3 Days Perusing Paris
TRAVEL DATES: APRIL 20-24, 2024 | EST. READING TIME: 44 MIN
IN THIS GUIDE ✺
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Wishing you were breaking into a buttery baguette admiring the Eiffel Tower right now?
A city of timeless allure, Paris offers a quintessential European experience in one of the most sought out destinations in the world. The majestic Eiffel Tower sparkles against the dark sky while the Gothic spires of Notre-Dame pierce through the skyline, embodying centuries of history and architectural grandeur.
Wander through the charming streets of Montmartre, where creatives capture the bohemian soul of the borough, and savor the delicate flavors of French pastries in quaint patisseries. The dazzling opulence of the Palace of Versailles and the splendor of Louvre exhibitions provide glimpses into the artistic underpinnings that define Paris. Along the banks of the Seine, romantic bridges arch over the water, inviting leisurely strolls that reveal the city's hidden gems. Savor the elegance of a bygone era with an open-hearted exploration through the City of Love in this Paris three day itinerary.
Three Day Paris Itinerary
In a hurry? Here’s a time-stamped overview of the detailed Paris travel itinerary you’ll find below:
Day 1
9:00 - 10:30 AM: 🥐 Break into a buttery croissant at Cédric Grolet Opéra (1 hr 30 min)
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: 🌻 Admire the impressionist art in the Musée d'Orsay (2 hrs)
1:00 - 1:20 PM: 💄 Customize personalized lip gloss at Officine Universelle Buly 1803 (20 min)
1:20 - 2:20 PM: ☕ Walk through the Latin Quarter to grab a late lunch at Café de Flore (1 hr)
2:20 - 3:10 PM: ⛪ Visit the religious landmarks of Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame (50 min)
3:10 - 3:40 PM: 🍦 Enjoy a sweet treat with ice cream from Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis (30 min)
3:40 - 4:10 PM: 📚 Find a good book inside Shakespeare and Company (30 hr)
4:10 - 6:30 PM: 🛌 Return to your lodging and rest, then get prepared for dinner (2 hr 20 min)
7:15 - 9:15 PM: 🫕 Dive into a steamy bowl of melted cheese at Le Refuge des Fondues (2 hr)
Day 2
9:30 - 10:30 AM: 🍫 Delight in classic French desserts during brunch at Angelina (1 hr)
10:45 AM - 12:45 PM: 🖌️ See the infamous Mona Lisa in the Louvre (2 hr)
12:45 - 1:05 PM: 🍬 Pop into the underground Ladurée for macarons (20 min)
1:05 - 1:35 PM: 🌹 Admire blooming flowers in the Jardin des Tuileries (30 min)
1:35 - 2:35 PM: 🛍️ Window shop down boutiques along Champs-Élysées (1 hr)
2:35 - 2:50 PM: 📐 Snap an obligatory photo of the Arc de Triomphe (15 min)
3:30 - 4:30 PM: ⛴️ Observe iconic landmarks from the water on a river cruise down the Siene (1 hr)
5:00 - 5:30 PM: ✝️ Overlook the city from the hill upon which Sacré-Cœur sits (30 min)
5:30 - 6:00 PM: 👨🏻🎨 Watch local painters hone their craft at Montmartre (30 min)
6:00 - 7:30 PM: 🎀 Enjoy dinner inside the perfectly pink La Maison Rose (1 hr 30 min)
Day 3
9:00 - 9:45 AM: 🚉 Travel to Versailles via the express TER train departing from Gare Montparnasse (45 min)
10:00 - 11:30 AM: ⚜️ Explore the many ornate rooms inside the Palace of Versailles (1 hr 30 min)
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: 🥖 Grab a bite to eat at the Grand Café d’Orléans inside the estate (45 min)
12:15 - 2:15 PM: 🌳 Wander through the musical fountains of the Gardens of Versailles (2 hours)
2:15 - 2:45 PM: 🚂 Take the little train to accommodations on the outskirts of the property (30 min)
2:45 - 3:15 PM: 🕯️ Admire fine silks commissioned by Napoleon in the Grand Trianon (30 min)
3:25 - 3:55 PM: 🏡 Witness the summer reprise of Marie Antoinette in Petit Trianon (30 min)
4:00 - 5:15 PM 🛤️ Retreat the way you came, returning to the entry gates then home via the train (1 hr 15 min)
7:30 - 9:00 PM: 🍟 Dig into renowned steak and frites for dinner at Le Relais de l'Entrecôte (1 hr 30 min)
9:00 - 9:30 PM: ✨ Stake out a spot before sunset and watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle (30 min)
How to Get Around Paris?
Getting around Paris—this transportation guide for travelers details all the ways to traverse in and around the city.
WALK: When I say lace up your walking shoes, I mean it! Paris is a vast, sprawling city encompassing twenty arrondissements, and odds are all the attractions you’d like to visit are not conveniently located next door. The sporadic traffic jams, especially in preparation for the 2024 Olympic games, and extensive transit stations means driving or taking the subway will actually take longer than simply walking yourself. In general, notable sights in the itinerary described above are generally grouped together — meaning you’ll save time spending the day in one neighborhood versus running back and forth all over town, but there are inevitably some exceptions. As a general rule of thumb, I’d always default to walking if the provided ETA is twenty minutes or less, as anything within this time frame will inevitably take you longer to drive or ride public transit.
TAXI: As noted above, the unpredictable traffic patterns through narrow cobblestone streets can make getting around Paris by car quite frustrating, so I always recommend taking the subway if it’s too far to walk. In the event it’s late at night or you just don’t want to deal with public transit, you should be able to easily hail a cab off the street or call one via the FreeNow app. Available for both iOS and Android, this service functions similarly to Uber or Lyft, providing you an estimated route duration and price up front. I enjoy leveraging ride-sharing apps like this—which in Europe typically hail taxis as local regulations restrict private drivers—since I don’t have to worry about a language barrier when conveying my destination and they lessen the chance of being overcharged as a tourist.
TRAIN: When it comes to zipping around Paris quickly, the underground metro and regional trains are going to be your best friend. For inter-city transit the metro almost always provides the quickest route to your destination, and you’ll notice below this is typically the transportation method I describe in the commute descriptions. For day trips outside the city or longer journeys like passage from Charles de Gaulle, the regional express TER/RER trains will move you longer distances. It’s important to note that unlike other subway systems in Milan and New York City, there’s no convenient tap-to-pay method for quickly hopping onto the subway. You will need to physically print a kiosk from a ticket in the underground station before being able to proceed, which inevitably adds time to your commute if there’s a queue or the machine is responding slowly. Keep this in mind if you’re late or in a rush and plan to arrive early, especially since some of these stations include multiple levels of transit with long walkways to reach your particular terminal. Purchasing train tickets is much simpler, since although they can be acquired in person at the station, you can also secure them in advance via SNCF Connect, RailEurope, and ÎledeFrance.
How to Get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris?
