your next visit.

Table of Contents

Want to plan a day in Paris the easy way?

The perfect one day in paris itinerary, where to stay with one day in paris, tips for enjoying one day in paris, more than a day in paris, getting around during one day in paris, one day in paris itinerary map.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

The independent one day Paris itinerary we outlined below will show you many of our favorite places in the City of Light, from Notre Dame to the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower and beyond.

However, if you would rather not worry about navigating through Paris yourself, and your goal is to see absolutely as much as possible of Paris in one day, you can also consider signing up for this extremely well-reviewed tour .

Take Walks, who hosts this popular Paris in a day tour , is one of our favorite companies for small group tours in Europe, and we’ve used them in many cities (including on this Paris food tour ).

While there are trade-offs to booking a full-day tour of Paris–the thrill of meandering aimlessly through the streets of St. Germain and being beholden to no one’s schedule but your own as you munch on a crepe in front of the Eiffel Tower would be hard to give up–there are benefits to a tour, too.

The biggest one is that thanks to a knowledgeable and efficient tour guide, Take Walks’ tour covers an enormous amount of ground–be prepared for sore feet but a very satisfying day if you sign up.

Book your Paris in a day tour today!

Start at Notre Dame (though you can no longer go inside).

Located on Île de la Cité (one of the islands in the middle of the Seine, and the place where Paris was founded), there’s no better place to kick off your one day in Paris than at Notre Dame.

Iconic, beautiful, and centrally located, Notre Dame is an excellent starting point for any trip to Paris.

Sadly, after the awful fire at Notre Dame in April 2019 , the cathedral is closed to visitors.

We continue to recommend starting your one day in Paris here for a couple of reasons: Île de la Cité is still an incredibly central spot to start a day in Paris, and Notre Dame, though wounded, is still a beautiful structure.

As of December 2022, the area in front of and surrounding Notre Dame is closed to the public, and the damage from the fire is obvious from most angles (you can see lots of cranes if you look at the back of the building in particular).

Notre Dame is slated to reopen to visitors in 2024 , so fingers crossed we’ll all get to marvel at the interior of this Gothic beauty again soon!

For now, if you’d like to get the most “normal” view of Notre Dame possible at the moment as you start your one day in Paris, we recommend heading to the corner Rue de la Cite  and  Quai de Montebello , near the  Pont de Coeurs , where you can photograph the tops of the towers and some of the front of the cathedral looking semi-normal.

The front view of the Notre Dame, though not flawless, is worth a look too.

The views of Notre Dame from a Seine river cruise are also lovely, but more on that in a bit.

Stroll over to Shakespeare & Company.

5-minute walk from Notre Dame.

Just a short walk over the Seine from Notre Dame sits Shakespeare & Company, which is easily the most famous English-language bookstore in Paris.

Known as the haunt of Lost Generation writers like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and later (in its current location), the gathering place of writers like Langston Hughes and Ray Bradbury, Shakespeare & Company has a storied history that includes many famous names, an eccentric owner or two, and even a closure during the Nazi occupation of France.

Today, Shakespeare & Company is stuffed with beautiful books and is worth visiting during even a one day trip to Paris.

Be sure to check out the view of Notre Dame through the second-floor window, say hello to the cat who lives upstairs, and purchase a book (they’ll stamp the title page with their seal at checkout, which makes for a wonderful Paris souvenir ).

Be sure to avoid taking photos inside–they are explicitly forbidden , so stick with admiring the books in real-time instead!

Grab a cup of coffee from a typical Parisian cafe.

Several gorgeous Parisian cafes are located within easy distance of Shakespeare & Company, and after an early start to your day in Paris, enjoying a traditional French breakfast is a great way to soak up the atmosphere of the city.

A few great options on or near Île de la Cité include Odette for something popular and photogenic, the cafe at Shakespeare & Company for surprisingly delicious and affordable options (their scones, while not typically French, are delightful).

For something iconic, Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole is an option for the late risers among us (though the cafe is extremely famous and photogenic, it also doesn’t open until noon).

For a less-famous but delightful option that we love, A. Lacroix Patisser offers wonderful drinks and pastries.

We’ve been eating there for years and love its cozy atmosphere and views of Notre Dame!

Check out the oldest clock in Paris.

8-minute walk from Shakespeare & Company or Odette.

On the side of the Conciergerie, mere steps from the Seine and affixed to the Tour de l’Horloge, sits the oldest clock in Paris.

Installed in the 14th century, the clock is both functional and absolutely stunning.

It also only takes a quick moment to stop to admire its beauty on the way to Sainte-Chapelle.

Make your way to Sainte-Chapelle.

3-minute walk from Tour de l’Horloge.

Since visiting the interior of Notre Dame is no longer an option, you now have time during your mad dash through Paris in a day to tour the interior of Sainte-Chapelle, which is–in my totally biased opinion–one of the prettiest church interiors in the entire world.

Built in the 13th century to hold precious Christian relics, including the Crown of Thorns that now typically lives at Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle’s magnificent upper chapel is home to soaring 15-meter walls that are made up almost entirely of stained glass.

And, as beautiful as it is, the sheer amount of stained glass becomes even more impressive when you realize that over 70% of it is original!

The lines do get long here, so we recommend purchasing a skip-the-line ticket in advance.

Like many attractions around Paris, they’re available with no upcharge at all!

Book tickets to visit Sainte-Chapelle today!

Head to the Luxembourg Gardens.

13-minute walk from Shakespeare & Company.

Home to the beautiful Luxembourg Palace, the Luxembourg Gardens are the perfect example of Paris’ iconic gardens.

Flowering and beautiful in the summer, it’s impossible to walk by during almost any kind of halfway-decent weather without seeing plenty of people gathered for a picnic, some gossip, or a quiet afternoon of reading.

Be sure to check the fountains for miniature sailboats in the summer: young Parisian children have a long tradition of playing with them there!

We have visited the Luxembourg Gardens in all seasons, and while each season has its pros and cons, summer is absolute magic.

Make your way to the Louvre through Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

18+ minute-walk from the Luxembourg Gardens to the Louvre.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés is widely considered to be one of the most iconically Parisian neighborhoods, and for good reason.

With its lovely buildings, shuttered windows, and wrought-iron balconies, St. Germain feels like quite the Parisian postcard.

It’s also a wonderful place to eat, which means that a stroll through St. Germain as you vaguely make your way toward the Louvre serves 3 purposes: enjoying a beautiful Parisian neighborhood, resting your feet during lunch, and making your way to your next destination!

We enjoyed eating at Eggs & Co. in St. Germain, and, though it isn’t technically lunch, Laduree (makers of some of the best-known French macarons) has a beautiful store here as well.

Technically a few blocks outside of St. Germain but still delicious, we also love our lunches at Le Prince Racine.

The walk from the Luxembourg Gardens to the Louvre is technically under 20 minutes, but depending on how much you want to meander around the neighborhood, it could take quite a bit longer!

Dive into the Louvre.

Giant, overwhelming, and incredibly iconic, no attempt to see Paris in one day could leave out the Louvre .

There’s absolutely no way you could possibly see it all–we’ve been several times for many hours each and still feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface!

W ith only one day in Paris to work with, strategy and prioritization will both be important to making the most of your time in the Louvre.

We recommend spending 2 hours here, more or less, depending on what time it is when you arrive and how quickly you have moved during your day in Paris so far (keep an eye on the time of sunset–you don’t want to miss seeing the Eiffel Tower before dark!).

S tart by heading directly to the piece or collection that is most important to you–maybe that’s the iconic Mona Lisa, maybe it’s the Venus di Milo, maybe it’s the Egyptian artifacts. Who knows!

Alternatively, if you’d like some structure and a timeline to your visit, consider booking a guided tour ( we loved this one , and this popular tour is a more traditional option).

Regardless of whether you choose to take a guided tour of the Louvre or not, like with Notre Dame, we absolutely recommend purchasing a skip-the-line ticket for the Louvre before arriving .

T he lines can be insane, and even with a skip-the-line ticket, you’ll still have security to worry about!

Book your guided tour or skip-the-line tickets to visit the Louvre today!

Pay a visit to the Palais Garnier.

17-minute walk from the Louvre.

One day in Paris definitely isn’t enough time to visit Versailles–but you can get a small taste of Parisian glitz and glamour at the Palais Garnier (also called the Opera Garnier) all the same!

Paris’ iconic opera house is gilded and stunning–the incredible Grand Foyer might just make you think you’ve stepped into a smaller version of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

While the interior of the theatre itself is a bit standard, the rest of the building, from the Grand Staircase to the Loggia, is truly remarkable.

And while there’s unlikely to be a phantom under the opera house, some of the legends connected to the famous story do hold true, including a deadly accident involving the famous chandelier in 1896 (though in the real story the counterweight, not the chandelier itself, fell to the ground).

Though the lines are not typically as long at the Palais Garnier as opposed to the Louvre and Notre Dame, we still recommend purchasing skip-the-line tickets ahead of time at no additional cost to ensure your one day in Paris runs as smoothly as possible .

(The Palais Garnier is also right around the corner from the famous Galeries Lafayette, which boasts a beautiful, free view of Paris from its rooftop–if you have a bit of extra time to work with by this point in your Paris itinerary, consider making taking a quick detour).

Purchase your skip-the-line tickets for the Palais Garnier today!

Head to the Trocadero Gardens and enjoy iconic Eiffel Tower views.

23 minutes from Palais Garnier via metro line 9.

No one day Paris is complete without enjoying an iconic view of the Eiffel Tower!

The Trocadero Gardens offer the best view of the Eiffel Tower in all of Paris–so grab a crepe from one of the nearby vendors (the prices are surprisingly reasonable to be right next to the Eiffel Tower) and get ready to soak in some beautiful views.

If you’d like to wander closer to the Eiffel Tower, feel free to make your way through the Trocadero Gardens, past both the carousels, across the Seine, and to the Eiffel Tower itself.

Sadly, increased security measures have recently been imposed that prohibit anyone from walking directly under the Eiffel Tower without a ticket to the top, but you can still get pretty close!

Wrap up your one day in Paris with a Seine river cruise.

To be perfectly honest, it took us many trips to Paris before we  signed up for a Seine river cruise … and after taking one, we can’t believe that we waited so long!

Yes, they’re a bit touristy, but there’s nothing quite like admiring Paris and its many gorgeous monuments from the water.

Add in the possibility of a sunset, and the view is even better.

