A week in Paris is an opportunity to discover every corner of the capital. With or without a guide, let yourself be charmed by the cobblestone streets and the magic that emanates from the City of Light.
In the heart of Paris, via the Château de Versailles or Disneyland, you won’t fail to enjoy this thousand-faced city.
Here is an example of the kind of tour you might want to take during your week in the capital.
DAY ONE :
In the heart of the city’s major arteries
Time you should spend in the Marais: 3 hours
We recommend you to start with the district of the Marais. Located in the 3rd and 4th district, it offers a number of monuments that make the rich heritage of the city. By the Town Hall and in the surrounding area, you can sunbathe by the fountains during summer, and skate on the ice during winter.
This area reflects the soul of Paris as it is one of its oldest. The vestiges of its past, such as the Louvre Museum, the Hotel Carnavalet (also a museum which recounts the history of the capital), the Place des Vosges or the Hotel Sully reflect its historical force in the capital.
Then, we propose to picnic on the Place des Vosges, which offers a stunning setting with its arcades art and fine shops that surround this small peaceful garden gallery.
Credits © Reinhardhauke/Wikimedia sous Creative Commons 3.0
Shopping addict
Distance between Place des Vosges and the Louvre Museum: 30 minutes walk
Departure: 1h30 PM
Arrival: 2h PM
Time you should spend in the Louvre Museum: 3h
Then you can get directly on the rue de Rivoli through rue de Birague. In this area, you can enjoy many shops such as BHV (Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville, in french), Mango, H&M, Zara, Stradivarius, Maje, Naf Naf …
If you continue down this road, you will come across the Louvre Museum. Enjoy a visit to the palace/museum (the admission is free for people under 25). It will take you at least a few hours, the museum is very very big.
Alternatively, you could go down in the Carrousel du Louvre to continue your shopping spree, or just enjoy a dessert in front of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and sit in the Jardin des Tuileries on the edge of a fountain.
Distance between the Louvre Museum and the Champs-Elysées: 5 minutes by tube
Departure: 5 PM
Arrival: 5h05-5h10 PM
Time you should spend on the Champs-Elysées: 2h30
In the evening, we suggest you book a table at Ginger which proposes delicious Bo Bun (vietnamese style). Take the metro line 1, stop at the station Franklin Roosevelt and then, go down the avenue Montaigne in order to admire the sumptuous boutiques, turn right in the rue Clément Marot, then left onto the rue de Trémoille. Following that, we suggest you book tickets for the show at the Crazy Horse cabaret on the avenue George V. You will experience the greatest place of Parisian seduction there. To get there, simply go down the street from the Trémoille then turn right on Avenue George V.
The district of the Marais and the Place des Vosges: Métro Saint Paul (line 1).
Musée Carnavalet: 16, rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris 3rd. Métro Saint Paul (line 1) or Chemin Vert (line 8).
Free entry for the permanent collections but the rates for the temporary exhibitions may vary.
Hôtel de Ville de Paris: Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, Paris 4th. Métro Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11).
BHV ( in french): 36, rue de la Verrerie, Paris 4th. Métro Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11).
Musée du Louvre: Paris 1st. Métro Louvre Rivoli (line 1) or Palais Royal Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7).
Rates: 15 euros for the permanent collection. The access to the permanent collections of the Louvre is free for young Europeans under 25 years old, as well as teachers and professors, unemployed visitors and disabled visitors.
Book a visit to the Louvre Museum
Jardin des Tuileries: Paris 1st. Métro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7), Tuileries (line 1) ou Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12).
Buy the Paris PASS – Museums, Attractions and Transport within Paris
- Unlimited use of the Parisian public transport network (metro zones 1-3, RER, bus, tram)
- Admission to more than 60 museums and attractions
- Skip-the-line entry for numerous activities
DAY TWO :
A village inside the city
Time you should spend in Montmartre: 4h
After breakfast, you could go to the renowned Montmartre Village. Perched on the Montmartre Mound (“la Butte Montmartre” as Parisians call it), this paradise-like area of the capital overlooks the 18th district of the city. Start your ascension near the Mound, on the rue Foyatiez, where you will find the funicular and the flight of stairs – for the bravest only (222 steps…) – that will lead you to Montmartre and to the Sacré Coeur.
During the Greco-Roman period, a temple dedicated to the God Mars was overhanging on the Mound, but today, this is one of the greatest Parisian symbols that replaced this temple: the Sacré Coeur Basilica. This Catholic place of worship was erected in 1871 in order to create a new “moral order” in Paris after the very agitated events that took place during the Commune. If the Sacré Coeur’s history is sometimes unknown, its shape and its original design is especially famous. Indeed, the architect was inspired by several aesthetics and eventually created the four cupolas and the principal dome, which became part of the architectural symbols of the French capital. If you’re not afraid to climb another flight of stairs, have a look at the Basilica and at the wonderful panoramic view of Paris offered from the front of the Sacré Coeur.