FROM: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (95700 Roissy-en-France, France)
TO: Gare du Nord station (18 Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: Aéroport Charles de Gaulle → Gare du Nord via RER B train (32 min, 10 stops, €12)
Charles de Gaulle is notoriously far from the center of Paris, meaning the initial journey to your lodging could be a bit extensive. The easiest and quickest way by far to travel to Paris from the airport is to hop on the RER B train that services the Arrivals area via the Aéroport Charles de Gaulle stop. This line will take you to Gare du Nord, which is a pretty central station and one of the larger jumping off points from within Paris, so you shouldn’t have a problem connecting to your lodging from here. Even if you train to Gare du Nord and then hop in a taxi, this is almost guaranteed to be faster than driving the whole way into the city.
As one caveat, we departed from our plane to find construction underway and a few signs which we interpreted to mean the RER B train was not running. If I remember correctly there was a note that the line was replaced with a bus for the time being, but inevitably we ended up confused and just decided to take a car. As expected it took us a good hour to reach our hotel with many questionable driving maneuvers made along the way, but you may end up needing to opt for the same alternative given public transit is expected to be quite crowded during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Where to Stay in Paris?
REASONABLE ROOM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (mid-range twin bed hotel room, $816.19 for 5 nights split among 2 people)
AIRPORT ACCOMMODATION: Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (swanky reprise near CDG airport, $129.51 for 1 night split among 2 people)
ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne
Hotel rooms in Paris are notoriously small, so finding decent accommodations for a reasonable rate can be quite the challenge when traveling to Paris! Your first order of business will be determining which arrondissement to take refuge in — numbers 1 through 4 are where the rates sky-rocket since most of the famous landmarks live in this stretch of land adjacent to the Siene. As such, if you need to be conscientious of costs, picking a hotel further out from the city center is the way to go—and the efficient public transportation underneath the congested roads allows you to zip over there pretty quickly! I recommend planning your itinerary before deciding on your lodging location as one of my tips for traveling to Paris on a budget, since that will help guide your search. I knew we’d be taking day trips to the Palace of Versailles and initially we planned to go to Bordeaux, with both trains for these destinations leaving from Gare Montparnasse. As such, it made perfect sense for us to stay in the sixth arrondissement right near this station at the ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne, allowing us to catch extra z’s on the days we departed early from the city. I’ve never stayed at an ibis property before and was pleasantly surprised from check-in to check-out!
We opted for a standard room with two separate beds as pictured above, which entails 161 square feet of space in this next-generation ibis hotel. As is standard these days you’ll be able to make yourself comfortable with AC and wifi, and there’s both shelving and a clothing rack for you to unpack your belongings. Within the room there’s a rain shower stocked with products and a hair dryer, a 4K TV, and daily cleaning of the room. While nothing here was exceptionally outstanding, I was very satisfied to have everything we needed for a relaxing stay at such a reasonable price, and we had a fair amount of space to move about the room without bumping into each other.
Downstairs, you’ll find a friendly beer bar where you can order snacks and drinks at any time of the day —we enjoyed a few Kir royals along with some late night pizza. During the day in the surrounding seating you’ll find a buffet breakfast with a wide variety of fresh, quality products: baked goods including baguettes, a hot corner with scrambled eggs and smoked brisket, plus many fruits, cold meats and cheeses. While we didn’t include breakfast in our reservation rate, we were very jealous each morning as the spread looked quite scrumptious!
Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
During our return from Nice, we needed an additional night in a Paris hotel before flying back home in the morning — making proximity to the CDG airport our top priority. Luckily for us, the lifestyle Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is only steps away from the free shuttle train CDGVAL connecting all terminals 1, 2, and 3, RER B, and the TGV station. As such, Moxy is the best airport accommodation to ensure you can easily get to your flight while enjoying a relaxing night beforehand — especially since all rooms are equipped with sound proof windows so you can watch planes take off in peace! A free cocktail awaits you upon your arrival, so what are you waiting for?
A global, spunky hotel chain, all Moxy locations are intentionally designed to be playful touches like foosball and board games alongside Instagrammable corners. A nice change from the stuffy, standard fixings you’ll find elsewhere, this certified eco-friendly hotel in Paris is on the pulse of what's now and next, with unique rooms brimming with industrial style.
We enjoyed our single night in a Moxy twin sleeper with access to a fitness center, ultra-fast wifi, in-room screencasting on the HD smart TV, bedside USB ports, and a sleek bathroom with MUK shower products.
What to Do in Paris?
Day 1
FROM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (11 Rue du Texel, 75014 Paris, France)
TO: Cédric Grolet Opéra (35 Av. de l'Opéra, 75002 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: Gaîté → Opéra via M13 line (24 min, switch at Saint Lazare to M3 line, €2.15)
Breakfast - Cédric Grolet Opéra
Kickstart your first day in Paris with a visit to the home of the pastry wizard himself, Cédric Grolet. Considered by many to be the most emblematic pastry chef of his generation, you may have seen social media clips of Cédric breaking open the many laminated layers of a buttery croissant or creating a photorealistic fruit dessert crafted strictly using flavors from that ingredient itself. However you’ve been introduced, any creation concocted from the mind of Cédric is sure to amaze, so there’s no better way to enjoy classic French pastry techniques than by visiting Cédric Grolet Opéra, the chef’s first bakery-pastry shop.
Booking a table reservation in the tea room is the best approach to enjoying one of these treats, since you won’t just have to grab your order and go, instead you can savor the croissant slowly with a hearty latte on the side versus eating it out of a bag on the sidewalk. However, these reservations are in pretty high demand, so last minute planning may result in your designated bakery day being all booked up, especially since this famous haunt is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
If you’re planning a few days in advance, consider placing a click and collect order so you don’t have to wait in the spiraling line that forms outside the bakery. We arrived promptly at 10:00 AM when the bakery opened and already had to join the end of a 50-person long queue. It took us a solid hour of patiently waiting before we reached the front of the line, so if you’re in a hurry and want your order available on-demand once you arrive in your designated time slot, then click and collect is your best way to enjoy a tasty flower cake. Unfortunately, click and collect doesn’t list the famous croissants or pains au chocolat, so if bread is what you’re craving you’ll have to stick it out in the line. These flaky morsels sell out incredibly quickly every morning, so if you have your heart set on one I’d advise arriving even before the 10:00 AM opening time!
Upon arrival we gleefully watched the faithful doorman call his welcoming greetings as he does every opening morning. All the patrons around me in line clapped, and after a hungry hour of watching flower pastries skillfully prepared through the window we were standing as the next group up when a stroke of luck occurred: the employee who typically would’ve walked us into the showroom revealed they had an open reservation in the tea room and invited us to sit inside! This was the best possible news we could’ve received after failing to make a reservation in advance, and with this good fortune we ordered a mocha, latte, sparkling water, the last croissant of the morning, a pain au chocolat, and finally a flower baba with rum. Soaked in rum and citrus fruits, this vanilla cream pastry was topped with apricots to create an exotic tropical flavor permeating through the melt-in-your-mouth fluffy cake. I had been a Cédric Grolet fan for years at this point, so getting selected out of the line to try his creations for the first time was truly a dream come true — and now I can confirm, yes, these treats do taste just as good as they look!
Musée d'Orsay
FROM: Cédric Grolet Opéra (35 Av. de l'Opéra, 75002 Paris, France)
TO: Musée d'Orsay (Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 75007 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: walk 20 minutes down Rue des Pyramides through the garden and across Pont Royal
After indulging in food that looks like art, feast your eyes on renowned Impressionist pieces imagined by the likes of Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet inside the Musée d'Orsay. Housed inside a former Beaux-Arts train station, today you’ll find French paintings, sculptures, and photography dating from 1848 to 1914.
