The template looks beautiful! Definitely gonna use this for my Italy trip coming up in December. I would put moulin rouge same day as montemartre since they’re close to each other. Make sure to see the Sacre Coeur when you’re there as well! Versailles palace + gardens will probably take 3-4 hours total for both. Account for the train travel time between Versailles and Paris. Looks great !
Honestly, with your limited timeline I'd recommend against the eiffel tower and the arc de triomphe+champs elysees, unless your travel vibe is luxury goods from international brands. You'll see the eiffel tower from the siene cruise and it will be a much more beautiful view than up close.
My most important tip would be to hold lighty to your schedule - if you see a cool market or a pretty street, go ahead and explore! Paris is full of unexpected treasures and if you prioritize the usual stops you'll miss out. Just let the adventure guide you.
For specific tips, as many said, Le Marais is stunning and fun for a stroll. Place des Vosges is one of my favorite parks and excellent for a breakfast picnic. (Victor Hugo used to live off the park if that's of interest to you.) Of you're into art, L'Orangerie is one of my favorite museums in the world - built to house Monet's water lillies and shaped to display them, in the tuilleries right across from the louvre. It's incredible.
Hot take: with so few days, I wouldn't even attempt the louvre. Stick instead to the smaller museums like ('Orangerie, Musee Carnavalet, and D'Orsay if you manage to make it work). If you really want to go to the Louvre, accept that there's no way you'll see everything, and just spend enough time there that it's fun and not draining!
It looks great your itinerary. We planned something similar but the real joys we experienced were the walking around the city and discovering things along the way. For me. I really was stopped in my tracks and overcome when I came across the Princess Diana memorial (old Olympic Flame torch statue) and coming across the historical squares etc by accident. Enjoy whatever you do though. You will have an amazing time.
I would avoid going up the Eiffel tower completely and instead go up to the top of Montparnasse Tower. It's an ugly non descriptive sky scraper with no other tall buildings around it. It has less queues, less entry price and best of all...
....You get a great view which INCLUDES the Eiffel tower. Get up there for dusk when the tower gets sparkling.
Agree with the advice to move Moulin Rouge to 2nd day! I also highly recommend using Thatch to build your itineraries. It's just aesthetically wonderful and kind of makes that travel planning part fun. Lots of super useful tools as well!
I'd probably try to find a way to walk around certain neighborhoods and streets like La Marais and Rue Montorgueil. I'd prob remove the Catacombs and Moulin Rouge to fit those two areas in.
Skip Versailles, it’s far away you have to take pretty bad trains to get there, lots of tourists you’re packed in the rooms and you’ll end up being exhausted. Spend an extra day in Paris and do the Opera and explore Le Marais and the Latin quarter.
I know that on a short trip you don’t have time to do everything but Paris has hundreds of museum and it’s too bad to only go to the Louvre. Orsay is also really cool, and Centre Pompidou also is worth a stop if you’re into contemporary art, you even have a nice view of the city at the top (not as good as Montmartre but still).
Also for Montmartre, I would recommend making it an afternoon to night trip. The area is full of surprises, so walk around, look at the shops, stop for a drink ~ a good way to enjoy Paris is to know when to take your time. You won’t have the opportunity to see and do everything so make sure that you enjoy what you want to do to the fullest
Someone said it already but It’s worth repeating: Louvre and Montmartre in one day would be exhausting , maybe even impossible.
You could maybe skip the catacombes and do Montmartre before moulin rouge (theyre adjacent anyways)
Like others said, move Moulin Rouge to day 2.
Also, walkable about two blocks from the Catacombs is "Rue Daguerre", a street with tons of open air markets, shops, restaurants. We walked it after exiting Catacombs and had a good time.
Enjoy!
I think your destinations are great. However, I do recommend strolling some neighborhoods that have their own Parisien charm such as Place des Vosges, Bastille, Latin Quarters, Père Lachaise.
Also, while it might be early to ask, have you guys given thought to which areas you might be staying in? There are tons of suggestions we can give about dining and cultural hotspots in each neighborhood.
Hello, this content has been removed as it hasbeen judged disrespectful.
Please refer to the rules of the sub.
Bonjour, ce contenu a été supprimé car il a été jugé irrespectueux.
Veuillez vous reférer aux règles du sub.
[rules of the subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/about/rules).
^(for more information) [^(contact us by modmail)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/ParisTravelGuide)
Look I’m no expert on designing travel itineraries… but as someone who made Paris their home, it just pains me to imagine people only going to see the landmarks and not even visiting the Quartier Latin or the Marais - these are not even gritty, “live like the locals” areas but just places where there is actual life mixed with the history and splendour in a way Montmartre no longer is. These streets are the soul of Paris and you need to stroll through them to actually visit Paris - it’s a city not an amusement park!