You will enter the heart of the Village only 220 yards away, on the beautiful Place du Tertre, where you will find plenty of restaurants but also street artists who perpetuate the artistic image of this district of Paris. A large number of artists did live on the Mound; for instance Van Gogh, Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec. You will be able to discover the historical and cultural patrimony of this village at the Musée de Montmartre.
Because of the very peculiar atmosphere of this charming area, you might even forget that you are in Paris, one of the busiest cities of the European continent.
Book a private visit of Montmartre with a guide
A garden inside the city
Distance between Montmartre and the Jardin du Luxembourg: 15 min by tube + 25 min walk
Departure: 2PM
Arrival: 2h45 PM
Time you should spend in the Latin Quarter: 3h30
As Montmartre Village is not too wide, you might want to spend the first part of your day there, and then go back to the centre of Paris to explore the Jardin du Luxembourg (a large garden) and the Quartier Latin.
The garden, located in the 6th district, is accessible thanks to the metro station Notre-Dame-des-Champs or Rennes (line 12), or the metro station Saint-Placide (line 4).
For lunch, we suggest you go to the restaurant Aux 2 Oliviers, which has a quite big range of Mediterranean cuisine. You will find it near one of the entries of the Jardin du Luxembourg, close to the Square Francis Poulenc and the rue de Tournon.
In the afternoon,you can visit the Musée National du Moyen-Age, located at a 7-minute-walk away from the restaurant, which will teach you a lot about the history of Paris.
The Latin Quarter
You will have reached the Latin Quarter. Next, you will see the Sorbonne, one of the oldest universities in the world.
Notre-Dame-de-Paris Cathedral is just a few steps away, located on the Ile de la Cité; we suggest you spend time to admire this piece of art from the outside and perhaps even climb the stairs to the top of the towers.
In the late afternoon, take the Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Rue Saint-Jacques to go to Saint Michel. You will discover a small neighborhood of cobbled pedestrian streets with loads of quite affordable pubs and restaurants of all kinds where people mingle. The atmosphere is very festive and there is something for all tastes and ages!
You will find very nice restaurants such as le Bar à Huîtres Saint Germain, an oyster bar located on the rue Saint-Jacques.
Montmartre:
Funiculaire: rue Foyatier, Paris 18th. Métro Anvers (line 2) or Abbesses (line 12).
Rates: same price as one metro ticket, 1,90 euros.
Sacré Cœur: 35, rue du Chevalier de la Barre, Paris 18th.
Musée de Montmartre: 8-14 rue de Cortot, Paris 18th.
Rates: Full price between 9,50 and 11euros, students (18 to 25 years old): between 7,50 and 9euros, children (10 to 17 years old): 5,50euros and free for children under 10 years old.
Jardin du Luxembourg et Quartier Latin:
Jardin du Luxembourg: Paris 6th. Métro Saint Sulpice (line 4) or Luxembourg station (RER B).
Musée National du Moyen Age: 6, Place Paul Painlevé, Paris 5th. Métro Cluny-La Sorbonne (line 10).
Rates: 8 euros in full price for the permanent collection and 6 euros in reduced price. For the temporary exhibitions, the full price is 9 euros and the reduced price 7 euros. The access to the museum and to its collection and exhibitions is free for students under 26 years old and for everybody every first Sunday of each month.
Quartier Latin: 5th and 6th arrondissements. Métro Saint Michel (line 4, RER B, RER C).
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris (in french): 6, Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean Paul II, Paris 4th. Métro Cité (line 4) or Saint-Michel Notre-Dame station (RER B et C).
Bar à Huître Saint Germain: 33, rue Saint-Jacques, Paris 5th. Métro Cluny-La Sorbonne (line 10).
DAY THREE :
The return to childhood
Time you should spend in Disneyland: the whole day!
On the third day you could get out of Paris. Go to Disneyland! Just take the RER A at Châtelet-Les Halles until the station Marne La Vallee-Disneyland and get off at that stop. This train ride is about 30 to 45 minutes long.
About the food, Disneyland has a big range different kind of restaurants with Disney themes, or small caravans scattered everywhere where you can enjoy a Barbapapa or a bucket of Pop Corn.
Dineyland Paris: Marne-La-Vallée (77). Marne-La-Vallée-Chessy station (RER A).