Even if you’re not big into art history, you’ve likely seen images or re-workings of the famous Monet and Van Gogh original pieces you’ll find inside this museum. Within Monet’s repertoire of work, the Le Bassin Aux Nymphéas stands out as one of the Water Lily series highlights depicting the beloved Giverny countryside which Monet immortalized over a thirty year period. When it comes to Van Gogh, La Nuit Étoilée, or Starry Night Over the Rhône, can’t be missed, which is one of three paintings depicting the starry night sky that he produced within a single month. Be sure to also keep an eye out for his Autoportrait, one taut and angular self-portrait out of the forty-three total introspective canvases painted over the duration of his life.
Alongside these world-renowned artists you’ll also find the works of Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cézanne. Unlike the interpretive nature of modern art museums, I found the soft pastel strokes and wavering lines of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist techniques to resonate quite easily, as the beauty and advanced technique demonstrated in each piece was entirely self-evident. In addition to the art, you’ll also find a pleasant view overlooking the city from behind the large clock face that today serves as another window.
The museum is open every day except Mondays from 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM, with extended late night hours on Thursdays. Purchase tickets designated for a particular time slot online for €16 to avoid waiting in the box office line, especially during the peak season, or else you may have to wait a few hours before entering the museum.
Officine Universelle Buly 1803
Now that you’ve satisfied your senses of taste and sight, the next sensory experience on the agenda is a stop at Officine Universelle Buly 1803. Walking thirteen minutes down Quai Voltaire and turning right onto Rue Bonaparte will bring you to the part-pharmacy, part-perfumery harkening back to the heritage of early-19th century beauty products. Designed like an apothecary, Buly draws on the excellence of the past while offering the best of the present with skincare products designed to compliment the face, mouth, and body. These aromatic concoctions are crafted to embody the ancestral expertise and hygienic beauty routines that would’ve been prominent in Jean-Vincent Bully’s original 1803 store on Rue Saint-Honoré. This portal through time is the closest you’ll get to experiencing what the city felt like more than two hundred years ago, and building upon the teachings of ancient recipes you’ll walk out with tributes to the world’s beauty heritage.
I discovered this experience on Tiktok, as the personalized offerings with initial engravings on products like brushes, combs, and lip balms have taken the platform by storm. Evidently, so did all the other 20-something girls visiting Paris at the same time, as I had to wait in a decent line before being let into the store.
To be very honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by my experience here, however I’m attributing this lackluster feeling to the fact that I visited the shop shortly after the Tiktok phenomenon highlighting Buly started. The videos and online reviews I saw noted how intimate and personalized the experience is, with a dedicated employee walking each customer through the store offerings as they tailor their product recommendations to your beauty routine. I, on the other hand, found myself quickly shuffled through the store as I spent around three minutes total deciding on my order. Not knowing what other products were offered, and being in a relatively small space with a few other customers, I settled on the customized lip balm I had seen online. What I didn’t realize is that the lip balm itself is a standard offering, and what you’re really customizing is the outer casing, inlaid leather, and pouch colors that encase the product itself.
This was also fine, but for €40 I was a bit disappointed to find very few color choices left available, and only then realized I needed to order this personalized product in-store before having to come back and pick it up later in the week. I was a bit flustered so I went through with the purchase, but I would not say my resulting lip balm was anywhere near worth that price, and the sales experience left me with disappointment overall. All that being said, the interior of the store is truly beautiful and the eye candy lining the shelves is absolutely worth seeing in person, I’d just recommend visiting one of their locations during an off-time, perhaps closer to opening or closing.
In the end, I did leave Buly with quite beautiful packaging and a dry body oil, hand cream sample, and set of perfumed match cards to go alongside my lip balm, so that made me feel a bit better about the overall price.
Lunch - Café de Flore
Continue down the same street walking away from the river Siene for seven minutes to reach Café de Flore, an intellectual hub since its establishment in the 1880s. Writers of the “lost generation” gathered here with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, while the two leading existentialist philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are said to have spent hours writing parts of their seminal works at this very spot. The café’s artistic connection has withstood the test of time, and today the awarding of the Prix de Flore literary prize occurs here annually.
Inside the café you’ll find a classic art deco interior with red leather seats contrasting the distinctive green and gold color scheme reflected in the mirrored walls enlarging the space. This historic lunch spot oozes nostalgic charm while allowing you to connect with the rich cultural history of the city in a place where ideas and artistic expression have flourished for over a century.
Sitting upon our newspaper-covered table top were the scrumptious morsels we ordered to snack on for a late lunch. I requested my favorite French sandwich, here called Le Flore but in practice this was simply a croque monsieur, or warmed ham and cheese sandwich. My travel companion enjoyed a quiche lorraine, and like many spots around Paris this is one of cafés famous for serving up hot chocolate. I ordered the chocolat spécial Flore viennois, which essentially meant I got a side of whipped cream to top my drink with. Unlike the very rich chocolate flavor I tasted within Angelina’s thick version of this Paris speciality, I found Café de Flore’s version to be a bit lighter — so if you enjoy the taste of chocolate but don’t want to be overpowered by sickly sweet cocoa, this would likely be your preference. The café is open daily from 7:30 AM - 1:30 AM and doesn’t take reservations, but we easily got seated at a table without having to wait at all around 4:00 PM on a spring Saturday.
Sainte-Chapelle
Walk eighteen minutes down Boulevard Saint-Germain before turning left onto Boulevard Saint-Michel to cross over the bridge onto Île de la Cité. Here you’ll find Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th century royal chapel built by King Louis IX to symbolize the absolute power and divine right of the French monarchy. It was originally designed to house his holy collection of Passion relics, including the Crown of Thorns, yet today has expanded capabilities in serving as a classical music concert venue.
Visually Sainte-Chapelle is a masterpiece of Rayonnant Gothic architecture, exemplifying the architectural style of the period. Its long dainty spires emphasize verticality, while the fifteen stunning stained glass windows depict over 1,100 biblical scenes from Genesis to the Passion of Christ, creating a breathtaking effect when sunlight filters through them.
The overall grandeur of this religious relic can be viewed daily from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, with tickets going for €13. The final admission time occurs thirty minutes before closing, and priority access is given only to visitors with a ticket and subsequent time slot reservation, so be sure to avoid any difficulties by booking online in advance.
We opted to simply view the exterior of the chapel, instead spending a bit of time admiring the quaint Place Louis Lépine flower market. Located just a few steps from Sainte-Chapelle down Rue de Lutéce, Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II is a romantic open-air market spanning the length of a few greenhouses, where multiple vendors sell flowers, plants, quirky crafts, and even live birds on Sundays! Strolling through these pavilions dating all the way back to 1808 served as a nice break during our long day of sightseeing, and randomly stumbling upon this endearing local spot allowed us to get a better sense of the daily happenings of modern Parisians.