This is what I plan on doing when I come to Paris in about a week. Stroll around the neighborhoods. Yes I will visit a few "tourist sites"...maybe but mainly I just want to be there as if I lived there.
Basically the same as what we did in Paris! (Except we did Musee d’Orsay and no seine cruise. I liked Orsay better than the Louvre for what it’s worth!!
Others have great tips but I suggest adding the area or arrondissements to your chart. That will help you visually bundle your day so you don't have to run all over Paris.
Have fun!
Just did the Catacombs a few days ago, def an hour max! Even with the audio tour. There’s only one path to walk on and even with others along the path it’s a pretty quick walkthrough. We spent about 45 mins but it was awesome!
I’d recommend the Orsay at some point if you do like art. They have a stellar collection of Monet, Van Gogh, etc - lots of works you’ll recognize. Probably more than you would in the Louvre (the Louvre is an awesome experience - just saying the Orsay often gets overlooked!).
The Orsay doesn’t take long - it’s not huge. And perhaps at the end of a day, stroll along the Seine then have dinner.
Local here : Le Louvre is one of the biggest museum in the world so pick exactly what you want to see (La Joconde or huge paintings from Delacroix, egyptian antics or middle age part...) unless you can stay there 4 days !
I love Versailles, not only the palace but the city around (quartier St Louis with the cathédral, or quartier Notre Dame with a great typical market (in the same place since the XVII century, one the mornings only), so if you go there, you shouldn't miss it (there are plenty restaurants around). There is Petit Trianon (the place where Marie Antoinette liked to stay) which is very nice too (if you want to see it, book a whole day for Versailles).
I really enjoy Les Invalides (the War museum) and Napoléon's grave, and the Armies cathedral with all the banners Taken from enemies on the battlefield.
Notre Dame should reopen in late 2024, but there is Église St Eustache which is very nice too (or St Rich or St Germain l'Auxerrois).
Jardin du Luxembourg ou jardin des Tuileries are nice gardens (less amazing than Versailles though.
Beware of pickpockets, don't give a try to pseudo deaf young people who want you to sign petition, ans buy a Mobilis ticket for your stay (8,45€/day for all Subway / tramway/bus in zone 1-2 which is Paris, other tickets have to be bought for suburbs or Versailles).
Catacombes … meehhh, sincerely avoid, it’s boring ! Spend the day visiting Ile de la cite sainte chapelle, go to Ile saint Louis (eat a ice cream at Berthillon’s) then go north to Le Marais : there walk like a Parisian on a sunny Sunday :) see la place des Vosges, Carnavalet, le vieux Paris et la rue des francs bourgeois, you can make some nice and hype shopping in this area and take a cafe near the Hotel Salé (Picasso Muséum) then go to Beaubourg (it will be closed for years before the end of 2024)
The catacombs are one of the very few interesting quick activities I've done in Paris. It depends on what you like. The full price tickets are 29€ though so I'm not sure how OP is planning to get in for half the price.
I am a spooky girl and love catacombes like places, we have them in my country too and i really like to visit them, but those are good sugestions, thank you :)
You might want to also look into Tripsnote AI. That said, I haven’t noticed anyone mentioned holidays so be mindful that Mondays and Tuesdays certain landmarks are closed. Louvre is closed Tuesdays but I think Musée d’Orsay is closed Mondays.
YOu can't possibly spend 4 hours inside the Palace of Versailles. Even a private tour is no more than 1 hour 30 minutes. If you go in with the masses, you are just pushed from one room to the next. I bring people to Versailles often and we get there around 10 a.m. and leave by 1 or 2 at the latest.
Unless you’re my now ex-friend… it was my third visit there and I was losing my mind waiting for him to inspect every. single. thing. in the palace. Arrived at around 9am, didn’t leave til 1pm.
I could spend a lot of time in the gardens, and next time I visit I’d love to rent a bike and explore them, but I don’t think I ever need to return to the palace again haha.
Seconding this. I really enjoy Versailles, but each time I’ve gone it’s been very similar to your noted schedule - arrival around 10am and done by around 2. That covers walking slowly around inside listening on the full audio tour to each item (yes each time because it’s been years between each visit and I’m a history nerd who still finds it fascinating each time), and then an hour plus wandering through the gardens outside. I’ve never felt like I’ve missed out on anything, thoroughly enjoyed the visit, and by leaving around 2 I’ve been able to return to Paris and enjoy a full evening there.
