7 days in Paris

Day by day

1. Day 1: Eiffel Tower and Musée d'Orsay

   Eiffel Tower and Musée d'Orsay, then Arc de Triomphe in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Eiffel Tower

      7th arrondissement · 2–3 hours with the summit · mid-priced. Summit tickets sell out in summer and school holidays; book timed tickets on the official site weeks ahead.

   2. Late morning

      Musée d'Orsay

      7th arrondissement · 2–3 hours · mid-priced. Book a timed slot online, especially for weekends and Thursday late openings.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Croissant and pain au chocolat

      Any neighbourhood boulangerie with a queue of locals; bakeries that have won the city's annual baguette contest are a reliable sign.

   4. Evening

      Arc de Triomphe

      Use the underground passage from the Champs-Élysées; never try to cross the roundabout on foot.

2. Day 2: Musée Rodin and Louvre Museum

   Musée Rodin and Louvre Museum, then Seine river cruise in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Musée Rodin

      7th arrondissement · 1.5 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Louvre Museum

      1st arrondissement · 3–4 hours · mid-priced. Timed-entry tickets are effectively required; reserve online before you go.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Baguette tradition

      Ask for 'une tradition' rather than 'une baguette' at any boulangerie; it costs a little more and is worth it.

   4. Evening

      Seine river cruise

      Choose a sailing that leaves about 30 minutes before the hour after dark so you pass the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles.

3. Day 3: Tuileries Garden and Notre-Dame Cathedral

   Tuileries Garden and Notre-Dame Cathedral, then Canal Saint-Martin in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tuileries Garden

      1st arrondissement · 45 minutes · free.

   2. Late morning

      Notre-Dame Cathedral

      Île de la Cité · 1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Steak frites

      Classic bistros and brasseries across the city, especially around Saint-Germain and the Grands Boulevards.

   4. Evening

      Canal Saint-Martin

      Pick up wine and cheese and join the locals on the quays around sunset.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Palace of Versailles

   About 40 minutes by RER C each way. Getting there: RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Palace of Versailles

      About 40 minutes by RER C (RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche); about 20 km.

   2. Day

      Palace of Versailles

      Allow a full day, and visit on a weekend in spring or summer to see the musical fountain shows.

   3. Evening

      Back in Paris

      Dinner: try Croque-monsieur.

5. Day 5: Sainte-Chapelle and Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre

   Sainte-Chapelle and Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre, then Le Marais in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sainte-Chapelle

      Île de la Cité · 45 minutes · mid-priced. Security queues can be long; a timed ticket bought online helps.

   2. Late morning

      Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre

      Montmartre · Half a day · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Croque-monsieur

      Almost every café menu; better versions come from places that bake their own bread.

   4. Evening

      Le Marais

      Cocktail bars and the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife around Rue des Archives and Rue Vieille-du-Temple.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Giverny

   About 1 hour 15 minutes by train and shuttle each way. Getting there: Train from Saint-Lazare to Vernon, then shuttle bus or bike.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Giverny

      About 1 hour 15 minutes by train and shuttle (Train from Saint-Lazare to Vernon, then shuttle bus or bike); about 75 km.

   2. Day

      Giverny

      The gardens are open from spring to autumn and are at their best from May to July.

   3. Evening

      Back in Paris

      Dinner: try Cheese.

7. Day 7: Luxembourg Gardens and Le Marais and Place des Vosges

   Luxembourg Gardens and Le Marais and Place des Vosges, then Oberkampf and Bastille in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Luxembourg Gardens

      Saint-Germain-des-Prés · 1–2 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Le Marais and Place des Vosges

      Le Marais · Half a day · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cheese

      Specialist fromageries on market streets such as Rue Cler, Rue Mouffetard and Rue des Martyrs; ask the cheesemonger to pick what is ripe today.

   4. Evening

      Oberkampf and Bastille

      Dense, affordable bar streets with a young crowd, especially Rue Oberkampf and Rue de Lappe.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Musée d'Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, Le Marais keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Saint-Germain-des-Prés ($$$$) suits first-timers, couples, luxury and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 21–28 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.3 hours in December to 16.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Paris
• 2 days in Paris
• 3 days in Paris
• 4 days in Paris
• 5 days in Paris

Questions travellers ask