Why people fall for Paris
Paris is twenty villages stitched into one city, and the best version of a Paris trip is the one where you stop trying to "do" the city and just live in it for a few days. The 11th feels like a different country than the 7th. The Marais on Sunday morning is unrecognizable from Friday night. A café terrace at 4pm in Belleville will tell you more about France than a 4-hour Louvre marathon.
The trick to a Paris trip that doesn't burn you out: pick one neighborhood as your base, two museums max, three meals worth queueing for, and leave the rest to chance. Walk a lot. Sit longer than you mean to. Order the second glass.
Top attractions (the ones worth your time)
1. Musée d'Orsay
Art2 hoursManet, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh — all in a converted train station with the best light in any Paris museum. Easier to navigate than the Louvre, more emotionally rewarding for most people. Book the 9:30am entry slot.
2. Sainte-Chapelle
Gothic45 min15 stained-glass windows that will recalibrate what you think glass is capable of. The line moves fast. Go on a sunny morning. €13.
3. The Louvre (one wing)
Art90 min maxPick the Sully wing for Egyptian antiquities or the Denon wing for Italian Renaissance. Don't try to "see the Louvre" — see one wing well and leave. Friday evenings are quieter.
4. Père Lachaise
CemeteryFreeMost beautiful cemetery in the world. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf, Chopin. Bring a map (we'll provide one in-app). 90 minutes minimum.
5. Eiffel Tower (from Trocadéro)
Free viewSkip climbing it. Walk to the Trocadéro side, sit on the steps, watch it sparkle for 5 minutes at the top of every hour after sunset. Free. Much better photos.
6. Île Saint-Louis
WalkThe smaller, quieter island. Berthillon ice cream, slow walks, no tourist buses. Hits at golden hour.
7. Canal Saint-Martin
PicnicBuy bread, cheese, wine. Sit by the water. This is most of what Parisians do on a sunny weekend.
8. Jardin du Luxembourg
ParkThe greatest urban park in the world. Iron chairs, sail-your-own-boat fountain, students reading. Go when you're tired.
9. Centre Pompidou
Modern art90 minThe view from the top floor is one of the city's best, and the modern collection is a refreshing reset after impressionism overload.
10. Sacré-Cœur — but only at 7am
FreeBy 11am Montmartre is a tourist mosh pit. At 7am it's the postcard everyone shows you. Take Metro 12 to Abbesses, walk up.
Save these to a Paris trip. Drag, drop, done — in the app.
Download freeFree things to do
- National museums — free first Sunday of each month (Louvre, Orsay, etc.).
- Most permanent collections in city-run museums (Petit Palais, Musée Carnavalet) — free always.
- Walk: Île Saint-Louis → Île de la Cité → Latin Quarter. ~90 minutes, zero euros.
- Picnic at Buttes-Chaumont, Canal Saint-Martin, or Jardin du Luxembourg.
- Père Lachaise, Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame exterior — all free.
- Free walking tour from Saint-Michel — daily, tip-based.
- Sparkle hour at the Eiffel Tower (top of every hour, 5 min, after sunset).
- Bouquinistes (Seine-side bookstalls) — browse, don't buy.
- Sunday morning at Marché des Enfants Rouges — covered market, free to wander.
- Église Saint-Eustache organ recitals — free, Sundays at 5:30pm.
Where to eat without paying tourist tax
L'As du Fallafel
€MaraisThe falafel everyone fights about. Worth the queue once. Closed Saturdays.
Chez Aline
€11thSandwiches and salads from a former horse butcher's. Cheap, excellent, lunch only.
Holybelly
€€10thBrunch worth the line — pancakes that aren't sweet, eggs that come exactly how you want.
Le Petit Vendôme
€€2ndThe sandwich Parisians actually eat for lunch in the financial district. Jambon-beurre on the right baguette.
Café Charlot
€€3rdMarais brasserie, locals heavy at lunch, croque madame done right. Sit on the corner.
3 days in Paris: the itinerary we'd run
Day 1 — Right Bank classics
- 9:30am — Musée d'Orsay (book ahead).
- 12pm — Walk through Tuileries to Place Vendôme. Coffee at Verlet.
- 1:30pm — Lunch at Le Petit Vendôme.
- 3pm — Sainte-Chapelle then Île Saint-Louis. Berthillon stop.
- 5pm — Coffee + people-watch at Café de Flore (or any 6th-arrond. corner café — you'll find one).
- 7:30pm — Apéro at Le Baron Rouge.
- 9pm — Bistrot Paul Bert (book 2 weeks ahead) or Les Petites Mains.
- 11pm — Walk to the Seine, watch the boats.
Day 2 — Northeast Paris (the real Paris)
- 9am — Du Pain et des Idées for the pain des amis.
- 10:30am — Walk Canal Saint-Martin.
- 12pm — Buttes-Chaumont, find a bench.
- 2pm — Lunch at Le Cambodge or any 11th-arrond. spot.
- 4pm — Père Lachaise. Allow 90 minutes.
- 7pm — Apéro on a Canal Saint-Martin terrace.
- 9pm — Dinner at Septime (book a month ahead) or any nearby Bistrot du Coin.
Day 3 — Slow Paris
- 7am — Sacré-Cœur empty.
- 9am — Coffee + croissant in Montmartre, Place des Abbesses.
- 11am — Centre Pompidou (top floor view → 1 wing of art → out by 12:30).
- 1pm — Lunch at Chez Aline.
- 3pm — Jardin du Luxembourg + book in hand.
- 6pm — Walk Latin Quarter → Île de la Cité → Trocadéro.
- 8pm — Trocadéro for the Eiffel sparkle.
- 9:30pm — Last dinner: Bouillon Pigalle (cheap and excellent) or anywhere your gut points.
Practical Paris (no fluff)
Getting in
CDG to center: RER B (€11.80, 35 min, change at Châtelet for most central stops) is the fastest. Roissybus (€16, 60 min) goes to Opéra. Avoid taxi/Uber at peak — €60 and twice the time in traffic.
Getting around
Buy a Navigo Easy card (€2) at any station, load t+ tickets. 10-pack costs €17.35. Metro runs 5:30am–1:15am (2:15am Fri/Sat). Walking is faster than the Metro for distances under 1km — Paris is small.
Where to stay
First time: Marais (3rd/4th) — central, walkable, food. Second visit: 10th/11th — local feel, easy access. Avoid: anything labeled "near Champs-Élysées" — overpriced and far from where you'll actually want to be.
Money
Cards work everywhere. Bank ATMs only — Euronet machines have terrible rates. Tipping is included in the bill (look for "service compris"); a euro or two extra is generous.
Paris FAQ
How many days do you need in Paris?
Four days minimum if you want major museums plus actually living in two neighborhoods. Three works if you skip Versailles and pick one big museum (Orsay over Louvre, every time).
Is Paris expensive?
More than Madrid, less than London. €18–24 lunch formules, €5–8 wine, €8.65 metro day pass. The cheap-eats scene exists if you go beyond the 1st and 7th.
What's the best time to visit?
May–June and September. April unpredictable but quieter. August: many small restaurants close. December surprisingly underrated — Christmas markets, quiet museums.
Should I climb the Eiffel Tower?
Skip the top. Second floor at sunset, or watch it sparkle from Trocadéro (free, better photos).
Is the Louvre worth it?
Yes — but pick one wing for 90 minutes. Most travelers spend 4 hours and remember nothing. Orsay is more enjoyable end-to-end.
How do I avoid pickpockets?
Phone in front pocket on Metro Line 1, around Sacré-Cœur, and Trocadéro. Ignore "do you speak English?" street openers — standard scam.