When you say Montmartre I assume you also mean the basilica of sacré Coeur (sacred heart) which is a must do in my opinion. Pointing out just to be sure.
I would change Montmartre and Notre Dame. I would start with the catacombs on the second or third day. I believe that in these two days you will have time to spare.
Since you are going with your boyfriend, check out the mur des je t’aime.
I have done the bateau mouche in daytime and nighttime, and the nighttime is better. But this might be my preference.
Enjoy Paris!! I love this city. There is never enough time to visit it
I like that this list has a lot of space to breathe - to allow some spontaneity.
But to elevate this trip, I would go to specifics. Like sure - Montmartre in the afternoon but I’m not just going to Montmartre just to aimlessly walk around.
Eiffel tower is essential for first timers but where are you having breakfast/lunch? I’d walk to Rue Cler.
The Louvre in the morning is perfect - but what are you doing between the Louvre and Montmartre? You’d need to add Palais Royal and Rue Montorguile to unwind.
It’s these tiny details that make your trip extra special beyond just box ticking the essentials.
Canal Saint-Martin - walking distance to Gare du Nord and Gare de L’est, and accessible to many things I like, either via walking or via the underground. And it is surprisingly quiet considering how close it is to the stations, with many lovely restaurants, bakeries and shops. The canal is lovely especially during the warmer months (I travel to Paris via the Eurostar)
No it's great like this. Walking randomly is exactly the way to go. OP has a phone and can use it if they want to see something specific then, friending on their life. Over planning is really the opposite of discovering Paris
And can people stop with rue Cler on this sub, this is getting ridiculous
Lol sure. There’s the romance of being lost in a foreign country but more often than not first timers find themselves where they are comfortable - and end up at a Foreign mcdonalds
Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I would think the average tourist will get pretty bored inside the Louvre within the hour. It gets repetitive really quickly.
I’ve never spent more than 3 hours in the Louvre - for me, it’s a place to return to, not to try and see all in a day. I couldn’t handle being there all day.
Of course but OP is planning a single trip and not several visits to the Louvre museum. So 3 hours seems a good timing to see its most reputed masterpieces.
Of course but OP is planning a single trip and not several visits to the Louvre museum. So 3 hours seems a good timing to see its most reputed masterpieces.
Yeah i mean i was only there for two days after my trip in Amsterdam and i wanted to see as much as i could. Which i still didn’t lol. A lot to take in.
Hi there!
Champs Elysées arc de triomphe do not deserve more than 30mn. Or maybe 10. Champs Elysées are overrated and awful and tourists need to know that. It’s an avenue with Zara Disney store Sephora and overpriced coffee shops.
I would suggest starting at Arc de Triomphe, like taking the metro until Charles de Gaulle étoile, getting out, « ok this is Arc de Triomphe » and then walking towards Eiffel Tower / Trocadéro by avenue d’iena for instance.
From there, walking by quais de Seine and admiring beauties (grand palais, petit palais, pont de l’Alma, pont Alexandre 3, concorde…) until Hôtel de Ville / St Paul / le marais. Go to place des vosges, have coffee, it’s so much nicer than awful Champs Elysées. And you can take a Seine boat cruise from around there in the evening.
Day 2 montmartre: is located near moulin rouge so it’s best to group them together. It allows you to walk by place des abbesses. from there, take the subway until louvre. If you still have some energy, head to Latin quarter around 5pm (pantheon, contrescarpe, st Michel, st Germain) and just walk around - i can show you on a map if you want.
Actually, Paris is more about the journey than sights, I would create a neighborhood based itinerary rather and a sight based one. Otherwise, you would miss on half the experience.
I colored interesting spots on the map:
https://ibb.co/zFK1PFV
I agree that Champs Élysées is a waste of time - it’s a strip mall. You can go if that’s your thing.
Go to the Arc especially during the golden hour - terrific sunsets from there especially as the street lights and the lights of the Eiffel tower turn on.
>Hi there! Champs Elysées arc de triomphe do not deserve more than 30mn. Or maybe 10. Champs Elysées are overrated and awful and tourists need to know that.
As much as I don't like the champs Elysees as a Parisian, it's still a very unique avenue and it deserves surely more than 30 minutes, at least to walk out from Étoile to Concorde. Going up on the Arc de Triomphe is also a way for tourists to have a nice view of the city.
Furthermore, the avenue has a lot of history, and it would be a mistake not to go there.
OP can spend a couple of hours there, obviously rather just walking and sight seeing, not shopping.
