Few queues, lots of street life: on longer trips just one interior a day; the rest from outside, in parks and with long breaks.
Day 110:00–16:04
Notre-Dame & the Latin Quarter
The day’s one visit inside is Notre-Dame; then the Seine, Shakespeare and Company, a long lunch in the Latin Quarter and the Luxembourg Gardens.
10:001
Notre-Dame Cathedral (inside) 50 min
The cathedral restored after the 2019 fire and reopened in December 2024: bright stone vaults, the rose windows and the new altar. Entry is free; the queue is shorter in the morning.
15 min queue + inside + the façade
10:50
Walk · 5 min
Over the Petit Pont to the Left Bank.
10:552
Shakespeare and Company 30 min
The legendary English-language bookshop facing Notre-Dame: the reading room upstairs and the café next door.
11:25
Walk · 3 min
Into the back lanes.
11:283
The Latin Quarter: Rue de la Huchette & Saint-Séverin 25 min
Narrow medieval lanes, the church of Saint-Séverin and the narrowest street in Paris, Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche.
11:534
Lunch: the Latin Quarter 75 min
An unhurried lunch at a bistro on Rue Saint-André-des-Arts.
13:08
Walk · 15 min
Up Rue Saint-Jacques to the hilltop.
13:235
The Panthéon (outside) & the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève 20 min
The domed façade, the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont and the steps from Midnight in Paris.
13:43
Walk · 8 min
Down Rue Soufflot to the park.
13:516
Jardin du Luxembourg 60 min
The pond in front of the palace, the green iron chairs and the Medici Fountain: the Parisians’ favourite park.
14:51
Walk · 8 min
Out of the north gate to the church.
14:597
Saint-Sulpice 20 min
The church from The Da Vinci Code: Delacroix’s murals and the huge organ, with the fountain square in front.
15:198
Place Saint-Sulpice & a café break 45 min
A hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) or a coffee, and something from the pâtisserie window.
The day’s visit inside is the Louvre’s masterpieces; then a stroll through the Tuileries, Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe from outside.
10:001
Palais-Royal gardens & the Buren columns 25 min
The quiet garden framed by arcades and the black-and-white striped columns in the courtyard.
10:25
Walk · 5 min
Across Rue de Rivoli to the pyramid.
10:302
The Louvre (inside) 150 min
The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and the Napoleon III apartments. Some sections (Roman antiquities, Islamic art) are closed for works in autumn 2026.
20 min security + 2 h of masterpieces + 10 min out
An unhurried brasserie lunch in the streets north of the Louvre.
14:15
Walk · 10 min
Across Rue de Rivoli into the Tuileries.
14:254
Jardin des Tuileries 40 min
The palace garden from the Louvre to Concorde: ponds, statues and long tree-lined paths. From November to January a Christmas market sets up here.
15:05
Walk · 5 min
Out of the garden’s west gate to the square.
15:105
Place de la Concorde 15 min
The Egyptian obelisk, the fountains, the Champs-Élysées at one end and the Tuileries at the other.
15:256
A walk up the Champs-Élysées 45 min
The avenue from Concorde to the Arc: past the Grand and Petit Palais to the shop-lined upper half. From late November to early January the trees are lit.
16:10
Walk · 5 min
Through the underpass to the Arc.
16:157
The Arc de Triomphe (outside) 20 min
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the flame rekindled every evening at 6:30 pm; the reliefs under the arch.
Dinner at the bistros of the neighbourhood behind the Eiffel Tower.
Day 310:00–15:27
The Eiffel Tower & the Seine
The day’s visit inside is the Eiffel Tower’s 2nd floor; the classic photo from the Trocadéro, a long lunch on Rue Cler, then a walk to Les Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III.
10:001
The Trocadéro terrace 25 min
The classic photo of the Eiffel Tower, from the Palais de Chaillot terrace across the Seine.
10:25
Walk · 15 min
Down through the gardens and over the Pont d’Iéna to the tower.
10:402
The Eiffel Tower (2nd floor) 90 min
By lift to the 2nd floor (116 m): the clearest view of the Seine, the Trocadéro and Montmartre.
At least one museum or iconic interior every day; the rest on the streets, squares and viewpoints.
Day 109:00–16:49
Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle & the Latin Quarter
The island where Paris began: inside Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle; then Shakespeare and Company, the Latin Quarter, the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens.
09:001
Notre-Dame Cathedral (inside) 60 min
The cathedral restored after the 2019 fire and reopened in December 2024: bright stone vaults, the rose windows and the new altar. Entry is free; the queue is shorter in the morning.
15 min queue + inside + the façade
10:00
Walk · 5 min
Across the island to the Palais de Justice.
10:052
Sainte-Chapelle (inside) 60 min
The upper chapel, walls made almost entirely of stained glass: 1,113 scenes of 13th-century glass. Brightest in the midday sun.
The Louvre in the morning; in the afternoon the Palais-Royal, the Tuileries, Concorde and a walk up the Champs-Élysées to sunset on the Arc de Triomphe.
09:001
The Louvre (inside) 180 min
The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and the Napoleon III apartments. Some sections (Roman antiquities, Islamic art) are closed for works in autumn 2026.
The Egyptian obelisk, the fountains, the Champs-Élysées at one end and the Tuileries at the other.