Notre-Dame
Continue walking seven more minutes to the end of the island where you won’t be able to miss the famous medieval Catholic cathedral, Notre-Dame. While you may have heard of this site from Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, "Notre-Dame de Paris," today this landmark serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Paris rather than as the home of a hunchback. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also recognized as a finest example of French Gothic architecture with flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, gargoyles, and three large rose windows. Unfortunately, it's not as massive as it once was after a catastrophic fire in April 2019, and while renovations are underway you’re unable to tour the interior.
In December 2024 once visitors are allowed back inside, you’ll note that the use of flying buttresses structurally allowed for higher and thinner walls adorned with large windows, leading to the spectacular sensation of light flooding in. This holy light illuminates several significant Catholic relics, including what is believed to be the Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross, and one of the Holy Nails.
If you’re starting to crave a snack at this point, an incredibly famous ice cream shop is conveniently located on the island next door. Walk another eight minutes to Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis to enjoy your picking of ice creams, sorbets and pastries in the iconic wood-paneled tea room. You can enjoy these frozen sweet treats from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday.
Shakespeare and Company
Make your way back across the Seine via Pont au Double with a quick five minute jaunt to Shakespeare and Company, a historic bookstore where iconic writers of the “lost generation” gathered. If you’ve been paying attention, yes—these are the same “lost generation” writers who enjoyed dining at Café de Flore! Look how much French culture you can enjoy in just one day strolling around Saint-Germain!
The interior is a haven for book lovers, with antique novels and cozy corners to curl up and enjoy a good read in. There's typically a bit of a wait to get inside the store, but don’t let that scare you away from indulging in this peaceful escape during a long day of sightseeing. Photos aren’t allowed inside to respect the privacy of fellow patrons, so you’ll have to visit the shop yourself to see what I’m talking about! Peruse the shelves and ask yourself, what would Ernest Hemingway have picked up here?
Dinner - Les Refuge des Fondues
FROM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (11 Rue du Texel, 75014 Paris, France)
TO: Les Refuge des Fondues (17 Rue des Trois Frères, 75018 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: taxi ride via FreeNow (~40 min, direct, around €30-35)
You’ll surely need to head back to your lodging and relax at this point, but after a quick power nap prepare for the rest of the evening with your best funky fondue ‘fit.
Yes you heard that right, you’ll be heading to the 18th arrondissement for fondue at the infamous Les Refuge des Fondues, a cult-favorite dinner spot in the heart of Montmartre. With two timed seatings at 7:15 PM and 9:45 PM each evening, you’ll likely end up waiting outside the restaurant with your fellow diners before being let into the compact establishment. It’s so tiny, in fact, that if you’re sitting on the bench side of the table you’ll have to climb onto a chair and over the cloth you’ll be eating on to get into your seat. This tradition led to many-a-wine-glass being spilled over the years, which means today you’ll be enjoying your beverage of choice in a baby bottle instead!
The meal begins with a shot of Kir and amuses-bouches which in practice is a plate of cheese, cured meats, olives, and pickles. Since you’re sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with the patrons around you, you’ll likely warm up with others and start chatting over this first shot of Kir, which is soon to be followed by white or red wine, beer, or a soft drink in your respective baby bottle.
From here the main highlight of the night begins when your fondue is brought to the table, which could be beef and potatoes with four homemade sauces or bread and a mix of melted cheeses depending on your preference. We went with the cheese of course, and from a repeat patron sitting next to me she confirmed this is the best way to go. You can request refills of your bottle as you see fit, and for the final course you can enjoy meringue floating on crème anglaise, cheese, or chocolate mousse. Again the obvious choice here is the mousse, and I can confirm it’s a dreamy, luscious dessert that is the perfect airy and creamy texture. All of this comes out to a mere €31 and besides that price being an absolute steal for this experience, you never know you’ll sit next to either. For my country music fans, I happened to sit next to Dasha (the singer of Austin) and she was an absolute delight to meet!
Day 2
FROM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (11 Rue du Texel, 75014 Paris, France)
TO: Angelina (226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: Gaîté → Tuileries via M13 line (24 min, switch at Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau to M1, €2.15)
Brunch — Angelina
Begin your second day in Paris brunch at Angelina, a Parisian institution for over 120 years. Inside the Belle Époque tea room, an established mecca for gourmet pleasures, you’ll embrace the French art of living as you dig into delicate pastries like a millefeuille, chocolate eclair, or the house-favorite Mont-Blanc. Each creation is carefully prepared with the freshest and finest ingredients to guarantee an exceptional taste, and the beautifully decorated treats are as much eye candy as they are sweet tooth satisfiers. Founded to serve as the ultimate temple of gourmet food in Paris, decades of confectionery expertise and pastry-making know-how have cemented Angelina as an unmissable brunch destination in Paris. Open seven days a week from 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM, although they don’t take reservations we were able to easily grab a table at their Tuileries location around 9:45 AM on a spring Monday.
Enjoying a summer papillote as my breakfast treat, I couldn’t visit Angelina without tasting the traditional old fashioned hot chocolate that has been served since Anton Rumpelmayer founded the first location in 1903. Its secret recipe has remained unchanged for years as generations of epicureans flocked to taste the best of French pastry — what we do know is that three African cocoas from Niger, Ghana and the Ivory Coast are perfectly blended to balance the bitter and fruity notes of the regional bean. Uniting these exotic tastes from different cultivation locations creates the unique character of Angelina hot chocolate, coveted for its inimitable aroma and subtle alliance of smoothness and lightness.
As a diehard chocolate fan and lover of all things sweet, I undoubtedly preferred the thick creamy cocoa served up at Angelina over the first hot chocolate I tasted at Café de Flore. My one recommendation would be to drink it quickly while it’s hot and creamy; the drink congeals a bit after it’s cooled down.
Louvre
Adjacent to the Tuileries Garden is the Musée du Louvre, where you can see the one and only Mona Lisa. Take a brief ten minute walk down Rue de Rivoli to approach this iconic pyramid, and even after securing an online reservation be prepared to stand in line for a good twenty minutes. Knowing this in advance, I’d prepare to arrive a bit before your selected time slot to actually enter the museum at the time designated on your €17 ticket. After entering the infamous glass pyramid you’ll descend into the center of the museum, from which the many exhibits sprawl outwards in various wings.
We began on the ground floor of the Denon wing to admire Roman antiquities and European sculptures including many marble statues and greco columns, most notably being The Dying Slave chiseled by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. From there we ascended up a level to halls filled with exquisite paintings from the United States, Great Britain, Spain, France, and Italy — including Miss Mona Lisa herself.
As you may have heard, this is a relatively small painting in practice, affixed to a gigantic canvas wall. A glass covering protects the precious piece, and due to its notoriety this is where you’ll find the largest crowd in the museum. It may honestly be easier to zoom in and look at her coy smile painted by Leonardo da Vinci through your phone rather than wading through her mob of admirers, but with patient determination you will eventually make it to the front rope. At the end of this hall you’ll find both The Winged Victory of Samothrace, with her headless body situated at the top of the stairwell in a nod to her original lofty home, and the dazzling French Crown Jewels. I’m a sucker for anything sparkly, but this particular room is even worth a visit just to admire the stunning murals decorating the ceiling. At this point we had spent enough time in a museum for one day, but if you’re craving more artistic inspiration head across the courtyard to the remaining Sully and Richelieu wings.