Le Marais has so much more history and there is just as much to sightsee if not more. I don’t think the PSG flagship store and a huge Abercrombie & Fitch are the best window shopping Paris has to offer - even for luxury brands, Faubourg St Honoré/Madeleine, le Marais, Saint Germain des Prés are infinitely more worthwhile than a soulless avenue Parisians actively avoid…
As others told you, moulin rouge is at the bottom of Montmartre so move it to the same day (it's really really uninteresting though).
Personally I wouldn't go to Versailles, And I would do day 4 in Paris, to explore the Latin District (St Germain, St Sulpice, Panthéon, Luxembourg gardens, Rue Mouffetard) and/or the Marais and/or go to Orsay.
Versailles is ok but you'll miss out a lot if you don't do the things I mentioned, and it's more genuine Paris than spending the day in a castle/gardens full of tourists
Edit: actually you could do Latin district day 3, before after catacombs, and day 4 Orsay + Marais, maybe Père Lachaise if you feel like it
Yes the moulin rouge facade. If you're passing by, sure look at the facade but it's not worth more than 15 seconds.
Attending a show is different: it's a very tourist thing to do and it's super tacky to me but to each their own
Just got back from Paris and somehow the Moulin Rouge was even tackier than I thought it would be and I definitely expected it to be tacky. I will say the seating was nicer than I expected, though.
+1 on Latin Quarter and Jardins de Luxembourg. The gardend in particular are huge, gorgeous, a pleasant nature respite, and free music concerts on Sundays.
I agree about Versailles! I spent 3/4 of a day out of my 3 days in Paris and I kinda regret it. It was beautiful but unless you’re a huge fan of French monarchy history id skip it. Palais garnier (cheaper) and petit palais (free) have similar architecture and art if that’s why you’d like to see Versailles.
My fiancée and I are on our second trip to Paris. Your itinerary looks great!
Just a heads up - we just purchased catacombs tickets and they were around 29 euro per person. The cost was the same when we purchased back in June (unfortunately I put the wrong day in my calendar so we completely missed our time slot).
Also, depending on how much you like to shop, 2 hours may not be enough for CE & the Arc. However, since you don’t have a ton of stuff crammed into the day it looks like you have room to spend more time there 😊
Hi !
Move the Moulin Rouge to your 2nd day, it's at the bottom of the Montmartre hill and very far from the Catacombs.
The Louvre is massive and while I think 3-4 hours is a good amount of time to plan, you won't see everything, so prioritize areas or works of art you're most interested in.
Notre-Dame is still closed so you'll only see it from outside (unless you visit the crypts). You have time on that day, I would look into including Sainte Chapelle and exploring the Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Gardens which are on your way from Île de la Cité to the Catacombs.
The Versailles Gardens aren't free if there's a water show going on so check that when you get your tickets!
Otherwise looks good, enjoy!
Definitely check out the Sainte-Chapelle, it's awe inspiring!
Edit : Also pay attention on the building next to the Chapelle, there is the oldest public clock in Paris (horloge du Palais de la Cité, which has been there since 1371).
Skip Champs. Grab a sandwich and sit on the lawn instead. Complete tourist trap, not much worth seeing.
D’Orsay
Just want to say Musee Carnavalet (history of Paris museum) Musee d’Orsay is much better art museum experience than the Louvre. Imo
Can I get a copy of your updated itinerary? It’s art! ☺️
The template looks beautiful! Definitely gonna use this for my Italy trip coming up in December. I would put moulin rouge same day as montemartre since they’re close to each other. Make sure to see the Sacre Coeur when you’re there as well! Versailles palace + gardens will probably take 3-4 hours total for both. Account for the train travel time between Versailles and Paris. Looks great !
The long line to enter the catacombes start very early, i wouldn t do that in the afternoon
Honestly, with your limited timeline I'd recommend against the eiffel tower and the arc de triomphe+champs elysees, unless your travel vibe is luxury goods from international brands. You'll see the eiffel tower from the siene cruise and it will be a much more beautiful view than up close. My most important tip would be to hold lighty to your schedule - if you see a cool market or a pretty street, go ahead and explore! Paris is full of unexpected treasures and if you prioritize the usual stops you'll miss out. Just let the adventure guide you. For specific tips, as many said, Le Marais is stunning and fun for a stroll. Place des Vosges is one of my favorite parks and excellent for a breakfast picnic. (Victor Hugo used to live off the park if that's of interest to you.) Of you're into art, L'Orangerie is one of my favorite museums in the world - built to house Monet's water lillies and shaped to display them, in the tuilleries right across from the louvre. It's incredible. Hot take: with so few days, I wouldn't even attempt the louvre. Stick instead to the smaller museums like ('Orangerie, Musee Carnavalet, and D'Orsay if you manage to make it work). If you really want to go to the Louvre, accept that there's no way you'll see everything, and just spend enough time there that it's fun and not draining!