Many Seine river cruises leave from very close to the base of the Eiffel Tower, too, making taking one an easy addition to this one day Paris itinerary!

Want to splurge a bit for your first night in Paris?

You can even  sign up for a full dinner cruise  if a standard one-hour cruise doesn’t sound like quite enough time on the Seine.

Book your Seine river cruise  today!

In a city as large and dense as Paris, deciding where to stay (especially when you only have 24 hours in Paris to work with) can be quite daunting!

Paris is famously divided into 20  arrondissements , or neighborhoods, that are named via a number system that starts with 1 in the center of the city (where you’ll find the Louvre) and circles outward like the shell of a snail.

After roughly 10 trips to Paris, we’ve stayed in many neighborhoods spread across the city, from Montmartre ( we loved this aparthotel ) to the Bastille area (an underappreciated place to stay, and  this hotel was wonderful ).

And, while everyone has their own opinions about where to stay in Paris (there’s no one right answer) we love and highly recommend Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th  arrondissement ) or the Latin Quarter (5th  arrondissement ) to travelers visiting Paris for the first time and frequently choose to stay there ourselves.

In these areas, you’ll be within walking distance of attractions like Île de la Cité (home of Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle), the Seine, the Luxembourg Garden, the Louvre, and many more.

Here are a few hotels we’ve personally stayed in and loved in the 5th and 6th, arranged more or less from most budget-friendly to most luxurious (though if it’s Parisian charm you’re after,  this one  is the clear winner).

Hotel Abbatial Saint Germain  (Centrally Located & Cozy)

We love this cute boutique hotel in Paris, mostly because of its truly unbeatable location less than a 10-minute walk from Notre Dame and therefore an easy walk away from much of the attractions of Île de la Cité (and a metro stop, of course).

Despite the super central location, the streets outside were still quiet at night, a huge benefit, and the views during the day were lovely.

The customer service was excellent, the bed cozy, and the room, while still very small by global standards, was a bit roomy compared to what we’ve gotten used to in Paris.

We’d be happy to stay again!

Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Abbatial Saint Germain!

Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris  (Classic Parisian Charm)

Located on a quiet street less than a block from the Seine and Île de la Cité,  Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris  offers all the advantages of a central location while maintaining its peace and quiet.

… and it does all that while still managing to have one of the most charming interiors we’ve experienced in a Paris hotel!

The ceilings, wallpaper, and overall decor never let you forget that you’re in the City of Light, and we loved every second.

The breakfast is also delicious, served at the table, and includes a generous selection of pastries as well as fruit, cheese, orange juice, coffee, and tea.

Check rates & book your stay at Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris!

Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris  (Modern Amenities + Kitchens on the Seine)

Located right on the Seine in one of the most convenient locations in Paris, the crisp and modern  Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris  offers ease at every turn.

And, that includes the fact that studios and apartments here include kitchens or kitchenettes!

If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from sightseeing in Paris, a chance to enjoy an occasional dinner of cheese and baguette you picked up at the market, and a bit more elbow room than is traditional in the City of Light, this is the place for you.

We loved our stay here–and, thanks to the hotel being pet-friendly, so did Ranger.

Check rates & book your stay at Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris!

Don’t let simple mistakes cost you time during your one day in Paris!

T hese Paris travel tips will help you make the most of your limited hours in the city!

Get started early.

We are the absolute opposite of early risers, but with one day in Paris, we would be amiss to suggest anything but an early start.

The earlier you start, the more time you can spend enjoying Parisian cafes, shops, and views, and the most ambitious among us may even want to squeeze in one more attraction or museum along the way.

Here are the best things to do in Paris if you’re looking for even more ideas on what to see in the city!

For those who like to stay out late and want to expand their one day Paris itinerary a bit further, here’s what to do in Paris at night .

Strategize your metro use.

For most of this itinerary for seeing Paris in a day, the best way to enjoy the city is on foot.

You’ll experience the neighborhoods, the sights, the cafes, and so much more on a different level by spending as much time on your feet as you can!

Fo r that reason, we’ve only suggested one metro ride in this guide to spending one day in Paris.

However, if your feet are killing you (even one day in Paris could mean many hours of walking), the weather is terrible, or you’re short on time, you can definitely consider adding more metro rides into this itinerary.

Skip-the-line passes are your best friend.

Without planning in advance, one day in Paris during the popular summer months could easily mean spending your whole day in line!

Skip-the-line passes are absolutely the way to go in Paris–we use them ourselves whenever we visit–and often don’t cost even a penny extra!

Based on the itinerary sketched out here for one day in Paris, we recommend purchasing skip-the-lines passes for Sainte-Chapelle ,  the Louvre , and the Palais Garnier .

You’ll also want to book your Seine river cruise in advance to make sure you end up with the time slot you want.

Shop skip-the-line tickets for your day in Paris now!

Embrace the weather.

Paris is a cloudy, rainy city–there’s just no getting around it.

For that reason, we recommend planning your one day in Paris expecting the weather to include thick clouds with the occasional rain shower.

That leaves you room to be pleasantly surprised with a beautiful day, but lowers the risk of disappointment with a dreary one.

Regardless of what the weather is like when you arrive in Paris, try not to let it get you down–Paris is beautiful in the rain!

If you’re a museum buff who gets caught in the rain and wants to enjoy more art, the Musée de l’Orangerie is small, conveniently located for this itinerary, and one of our favorite museums in the city.

Dress with Paris in mind.

Deciding what to wear for one day in Paris requires taking a few things into consideration–even for those who aren’t particularly concerned about fashion.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothes (especially shoes!) that are easy to wear for an entire day.

Shoes are by far the most important–if your feet are incredibly pained by noon, your one day in Paris won’t be nearly as fun as it could be.

We’d also recommend wearing something classically fashionable (think dark colors, flattering cuts, and simple lines)–this is Paris, after all, and you’ll want to look good in your photos!

If you’re lucky enough to have more than one day in Paris, you have so much to look forward to!

With a little extra time–say an afternoon or a morning–consider adding on a visit to the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysses, or a visit to the Musée d’Orsay .

To enjoy a different side of Paris, consider heading out to the gorgeous and wildly popular neighborhood of Montmartre , which is home to some of the most charming streets in the city (not to mention phenomenal views from the Sacré-Coeur).

If you have a few days in Paris, be sure to check out our detailed 3 day Paris itinerary to help you find the best sights.

We’ve intentionally structured this one day in Paris guide to include a lot of walking.

W alking directly between every attraction before heading to the Trocadero Gardens (we definitely recommend a metro there) will require about an hour of walking total, but that doesn’t include time spent on your feet in places like the Luxembourg Gardens and the Louvre.

Be prepared for sore feet after your day in Paris!

If you’d like to use the metro several times throughout the day instead of walking, consider purchasing a “carnet” of metro tickets–by buying 10 tickets at once, you save a little money.

Alternatively, if you’d like to avoid as much walking as possible, a hop-on, hop-off bus tour can help.

Coming from Charles de Gaulle Airport

To get into the center of Paris from the Charles de Gaulle airport, take the RER B line into the city.

I f you’re arriving in the morning ready to start your one day in Paris, you won’t even need to make any changes!

The Saint Michel – Notre Dame metro stop is on the same line, so you can jump on the train at the airport and get off right at Notre Dame.

Travel time is about 40 minutes, though I’d recommend allowing an hour for any delays.

Coming from Orly Airport

Coming from the Orly airport, you’ll follow almost the same directions as arriving from Charles de Gaulle.

T he only difference is that you’ll need to hop onto a train called the “Orlyval” first, which will take you over to pick up the RER B line.

The signs are very clear, so don’t worry–getting into the center of Paris is the goal of just about everyone arriving at the airport, so the directions are designed to be easy to follow.

Travel time is about 40 minutes, just like Charles de Gaulle, and I’d recommend allowing an hour for any delays here, as well.

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

36 thoughts on “The Perfect One Day in Paris Itinerary (How to See Paris in a Day!)”

I’m gonna be in Paris next week! Definitely doing this for one of the days I’m there

Jeremy y Kate Agradezco muchísimo vuestros consejos, es exactamente lo que necesitaba. Pienso que me serán de mucha ayuda. Mil gracias! Tania

Muchas gracias, Tania! Espero que tengas un viaje increíble a París!

I am planning to travel Europe for a month but was so concerned about time and making sure I was able to see the most of each place. This was so incredibly helpful! Thank you!

That’s so great to hear, Anna! Hope you have a fantastic time in both Paris and Europe as a whole!

Thanks for the great guide. Will be using it for my trip next month.

So glad to hear it helped! Hope you have a wonderful day in Paris. 🙂

Thank you!! Perfect itinerary. Got everything mapped and ready to go!!!

Have an amazing time, Debbie! 🙂

I will definitely be using this guide for this weekend – so helpful!! Thank you! We’re going for a weekend but I’m dying to see Versailles on sunday so I’m going to squeeze everything else on Saturday!

So glad we could help, Annie! Enjoy Paris–and Versailles! 😀

hey Kate, writing this after a long time after all the pandemic, but your post was so helpful for us to see Paris in 2 days before covid, we almost tried to go to each and every places as you suggested in the particular order and ended up having the best time in Paris, Thank you so much for your post and helping us out…….

So happy to hear this, thank you so much! Glad we could help! 🙂

Is it a problem having luggage on the metro from the airport to the hotel?

Definitely not! You’ll be in good company. 🙂

I’m a big time traveler and am planning a trip for my sister (I don’t have much time to organize it). Your report was wonderful!! So much better than I could have done. Thanks for making it seem good for everyone.

So glad we could help, Susan! Hope you and your sister have an amazing time in Paris. 🙂

I’m planning a trip for next year, hope we can enjoy most of the places listed. I love all your detail and links for references, save us a lot of time. This is a very useful blog, thanks!!

So happy you found it helpful, Anna! Hope you have a wonderful time in Paris. 🙂

Going to Paris in late July! This is very helpful. Will fly in and out on the same day, with approx 8-9 hours to see the city. Any recommended itinerary or changes based on this info or since the article was written?

It all depends on how fast you sightsee!

If you’re not a big museum person, you could skip the Louvre since you have such limited time and just take a stroll past the exterior.

Paris in a day! is looking possible and achievable now with your wonderful itinerary. It is so helpful for old couple like us. We intend to arrive at 9 am and return to London by 9 pm Euro rail. Can we purchase Hop on & Hop off bus tickets at the station or online? Does the bus stops at all the places you mentioned? We definitely want to visit all the attractions you mentioned in your blog. Do we have time for a river cruise? You saved us lots of planning and thank you.