DAY FOUR :
A majestic breakaway…
Time you should spend in Versailles: the whole morning, around 3h or 4h
For this fourth day, we suggest to visit the Palace of Versailles, located in the Yvelines département (one hour from Paris).
Book a visit to the Palace of Versailles
To get there, take the RER line C to Versailles Rive Gauche. Travel for thirty minutes from Champ de Mars on the RER C. Signs will tell you which way to go to get to the Chateau once you get out of the station.
The Chateau has two restaurants: The Grand Orleans Café and the tearoom Angelina.
…and a royal feast!
Distance between Versailles and Opera: around 45 min by train
Departure: 2 PM
Arrival: 2h50 PM
Time to spend in the neigbourhood: between 2 and 3 hours in the afternoon, 2 hours in the evening (restaurants and bars)
After such a day, we suggest you dine in an authentic Japanese restaurant in Paris. Opéra area is especially known for its Japanese cuisine (those restaurants do more than just sushis). You will find restaurants like Yasube or Higuma on rue Sainte-Anne, and Matsuri on the rue de Richelieu; accessible by the metro lines 7 and 14 at the station Pyramides. Coming from Versailles-Château-Rive Gauche station, jump in the RER C up to the Invalides station. There, you can switch to line 8 and go straight to Opera.
Versailles:
Château de Versailles: Place d’Armes, Versailles (78). Versailles-Château Rive Gauche station (RER C).
Rates: a ticket for the Castle costs 18 euros in full price and 13 euros in reduced price. The passeport for the Castle and the Gardens costs 20 euros. The access to the Castle and the Gardens is free for all European students under 26 years old.
Japanese restaurants:
Matsuri: 36, rue Richelieu. Paris 1st.
Yasube: 9, rue Sainte Anne, Paris 1st.
Higuma: 32 bis, rue Sainte Anne, Paris 1st.
You will be able to reach all these restaurants thanks to the metro station Pyramides (line 14).
DAY FIVE :
Mythical places
Time you should spend in the Musée d’Orsay: 2h
For art enthusiasts, why not go to the Musée d’Orsay? This gem contains some of the greatest masterpieces of our time such as the fourteen-year-old Little Dancer by Degas, Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette by Renoir, Manet’s Olympia, and many others.
This museum, housed in a former railway station located in the 7th district of Paris, is served by the Solferino station on metro line 12 or by the Musée d’Orsay station on the RER C line.
Book a private visit to the Orsay Museum
On the rue du Bac, down the Quai Anatole France, you will find a fancy restaurant but at very affordable prices, La Frégate. For gourmet cuisine desires, the Atelier Saint-Germain Joël Robuchon serves classic dishes remade by the chef. You can find it on the rue Montalembert, a left turn down Rue du Bac.
Distance between the museum and the Eiffel Tower: 20-25min by tube/ 20 min by train, line C, between Musée d’Orsay station and Tour Eiffel Champ de Mars station
Departure: 3 PM
Arrival: 3h30 PM
Time you should spend visiting the Eiffel Tower: 1h30
Take the metro line 12 from Solférino to Pasteur, then change for the line 6 and stop at Bir-Hakeim station. Here you can admire the Iron Lady (the Eiffel Tower), and if you feel like it, go up to the third floor (by elevator) to enjoy a breathtaking overview of the City of Light.
The 58 Eiffel Tower restaurant welcomes you on the first floor of the tower to enjoy a French dinner with a view of Paris.
Book a visit of the Eiffel Tower
Musée d’Orsay: 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris 7th. Métro Solférino (line 12) or Musée d’Orsay station (RER C).
Rates: a full-priced ticket costs 12 euros (access to the temprorary exhibitions as well as the permanent collection of the museum) and 9 euros in reduced price (for non-European students aged between 18 and 26 and everyone after 4.30 PM except on Thursdays and every Thursday after 6 PM). The access to the museum is free for all European students under 26 years old, for everybody on the first Sunday of every month, for unemployed visitors and disabled visitors.
La Frégate: 30, avenue Ledru-Rollin, Paris 12th. Métro Quai de la Râpée (line 5).
L’Atelier Saint Germain de Joël Robuchon: 5, rue Montalembert, Paris 7th. Métro Rue du Bac (line 12).
Eiffel Tower: on the Champs de Mars, 5 rue Anatole France. Paris 7th. Métro Bir-Hakeim (line 6) or Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel station (RER C).
Rates: a ticket for the lift to the second floor costs 9 euros for the adults, 7,5 euros for students aged between 12 and 24 years old, 4,5 euros for children aged between 4 and 11. A ticket for the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower costs 15 euros for the adults, 13,5 euros for students aged between 12 and 24 years old, 10,5 euros for children aged between 4 and 11 years old. The access is free for children under 4 years old, as well as disabled visitors.