Dessert - Ladurée
On your way out of the museum, you’ll pass through the underground shopping mall, Carrousel du Louvre. Besides offering a fine selection of stores if you’re seeking some retail therapy, this particular path includes my absolute favorite manufacturer of the undeniably best French pastry known to man — none other than macarons from Ladurée. I’m convinced there is no better consistently exceptional macaron you’ll taste than the wide range of unique classic and seasonal macaron flavors served by this establishment. Whether you find comfort in the basic vanilla and chocolate morsels or seek more excitement from adventurous Marie-Antoinette tea and blackcurrant violet specialties, every single crumb from one of these sandwiches is sure to delight.
If it’s not obvious enough, I’m passionate about Ladurée’s macarons and make it a point to treat myself to a few every time I stumble upon one of their locations. The shell is always firm to hold yet soft and crumbly once you take a bite, while the inner cream offers just the right amount of cool sweetness to inspire your palette. I prefer the two almond macaron shells filled with rose petal butter cream, and if you’re not sure what to get, this rose flavor is a good place to start. Since you’ve likely worked up a bit of an appetite after walking through the many halls and flights of stairs in the Louvre, it would be a crime to simply walk by this storefront without stopping in for at least one macaron.
Jardin des Tuileries
Exiting the Louvre and its connected mall will bring you directly out onto the Jardin des Tuileries. The meticulously manicured lawns, elegant tree-lined avenues, and stunning decorative fountains are classic examples of French formal garden design, originally created for the royal residence of French monarchs. Admire the blooming flora as you stroll through the many winding paths or embrace the present moment by taking a quiet seat in the many publicly available chairs around the seasonal flower beds and water features.
One of André Le Nôtre’s most famous works, the garden’s grand symmetrical landscapes have inspired countless artists, writers, and poets over the centuries, including Claude Monet who painted scenes of the garden’s pathways and reflections in its ponds. An exhibition of true mastery in garden design, this popular gathering place offers a serene escape for all in the heart of the city.
Champs-Élysées
Walking through the garden will lead you directly down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, also known as ‘the world’s most beautiful avenue’. Here you’ll find a host of familiar designer and global brands, including the Louis Vuitton flagship store. If you only make one stop, I’d recommend the Galeries Lafayette location here. Across four floors within the luminous Art Deco building you’ll find a luxurious shopping experience with offerings across fashion, home goods, accessories and fine foods in this curated selection of high-quality brands. Each company highlighted has its own showpiece section, and for myself I was immediately drawn to the Ganni, Maje, and Chloé features, but the real highlight was a souvenir I secured for my boyfriend. Atelier Amelot has custom one-of-one textiles here that are hung hot off the press from the screen printing station located in the center of the ground floor. This is truly a one-of-a-kind souvenir to pick up here if you’re interested in street style, and either way the tees are simple yet sophisticated!
If you’re thinking now would be a great time for some food, look no further than the delicatessen and restaurant counters located in the basement. Bringing together the best of the current culinary scene, take a minute to enjoy a glass of local wine at Yard or a savory potato berrichon from Maison Verot.
Arc de Triomphe
In total it’s about a forty minute walk from the edge of the garden to the architectural marvel that is the Arc de Triomphe. This monument symbolizes French national pride and victory, honoring those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. As I recently discovered on my latest trip, you can actually go on top of the monument for a panoramic view of the area! Open daily from 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM, for €16 euros you’ll gain access to the monument and surrounding terrace — and if you’re under 26 this experience is free! 284 steps will take you to the top of the Triomphe, from which you’ll have an elevated look over the delightful gardens and city street you just traversed. When examining the arc itself, you’ll find the names of 558 generals and 102 notable military figures inscribed on the inner and outer surfaces, with some underlined to indicate those who died in battle.
Siene River Cruise
Wind down the afternoon with a relaxing river cruise in which you’ll pass the absolute must-see monuments and museums in Paris — some of which you’ve already been inside! Walk twenty-three minutes down Avenue Marceau and onto Port de la Conférence to the leading provider of Siene cruises, Bateaux Mouches. Offering a one-hour cruise across a fleet of six boats that you can enjoy whenever the moment is right, there’s no need to book a specific time slot in advance! Whether you’re looking for a commentated tour, lunch on the water, or a romantic dinner, there’s a cruise option for everyone! For only €16 you’ll pass the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame, Conciergerie, and Musée d’Orsay along the route.
It was such a treat to uncover the historic heart of the city from the water, and the tour commentary taught us a bit of history about the landmarks we had previously admired simply for their beauty. If you’d like to avoid traversing the streets to see each of these pieces of heritage on foot, this is the perfect option to experience them all in one go, especially if your travel party has limited walking mobility.
Explore Paris from a new perspective in the high season from April through September with departures leaving every thirty minutes beginning at 10:00 AM until 10:30 PM on weekdays, additional departures on Friday and Saturday at 11:00 PM. During the low season from October through March departures leave every forty-five minutes and end a bit earlier at 10:00 PM. Regardless of the month you go, the cruise will last around an hour and ten minutes and you’ll hear the guided commentary conveyed across a range of languages — I recall hearing four or five different tongues!.
Pro Tip:
If you’d like to enjoy a little bevy or snack during your cruise, there’s vending machines and street food stands outside the dock, along with restrooms that require a bit of change to enter.
Sacré-Cœur
FROM: Bateaux-Mouches (Port de la Conférence, 75008 Paris, France)
TO: Sacré-Cœur (226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: taxi ride via FreeNow (~30 min, direct, around €20-25)
Shifting gears to a totally different part of town, if you recall this is near your dinner last night! Overlooking the city atop Montemartre is Sacré-Cœur, an elevated Romano-Byzantine church surrounded by railings adorned with thousands of love locks. With a name meaning "Sacred Heart," the basilica is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus and was built as a symbol of national repentance for the perceived moral decline of France following the Franco-Prussian War defeat and internal strife of the Paris Commune. As such, this is a major Catholic pilgrimage site, holding a perpetual adoration of the blessed sacrament in which the eucharist is continually displayed.
The white travertine stones which compose the basilica’s exterior set it apart from the predominantly Gothic and Romanesque churches in Paris, while the silhouette of its large central domes is recognizable worldwide. This clever material also ensures it continuously remains white by exuding calcite through the process of aging and in the presence of pollution.
Inside, the bell tower houses one of the world's heaviest bells, the 19-ton Savoyarde, while also offering panoramic views of Paris in which you can spot the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Entry is free of charge between 6:30 AM - 10:30 PM, however the large number of visitors means you’ll typically have to wait in line before entering the sanctuary. Your patience will be rewarded with one of the world's largest mosaics—the intricate "Christ in Majesty”—which covers the choir and depicts Christ with outstretched arms. Admire the architectural beauty, the art within, and the stunning views from one of the iconic symbols of Paris.
Montmartre
When you’re like okayyy let’s go, take a five minute walk down Rue Norvins to vibrant Montmartre, the bohemian district of Paris. In the central Place du Tertre you'll see older gentlemen sitting at their easels in this open terrace, crafting their next work while displaying a repertoire of masterpieces for sale. This plaza serves as both the heart and home of local artisans, so if you're a fan of collecting unique paintings from your travels, Montmartre is the place to be. Over the years and with increased notoriety the once inexpensive village has become a bit touristy, but nonetheless this rich center of artistic culture in one of the oldest parts of the city is absolutely worth exploring — especially since it was the home of greats like Picasso, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec!