15:157
A walk up the Champs-Élysées 45 min
The avenue from Concorde to the Arc: past the Grand and Petit Palais to the shop-lined upper half. From late November to early January the trees are lit.
16:00
Walk · 5 min
Through the underpass to the Arc.
16:058
The Arc de Triomphe rooftop 50 min
Up 284 steps to the roof: the twelve avenues fanning out from the Étoile, the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower. Reach it through the underpass, never across the roundabout.
🌅 At this time the sun sets in November–January; in June it’s still light (sunset around 21:55). Enter your dates and the planner shows the exact time for your day.
Inside every major ticketed landmark, with entry and security time included, down to the minute.
Day 108:30–14:56
Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie & the Panthéon
Inside the island’s three landmarks (Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie), the Latin Quarter, inside the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens.
08:301
Notre-Dame Cathedral (inside) 45 min
The cathedral restored after the 2019 fire and reopened in December 2024: bright stone vaults, the rose windows and the new altar. Entry is free; the queue is shorter in the morning.
15 min queue + inside + the façade
09:15
Walk · 5 min
Across the island to the Palais de Justice.
09:202
Sainte-Chapelle (inside) 50 min
The upper chapel, walls made almost entirely of stained glass: 1,113 scenes of 13th-century glass. Brightest in the midday sun.
A long morning at the Louvre, the Orangerie for Monet’s Water Lilies, Concorde and the Champs-Élysées; end the day on the Arc de Triomphe rooftop.
09:001
The Louvre (inside) 210 min
The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and the Napoleon III apartments. Some sections (Roman antiquities, Islamic art) are closed for works in autumn 2026.
The Egyptian obelisk, the fountains, the Champs-Élysées at one end and the Tuileries at the other.
15:056
A walk up the Champs-Élysées 40 min
The avenue from Concorde to the Arc: past the Grand and Petit Palais to the shop-lined upper half. From late November to early January the trees are lit.
15:45
Walk · 5 min
Through the underpass to the Arc.
15:507
The Arc de Triomphe rooftop 50 min
Up 284 steps to the roof: the twelve avenues fanning out from the Étoile, the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower. Reach it through the underpass, never across the roundabout.
🌅 At this time the sun sets in November–January; in June it’s still light (sunset around 21:55). Enter your dates and the planner shows the exact time for your day.
Since October 2026 there have been cost-of-living protests and strikes (the next big day is 5 November). Big marches usually run between Bastille, République and Nation, and on those days some metro stations and museums can close. Check the RATP and the museum’s website before you go, and keep away from the crowds.
🎟️
Staying 2–4 days and visiting 2–3 museums a day? The Paris Museum Pass can pay off; it covers the Louvre, the Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle and the Arc de Triomphe. Even with the pass, most places need a timed booking. Paris Museum Pass
🚇
Paper metro tickets are gone: buy a Navigo Easy card from the station machines and load single tickets or a day pass onto it. You can also pay by phone (the Bonjour RATP app).
👜
Pickpockets work the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadéro, the Sacré-Cœur steps and the metro: keep your bag in front and don’t stop for petition or bracelet sellers.
🧾
If you live outside the EU, tax free works in the department stores: ask at the till and complete it at the PABLO kiosk at the airport on your way home.
🍽️
Restaurants serve lunch from 12 to 2 pm and dinner from 7:30 pm; the kitchen may be closed in between. The lunchtime set menu (formule) is the best value, and service is included in the bill.
Times are for a typical weekday. Some places open later or close on Sundays and Mondays; enter your dates and the planner adjusts the route.
Frequently asked questions
Which museums and landmarks can you visit inside in 3 days in Paris?
Relaxed pace: The Louvre and The Eiffel Tower. Balanced pace: Sainte-Chapelle, The Panthéon, The Louvre, Musée de l’Orangerie, The Arc de Triomphe, The Eiffel Tower, Musée Rodin and Les Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb. Packed pace: Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, The Panthéon, The Louvre, Musée de l’Orangerie, The Arc de Triomphe, The Eiffel Tower, Musée Rodin and Les Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb.
How far ahead should I book tickets?
Timed tickets sell out fast. Our advice: The Eiffel Tower at least 21 days ahead; The Louvre at least 14 days ahead; Sainte-Chapelle at least 5 days ahead; Musée de l’Orangerie at least 3 days ahead; The Arc de Triomphe at least 3 days ahead; Musée Rodin at least 3 days ahead; The Panthéon at least 2 days ahead; Les Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb at least 2 days ahead; Conciergerie at least 2 days ahead.
What should I watch out for on Sundays and Mondays?
Musée Rodin is closed on Mondays. On Sundays some places open later: Notre-Dame Cathedral at 08:15. Enter your dates and the planner reorders the days and switches to the Sunday versions for you.
Is 3 days enough for Paris?
Three days is the most recommended length to really get to know Paris: the Eiffel Tower, Rodin and Les Invalides get the third day.
Does the itinerary include an evening boat trip on the seine?
Yes. On trips of two nights or more, at every pace, we suggest an hour-long boat trip on the Seine on the second evening. Book at least 2 days ahead.
How do I fit the route to my own arrival and departure times?
Enter the city, your arrival and departure times and your pace in the planner on the home page. It trims the route around your flights, skips closed days, works out ticket deadlines and lets you download a PDF.
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