So glad our itinerary helps! 🙂

You can purchase Hop on/Hop off tickets either online or in person (though I’m not sure exactly what stops you can buy them at in person). We tend to book everything online these days. There are a few different companies running similar tours, but with slightly different schedules/stops/prices, so it’s definitely worth comparing. They’re listed with Get Your Guide, the same company we linked for skip-the-line tickets in this post.

As for a Seine River Cruise, you may have to trim a stop or two to make it work, but there are 1-hour cruises and if you want to do one, there’s no reason you can’t fit it into your schedule!

Thank you for this info i am wanting to do as much as possible in 1 day in Paris. Most things we just want to see and photograph but Eiffel is a to the top place. Moulin Rouge is a stop, would love a show, but not sure about late night. the area up the hill Montmartre looks fascinating to us. see Notre Dame and Shakespeare bookstore. a river cruise would be lovely and to see Arc de Triomphe.. we are staying at DLP.and commuting to city so a long day walking is fine for the next day we come back to exit Paris from CDG to USA.

Hi Marlene,

I think you can easily fit in most of what you want, but definitely be open to cutting a few things based on time!

Mouline Rouge and Montmartre are the furthest away from the center, but if they’re a priority you can make it happen.

The Arc de Triomphe is a bit out of the way from everything else on your list, so I’d ask yourself how badly you want to see it. The view from the top is one of our favorites, but so is the view from the top of Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre.

Without the Arc de Triomphe, you have 3 distinct geographic areas on your list: Il de la Cite and nearby with Notre Dame/Shakespeare and Company, Eiffel Tower + river cruise (many leave from near the tower), and Montmartre + Moulin Rouge.

You’ll absolutely want to use the metro to get between those areas, especially going out to Montmartre and back!

Thank you for this itinerary. We are going to follow it exactly since we are just coming over from London for a day. Do you think we will manage all of these locations okay considering we are traveling alone and don’t speak any French?

Yes, definitely–you don’t need to speak any French to enjoy your day in Paris!

That being said, if you have time to at least learn basic greetings, it will be much appreciated (and may help you feel more at ease).

Thank you. You’re being so helpful I’d like to ask one more… working out our timeline to make the train back to London, I think we will have to choose between going inside the Louvre and doing the River cruise. What would you recommend? Thank you again!!

Personally, I’d definitely do the Louvre!

The river cruise is lovely and worth it if you have time, but the Louvre is one of the best museums in the world. No contest in my opinion. 🙂

Is your itinerary printable?

Sadly we don’t have a printable version yet, though we hope to make some in the future!

It seems that purchasing timed tickets directly from places like Versailles, Louvre, and Eiffel Tower are just as effective and less expensive than skip the line tours. Would you agree?

I think you’re conflating a couple of different things.

In Paris, timed entrance or skip-the-line tickets (separate from tours) can be booked in many places for the same price. Whether you purchase an entrance ticket (not tour) to those attractions through the website or through an authorized reseller like Get Your Guide, the price is the same. We like to use Get Your Guide for ease and also due to their generous cancellation policy, but if you prefer to go direct you of course can. It’s the same price either way.

Skip-the-line tours (not tickets) include a guide, and of course cost more than tickets do. Often, guided tours are able to skip more lines or ensure additional access than independent travelers have, though that varies based on the tour you book. Security lines generally can’t be skipped anywhere, for obvious reasons, though guided tours sometimes have access to dedicated ones for groups that are much shorter. Getting the lowest possible price isn’t the point in the case of a tour!

Thanks for the great suggestions! We just had a fun day visiting several of the places mentioned here. One note: at Sainte-Chapelle the security lines were still pretty long (20-30 mins) even with pre-purchased tickets. No lines with or without tickets at the Opera building though. Thanks!

So glad you guys had a great time!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Paris in Just One Day: A Quick Exploration Guide!

Salut from Paris is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

If you’ve got just one day in Paris and you’re wondering how to make the most of it, you’re in the right place. Having lived in this magical city since 2006, I’ve got the insider scoop on how to experience the best of Paris in a day.

Whether it’s your first visit or you’re back for more, this itinerary is packed with must-see spots and local secrets. From the charming streets of Montmartre to the iconic Eiffel Tower , we’ll cover it all.

How to make the most out of your one day in Paris?

If you’ve ever searched for “perfect day in Paris” or “one day in Paris”, you’ve probably seen a bunch of guides and itineraries. I’ve looked through them too, and to be honest, they often leave me scratching my head.

Some are jam-packed to the brim, while others suggest you’ll barely have time to do anything. Let’s find a happy medium and plan a day in Paris that’s just right!

But let’s set the record straight: if you’re in Paris for just a day, you won’t tick off every highlight. But don’t think for a second that a one-day visit isn’t worth it. You can absolutely have a fantastic time and get a real taste of what Paris has to offer. Let’s make that day count!

Salut, I am Lena – travel planning expert and parisienne since 2006 🩷

A word of warning: This 1 day in Paris itinerary that I created for you is sportive, and you better pack your most comfortable walking shoes for Paris because you’ll be on your feet all day.

Also interesting:

• 2 days in Paris : read more here
• Paris first timer guide: read more here

In this guide I am aiming for that the sweet spot between sightseeing and joie de vivre. Because let’s be honest: you can visit the Louvre, but if you have only one or two spare hours, what’s the point?

And you can also just rush from one sight to another next on your Paris in one day tour. But if you don’t have a moment to just sit and enjoy a glass of wine on e terrace?

Visiting Paris is not a race . Paris is about pleasure and joy, about taking it all in, about being fully there.

Your Realistic iItinerary for One Day in Paris

I have been living in Paris for many years, and I put together a realistic itinerary of things to do in Paris in a day.

Everything you could and should do if you are in Paris for a day to make the most out of your stay and get a comprehensive impression of the city .

For a café on a patio and even a glass of wine at sunset. You will also see some of Paris’ most iconic sights , and I can assure you it won’t be the most stressful day of your life. And you most likely want to come back!)

What does this 1 day in Paris Itinerary cover? 

In a nutshell, these are the sights and activities you can be looking forward to if you are following more or less this one-day itinerary for Paris:

• Eiffel Tower
• Pyramid of the Louvre
• Seine River Cruise
• Sacré Coeur
• Shakespeare & Company
• Centre Pompidou
• The Bouquiniste
• a café in a Parisian street café
• of course: An authentic french croissant
• and: a glass of wine

If you are thinking now that I am out of my mind to be intending to squeeze all those activities to do in Paris in one day, that’s fair.

Though, I am good at coming up with efficient plans. Read on to see for yourself how you can maximize your day in Paris .

Paris in a Day Walking Distance: 9.5km ≡ Duration: 8h to 10h

Feel free to use the itinerary below as is, or think of it as a set of building blocks.

Depending on your schedule, energy, and personal preferences, you can easily skip parts like the Louvre Pyramid or Montmartre.

You might even want to start with Montmartre and skip the Marais. These modules are flexible and can be swapped around to suit your mood. This way, you can create a memorable day in Paris that’s tailored just for you.

Your 1 day in Paris Itinerary

Maybe you’re thinking of a quick stopover in Paris for a day while heading to Southern Europe. Or perhaps you’re in luck with a long layover in Paris, giving you enough time to venture into the city. And depending on where you’re based, a day trip to Paris could even be on the cards!

Either way, visiting Paris for one day is a fantastic way to get to know the city a bit.

If you need precise information regarding your arrival point, for example how to get into town from airports , where to park your car , etc., please read also the last section of this article

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. Here’s your itinerary for one perfect day in Paris.

#1 Châtelet & Marais

Length: 4km | Duration: 1h30

Paris works really well when you’re short on time. It’s not a massive city, quite the opposite, actually, and most of its sights are centered around the same area.

That’s why I’ve picked Châtelet, a major metro and train station, as the starting point for this itinerary. Châtelet is a key public transport hub, making it easy to connect from wherever you’re arriving in Paris.

It’s directly linked to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, and to major train stations like Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare Saint Lazare, and Gare de Lyon. So, getting here should be a breeze.

Tour de Saint-Jaques

After enjoying the obligatory French Croissant and are at the Metro station, head east. If you are unsure where east is, look out for the Tour de Saint-Jaques . The 52m high tower is the only remains of a gothic 16th-century church that got destroyed following the French Revolution in 1797.

Hôtel de Ville

Heading down the Rue de Rivoli, you will soon see the Hôtel de Ville , the Parisian mayor house, on your right. I suggest paying a visit to the tourist office that is located on the left side of the building.

It’s a good occasion to stuck up on some Paris knick-knack as a memory of your one-day trip to Paris, but the real reason why it’s worth to step in are the free temporary exhibitions!

24 hours in Paris – Visit the Marais! 

Starting from Hôtel de Ville, make your way north, passing the Centre Pompidou , and enter the Marais. This area was the aristocratic district of Paris until the French Revolution, and many historic buildings here are remnants of that era.

Post-revolution, the Marais transformed into a bustling commercial area and became the heart of Paris’ Jewish community . Nowadays, it’s also known as the center of LGBT culture in Paris and a hub for galleries, boutiques, trendy restaurants, and bars.

So if it comes down to what to see in Paris in one day, the Marais is definitely high up on the list. If you have a bit more time in Paris, the Marais is a wonderful district to take a walking tour for foodies!

Your Exact Itinerary: Châtelet & Marais

If you follow the itinerary below, you will come across the most interesting and representative sights within the Marais area.

The actual walking time in the Marais, according to Google, is about 53 minutes. But you should really allocate at least 1h30, if not 2 hours. The Marais is filled with charming shops and small galleries, and I did promise you’d have time for a café, right? Taking it slow here is part of the experience.

To save time, I suggest you have (an early) lunch in the Marais.

The Marais, with its strong Jewish and Middle Eastern influences, is a great spot for kosher food and, of course, falafel!

A top choice is L’As du Falafel on Rue des Rosiers . This famous falafel shop is even a favorite of Lenny Kravitz. That’s quite the endorsement (and honestly, the falafel really is delicious). You’ll spot it easily thanks to the queue, but don’t worry, they serve fast.

Alternatively, I can recommend Le Sabich Sandwich from Babka Zana near Place de Vosges on 8 rue du Pas de la Mule .

For more food ideas, check out our Paris Food Guide to discover the best eats in the city!

#2 Île de Saint-Louis

Length 300m | Duration 15min (if you make an ice cream stop!)

