By Alex Edwards
Bonjour! If you’re looking to take advantage of these last few weeks of summer with a quick change of scenery, we’ve got your itinerary covered. Spend a weekend in the city of love.
While you can easily take off weeks to enjoy a holiday in Paris, a lot can be done in three days if you plan your time right. Start with a round-trip ticket on the Eurostar, and we’ll have you back in time for coffee on Monday morning. Keep in mind these recommendations are all based on opinion and how I wanted to spend my weekend. If you really want to get a feel for your perfect few days in the city, the best advice I can give is to do your own research!
Day 1
If you have three full days to spare, definitely take one for the Palace of Versailles.
It’s a trek outside of the city, but it’s totally worth it. The sheer luxury and magnitude of the entire palace grounds is incomparable to anything royal you’ve ever seen before. My recommendation is to splurge and do everything you can, because everything from the King’s apartments to the gardens to the Château itself is an opulent spectacle. We did everything available, and spent about six hours total wandering and marveling at it all. Prices vary depending on what you’re looking to see, so decide what you’re doing ahead of time and buy tickets online here.
Day 2
If you’ve never been to the capital of France, take your second day to be a total tourist and hit all the major spots. There’s so much to do in Paris, it can be hard to pick and choose. If you want to fit a lot in, it’s all about planning your time right.
Start bright and early with the Louvre. There’s a lot of museums you can potentially hit, but of course the Musée du Louvre is the most famous. It’s the world’s largest, and a historical monument. The queue can get outrageous, so buy your tickets online here or go through one of the other entrances. The one inside through the gift shop is a common one most people don’t know about, and tends to get pretty short. Depending on how much you want to see, you can spend multiple hours here. Don’t forget to find Mona!
Naturally, you have to get your Eiffel Tower picture. If you go to the Jardin du Trocadero first, you can take one that looks just like a professional. From there, you can walk down to the Champ de Mars and under the monument. If you want, you can even take a journey to the very top. Or you can simply enjoy the view from the bottom with a picnic and some wine.
For the rest of the afternoon, head to Montmarte. Wander around the area for a bit, and have lunch at somewhere like Place du Terte. The Moulin Rouge is on Boulevard de Clichy, and in the area you can also find the Basilique du Sacre Coeur. After a lot of heavy breathing and sweating, you’ll find yourself at the top of the stairs, with the best views of the city. You can choose to climb even more steps to the top for six euro.
For dinner, check out Luxembourg Gardens and the Palace. The Latin Quarter is there, with some of the best food in the city. After, head back to the Eiffel Tower to watch the entire thing light up along with the rest of the city. It’s like all the stars twinkling in the sky at once, and it’s definitely a must-see for your night.
Day 3
I’ve left the third day for the rest of the sites. You can pick and choose as you wish, and no matter what you do you really can’t go wrong. Paris is a magical place, and it’s all enjoyable.
- Notre Dame: You can choose to go up the top if you want, or even go to Sunday mass. If you don’t decide to go in, the views from the outside are still beautiful and spectacular. Across the street is Shakespeare and Company, the most famous independent bookstore in the world.
- Champs-Elysees: Known as the “world’s most beautiful avenue,” the Champs is the most famous street in Paris, with dozens of restaurants and places to grab drinks. At the beginning you can find the Arc de Triomphe, and walk under the street to the middle to explore underneath.
- Pont des Arts: The Pont is the famous bridge with love locks on it, where you can go if you’re in need of some romantic inspiration.
- Musée d’Orsay: The Orsay is on the left bank of the Seine, and is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, an old railway station. It houses tons of famous paintings, and you can buy tickets online before here.
There you have it! Any weekend in Paris is wonderful, no matter how you choose to spend it.