Stroll through the plaza until a piece catches your eye, and you’ll undoubtedly see a local favorite playing the accordion while his loyal cat sits perched atop the instrument! In the surrounding area you’ll find more winding streets, charming cafes, and historic buildings, including the Musée de Montmartre which preserves the history of the respective artistic community and Espace Dalí which is dedicated to the works of Salvador Dalí. If you stick around late into the evening, consider catching a show at the Moulin Rouge or if you can’t secure a reservation at La Maison Rose as described below, my next favorite spot is Au Cadet de Gascogne!
Dinner - La Maison Rose
Finally, wind down at the end of this long day of sightseeing with a rewarding dinner at La Maison Rose. You’ve likely seen images of this pink, ivy-covered exterior before, as this quaint maisonette with green shutters has been a fixture in Montmartre since the early 20th century. Given the longevity of this eatery and it’s charming facade, La Maison Rose has also been depicted in the paintings and photographs of notable artists who lived in Montmartre, with famous patrons including Pablo Picasso, Maurice Utrillo, and Gertrude Stein.
Today, La Maison Rose continues to operate as a local café, serving courses for lunch, tea time, and dinner from 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday. We enjoyed a cozy lunch on a rainy day inside the upper floor, in which we were served our choice of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. I opted to start with the flaky puff pastry filled with herb lemon ricotta and topped with asparagus. This crispy light starter was perfectly baked and tasted incredibly fresh, exciting me for what was to come! I followed that up with warm polpettes in a thick rosemary tomato sauce served with roasted potatoes. This was another knock-out dish and cemented La Maison Rose as arguably my favorite meal we enjoyed in Paris!
Trying the house-made meringue and whipped cream on the pavlova is mandatory, and somehow I still had room for dessert! All this is offered for a mere €35, and if your appetite is a bit smaller on the day you visit, opt for the cheaper lunch set menu, or simply choose an appetizer or dessert to go with your main dish rather than ordering both. Be sure to try the seasonal specialities prepared at La Maison Rose and you won’t be disappointed!
Day 3
Palace of Versailles
FROM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (11 Rue du Texel, 75014 Paris, France)
TO: Palace of Versailles (Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France)
TRANSPORTATION: Gare Montparnasse → Versailles-Chantiers via TER Paris → Le Mans line (13 min, direct, ~€4)
Cap off your last day in Paris with a day trip to arguably the most famous palace in the world, which is a convenient thirteen minute train ride from the Gare Montparnasse station. Once you’ve reached the town of Versailles, depending how much time you have to spare before your ticketed entry time, consider taking the leisurely twenty-five minute walk from the station through the quaint town and up to the palace gates. If you’re in a hurry, you can shorten this transit time by hopping on the 6201 or 6202 bus lines at Quai E outside the train station, riding for two stops over six minutes until departing at the Préfecture stop. You’ll still have to walk a bit down the sidewalk and up to the gated entrance, but hopping on a bus should save you a bit of time as opposed to walking the whole way. Once the ornate golden gates are in your line of sight, you’ll soon be entering the Palace of Versailles!
This gargantuan castle served as the primary royal residence and seat of political power in France from 1682, under King Louis XIV, until the French Revolution in 1789. The over-the-top opulence exuding from every inch of the Baroque architecture cemented the extravagant palace as a symbol of the absolute monarchy presiding over the population. The grandiose façades, intricate interiors, and extensive gardens were designed to impress and demonstrate the "Sun King’s” divine right to rule, and that they do!
Under the rule of Louis XVI, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in 1919, ending World War I. This same gallery of 357 mirrors is celebrated for its dazzling reflection of light from the room’s windows and chandeliers, showcasing the emphasis on symmetry, elaborate decoration, and harmonious integration of the building and surrounding gardens woven throughout the entirety of the palace design. A patron of the arts, Versailles became a cultural hub under Louis XVI’s rule hosting performances, concerts, and ballets to highlight the top artisans during this golden age of French culture. With historical and cultural significance influencing palace architecture and garden design worldwide, the palace has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Inside, you’ll find lavish rooms in which you can experience the grandeur of French history and culture. The King’s Grand Apartments include several richly decorated apartments such as the King’s Bedchamber, where Louis XIV slept, and the Council Room, where the king held his meetings. The Queen’s Grand Apartments mirror this layout and include the Queen’s Bedchamber which was used by queens such as Marie Antoinette. Providing insight into daily French court life, the stunning artwork, tapestries, and furnishings covering every square inch of this home convey the grandeur of the Sun King’s reign and are truly beautiful to observe as you gaze upon each exhibit.
The various ticket options available on the Versailles website are a bit overwhelming (or at least I thought they were upon first glance), so to save you the trouble I recommend opting for the all-access €32 passport ticket, which gives you the best bang for your buck if you plan to tour the whole estate of Versailles, including the Palace, temporary exhibitions, Estate of Trianon, Gallery of Coaches, Gardens, and the Park. You could buy individual tickets for each of these attractions, but if you’re already in Paris and heading all the way outside of the city, you may as well see them all!
It’s critical to note that this is an experience you MUST book online in advance. Securing a ticket means you’ll have a designated entry time to the palace, and from there can explore the other attractions at your leisure. If you do not book a timed entry ticket in advance, you probably won’t be able to enter the palace! I had planned to meet a friend here who happened to be visiting France during the same time, but her group failed to purchase tickets online and found that when they arrived at the gates at 10:00 AM, the next available entry wasn’t until 3:00 PM. I’ve also seen peers show up to find that no additional tickets are being sold for the day anyways, so heed my warning and be sure to book online and enter the palace within the half hour following your reservation time.
To make the most of the estate of Versailles during high season, which is from April through October:
the park is open daily from 7:00 AM - 8:30 PM
the gardens are open daily from 8:00 AM - 8:30 PM
the palace is open daily from 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM and closed on Mondays
the Estate of Trianon is open from 12:00 - 6:30 PM and closed on Mondays
the Gallery of Coaches is open from 12:30 - 6:30 PM only during the weekends
That being said, plan to arrive early and begin your day touring the park and gardens before entering the palace, then exploring the Estate of Trianon and Gallery of Coaches after lunch. Based on the closures above, it’s advisable to avoid visiting on a Monday, and last admission to most of these attractions is 6:00 PM with the respective ticket office closing at 5:45 PM.
Lunch - Grand Café d’Orléans
Once you’ve strolled the palace to your heart’s content, you’ll want to grab some food before heading out to see the rest of the landscape, since on fountain show and musical garden days re-entry to the garden is not permitted. Assuming you booked your passport ticket and moved on with the rest of your Paris planning, the Grand Café d’Orléans is the one of two lunch options you’ll have inside the palace. Here you can enjoy fast food, sandwiches and pre-made desserts to be purchased at the cafeteria counter to be enjoyed in the adjoining series of contemporary lounges. This is what we did as a no frills way to grab a quick bite before continuing on with our day. Your other choice is restaurant Angelina, which is another location of the same French chain described above in which you can enjoy sweet and savory menu items all day long! If you’re craving another steaming cup of their scrumptious hot chocolate, then this is the place for you!