After you’ve visited the Shoah Memorial in the Marais, cross over the Pont Marie to reach Île Saint-Louis. While the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral might tempt you to detour, hold off for a bit — it’s not on our agenda just yet. Stay patient, there’s more to explore first!

Just when you set foot on the Île Saint-Louis, you’ll pass by Berthillon . It’s the most famous (and best) glacier in Paris, and their ice creams and sorbets are knowingly among the 10 best ice creams in the world . And isn’t time for a desert anyway? Treat yourself!

By the way, does the café in the picture above look familiar? It’s a filming location for Emily in Paris!

If you’ve got a little extra time and you’re still up for a walk, I recommend adding about 15 minutes to your schedule for some detours around Île Saint-Louis. It’s a really pleasant island and worth the extra exploration.

#3 Quartier Latin

Complete Loop 4 km |  Duration 1h30—2h

Shortcut Tour 1.2 km  |  Duration 20 – 40 min

The Quartier Latin, known as the traditional university district of Paris , still houses most of the city’s educational establishments. The area gets its name from its history — Latin used to be the language of academia!

Today, the Latin Quarter is a vibrant student hub , bustling with pubs, bars, markets, shops, and picturesque cobbled streets. It’s a lively part of the city that’s full of energy and character.

Given that you’ve already done a fair amount of walking today, it might be wise to keep your Latin Quarter tour relatively brief. The full loop on the map below is more suited for those who are particularly keen on exploring Paris or for those opting to rent a Vélib bike for quicker travel.

If you’re leaning towards the shorter route, head directly to Odette, marked as point G on the map. This will streamline your tour while still allowing you to experience a key part of the Latin Quarter.

Latin Quarter Shortcut Tour (If you lack time)

The shortcut itinerary through the Latin Quarter includes some iconic Parisian spots, starting with Odette .

This charming tea house is famous for its choux à la crème – a type of filled puff pastry. It’s a great place to either sit down for some people-watching with a tasty pastry or to grab some choux to go.

Just a short walk from Odette, you’ll find the renowned bookstore Shakespeare and Company . Specializing in English and American literature, this bookstore is a true Parisian institution and one of the city’s most unique spots.

If you’re short on time, Shakespeare and Company is a must-visit in Paris, even for just a day. It’s no longer a hidden gem , but it’s absolutely worth stepping inside to explore.

When you visit Shakespeare and Company, make sure to take in the view of Notre Dame from the first floor. And while you’re there, give some love to the resident cat who lives in the bookstore (not in Notre Dame!).

For a unique souvenir, any book you buy can be stamped upon request – a nice little touch to remember your visit.

If you haven’t grabbed a bite yet, the Latin Quarter offers plenty of lunch options. But a heads-up: try to avoid the restaurants around Rue de la Harpe.

They might be cheap and look tempting, but trust me, you can find much better food elsewhere in the area for just a bit more.

#4 Île de la Cité

Length 1,8 km | Duration 40 min (if you visit the Hôtel Dieu)

From the the Latin Quarter, just cross the St. Michel Bridge and finally head over to Notre Dame . Since the tragic incident in 2019, Notre Dame cannot be visited currently.

Some blinds are put in place, so you cannot get even close to Notre Dame. However, you can still snap some pictures and the Île-de-la-Cité has a few nice places to discover, for example, the Hôtel Dieu just left from Notre Dame.

It’s not a very time-consuming activity, but a real secret tip and definitely worth it! See our post here and know more about visiting .

Editor’s advice : if you are around Notre Dame, be extra wary of pickpockets and do not stop if some girls ask for your signature for something.

#5 Seine River Cruise – Time to Relax

Book your Ticket here | Duration 1h30 

After wandering through the Marais, much of the Latin Quarter and the Seine islands, you’ve definitely earned a break!

On the Seine Island Île de la Cité, where you currently are, you find the pier for the Seine River Cruise . It’s the perfect chance to just hop on and enjoy a relaxing cruise along the river!

Taking a cruise on the Seine will not only let you relax and stretch your legs a wee bit after quite a busy day, but you will also see most of Paris’ important sights (at a very fair price!)

• Tour Eiffel
• Musée d’Orsay
• Musée de Louvre
• Île de la Cité
• Grand Palais
• Petit Palais
• Pont Alexandre III

There are many companies in Paris that are offering Cruises on the Seine and one is usually as good as the other, but most of them are leaving at the Eiffel Tower. So not at all where you are.

If you are visiting Paris only for a very short time and following my itinerary, you need to book a Seine Cruise with Vedettes de Pont Neuf . It’s the only company that starts in the center of Paris.

I strongly recommend booking  your Seine cruise in advance , as some time slots are very popular and superfast sold out. Check here for availabilities, schedules, and rates .

Tip : The boats are leaving from the Seine island Île de la Cité and the entrance is next to the statue of Henry IV, in the middle of Pont Neuf.

#6 The Pyramid of the Louvre

Length 1,1 km | Duration 14 min 

The Louvre is the world’s most visited museum and is located in the former king’s palace, the Palais du Louvre. It’s also the largest art museum of the world, with more than 30.000 exhibited objects on 72.735 square meters.

But bad news first : you won’t have time to visit the Louvre if you are on a one day trip to Paris.

That being said, if you skip one or two of the suggested itineraries, you could make it. Just think about purchasing your tickets in advance, as even a museum like the Louvre can be sold out. Click here to reserve your spot!

Need help deciding? Read this article: Is the Louvre Worth It? Your No-Nonsense Guide

The great news is, you’ve got time to see the famous Pyramid of the Louvre . This glass pyramid, situated in the main courtyard of the Louvre, was inaugurated in 1988.

Initially, it wasn’t widely embraced, but today, it stands as one of Paris’ key landmarks. Interestingly, it’s not just one pyramid – there’s also an inverted glass pyramid inside, a fact you might recognize if you’ve seen the film or read Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” .

It’s a striking piece of architecture that blends modern and historical elements, making it a must-see on your Paris trip.

(Well, there are 4 Pyramids, but those 2 are the most significant)

#7 Montmartre & the Sacre Cœur

Length 700m | Duration 25min – if you linger

Montmartre is one of Paris’ loveliest areas, and if you’ve still got a bit of energy left, consider taking an Uber up north. (The Metro is also an option, about a 30-minute ride.)

When you arrive at Abbesses Metro station, take some time to grab dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. I personally recommend Comptoir Breizh .

It’s a traditional Crêperie serving both sweet and savory dishes, and their offerings are truly delicious. It’s a great way to wrap up your day with some authentic French cuisine.

Right next to the Abbesses Metro station, you’ll find your first Montmartre highlight: “ Le mur des je t’aime” or the Wall of Love. It’s a perfect spot for a quick photo. Then, get ready to head uphill.

Yes, there are a few stairs involved, but soon you’ll arrive at “Place du Tertre” , the famous square bustling with painters ready to sketch your portrait.

And just a bit further, you reach the grand finale of your one-day Paris adventure: the majestic Basilica of Sacre Coeur . What better way to end an amazing day than by watching the city lights come on at night from this stunning vantage point?

P.S.: Don’t forget to grab some beers or wine to enjoy as you take in the breathtaking view.

Editor’s advice: A s you descend the stairs at Sacre Coeur, keep an eye out for individuals who might approach you to tie a friendship bracelet around your wrist, often expecting money in return.

The best strategy is to simply ignore them and walk past quickly. They’re not dangerous, just quite persistent and can be annoying. Being aware and moving on swiftly is your best bet.

How to organize your day trip to Paris?

No matter how long or short you stay in Paris, there are always a few things to organize.

The most common question for travelers is understandably about how to get to Paris in the first place.

If you’re arriving by car, finding a convenient and reasonably priced parking spot is crucial. On the other hand, if you’re flying in, it’s important to know the best ways to get from the airport into the city.

The following articles will be interesting for you:

• 5 ways to get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris: THE complete guide!
• How to use the Parisian Metro in 2022!
• Paris by bike: How to rent a bike in Paris in 2022!

1 Day in Paris: Transportation & Accomodation

Each mode of arrival requires a bit of planning to ensure a smooth start to your Paris adventure.

Arriving in Paris by Plane

The paris layover tour.

If you are traveling internationally in or out of Europe with a connection in Paris, you might have some waiting time between flights. You can also plan an easy overnight layover to benefit from the occasion to explore Paris.

Paris isn’t very far from the airport, and it’s easily possible to use a layover by visiting Paris.

How to get to Paris from the Airport?

Paris has 2 airports: Roissy/Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in the north and Orly (ORY) in the south. Both airports are connected to Paris by RER B (Parisian express train) with several inner-city stops.

By Public Transport

The train from the airport , whether it’s Orly or Charles de Gaulle, takes around 45 minutes to Châtelet, the center of Paris.

By Private Transport

If you are short on time and don’t want to stress about figuring out public transportation, you can also easily book a private transfer from the airport to Paris.

I recommend you to check with Welcome Pickup because they are reliable, speak English and track your flight to be aware of delays.

Check here our very extensive guide on how to get from CDG airport to Paris!

Where to stay when traveling by Plane?

If your layover requires reserving a hotel, you can either check in to a hotel close by the airport or spend the night in Paris.

However, it depends on your flight departure time. If your plane is scheduled before noon, I suggest staying close to the airport. Traffic in Paris can be VERY busy, both on roads and public transportation.

Where to stay near Charles de Gaulle Airport (Roissy)?

A few Hotels are located directly on the Airport premise, so you don’t have to worry about transportation in the morning. The best Hotels are:

• Ibis Paris CDG (Budget)
• Innside by Melia Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (Midrange)
• Pullman Paris Roissy Cdg Airport (Upscale)

Where to stay near Orly Airport?

If you are leaving from Orly in the south, you have less of a choice because there are only two hotels in the airport area. Both are good and convenient:

• ibis Paris Coeur d’Orly Airport (Midrange)
• Novotel Paris Coeur d’Orly Airport (Upscale)

Arriving in Paris by Car

If you’re heading north or south or are on a road trip through Europe, you might find yourself arriving in Paris by car . However, having a car in Paris isn’t really ideal.

I strongly recommend against driving into the city center and also suggest avoiding street parking. The traffic in Paris can be intense, and finding a parking spot is often a challenge.

Moreover, leaving all your luggage in your car while you’re out exploring Paris is not a good idea.

It’s better to find a secure parking solution or consider alternative transportation options once you’re in the city to ensure your belongings stay safe and you avoid the stress of navigating Parisian traffic.