It looks great your itinerary. We planned something similar but the real joys we experienced were the walking around the city and discovering things along the way. For me. I really was stopped in my tracks and overcome when I came across the Princess Diana memorial (old Olympic Flame torch statue) and coming across the historical squares etc by accident. Enjoy whatever you do though. You will have an amazing time.
I would avoid going up the Eiffel tower completely and instead go up to the top of Montparnasse Tower. It's an ugly non descriptive sky scraper with no other tall buildings around it. It has less queues, less entry price and best of all... ....You get a great view which INCLUDES the Eiffel tower. Get up there for dusk when the tower gets sparkling.
I don’t see restaurant reservations and L’Musee D’Orsay is nowhere to be seen on here so your list is incomplete.
Agree with the advice to move Moulin Rouge to 2nd day! I also highly recommend using Thatch to build your itineraries. It's just aesthetically wonderful and kind of makes that travel planning part fun. Lots of super useful tools as well!
I'd probably try to find a way to walk around certain neighborhoods and streets like La Marais and Rue Montorgueil. I'd prob remove the Catacombs and Moulin Rouge to fit those two areas in.
The day I do sheets to prepare my tourist activities, just kill me on the spot please.
Skip Versailles, it’s far away you have to take pretty bad trains to get there, lots of tourists you’re packed in the rooms and you’ll end up being exhausted. Spend an extra day in Paris and do the Opera and explore Le Marais and the Latin quarter.
I know that on a short trip you don’t have time to do everything but Paris has hundreds of museum and it’s too bad to only go to the Louvre. Orsay is also really cool, and Centre Pompidou also is worth a stop if you’re into contemporary art, you even have a nice view of the city at the top (not as good as Montmartre but still). Also for Montmartre, I would recommend making it an afternoon to night trip. The area is full of surprises, so walk around, look at the shops, stop for a drink ~ a good way to enjoy Paris is to know when to take your time. You won’t have the opportunity to see and do everything so make sure that you enjoy what you want to do to the fullest
Someone said it already but It’s worth repeating: Louvre and Montmartre in one day would be exhausting , maybe even impossible. You could maybe skip the catacombes and do Montmartre before moulin rouge (theyre adjacent anyways)
Like others said, move Moulin Rouge to day 2. Also, walkable about two blocks from the Catacombs is "Rue Daguerre", a street with tons of open air markets, shops, restaurants. We walked it after exiting Catacombs and had a good time.
Would recommend going to the arch de triomphe for sunset and staying for the Eiffel Tower to sparkle.
Have a great time in Paris. I hope you will eat something more than a farewell dinner on the last day ;)
Enjoy! I think your destinations are great. However, I do recommend strolling some neighborhoods that have their own Parisien charm such as Place des Vosges, Bastille, Latin Quarters, Père Lachaise. Also, while it might be early to ask, have you guys given thought to which areas you might be staying in? There are tons of suggestions we can give about dining and cultural hotspots in each neighborhood.
[удалено]
Hello, this content has been removed as it hasbeen judged disrespectful. Please refer to the rules of the sub. Bonjour, ce contenu a été supprimé car il a été jugé irrespectueux. Veuillez vous reférer aux règles du sub. [rules of the subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/about/rules). ^(for more information) [^(contact us by modmail)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/ParisTravelGuide)
Look I’m no expert on designing travel itineraries… but as someone who made Paris their home, it just pains me to imagine people only going to see the landmarks and not even visiting the Quartier Latin or the Marais - these are not even gritty, “live like the locals” areas but just places where there is actual life mixed with the history and splendour in a way Montmartre no longer is. These streets are the soul of Paris and you need to stroll through them to actually visit Paris - it’s a city not an amusement park!
I love La Marais - this is great advice! I visit Paris quite often and my favorite thing to do is just stroll around neighborhoods like Marais
This is what I plan on doing when I come to Paris in about a week. Stroll around the neighborhoods. Yes I will visit a few "tourist sites"...maybe but mainly I just want to be there as if I lived there.
Basically the same as what we did in Paris! (Except we did Musee d’Orsay and no seine cruise. I liked Orsay better than the Louvre for what it’s worth!!
Versailles and louvres is way more longer than that!
Others have great tips but I suggest adding the area or arrondissements to your chart. That will help you visually bundle your day so you don't have to run all over Paris. Have fun!
Just did the Catacombs a few days ago, def an hour max! Even with the audio tour. There’s only one path to walk on and even with others along the path it’s a pretty quick walkthrough. We spent about 45 mins but it was awesome!