If you desire a more kingly meal than a simple baguette sandwich, you’ll need to make reservations in advance at Ore. Elegant Ore is a contemporary French café overlooking the Royal Courtyard. Here you can enjoy breakfast or lunch for €40 and €80 respectively which includes a ticket to enter just the palace within the total fee.
Gardens of Versailles
Once you’ve taken some time to eat, enjoy the Gardens of Versailles and the adjacent royal Park. Designed by one of the most famous landscape architects in history, André Le Nôtre, the gardens of Versailles are considered a masterpiece of French formal garden style featuring geometric layouts, manicured lawns, parterres of flowers, topiaries, and sculptures to create a sense of order and grandeur.
Originally commissioned by Louis XIV, the gardens were just one aspect of his grand plan to transform Versailles into the epicenter of French power and culture, flaunting the absolute monarchy which in theory extended his control even over nature. Many European palaces and estates have incorporated elements of Versailles' layout and style, making it a model for formal gardens across the continent.
Splitting the center of the gardens is the Grand Canal, while water features like the famous Latona and Apollo fountains highlight intricate hydraulic systems during fountains shows and musical garden days which were an engineering marvel in their time. It’s important to note that while the gardens are typically free, these featured days require a paid ticket which is conveniently covered by the passport ticket option! These concerts in which water is set to the rhythm of the Baroque music are one of the many performances which keep the spirit of the estate’s historical role as an arts center alive.
There are a variety of transit options available to explore the 800 hectares of vast and varied garden landscape. The little train offers hop-on, hop-off service across the property, bringing you from the garden entrance to the Trianon Palaces and Marie-Antoinette's Estate. You can purchase a passport ticket which includes one little train return trip, but I found it more convenient to purchase a ticket on site for €9 and use the full circuit to access all the Estate of Trianon points of interest. Alternatively, you can reserve an electric golf cart for €42 an hour to zip around, row boats down the Grand Canal for €20 an hour, or ride a bike through the park for €10 an hour.
Grand Trianon
Continuing on through the palace grounds, next bring your attention to the Estate of Trianon comprising two main palaces, the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon, as well as the Queen’s Hamlet. This more personal glimpse into the lives of French royalty preserves the history and daily life of the French court while highlighting the contrasts of public duty and private leisure. Beginning with the Grand Trianon, step inside Louis XIV’s private residence, a retreat from the formalities of court life for the king and his family. During our visit, an exhibition dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte’s commission for imperial silks to refurnish the Palace of Versailles was on display, as he also retired to this residence during his reign.
The charming pink exterior of "Marble Trianon” was designed using a harmonious blend of marble and porphyry, while the classical French architecture builds upon this foundation with elegant colonnades, expansive windows, and the formal parterres of the manicured garden behind the estate. You’ll find the best view of this harmonious blend between indoor and outdoor spaces when walking through the covered peristyle which connects the two main wings of the Grand Trianon.
Petit Trianon
Just a short ride away via the little train lies the Petit Trianon, which is most famously associated with Queen Marie Antoinette who used it as her personal refuge. Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel and completed in 1768, it was given to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI in 1774. The queen transformed it into a secluded haven where she could escape the pressures of court life and indulge in simpler pleasures.
Contrasting from the Grand Trianon, this structure is celebrated for its refined Neoclassical architecture with a more intimate design than found elsewhere on the grand estate. This elegant design reflects Marie Antoinette’s tastes, with light, airy rooms painted seafoam green and beautiful decorative details like the naturalistic English gardens surrounding the property.
If you continue north from the Petit Trianon you’ll find the Queen’s Hamlet, which was built between 1783 and 1786 when Marie Antoinette commissioned Richard Mique to construct an entire model village around an artificial lake. Designed to resemble a rustic village and farm, this crescent formation of charming cottages, a mill, a dairy, and a farmhouse is ideally viewed from across the water. Functionally, this idyllic setting allowed Marie Antoinette and her friends to cosplay as the shepherdesses and peasants they ruled over, pretending to live a quaint life free of the royal responsibilities that the formal court required. When examining this play space alongside the furnishings of the Petit Trianon, these historical artifacts provide a unique insight into Marie Antoinette’s personality and her desire for a simpler, pastoral life, which was likely inspired by the Romantic movement’s fascination with nature and rural life during the late 18th century.
Dinner - Le Relais de l'Entrecôte
FROM: ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne (11 Rue du Texel, 75014 Paris, France)
TO: Le Relais de l'Entrecôte (101 Bd du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: 17 minute walk down Rue Vercingétorix onto Rue de la Gaité before turning right on Boulevard du Montparnasse
After heading home from the palace, take a much-needed nap before dinner. Once you’re feeling up to it, head to Le Relais de l'Entrecôte to taste the most famous steak and frites in Paris! An unparalleled success for decades, this sophisticated Parisian bistro owes its reputation to its single course menu: a walnut salad followed by a tender sirloin steak seasoned with their famous secret sauce and golden thin-cut French fries on the side. While your options for dessert are more diverse, you can’t go wrong with the popular chocolate profiterole choux-pastry buns filled with vanilla ice-cream and topped with hot chocolate sauce.
Since the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations, expect to wait in an extensive queue if you arrive around typical dinner times. Assuming you have time to spare, the efficient yet friendly service ensures the well-run establishment keeps tables moving so you can enter the warm atmosphere of wood panelling, elegant mirrors, and vintage posters as soon as possible.
Pro Tip:
If you’re in a hurry or not feeling well enough to wait, the vintage-chic L'Atelier Paris location across the street also serves classic bistro fare, which is actually where we ended up getting our steak and frites for the night 🙈.
Eiffel Tower
FROM: Le Relais de l'Entrecôte (101 Bd du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France)
TO: Eiffel Tower (Av. Gustave Eiffel, 75007 Paris, France)
TRANSPORTATION: walk 8 minutes to the Raspail → Bir-Hakeim via M6 line then walk another 8 minutes to the tower (10 min, 8 stops, €2.15)
For your last night in Paris, it wouldn’t be right if you left the city before seeing the tower sparkle! You’ll notice the photo to the right is taken in the daylight because I still haven’t seen this dazzling display myself after visiting Paris twice, but I digress. Make better choices than me and head to the Eiffel Tower Gardens after dinner. It’s important to make this distinction, because you’ll have to wait in line and go through a security checkpoint to enter the designated Eiffel Tower area. Here you can climb or take an elevator to the second floor or summit, depending on how high you want to venture. Either way, you’re just here to admire this architectural marvel from the ground, so you can avoid the hassle by entering the open-access public park through any green space in front of the tower.
The monument was originally constructed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair held in Paris to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. This groundbreaking feat of engineering utilized advanced techniques to construct the lightweight yet durable lattice structure, showcasing France's industrial prowess on a global stage.Standing at 1,063 feet tall, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.