There are many paid and surveilled parking places all around town that are close to public transportation. You can find your convenient location and even book a parking place ahead of your arrival.

You can do that for example here , but there are many parking place providers in Paris.

Rent a Hotel with Parking Place

If you’re planning to stay overnight in Paris and have a car, booking a hotel with private parking can solve your parking dilemma. I recommend checking out these hotel options.

All of them are conveniently located near Metro stations, ensuring quick access to the city center. Plus, they’re situated just far enough from the heart of the city to avoid getting caught in Paris’ notorious traffic.

This way, you get the best of both worlds – ease of travel and a stress-free place to park your vehicle.

However, parking is not free and all hotels charge a minimum of €20 per day.

Mama Shelter East: ultra-modern hotel with iMacs in each room. The hotels also have an in-house restaurant, a Pizzeria, and a bar.

Le Mireille: The nice French hotel lies nearby to the Sacre Coeur. The location is perfect for everyone who is following our one-day in Paris itinerary, as the Sacre Coeur is the end of the tour!

Arriving in Paris by Train

If you’re traveling to Paris from London, Brussels, or Cologne, you’ll most likely arrive at Gare du Nord. On the other hand, if you’re coming from the south of France, your arrival point will probably be Gare de Lyon.

Conveniently, each of these train stations is connected to Châtelet by a direct Metro line , and the journey takes about 10 minutes.

A single ride Metro ticket costs €1,90 at the time of writing and can be loaded on a Navigo Easy Travel card that you either buy at the station for €2 or load on your phone for free.

Where to stay in Paris for one night?

If you are looking for a hotel in Paris for one night, it’s best to stay in the center of Paris. This way, you are saving time in public transportation, you get the full Paris flair, and you are quickly everywhere.

But it is hard to choose the right Hotel in Paris, I know. That’s why I have a few Paris hotel guides that will help you find your perfect accommodation.

• 5 most convenient Ibis Hotels in Paris  – Budget Hotel Guide
• 14 Hotels with stunning Eiffel Tower views- for (almost) every budget!
• The best Hotels in Montmartre; for every budget!

If you’re planning to follow this itinerary and need to catch a flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport later, it’s actually a smart idea to look for a hotel in Montmartre .

This location offers you a convenient route back after a day of sightseeing, and it also means a shorter trip to the airport, as both Montmartre and Roissy Airport are in the northern part of the city.

Plus, Montmartre is an incredibly beautiful area, perfect for enjoying a morning coffee before you head to the airport. Staying there not only simplifies your logistics but also adds a charming start to your departure day.

Parisienne since 2006 🩷

Expert in: Parisian Life &

French Culture, Travel

Planning, Crochet & Food and Drinks

Join me on Facebook for updates and news about Paris.

Must Have Paris Travel Essentials

International Travel Adapter

Order here from Amazon

Portable Charger for your Phone

FAQ: One Day in Paris

One day in Paris may not be enough to explore the city to its core, but it is enough time to get a good glimpse of the city and to take in that exceptional Paris vibe.

Absolutely. Paris is surprisingly small, especially if you compare it to London, Berlin, or New York. Everything is close together, and crossing Paris on foot from North to South takes not even 3 hours. If you stroll around Paris for one day, you see a lot and surely can check off a few of your bucket list items.

Paris is a safe city to visit, especially if you roam around the center. However, avoid having your valuables at places, that are easily accessible because pickpockets are everywhere.

Paris is easily visited from London for a day. The Eurostar takes not even 2.5 hours from London to Paris, and the station is very close to attractions and sights.

The cheapest way to travel around Paris is the Metro, 1,90€ one way.

If you find this post useful, share it! 🙂

Similar Posts

The Ultimate “Emily in Paris” – Paris Guide!

31 Fantastic Things to do in Montmartre – Local Insider Guide

4 Days in Paris: Complete Itinerary & Insider Tips

Belleville, Paris: Between Artists & Locals (Guide & Tips)

20 Arrondissements in Paris (Quick Guide + Map)

Paris Walks: 14th & 15th Arrondissement (+ Petite Ceinture)

Venice Private Tours

Venice food tours, st. mark’s basilica, murano & burano, gondola tours, doge’s palace, st. peter’s basilica, st. peter's dome, sistine chapel, raphael rooms, private tours, pompeii from rome, cooking classes, colosseum underground, paris food tours, eiffel tower, statue of liberty, nyc food tours, metropolitan museum (met), central park, last supper, lake como from milan, windsor castle, westminster abbey, tower of london, harry potter, changing of the guard, vegas shows, the grand canyon, uffizi gallery, tuscan wine tours, statue of david, florence food tours, florence duomo, accademia gallery, sagrada familia, montserrat from barcelona, casa batllo, barcelona food tours, barcelona boat tours, athens food tours, rijksmuseum tours, amsterdam food tours, amalfi coast, water & boat tours, sorrento boat tours, capri boat tours, the best half day tours in paris, book guided tours to the eiffel tower, louvre museum, versailles, and more.

Filled with incredible attractions, Paris is one of the world’s best cities for visitors. In less than half a day, you can explore world-class museums like the Louvre, take a Seine River cruise, try incredible French food in Le Marais, enjoy views from the Eiffel Tower Summit, or walk in royal footsteps in countryside Versailles. Book ahead to make sure your Paris vacation is truly unforgettable!

Looking for the perfect way to spend your morning, afternoon, or evening in Paris? This is it. Whether you’re hoping to sample Paris' finest food, longing to see the Mona Lisa, climb the Eiffel Tower, or stroll through the Palace of Versailles, our small group and private tours are a perfect way to plan part of your day! With the best Paris guides, skip-the-line tickets, and special access experiences, planning your perfect break in the City of Lights has never been easier! Filled with incredible attractions, Paris is one of the world’s best cities for visitors. In less than half a day, you can explore world-class museums like the Louvre, take a Seine River cruise, try incredible French food in Le Marais, enjoy views from the Eiffel Tower Summit, or walk in royal footsteps in countryside Versailles. Book ahead to make sure your Paris vacation is truly unforgettable!

Filter by the price per person

15 results found

Skip the line

Ultimate Palace of Versailles Tour from Paris

Breeze past the lines for the palace and gardens with a friendly English speaking guide

( 486 ) as low as $87.87

Skip the Line

Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

Get to know Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, and Napoleon's Coronation like never before

( 417 ) as low as $66.56

Premium Access Eiffel Tower Summit Tour with Seine River Cruise

Fulfill your bucket-list dream of viewing the City of Lights from the best spot in the city

( 93 ) as low as $78.63

Guided Tour

Eiffel Tower Climbing Tour with Summit Access

Get your steps in to the second floor before taking the elevator to the summit for epic Paris views

( 120 ) as low as $44.12

Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Tour with Seine River Cruise

See beautiful Paris with second floor Eiffel Tower elevator tickets, a river cruise, and champagne

( 170 ) as low as $61.98

Eiffel Tower Morning Tour with Summit Access

Ride the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower and admire the City of Light from above!

( 5 ) From: $95.46

Private Golden Versailles Palace and Garden Tour

Travel to Versailles from Paris for a private tour with free time in the gardens and Trianon Estate

( 22 ) From: $664.84

Versailles Gardens Tour from Paris with Skip the Line Palace Access

Guided tour of the gardens and the château, and round-trip transportation from Paris

( 48 ) From: $99.90

Europe is re-opening for visitors!

Want to see which small group tours are now operating ?

More tours added weekly!

See Open Tours

• Travel Blog
• In The Press
• Top Attractions

Policy & Terms

• Cancellation Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• USA or Canada: +1 888 290 5595
• Email: [email protected]

© 2024 - The Tour Guy All rights reserved.

• Top Destinations
• Mexico City, Mexico
• Tokyo, Japan
• Paris, France
• Rome, Italy
• London, United Kingdom
• All Destinations
• Upcoming Experiences
• Walking Tours
• Small-Group Tours
• Tours for Kids
• Museum Tours
• Food, Wine and Market Tours
• Newly Added Tours
• Audio Guides
• Pre-Trip Lectures
• Admin Dashboard
• My Favorites
• Cookies Preferences
• Client Orders
• Monthly Commissions
• My Advisor Profile
• Advisor Toolkit
• Guide Dashboard

Credit Balance

Transactions are based on current exchange rates and performed in USD. There maybe slight variations in the price estimates.

Paris Tours and Experiences Hosted by Local Experts

• Popular Tours
• First Time in Paris
• Off the Beaten Path
• Food Lovers
• 3 Days in Paris
• Small Group Tours
• Solo Traveler

Louvre Museum Tour: A Guided Crash Course

Paris in a Half-Day Tour: Highlights from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower

Parisian Picnic in Le Marais Audio Guide

Half-Day Versailles Palace and Gardens Day Trip with Skip-the-Line Tickets

Musée d'Orsay Tour: A Guided Crash Course

Paris Food Tour: Essentials of French Cuisine

Montmartre Tour for Kids with Sacré-Coeur

Paris Food Tour: Pastries and Chocolate

Paris WWII History Tour: Nazi Occupation and the Resistance

Paris in a Day with the Louvre

Half-Day Giverny Tour from Paris: Monet's House and Garden with Skip-the-Line Tickets

Paris Architecture Tour: Haussmann's Transformation

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ .

• Our Experts
• Working with Context
• View All Cities
• Sustainable Tourism
• Refer a Friend for $50
• Travel Updates
• Advisor Login
• Expert Portal

Subscribe to our Newsletter

• Privacy Statement & Security
• Cancellation Policy

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Arts & Culture
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

The 14 best day trips from Paris

Your trip to Paris shouldn't end there - hop on the train and check out the best day trips out of the capital

Paris is the best, obviously. There’s no doubt about that. But the summer can get painfully hot, and painfully touristy, and you might find yourself spending more time queuing outside Instagram-famous cafés than actually eating in them. Either that, or you might have just fallen in love with Paris , and be in desperate need of seeing more. 

Whatever your reason, we’ve got good news. Whenever you plan to escape the city, there’s a whole host of incredible places to discover near Paris, that you can get to via train, car or boat. Think sprawling champagne regions filled with vineyards, serene gardens and old architecture, and a ton of galleries for when you’ve had it up to here with all the fantastic galleries in the French capital. Here are the best day trips from Paris, right now. 

RECOMMENDED: 🇫🇷  The greatest places to visit in France 🏘️  Where to stay in Paris 📍  The best things to do in Paris 🎨 Unmissable attractions in Paris 🏛️ The best museums in Paris 🏨 The best hotels in Paris

Planning your next trip? Check out our latest   travel guides , written by local experts.