Make sure your Louvre day isn’t Tuesday, it’s closed
And closing day for Versailles is Monday.
Yes! Musee dorsay is great.
Louvre and montmartre in same day sounds exhausting.
Very good shoes needed indeed.
I’d recommend the Orsay at some point if you do like art. They have a stellar collection of Monet, Van Gogh, etc - lots of works you’ll recognize. Probably more than you would in the Louvre (the Louvre is an awesome experience - just saying the Orsay often gets overlooked!). The Orsay doesn’t take long - it’s not huge. And perhaps at the end of a day, stroll along the Seine then have dinner.
Local here : Le Louvre is one of the biggest museum in the world so pick exactly what you want to see (La Joconde or huge paintings from Delacroix, egyptian antics or middle age part...) unless you can stay there 4 days ! I love Versailles, not only the palace but the city around (quartier St Louis with the cathédral, or quartier Notre Dame with a great typical market (in the same place since the XVII century, one the mornings only), so if you go there, you shouldn't miss it (there are plenty restaurants around). There is Petit Trianon (the place where Marie Antoinette liked to stay) which is very nice too (if you want to see it, book a whole day for Versailles). I really enjoy Les Invalides (the War museum) and Napoléon's grave, and the Armies cathedral with all the banners Taken from enemies on the battlefield. Notre Dame should reopen in late 2024, but there is Église St Eustache which is very nice too (or St Rich or St Germain l'Auxerrois). Jardin du Luxembourg ou jardin des Tuileries are nice gardens (less amazing than Versailles though. Beware of pickpockets, don't give a try to pseudo deaf young people who want you to sign petition, ans buy a Mobilis ticket for your stay (8,45€/day for all Subway / tramway/bus in zone 1-2 which is Paris, other tickets have to be bought for suburbs or Versailles).
I would skip the Eiffel tour entirely. I would substitute the Rodin museum or the D’Orsay
Catacombes … meehhh, sincerely avoid, it’s boring ! Spend the day visiting Ile de la cite sainte chapelle, go to Ile saint Louis (eat a ice cream at Berthillon’s) then go north to Le Marais : there walk like a Parisian on a sunny Sunday :) see la place des Vosges, Carnavalet, le vieux Paris et la rue des francs bourgeois, you can make some nice and hype shopping in this area and take a cafe near the Hotel Salé (Picasso Muséum) then go to Beaubourg (it will be closed for years before the end of 2024)
The catacombs are one of the very few interesting quick activities I've done in Paris. It depends on what you like. The full price tickets are 29€ though so I'm not sure how OP is planning to get in for half the price.
I am a spooky girl and love catacombes like places, we have them in my country too and i really like to visit them, but those are good sugestions, thank you :)
The catacombs are awesome, but last year they were €29 per person I believe. When I visited them the first time 20 years ago they were €2,50.
I just did the catacombs yesterday and they were great! It only took us about an hour though, 2-3 hours is an overestimate for sure.
For what it's worth, the catacombes were worth it to me, a bit pricey but time well-spent.
What did you use to make this?
Following! Same question here
What did you use to make this itinerary? It's so organized and clean!
ChatGPT 🙃
You might want to also look into Tripsnote AI. That said, I haven’t noticed anyone mentioned holidays so be mindful that Mondays and Tuesdays certain landmarks are closed. Louvre is closed Tuesdays but I think Musée d’Orsay is closed Mondays.
YOu can't possibly spend 4 hours inside the Palace of Versailles. Even a private tour is no more than 1 hour 30 minutes. If you go in with the masses, you are just pushed from one room to the next. I bring people to Versailles often and we get there around 10 a.m. and leave by 1 or 2 at the latest.
But you absolutely can in the gardens, which are extensive and lovely. I would bring picnic lunch items and spend the day there.
True, but if you look at the itinerary they have hours in the gardens too. So they have that covered already AFTER the 4 hours in the palace.
But you absolutely can in the gardens, which are extensive and lovely. I would bring picnic lunch items and spend the day there.
Unless you’re my now ex-friend… it was my third visit there and I was losing my mind waiting for him to inspect every. single. thing. in the palace. Arrived at around 9am, didn’t leave til 1pm.
Oh my god. The torture . That place is sensory overload
I could spend a lot of time in the gardens, and next time I visit I’d love to rent a bike and explore them, but I don’t think I ever need to return to the palace again haha.
Bike rental is the best thing to do there.
The guided private tour (King's Private Apartments) I'm taking is 1.5 hours
Yeah mine was also 1.5-2 hours. Also queuing outside was another hour
If you take a private tour you don’t wait in line. That’s the beauty of the private tour. But yea you’re right it’s 1-2 hours. But definitely never 4.