While the initially controversial design was originally considered to be an eyesore, functionally it’s been used in the early days of radio transmission during World War I to broadcast signals and Gustave Eiffel himself used the structure to conduct wind resistance experiments. The most spectacular feature of its composition—and what you’re here for today— is the sparkling light show which automatically begins ten minutes after the city begins to darken, usually around sunset. Be sure to look up the sunset times for the dates of your trip in advance and plan your itinerary accordingly! This golden, twinkling spectacle lasts for five minutes and repeats every hour from sundown until 1:00 AM during the off-season and 2:00 AM in the summer. If you’re a night owl, many consider the final display at 1:00 AM to be the best—meaning the best time to travel to Paris and see this phenomenon is in the summer as well!
How Much Do Three Days in Paris Cost?
Following the above Paris itinerary ideas totaled $1,196.70, costing me $398.90 per day as a recent graduate:
Transportation
€2.22 - metro from Gare Montparnasse to the Musée d'Orsay
€15.25 - taxi from our ibis lodging to Angelina, split amongst two people
€29.00 - taxi from our ibis lodging to Sacré-Cœur and back, split amongst two people
€8.86 - roundtrip train ticket to and from the Palace of Versailles
€9.00 - little train ticket to get around the Palace of Versailles
€34.53 - taxi from our ibis lodging to Le Relais de l'Entrecôte and back, split amongst two people
Food and Drink
$39.61 - rum flower babe, croissant, latte, and bottle of sparkling water from Cédric Grolet Opéra
$31.40 - croque monsieur and dark hot chocolate from Café de Flore
$31.22 - fondue course from Le Refuge des Fondues
$27.40 - cappuccino, papillote, and hot chocolate from Angelina
$13.38 - berrichon and coke from the Galeries Lafayette food court on Champs-Élysées
$29.97 - appetizer and entree set menu from La Maison Rose
$11.70 - latte and cookie from Starbucks
$9.19 - two waters and a coke at the train station
€11.80 - ham, butter, and Emmental baguette sandwich plus a coke from the Grand Café d’Orléans
$33.72 - steak and frites with a coke from L'Atelier Paris next to Le Relais de l'Entrecôte
Activities
$17.34 - entry ticket to the Musée d'Orsay
$23.83 - entry ticket to the Louvre
$16.25 - Bateaux Mouches Siene river cruise ticket
$34.66 - passport entry ticket to the Palace of Versailles
Souvenirs
€40 - black Baume des Muses from Officine Universelle Buly 1803
$464.58 - designer sweater and Atelier Amelot tee from the Galeries Lafayette on Champs-Élysées
$6.00 - macaron from Ladurée
Lodging
$244.86 - three nights in the ibis Paris Gare Montparnasse Catalogne, split amongst two people
Before calling out anything else, let’s get into the vast outlier above: my two purchases at the Champs-Élysées Galeries Lafayette. Had I not made those purchases my overall total would’ve only been $732.12 with a daily cost of $244.04, but I like to keep it real with you all and had planned to make these expensive clothing purchases in advance, so I’m keeping that expense in there. Otherwise, I’d say we did pretty well at exploring the city for all it’s worth without spending our life’s savings along the way (which inevitably could happen in Paris!).
Obviously if you’re on a tighter budget, you may want to avoid stepping into the Galeries Lafayette altogether as their offerings are very tempting, and you can definitely do without the Universelle Buly lip balm. We taxied quite a few times as well since my mother wasn’t very comfortable with the subway system, which evidently increased our overall expenses. That being said, all of the museum and tour ticket prices were quite reasonable and the set course meals we enjoyed were incredibly worthwhile in terms of the amount of food we enjoyed for under €30!
What to Wear in Paris?
Paris fashion screams sophistication, and class — get inspired to embody haute couture like you’re walking in Paris Fashion Week. Here less is more and elegance is in the details. Whether you’re strolling along the Seine, visiting the Louvre, or enjoying a café au lait at a sidewalk café, your thoughtfully curated ensemble will ensure you do so with grace and style as you follow customizable Paris travel itineraries for every interest.
Regardless of personal aesthetic or budget, anyone can style a classic black and white ensemble: think old money chic, timeless wardrobe staples that exude effortless taste, and clean lines from well-tailored silhouettes. These pieces can easily transition from daytime sightseeing to evening dining, embodying the versatility that Parisians are known for. Choosing neutral colors like black, white, and beige ensures your look will be sophisticated while easy to mix and match. Footwear is crucial in Paris, where walking is a way of life, while accessorizing will complete your look with an added hint of mystery and glamour. Look to achieve a balanced and refined appearance without wearing overly flashy items—instead focus on quality fabrics and impeccable tailoring. Pull these pieces from your closet to craft the perfect outfit when planning a trip to Paris:
Timeless Tops
craft a timeless silhouette with cuts that won’t go out of style — tuxedo vests, corset bustiers, staple tanks and tees
Basic Bottoms
don’t overcomplicate things with silk skirts, pleated trousers, and flowy culottes that are simple yet sophisticated
Dainty Dresses
think easy, breezy, beautiful (CoverGirl!) — spaghetti straps, tulle, and simplicity are keys to a chic Paris gown
Jet Black Flats
ballet slippers, Mary Janes, and slingback kitten heels will keep your feet from aching through each arrondissement
Luxe Accessories
chunky gold jewelry and a dainty handbag make your outfit feel as luxurious as a Palace of Versailles princess
Fine Fabric Accents
silk ribbons, lace bows, and rose appliqué— pull in pops of ruby and sapphire to exude old money elegance
Does Paris Deserve a Second Chance?
Now that I’ve had more than a rushed six hours visiting Paris during a transportation strike (find my first guide here!), I can most definitely say that the city deserves a second chance. I mean that had to be the case right? I know so many people who absolutely adore Paris and make it a priority to come here, but even after spending a good four-ish days there myself it hasn’t done much to sway my opinion of France as a destination in general. While the art and overall opulent allure of Paris is quite charming, it’s hard to overlook the general grime and state of despair that many of the public facilities are in. This well-known phenomena of the “Paris Effect” was so shocking for my mother as her first glimpse into Europe that we had quite a tough conversation following her initial few hours in the city and had to swear off taking the subway altogether! That’s not to say these downsides negate all the wonderful things Paris has to offer, but after seeing the general state of order and cleanliness in Tokyo—the largest city on Earth—I’m no longer accepting that cities are bound to be dirty! The surrounding environment does speak to the inherent French culture you’ll find here, as these revolutionaries are known for their nefarious plots like scheming to poop in the Siene after the president announced he’d be swimming in it!
Grit and grime aside, I once again ended up in Paris during a pretty frigid climate, packing only sundresses and light jackets for an end-of-April trip in which everyone else walking around was bundled up in scarves and gloves. I think experiencing one warm, sunny day in the City of Love could really sway my opinion here, but alas we’ll have to wait until the next trip over there! My final musing speaks to the sprawling layout of the many arrondissements, which in practice means you’ll spend much of your time on foot, in a taxi, or on the metro. While sightseeing in any big city requires a significant amount of back and forth, I feel that I would enjoy Paris more in the future by simply puttering around a single area and taking in the overall ambiance at a relaxed pace. I feel that I can only do so now that I have seen the notable sights a first-time visitor would have on their agenda, but it seems to me that’s where the real magic of Paris lies and why it has so many of my peers coming back time and time again. When and if I’m able to do so I’m preferential to the bohemian eighteenth arrondissement containing Montmartre, so I’ll have to report back when I can make that experience happen — for now, au revoir Paris!