An email you’ll actually love

Best day trips from Paris

1.  Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is a goldmine of fantastic architecture (especially castles), culture and history. It’s a Unesco World Heritage Site, full of lush gardens, French renaissance-esque towers and magical lakes. The Château de Chenonceau (otherwise known as the Ladies’ Castle, but everyone’s invited), sits right on the river and is truly something to behold, but make sure to check out Château de Cheverny and the rest of the Château de Chambord area while you’re there. Oh, and drink plenty of wine. It’s very good there. 

How far? 130 miles

Get there… A 1.5 hour train from Austerlitz to Blois and a 12 minute taxi to Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley. 

2.  Giverny

Here in the sleepy Pays d’Eure life moves at a more tranquil pace, much as it did when Monet lived and painted here from 1883 until his death in 1926. It was at his family home that he produced some of his most famous works, including his celebrated water lily series, ‘Les Nymphéas’. Today his magical gardens and the nearby Musée des Impressionnismes make for one of the most enjoyable day trips from Paris, drawing around half a million visitors each year. They're beautiful too, looking like a real-life Monet work, of course. Beautiful endless dots of colour everywhere. The interior is interesting and maintained well too. Of course, there's a lot more to do in Giverny than visit the Monet home. It's a picturesque place, with great history and a quaint, quiet scene full of nice walks and fab food. 

How far? 47 miles

Get there… A two-hour bus from Porte Maillot to Grand Val. 

3.  Champagne region

Considering France is practically synonymous with champagne, it’d be remiss to avoid the region that gave its name to the good stuff. Soak up the region’s rich history with visits to a vineyard, the Moët & Chandon cellars, and the royal city of Reims, the unofficial capital of Champagne where several French kings were crowned back in the day. There's great regal cathedrals and other architecture, great food (especially the ham), and of course, plenty to drink. Tchin Tchin, as they'd say. 

How far? 89 miles

Get there… A 45-minute train from Paris-Est to Reims. 

4.  Boulogne-Billancourt

Paris’s closest suburbs often play second fiddle to the city’s   intra-muros   attractions, but you’d be a fool to miss out on Boulogne-Billancourt. Start with the Bois de Boulogne, Paris’s western lung, filled with lakes and parkland, perfect for a morning stroll. Then drop by the three excellent museums:   Musée Paul-Belmondo   if you’re into sculpture, the   Musée des Années 30   for everything Art Deco and the   Musée Albert-Kahn  for wonderful sculpted gardens and collections of 19th-century photography. Everything comes in threes, right? To get there, take line 10 to Boulogne – Porte de Saint-Cloud. There's some top food here too, whether you want a bistro or something grand (like fancy, not big). Also, given it's one of the richest communes in French, you can have a great time people (and house) watching here. 

How far?   10 miles

Get there…   A 30-minute train from Austerlitz. 

5.  Auvers-sur-Oise

‘Seriously beautiful’ is how Vincent van Gogh described Auvers-sur-Oise in a letter to his brother Theo. He knew a thing or two about how things look, did Van. This peaceful, charming hamlet is only 30 kilometres from Paris and has drawn all manner of influential painters over the years, mainly impressionists.  Gogh's final resting place, and his brothers's is here in fact. After visiting, why not toast to them at the musée de l’Absinthe.  Others who took inspiration from this picturesque spot include Charles-François Daubigny, Paul Cézanne and Camille Pissarro. A place for the taste-makers, indeed. 

How far? 32 miles. 

Get there... A 38-minute train from Gare du Nord to Méry-sur-oise. 

6.  Château de Versailles

Versailles must be one of the most impressive royal residences in Europe. A right royal palace, serious levels of palace. Transformed from a hunting lodge to palace by Louis XIV in 1682, with the help of more than 36,000 craftsmen and labourers, its scale and grandeur are matchless. Whether you want to tick off the estate’s headline attractions or discover little-visited corners in the grounds and beyond, this is an essential day out. Prepare to lose yourself in the gilded stucco wonder that is the hall of mirrors. And prance around the orange trees in the garden as if you’re Marie Antoinette yourself. It can easily take up an enrtire day, having, you know 2,300 rooms across 8.15km squared. If you find your way out and fancy some opulent dining for yourself, great places to manger nearby include Alain Ducasse's Ore, and La Mangette which has a new menu daily and doesn't take reservations. 

How far? 18 miles. 

Get there… a 46-minute train from Musée d'Orsay to Château de Versailles.

7.  Vitry-sur-Seine

Vitry-sur-Seine was once not quite a no-go zone, but almost – it’s the largest town in the Val-de-Marne region (with some 85,000 inhabitants), famed for its social unrest and riots. But don’t be scared away: this unseemly slice of suburbia has cleaned up its act, and now makes for a fun, artsy day out away from the pristine (and sometimes stuffy) offerings in central Paris. You’ll find streets decorated with graffiti by street art collective C215, plus monumental outdoor artworks including Jean Dubuffet’s giant ‘Chaufferie avec Cheminée’, an ode to Vitry’s industrial past. Our top tip? Get a snapshot of French art from 1950 to the present at the trendy   MAC VAL museum . Hidden gems are everywhere. This extends to the modestly priced bistros, which offer some serious grub to nourish you after a day's exploring. Not to mention good wine. You'll spot a bunch of trendy types around the university too. 

How far?   6 miles. 

Get there…   A seven-minute train from Bibliothèque François Mitterrand to Les Ardoines. 

8.  Chartres

If you like your architecture gothic – and monumental – there are few better places than Chartres. Its 12th-century Notre-Dame cathedral (not that one), which sits to the south-west of the capital, has been granted World Heritage Site status by Unesco on account of its remarkable preservation (many of its stained-glass windows are original). The area is best-known for the architecture of goths, but you should also wander this medieval city’s cobbled streets and you’ll find some decent bars and restaurants, too. For half the year, you can also catch a stunning lighting display across the city centre (at night, of course). 

How far? 56 miles. 

Get there… A train from Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 to Chartres for one hour and 15 minutes. 

9.  Normandy

If you’ve got a long day (or weekend) to spare, we suggest heading west to Normandy. This historic coastal region is probably best known for its involvement in the Second World War, with much of the war’s legacy still visible. While you’re there, explore the Caen Memorial Museum, the D-Day landing beaches and the breathtaking American cemetery, with its poignant rows of white crosses. Beyond the history, Normandy is also home to some great seaside views and food. Particularly, seafood, cider, cheese, and some seriously good poulet. 

How far? 125 miles. 

Get there… A train from Magenta to Hôtel de Ville for two hours and 30 minutes. 

10.  Fontainebleau

Royal France isn’t all about Versailles, you know. Before that was built, the medieval Palace of Fontainebleau was home to Napoleon III (nephew of the famous one) and Louis VII, and was known as the ‘Second Rome’ thanks to its suite of rooms decorated specially by Napoleon I for Pope Pius VII. Visitors should also take a look around Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, which was extravagantly landscaped by the same architect who worked on the Palace of Versailles. While in (second) Rome, head to the forest of Fontainebleau, with its large boulders and stunning views. There's also three thousand or so species of mushroom here. 

How far? 43 miles. 

Get there… A 40-minute train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau - Avon.

11.  St-Denis

The northern  département  (Parisian suburb, basically) of Seine St-Denis, aka ‘Le 93’, used to be the one that best fulfilled the negative image of the  banlieue , with colossal housing estates like La Courneuve, Aulnay-sous-Bois and Sarcelles some of the most deprived (and crime-ridden) in France. There are still pockets that are best avoided, and the estates are still poor, but serious urban renewal projects have immensely improved things. Our advice? Go on a tour of the Basilica of Saint-Denis, home to the largest collection of funerary sculpture from the 12th to the 16th centuries. So yeah, there's a hell of a lot of history to take in around the place. But there's also lovely spots to eat in and spend timing walking around. You're not far from the heart of Paris in any case. 

How far? 13 miles. 

Get there… A five-minute train from Gare du Nord to Saint-Denis. 

12.  Domaine de Chantilly

The Domaine de Chantilly is one of the most enjoyable day trips north of Paris. The estate was the home of Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, who amassed one of France’s greatest collections of precious books, paintings and decorative objects. Today, as well as admiring the château’s galleries, you can visit the impressive suites, stroll the gardens and stop by the stables, now an equestrian museum. Round off your trip with a Chantilly cream-based dessert (can't go wrong with cream and vanilla can you). Fun fact, Ronaldo (Brazil) got married at the Château, which cost about 700,000 euros. 

How far? 30 miles. 

Get there… A 23-minute train from Paris Nord to Chantilly - Gouvieux followed by a 30-minute walk to Rue du Connétable. 

13.  Montreuil and Vincennes

If you’re a Paris old-timer, or just looking for a fresh angle on sightseeing, consider the City of Light’s closest eastern suburbs, Montreuil and Vincennes. The former is famed for labyrinthine flea market, Les Puces de Montreuil.  Though less pretty than Vincennes, Montreuil's population has a distinct arty streak, visible in the town's numerous galleries, artist's workshops and graffiti clad walls.  Vincennes, meanwhile, is home to the postcard-perfect Château de Vincennes, which contains Europe’s tallest medieval dungeon, and the sprawling bois , replete with follies and lakes.

How far? 6 miles. 

Get there… An 18-minute train from Châtelet les Halles to Rue de Montreuil & Rue de Vincennes. 

14.  Parc de Sceaux

South of Paris lies the Parc de Sceaux, a beautiful yet little-known estate home to sprawling formal gardens and a small château. It’s one of the most delightful weekend escapes from the city, particularly in spring when you can picnic beneath the cherry blossom. We highly recommend picking up a gourmet picnic of salads, terrines and Nutella éclairs, and reclining in the shade of the cherry trees at Bosquet Nord. Also, home from home, you can get some top tea here. There's a massive range of Mariage Frères teas and a chocolat Viennois that will give you more than enough of a sugar hit for the journey back to Paris. Tres bien. 

How far?   17 miles. 

Get there…   A 25-minute train from Gare du Nord to Parc de Sceaux. 

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising
• Time Out Market

Time Out products

• Premium Profiles
• Time Out Worldwide
• Paris print guides

I Go To Paris All The Time & These Are The Best Ways To Spend A Weekend

Between the Eras Tour and the Olympics, all eyes are on the City of Lights.