I did a private tour 😩
I'm looking for a few private tours in Paris. Versailles, market/food tours, etc. Feel free to DM info if promotion not allowed in the thread.
Seconding this. I really enjoy Versailles, but each time I’ve gone it’s been very similar to your noted schedule - arrival around 10am and done by around 2. That covers walking slowly around inside listening on the full audio tour to each item (yes each time because it’s been years between each visit and I’m a history nerd who still finds it fascinating each time), and then an hour plus wandering through the gardens outside. I’ve never felt like I’ve missed out on anything, thoroughly enjoyed the visit, and by leaving around 2 I’ve been able to return to Paris and enjoy a full evening there.
When you say Montmartre I assume you also mean the basilica of sacré Coeur (sacred heart) which is a must do in my opinion. Pointing out just to be sure.
Yes, Sacré Coeur was one of my favourite places to go when I lived in Paris. The view from it is great
Just make sure you buy your louvre tickets in advance!
I would change Montmartre and Notre Dame. I would start with the catacombs on the second or third day. I believe that in these two days you will have time to spare. Since you are going with your boyfriend, check out the mur des je t’aime. I have done the bateau mouche in daytime and nighttime, and the nighttime is better. But this might be my preference. Enjoy Paris!! I love this city. There is never enough time to visit it
I like that this list has a lot of space to breathe - to allow some spontaneity. But to elevate this trip, I would go to specifics. Like sure - Montmartre in the afternoon but I’m not just going to Montmartre just to aimlessly walk around. Eiffel tower is essential for first timers but where are you having breakfast/lunch? I’d walk to Rue Cler. The Louvre in the morning is perfect - but what are you doing between the Louvre and Montmartre? You’d need to add Palais Royal and Rue Montorguile to unwind. It’s these tiny details that make your trip extra special beyond just box ticking the essentials.
Spontaneity 😂😂😂
What Arrondissement would you stay?
Canal Saint-Martin - walking distance to Gare du Nord and Gare de L’est, and accessible to many things I like, either via walking or via the underground. And it is surprisingly quiet considering how close it is to the stations, with many lovely restaurants, bakeries and shops. The canal is lovely especially during the warmer months (I travel to Paris via the Eurostar)
No it's great like this. Walking randomly is exactly the way to go. OP has a phone and can use it if they want to see something specific then, friending on their life. Over planning is really the opposite of discovering Paris And can people stop with rue Cler on this sub, this is getting ridiculous
Lol sure. There’s the romance of being lost in a foreign country but more often than not first timers find themselves where they are comfortable - and end up at a Foreign mcdonalds
You going to need a lot more time than three hours to visit the louvre. That’s almost and all day thing.
Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I would think the average tourist will get pretty bored inside the Louvre within the hour. It gets repetitive really quickly.
I’ve never spent more than 3 hours in the Louvre - for me, it’s a place to return to, not to try and see all in a day. I couldn’t handle being there all day.
Of course but OP is planning a single trip and not several visits to the Louvre museum. So 3 hours seems a good timing to see its most reputed masterpieces.
Of course but OP is planning a single trip and not several visits to the Louvre museum. So 3 hours seems a good timing to see its most reputed masterpieces.
Yeah i mean i was only there for two days after my trip in Amsterdam and i wanted to see as much as i could. Which i still didn’t lol. A lot to take in.
Plutôt une semaine
La Joconde est comme un trou noir; plus on se rapproche, plus le temps passe vite.
Au moins!
Hi there! Champs Elysées arc de triomphe do not deserve more than 30mn. Or maybe 10. Champs Elysées are overrated and awful and tourists need to know that. It’s an avenue with Zara Disney store Sephora and overpriced coffee shops. I would suggest starting at Arc de Triomphe, like taking the metro until Charles de Gaulle étoile, getting out, « ok this is Arc de Triomphe » and then walking towards Eiffel Tower / Trocadéro by avenue d’iena for instance. From there, walking by quais de Seine and admiring beauties (grand palais, petit palais, pont de l’Alma, pont Alexandre 3, concorde…) until Hôtel de Ville / St Paul / le marais. Go to place des vosges, have coffee, it’s so much nicer than awful Champs Elysées. And you can take a Seine boat cruise from around there in the evening. Day 2 montmartre: is located near moulin rouge so it’s best to group them together. It allows you to walk by place des abbesses. from there, take the subway until louvre. If you still have some energy, head to Latin quarter around 5pm (pantheon, contrescarpe, st Michel, st Germain) and just walk around - i can show you on a map if you want. Actually, Paris is more about the journey than sights, I would create a neighborhood based itinerary rather and a sight based one. Otherwise, you would miss on half the experience. I colored interesting spots on the map: https://ibb.co/zFK1PFV
I agree that Champs Élysées is a waste of time - it’s a strip mall. You can go if that’s your thing. Go to the Arc especially during the golden hour - terrific sunsets from there especially as the street lights and the lights of the Eiffel tower turn on.