58 Tour Eiffel: on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower.
Buy the Paris PASS – Museums, Attractions and Transport within Paris
- Unlimited use of the Parisian public transport network (metro zones 1-3, RER, bus, tram)
- Admission to more than 60 museums and attractions
- Skip-the-line entry for numerous activities
DAY SIX :
Feel like singing The Champs-Elysées song…
A one-week stay in Paris would not be complete if we omitted the most beautiful avenue in the world: the Champs Elysées.
Start your journey by stopping at the station Franklin Roosevelt on Metro Line 1 and go up the avenue on foot while enjoying the shops that mark the high street. Once on the Place de l’Etoile, you will be able to climb up to the rooftop of the Arc de Triomphe. You will discover the magnificent view of one of the most beautiful districts of Paris.
Book a visit of the Arc de Triomphe
Once there, go to the George V Cafe (in french) on the Champs. It is a small brasserie serving French dishes at affordable prices. Other than that, the avenue is full of snacks, fast food restaurants such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, Quick…
A musical evening
Distance between the Champs-Elysées and the Opéra Garnier: 2min by train
Departure: 5 PM
Arrival: 5h05 PM
Time you should spend inside the Opéra: an opera can last 4h (or less, it depends)
As for your afternoon, we suggest that you visit the Opéra Garnier and then end the evening with a ballet.
To get there, take the RER A at Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, you will need to get off at Auber and then, simply follow the signs and you will end up facing the front of the Opéra Garnier.
Book a private visit of the Opéra Garnier
Champs Elysées: Paris 8th. Métro Champs-Elysées Clemenceau (lines 1 and 13), Franklin Roosevelt (lines 1 and 9), Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (lines 1, 2, 6 and RER A).
Arc de Triomphe: Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris 8th. Métro Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (lines 1, 2, 6 and RER A).
Opéra Garnier: 8 rue Scribe, Paris 8th. Métro Opéra (lines 3, 7 et 8).
DAY SEVEN :
Relax at the Pere-Lachaise cemetery
Time you should spend in the cemetery: 2h
For this seventh and final day, we propose a relaxing day. By late morning, take a walk to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. You will see the tombs of the great names of our time as Chopin, Edith Piaf or Jim Morrison, and then, you will most certainly enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and the serenity that emerges from this mystical place.
The cemetery is accessible by the metro station Gambetta on line 3.
Revolutionary lunch at la Bastille
Distance between Pere Lachaise and Bastille: 10 min by tube
Departure: 1 PM
Arrival: 1h10 PM
Time you should spend in the area: 1h30
For lunch, take the metro line 3 and go to the Republic station, then change for the line 5 and stop at the station Bastille to have lunch at a wonderful restaurant called Le Paradis du Fruit (in french). You will taste their specialties made with “sweet and sour” high-color fruits and vegetables. In front of the Pont de la Bastille you will find the Indiana Café (in french). We advise you to have a chilled Monaco (lemonade, sirop and beer) at the terrace or to enjoy a veggie burger in the Indian room.
Distance between Bastille and the Jardin des Plantes: 5 min by tube + 12 minutes walk coming from Saint-MArcel metro station
Departure: around 2 PM
Arrival: 2h20 PM
Time you should spend there: 2h at the National Museum of Natural History+1h in the sun!
After this busy week, we invite you to relax in the Jardin des Plantes (in french) by accessing line 5 to Saint-Marcel, and while going up the Boulevard de l’Hôpital, you will find the garden.
Finally, we recommend the restaurant Heureux Comme Alexandre which offers delicious fondue dishes.
Père Lachaise Cemetery: 16, rue du Repos, Paris 20th. Métro Père Lachaise (lines 2 and 3).
Le Paradis du Fruit (in french): 12, Place de la Bastille, Paris 11th. Métro Bastille (lines 1, 5 and 8).
L’Indiana Café (in french): 14, Place de la Bastille, Paris 11th. Métro Bastille (lines 1,5 and 8).
Jardin des Plantes (in french): 57, rue Cuvier, Paris 5th. Métro Place Monge (line 7), Jussieu (lines 7 and 10), Gare d’Austerlitz (lines 5, 10 and RER C).
Heureux Comme Alexandre: 13, rue du Pot de Fer, Paris 5th. Métro Place Monge or Censier-Daubenton (line 7).
Beware: the prices indicated above are valid at the moment when the article is written.
If you have shorter trips to Paris in plan, check our articles:
For a one-day itinerary
For a two-day itinerary
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