Paris is always a good idea — but particularly if you have plans to visit sometime in 2024. With a Taylor Swift tour stop and a Summer Olympics on deck for the City of Lights in the coming months, travelers from all around the world are flocking to this cultural mecca for a taste of the history, sports, arts, fashion, and more it has to offer ( Emily in Paris hot spots included ).

As a frequent visitor, I can’t blame fellow travelers for their Parisian wanderlust. Each of my visits to the French capital has carried its own distinct flair, a credit to the vast selection of sights and cultural experiences available in its 20 arrondissements (or neighborhoods).

It offers a rare sense of unhurried relaxation in a place where there is so much to do.

But the common thread that binds my time in Paris together is the feeling of true vacation, as it offers a rare sense of unhurried relaxation in a place where there is so much to do.

My most recent trip to Paris was thanks to a two-day layover before heading to the southern coast of France, so I donned my walking shoes for this 48-hour stint to make up for the days I would spend idly on the sand afterwards. Plus, with the Seine river walk at my fingertips, I’ve found the most effective way to see the city is on foot.

For the weekend warriors with a brief jaunt in fair Paris coming soon, here’s what I had on my itinerary, all for under $500. And don’t worry, I pencilled in time for you to end up “ in an alleyway, drinking champagne ” before Miss Swift sweeps you away to La Defense.

12:30 p.m.: Arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

For U.S. travelers, the easiest trek across the pond is a red-eye flight that lands the following afternoon. For me, this meant an 11 p.m. flight out of New York that landed around 12:30 p.m. in Paris.

I flew into Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) , one of two international airports serving Paris. While CDG is bigger and has more amenities, the smaller airport, Orly , is less crowded and closer to the city center by car. For either option, there is train service, known as RER B , that can get you from your terminal to the heart of Paris.

CDG travelers like me will need to purchase a ticket just outside the terminal for around $13. Orly fliers will have a quick transfer in between the terminal and the RER B via the Orlyval shuttle , which has a combined ticket price of around $16.

Train into Paris: ~$15

3 p.m.: Picnic at the Eiffel Tower

At first glance, it might feel slightly aggressive to hop off the plane and go straight to the most touristy attraction possible in Paris. But trust me, a picnic at the foot of the city’s most iconic sight is the least aggressive way to begin a whirlwind weekend chock-full of sightseeing.

While many Paris picnickers will go on a fromagerie (cheese shop), boulangerie (bakery), or farmers market adventure to curate the perfect spread, I opted to keep things simple after dropping off my bags by stopping by a nearby supermarket.

I grabbed the basics — a baguette, a wedge of brie, some strawberries, and a bottle of wine — before taking public transit (called the RER) away from my Airbnb in the 9eme arrondissement. Try to do the same near your hotel, as supermarkets near the Eiffel Tower prey on picnicking tourists with outrageous price markups.

If you decide to go the wine route like I did, find a screw-top bottle or remember a bottle opener, otherwise you’ll have to tip one of the wine sellers wandering around the Champ-de-Mars to open it for you). Besides that, snag a blanket and a glass from your hotel room, park on the grass for a few hours, and let that “Oh mon dieu, I’m in Paris” moment sink in as you take that first bite of your impromptu spread at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

For those itching to get those views from the tower itself , tickets will set you back $13-$20 for second-floor access, and $23-$30 for the summit. The views from up top, however, are worth the price point for a vantage point (aka IG-worthy view) over the city.

Picnic spread budget: $20

Transit to the Eiffel Tower: $3

Eiffel Tower access: $13-$30

6 p.m.: Walk along the Seine

The best way to get a lay of the land in Paris is by strolling along the Seine riverside walk . The waterway that slices the city in two gives idyllic views of the Louvre, Grand Palais, and more — if you’re willing to put in the steps along the way.

Luckily, a walk along the Seine can be as leisurely as you like, with dozens of restaurants and bars on the riverbanks to pop into if you get hungry. I was feeling particularly ambitious on my walk from the Eiffel Tower and took the almost 3-mile trek to the Île de la Cité , home of the famed Notre-Dame de Paris and Sainte-Chapelle churches.

After a brief glance at both facades, I ventured over to the Rive Droite (The Right Bank, or north side of the Seine) for dinner at Maison Maison . A glass of wine, a divine endive, apple, and walnut salad, and some beef empanadas set me back about $38, and the views at sunset over the river made the journey well worth it.

Depending on how far you wander (and where you’re staying), you can use the RER to get home, as there are ample stops peppered along the river. For the truly beat (like me), an Uber is easy to book in Paris, as well as cabs from G7 Taxis , which you can book through their app.

Taxis beyond G7 ones are fairly easy to hail near tourist destinations as well, though you will need euro notes on hand to pay, as they don’t accept credit cards.

Dinner: $38

Transit home: $3-$15

DAY 1 TOTAL: $121

8:30 a.m.: grab a coffee and a pastry from a nearby café.

No matter where you are in Paris, a coffee and classic French pastry are available on nearly every block you walk. I grabbed a café au lait (coffee with steamed milk) and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) from the nearest boulangerie to start my long day of sightseeing.

Breakfast: $8

9 a.m.: Get cultured at Paris’ myriad of art museums

One of the pinnacles of Paris’ cultural influence is its art , so you would be remiss to pass up a morning in one of its many famed galleries.

For first-timers with a mission of seeing the Mona Lisa , the Louvre is your obvious destination. This expansive museum has one of the most impressive collections of Renaissance art in the world, and one day here will only scratch the surface of all there is to explore within its walls.

Admission is currently 22 euros (~$24). Pro tip: Buy them in advance online .

For those with more of an Impressionist disposition, I’d recommend fitting two museums into your itinerary for the day in place of the Louvre. Your first stop, the petit but mighty Musée de l’Orangerie , boasts eight of the Crown Jewels of Claude Monet’s work: his large-format Water Lilies compositions . The enormous canvases cover over 2,000 square feet of the sun-soaked circular room where they live and are a must-see for admirers of the famed Impressionist’s collection.

Entry costs 12.50 euros (~$14), and I would recommend booking tickets ahead of time since they have limited daily entry.

Once you’ve had your fill of this collection, step outside for a quick stroll through the nearby Jardin de Tuileries ( a mainstay of Emily in Paris , for eagle-eyed fans). And if you feel like dramatically throwing your cellphone in a fountain à la Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada , the fateful Place de la Concorde is just steps away from the museum’s entrance.

Otherwise, venture over the Seine to your next stop: the Musée d’Orsay . Once Paris’ central train station, the Beaux-Arts-style building with its enormous arched ceilings is as beautiful as the art it contains. Its top floor houses the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in the world, ranging from Edgar Degas’s ballerina sculpture , petite danseuse de quatorze ans , to Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone , a more tranquil precursor to his most famous work.

Entry is 16 euros when booked ahead or 14 euros at the door, setting you back around $16-$18 for your visit.

Museum entry: $24-$30

1 p.m.: Grab lunch at La Palette

If you’ve spent your morning in the galleries, you’ll probably be hungry around this time. Try to resist the urge to eat at one of the museum restaurants (they’re bland and very overpriced), and head to a nearby café like La Palette instead.

This brasserie is nestled on a quiet street in the 6eme arrondissement just past the Musée d’Orsay, and it features all the classics of French dining (moody servers included). But hey, it’s part of the ambiance, along with its ornate, mirrored dining room and wicker streetside seating.

The hero of my lunch was feeling plopped right into a storybook Paris, complete with chic locals sat to my right and a classic car parked on the street to my left.

An entree and a drink here will set you back around $30 — I went with the ham omelette and a glass of chablis — but the hero of my lunch was feeling plopped right into a storybook Paris, complete with chic locals sat to my right and a classic car parked on the street to my left.

2:30 p.m.: Go vintage shopping on rue Tiquetonne

Since this quick stint in Paris is about hitting the city’s greatest spots, my Saturday needed to involve a shopping stint. As much as I would love to stop by the Louis Vuitton flagship on the Champs-Elysées , the vintage scene in Paris was decidedly the more interesting (and cost-effective) choice.

Enter: rue Tiquetonne in the 2eme arrondissement , a short walk over the Seine from our lunchtime locale. The streets here are lined with fun vintage shops at an array of price points, from the massive (and wallet-friendly!) Episode to the remarkably curated Kiliwatch .

Those looking for a memorable souvenir, you’ll undoubtedly find your next favorite piece for your closet on this block — even if you’re aiming for a budget under $100 like I was.

Vintage shopping budget: $100

Transit back to the hotel: $3

7 p.m.: Grab dinner at FrenchParadox: Canard & Champagne

After an optional stop at your hotel to freshen up (and drop off your vintage finds), make your way back to the 2eme arrondissement for dinner within the Passage des Panoramas . This *ahem* alleyway is one of the oldest covered passages in Paris, named for the elaborate panoramic paintings lining the walls.

If you arrive before your reservation, feel free to pop into one of the many artisan shops housed within the historic market. Eventually, you’ll arrive at Canard & Champagne , which, as the name in English suggests, hosts a menu anchored in the classic French pairing of duck and wine.

While the à la carte menu offers a slightly wider selection with vegetarian options, the three-course prix fixe boasts a luxurious, duck-forward Parisian dinner with three champagne pairings for only 69 euros. With the prix fixe, I chose the duck fois gras, the duck breast, and the (I was told, unlimited) chocolate mousse, all of which were fantastic with their champagne accompaniments.

While on the pricier side of dining for this trip, it’s hard to argue with three courses — champagne included — for around $75 in the heart of the city. The service was also some of the best I had in Paris, with attentive waitstaff who gracefully tolerated my rusty French.

Dinner: $75

9 p.m.: Catch sunset on Montmartre

As you walk around Paris, you’ll often spot in the distance the white domed spires of Sacré-Cœur atop the summit of Montmartre. So, naturally, this is one of the best places in the city to watch a sunset.

Depending on when you roll out of dinner, your next stop will be either a 30-minute walk, a 25-minute RER ride, or a 10-minute cab north to the base of Montmartre. From there, you can either ride the funicular up to the top for 1.90 euros or save the two-euro coin by climbing its iconic steps.

From the top, you have an unbelievable view of Paris to share with with dozens of tourists and locals alike parked on the Sacré-Cœur steps. Often at sunset, live musicians will play for the crowd, while sellers will walk around selling bottles of beer for those interested. The camaraderie on the steps is quite charming and unique, making for a truly colorful close to the day.