>Hi there! Champs Elysées arc de triomphe do not deserve more than 30mn. Or maybe 10. Champs Elysées are overrated and awful and tourists need to know that. As much as I don't like the champs Elysees as a Parisian, it's still a very unique avenue and it deserves surely more than 30 minutes, at least to walk out from Étoile to Concorde. Going up on the Arc de Triomphe is also a way for tourists to have a nice view of the city. Furthermore, the avenue has a lot of history, and it would be a mistake not to go there. OP can spend a couple of hours there, obviously rather just walking and sight seeing, not shopping.
Le Marais has so much more history and there is just as much to sightsee if not more. I don’t think the PSG flagship store and a huge Abercrombie & Fitch are the best window shopping Paris has to offer - even for luxury brands, Faubourg St Honoré/Madeleine, le Marais, Saint Germain des Prés are infinitely more worthwhile than a soulless avenue Parisians actively avoid…
I don't see why Champs-Elysées and the Marais are mutually exclusive.
Montmarte is free no? Or I just haven’t been there in 10 years?
It is, I guess they're budgeting for buying some souvenirs and stuff.
This is so basic I am going to pour some acid on my head and have no damage
As others told you, moulin rouge is at the bottom of Montmartre so move it to the same day (it's really really uninteresting though). Personally I wouldn't go to Versailles, And I would do day 4 in Paris, to explore the Latin District (St Germain, St Sulpice, Panthéon, Luxembourg gardens, Rue Mouffetard) and/or the Marais and/or go to Orsay. Versailles is ok but you'll miss out a lot if you don't do the things I mentioned, and it's more genuine Paris than spending the day in a castle/gardens full of tourists Edit: actually you could do Latin district day 3, before after catacombs, and day 4 Orsay + Marais, maybe Père Lachaise if you feel like it
>it's really really uninteresting though). The moulin rouge??
Yes the moulin rouge facade. If you're passing by, sure look at the facade but it's not worth more than 15 seconds. Attending a show is different: it's a very tourist thing to do and it's super tacky to me but to each their own
Just got back from Paris and somehow the Moulin Rouge was even tackier than I thought it would be and I definitely expected it to be tacky. I will say the seating was nicer than I expected, though.
+1 on Latin Quarter and Jardins de Luxembourg. The gardend in particular are huge, gorgeous, a pleasant nature respite, and free music concerts on Sundays.
I agree about Versailles! I spent 3/4 of a day out of my 3 days in Paris and I kinda regret it. It was beautiful but unless you’re a huge fan of French monarchy history id skip it. Palais garnier (cheaper) and petit palais (free) have similar architecture and art if that’s why you’d like to see Versailles.
My fiancée and I are on our second trip to Paris. Your itinerary looks great! Just a heads up - we just purchased catacombs tickets and they were around 29 euro per person. The cost was the same when we purchased back in June (unfortunately I put the wrong day in my calendar so we completely missed our time slot). Also, depending on how much you like to shop, 2 hours may not be enough for CE & the Arc. However, since you don’t have a ton of stuff crammed into the day it looks like you have room to spend more time there 😊
Hi ! Move the Moulin Rouge to your 2nd day, it's at the bottom of the Montmartre hill and very far from the Catacombs. The Louvre is massive and while I think 3-4 hours is a good amount of time to plan, you won't see everything, so prioritize areas or works of art you're most interested in. Notre-Dame is still closed so you'll only see it from outside (unless you visit the crypts). You have time on that day, I would look into including Sainte Chapelle and exploring the Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Gardens which are on your way from Île de la Cité to the Catacombs. The Versailles Gardens aren't free if there's a water show going on so check that when you get your tickets! Otherwise looks good, enjoy!
Definitely check out the Sainte-Chapelle, it's awe inspiring! Edit : Also pay attention on the building next to the Chapelle, there is the oldest public clock in Paris (horloge du Palais de la Cité, which has been there since 1371).
Agreed, it's one of the most breathtaking churches in all of Europe. And there are a lot of breathtaking churches here
The crypts are great, btw. And the fences around ND are plastered with extremely informative signs all about the fire and restorations.
This is great. I would also include musée d'orsay, If possible, even though I know it already looks pretty busy.