I have organized this itinerary by type of day – Arrival Day, Cathedral & Exploring Day, Museums (Non-Louvre) Day, and Museums (Louvre) Day. The latter three days can be reordered as you see fit based on preference + available museum reservations. I’d recommend four days to explore the city of Paris and planning additional time to make the worthwhile overnight visits to either the Champagne or Normandy regions (~1-1.5 hours from Paris by train).

Remember that it’s mandatory to stop by a boulangerie (bakery) each morning for a flakey croissant and by a patisserie (pastry shop) each afternoon for a macaron – don’t worry, you’ll be walking it all off as you explore one of the most beautiful cities in Europe!

Arrival Day:

The golden rule of taking a red-eye is to do everything you can to NOT fall asleep when you arrive the next day to adjust to the time zone. This first day’s itinerary is laid out to keep you caffeinated and buzzed with the excitement of the city. These suggestions also work if you are training over from London via the Eurostar – try to book one of the early morning trains to maximize your visit.

• Drop bags and head up Paris’ most famous hill to the Montmartre neighborhood.
• If craving your first croissant, baguette, or pastry of the trip, head to PAIN PAIN as your first stop.
• If you are ready to sit down for a classic French bistro meal, head to Le Sancerre and grab an outside table and one of their croque monsieurs – oui, add the truffle.
• Post lunch caffeine and shopping along Rue Lepic.
  • Grab a coffee and stroll along this iconic Montmartre street for drinking + shopping + walking around like locals.
• Walk to Le Sacre Couer (Sacred Heart Basilica) for a panoramic view of Paris for the sunset – bring wine, enjoy the live music, and watch from the steps.
• If hungry after sunset, head to Café de Luce (~6 minute walk) – a casual corner bistro where you will dine under a canopy of trees with live music from nearby buskers.
• After sunset, continue down to the Pigalle neighborhood, ‘the red light district’, where you will find the famous Moulin Rouge (the red windmill).
  • There are usually 2-3x shows per evening and they will sell out, book ahead!

Cathedrals + Exploring Day:

• Grab a coffee at Jozi Cafe and walk to see the Pantheon (~2 minute walk) on your way to the Luxembourg Gardens (~8 minute walk) a 17th-century park in the heart of the city.
• After walking through the gardens, walk over to the famous Latin Quarter neighborhood (~10 minute walk).
• Stop by Variantes for a unique deck of cards and Shakespeare & Company for a book and to pet the famous resident cats.
• Cross the Pont St-Michel bridge to the Notre Dame cathedral.
• Visit Saint Chapelle
  • Short cathedral visit, for the room with the stained glass!
• Walk to the beautiful Le Marais neighborhood, across the Seine from Saint Chapelle + Notre Dame.
• Lunch at Benoit in the Marais neighborhood
  • Book ahead!  1-star Michelin restaurant from the most-starred living chef Alain Ducasse.
  • Quintessential Parisian meal, Michelin star with a tasting menu or a la carte. We tried escargot here and loved it. 
• Walk around / get lost around Le Marais after lunch – shopping, bars, stalls, galore.
  • “Le Marais is the perfect neighborhood in Paris for flâner, wandering aimlessly around the city to experience it” – World in Paris blog.
• Walk back towards in the Seine and down the stairs to the path that snakes along the river. This path will have various pop-up stalls, bars, restaurants, art installations (especially in the summer), and seating options for an afternoon stop to rest your feet and grab a drink.

Museum (Non-Louvre) Day: 

• Morning in the Musee d’Orsay  – a must-see museum built in an old railway train station, Gare d’Orsay that houses the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world.
  • Book ahead for timed entry! Museum is closed on Mondays.
• Walk across the bridge to the Louvre’s gardens, Jardin des Tuileries on your way to the next museum.
  • I’d recommend visiting the Louvre on another day (see Louvre Day itinerary below) so you aren’t overloaded with museums! If you are going in just to see the greatest hits, you could fit it into the same day. 
• Grab a classic jambon beurre (ham + cheese) baguette sandwich for lunch at one of the street vendors while walking through the garden. You’ll find these vendors situated in their green stalls.
• At the edge of the garden, you’ll find Musée de l’Orangerie for your next stop.
  • Smaller / more manageable museum (1-1.5 hour visit). 
  • Full floor dedicated to Monet’s water lilies. 
  • Book ahead for time entry! Museum is closed on Tuesday.
• After the museum, a short walk to the Seine to walk down to one of the various boats converted to bars for drinks and a bite.
• If up for a longer walk, you can follow the Seine to the Eiffel Tower (~30 minute walk or 6-minute drive) – grab a bottle of wine and some cheese for a picnic at Champ de Mars or Trocadéro Gardens – two parks on either side of the tower.
• Alternative to a stationary picnic, you could jump one of the many tourist boat offerings that leave from a dock adjacent to the Eiffel Tower.
  • Although I tend to avoid the more touristy activities, this is a wonderful way to see Paris by boat as you will sail down to the Notre Dame and back – especially with unparalleled views from the top deck of the boat!
  • The boats have cafes on-board to grab a snack.
  • You can grab tickets on the day-of at the various ticket booths along the Seine or for a book ahead option, check out Batobus for a hop on/hop off option or Veddettes for an Apertif cruise.

Museum (Louvre Day):

• Morning at the Louvre
  • Book ahead for timed entry! Museum is closed on tuesday.
  • Plan ahead , mu- it’s impossible to see everything in one visit so make sure to have your important pieces and route picked out in advance, and try to see more than just the Mona Lisa!
• Lunch post-museum at Angelina’s Rue de Rivoli location, a short walk from the museum. Angelina’s is most famous for their afternoon tea and pastries but has a delicious lunch menu with omelettes, sandwiches, salads, and soups.
• Walk through the Jardin des Tuileries to the Luxor Obelisk, and onto the famous Parisian street, Champs-Élysées.
• Stop at Ladurée for afternoon tea and macaroons. Snag an outdoor spot for people-watching along the Champs-Élysées.
• Visit the multi-story Louis Vuitton flagship store.
• Grand finale of this opulent, iconic road at the Arc de Triomphe.
• Book dinner at one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants that Paris has to offer – especially in this area (the chic 8th arrondissement). Some options I’ve found in the area: Le Clarence, Le Cinq, Epicure, Le Gabriel, Pierre Gagnaire, and La Scene Theleme.
  • Lunch is a great way to be exposed to a Michelin starred restaurant without the dinner price-tag.
  • Tasting menu lunches range between 65-120 Euros per person, whereas dinner averages around 250.
  • Even the most expensive restaurant in Paris is still cheaper than attempting to dine at a 3-star in the US, where meals average 350-450 USD.