Walking to Montmartre: FREE

10 p.m.: Grab a nightcap at Le Très Particulier

If you want to meander a little longer along the cobblestone streets of Montmartre before heading back to your hotel, this neighborhood is ripe for a nightcap. While my personal favorite spot, Lulu White, is sadly no more (RIP), you’ll find an equally delicious cocktail at Hotel Particulier’s ornate cocktail lounge, Le Très Particulier .

Soaked in gold trimmings with plush red velvet chairs, the space is decadent and fun with a cocktail menu to match. Cocktails range from 15 to 30 euros apiece (with a few mocktail selections as well), but after all, this is a nightcap, so it won’t hurt to treat yourself to just one.

Cocktail: $20

DAY 2 TOTAL: $266

9:30 a.m.: breakfast at a café.

For a final taste of the 9eme arrondissement, I left my Airbnb around 9 a.m. for breakfast around the corner. Most cafés will serve breakfast until about 11 a.m., with a streamlined selection of pastries, eggs, coffee, and other drinks. I treated myself to all the above, then took a stroll through the neighborhood, grabbing a last glance at the famed Palais Garnier opera house en route to my final stop.

Breakfast: $30

10:30 a.m.: Pop into a CityPharma for some French beauty essentials

The French beauty industry stands as a titan of the clean girl aesthetic , where extensive skin care and natural makeup reign supreme. So, I decided to wrap up my stay with a visit at one of Paris’s famed pharmacies to capture this “je ne sais quoi” in a bottle — literally.

Walk into any green-crossed “pharmacie,” and you can buy staples from La Roche Posay, Caudelie, and more French brands at a fraction of American prices. The viral Embroylisse Lait-Crème Concentré Moisturizer , for example, costs a mere 14 euro, about half the price you’ll snag it for at your local Sephora. La Roche-Posay’s cult favorite Cicaplast Baume B5 will similarly run you only $7 for a full size.

But the true holy grail of French pharmacies is the humble A313 Vitamin A cream , a retinoid that packs a powerful punch on wrinkles, fine lines, and general skin texture. With a $7 price tag, it’s no wonder that beauty experts stock up on this catch-all cream whenever they’re in Paris.

Pharmacy essentials: $50

12:30 p.m.: Head off on your next adventure

With a final adieu to your beloved home base to collect your bags, your weekend in Paris has drawn to a close. Whether you’re heading to your next destination by train or plane, the RER will be your best bet to the Gare du Nord or either airport.

Train to the airport: $13

DAY 3 TOTAL: $93

Total cost: $480.

Even in a bite-sized portion, Paris always seems to leave me satisfied with my time there. With so much to explore, the reality of not seeing it all makes me more hopeful for my next visit rather than sad to depart.

With so much to explore outside the city limits with Versailles and Monet’s Giverny home nearby — let alone the rest of France within reach — Paris seems to be the kind of destination you can’t just visit once.

Lotte Kopecky Won’t Be Racing the Tour de France Femmes

The Paris-Roubaix winner will prioritize Olympic medals instead, with the Omnium event wrapping just a day before the Tour begins.

Last year at the Tour , Kopecky wore the yellow jersey before teammate Demi Vollering took it over on the Col du Tourmalet. Thanks to an impressive performance in the opening stage, Kopecky spent six stages in yellow. She attacked with about 10 km left and crossed the finish line 41 seconds ahead of the rest of the peloton. Kopecky ended up the overall runner-up.

This year, the Belgian will be going all-in at the velodrome, where she hopes to win the first Olympic medals of her career. Trying to transition immediately from track racing to the Tour would just be too much. “The Omnium ends Sunday afternoon, the Tour starts Monday morning. That is almost unfeasible to do that in a good way,” said sporting manager Danny Stam, according to Sporza .

“Combining those two events would also be a very difficult task mentally. If you were to take Olympic gold, it’s too short a day to start the next morning in the Tour. She can now fully focus on the Games,” Stam added.

GCN reported that Kopecky has “high hopes both on the road and track at the Olympics, where she will look to convert her successes from the World Championships into Olympic gold. The 28-year-old is a multiple world champion on the track across the Madison, Elimination, and Points race disciplines.”

So far, Kopecky’s best Olympic result was fourth place in the road race at the Tokyo Games.

Even though fans will be disappointed not to see Kopecky racing the Tour de France Femmes, there will still be plenty of action to watch. The World Champion will be racing the Tour of Britain Women in June before returning to the Giro d’Italia Women in July. And then, of course, the Olympics in Paris, which run from July 26 to August 11.

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Racing

Nairo Quintana Will Focus on Stage Wins at Giro

UAE Team Emirates Secures Isaac Del Toro’s Future

MvdP and Tom Pidcock Eat Humble Pie at LBL

Pogačar Dedicates Liège Victory to Urška’s Mother

2024 Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL Race Results

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2024 Results and Recap

How to Watch Liège-Bastogne-Liège

La Flèche Wallonne 2024 Results

NCL Leaves Riders and Staff in Limbo

Is Matteo Jorgenson Too Tall to Win a Grand Tour?

2024 Giro d’Italia | 6 Reasons to Be Psyched

• Senior Living
• Wedding Experts
• Private Schools
• Home Design Experts
• Real Estate Agents
• Mortgage Professionals
• Find a Private School
• 50 Best Restaurants
• Be Well Boston
• Find a Dentist
• Find a Doctor
• Guides & Advice
• Best of Boston Weddings
• Find a Wedding Expert
• Real Weddings
• Bubbly Brunch Event
• Properties & News
• Find a Home Design Expert
• Find a Real Estate Agent
• Find a Mortgage Professional
• Real Estate
• Home Design
• Best of Boston Home
• Arts & Entertainment
• Boston magazine Events
• Latest Winners
• Best of Boston Soirée
• NEWSLETTERS

If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours.

A New England Traveler’s Guide to Paris, France

What’s left to say about a city that has it all? Turns out, quite a lot in 2024.

From day trips to weekend getaways, our biweekly Traveler newsletter shows you the best of New England and beyond.

Setting out at sunset on the Seine. / Photo by Prasit Rodphan/Alamy Stock Photo

Few cities in the world instantly entice the senses and inspire the soul like Paris. Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain, the Marais—this roll call of enchanting neighborhoods conjures images of quaint sidewalk cafés, verdant gardens, exquisite museums, intimate restaurants, and sun-splashed rooftops. With the Olympics beginning later this summer, the cosmopolitan capital has never looked more vibrant and prepared to welcome visitors. Wait, the French…welcoming? Indeed, even the Seine has undergone a massive cleaning and is set to host aquatic events, mon dieu! Whether you want to witness the Games or visit before the crowds start flowing in, there are a wealth of new attractions, restaurants, and hotels at the ready to experience the “City of Light” like never before.

The Louvre on a sunny day. / Photo by Bruce Beck/Alamy Stock Photo

One of the city’s newest—and most offbeat—attractions is Maison Gainsbourg , a Left Bank museum showcasing the provocative work of famed French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg (add on a visit to his historic house across the street for the full experience). To admire another lesser-known gem, head for Île Saint-Louis , the smaller of the two islands on the Seine. Here you’ll find narrow streets lined with 17th-century buildings featuring elaborate façades and quiet courtyards that offer a glimpse into the Paris of yesteryear. Stopping at Berthillon , which has been serving delicious ice cream since 1954, is a must. Prefer to actually get on the water? Try water skiing or wakeboarding on the river—yes, that’s really a thing—just outside of the city with the Ski Nautique Club .

If you still need to scratch some of the city’s most iconic sights off your bucket list, fear not. Several legendary spots are reopening their doors this year, including the Grand Palais : An architectural masterpiece originally built for the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition will once again host the arts, as well as some Olympic competitions. Speaking of comebacks, Notre Dame Cathedral , which tragically burned in 2019, is set to reopen later this year after a painstaking $900 million-plus renovation.

No French sojourn would be complete without a stroll through the legendary Louvre , of course, but we recommend at least a few hours at the Musée d’ Orsay as it celebrates the 150th birthday of impressionism with an immersive new exhibit, “Tonight with the Impressionists.” Don a virtual reality headset to step back in time to 1874 and witness one of the first exhibitions of the movement featuring works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Cézanne.

Strolling the Rue des Francs Bourgeois. / Photo by Lana Rastro/Alamy Stock Photo

On the Right Bank, the Marais is where you can find trendy boutiques lining the Rue des Francs Bourgeois . To seek out the best bargains, peruse the network of stalls, alleys, and showrooms at the Marché aux Puces , open on weekends and Mondays. It covers close to 20 acres and is one of the oldest flea markets in the world.

A Thai crèpe from Restaurant Thiou in Hôtel Norman. / Photo by Yann Deret

Tempting bistros are seemingly around every corner, but why not sample a bit of everything at the new gastronomic hall Communale Saint-Ouen ? This is no ordinary food court—Parisians gather here to listen to live music; sample street food, pastries, and cheeses; and sip fine wine and craft beers. For a more romantic atmosphere, slide into a booth at Le Christine , where chef Mehdi Bencheikh’s inspiring menu features creative French cuisine. Or take it to the next level at Dans Le Noir , which offers a truly unique experience: dining in almost complete darkness. When it’s time for a nightcap, the elegant Bar Hemingway remains a popular haunt, just as it was for F. Scott Fitzgerald.

A plush room at Hôtel Norman. / Photo © MrTripper

Just a short stroll from the Arc de Triomphe, the new Hôtel Norman is a boutique property conceived by architect Thomas Vidalenc. Ideal for couples or families, amenities at the intimate 37-room hotel include the Spa by Omnisens and Restaurant Thiou, which serves up sumptuous Thai dishes from the legendary Parisian chef Apiradee Thirakomen. La Fantaisie is another new boutique property, this one with a rooftop bar, café, and 63 tastefully appointed rooms and 10 suites—many offering breathtaking views of the bustling Montmartre and the city beyond.

GETTING THERE

Nonstop flights from Boston to Paris are available on several carriers, including Air France, Delta, and JetBlue.

First published in the print edition of the May 2024 issue with the headline, “Paris, France.”

• 2024 Olympics
• Boston Traveler

Where to Stay in New England for the 2024 Solar Eclipse

A New England Traveler’s Guide to Asheville, North Carolina

10 Must-Visit Restaurants in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, Maine

Cover Reveal: The 150 Most Influential Bostonians of 2024 – Boston Magazine

The most anticipated greater boston restaurant openings, 2024, why i left my dream job at wbz morning news, acclaimed uyghur restaurant jahunger expands to cambridge, on the market: a wellesley, mass. home with a custom party barn, in this section.