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Paris
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG · CC BY-SA 4.0

Weekend (2 Days) · in Paris

A Weekend in Paris: The Icons & the Right Bank

A weekend covers the two faces of central Paris. The first day threads the river, from the Eiffel Tower and the great museums to the stained glass of the Ile de la Cite. The second climbs the Right Bank, from the Arc de Triomphe and the grand boulevards through the Marais to a Montmartre sunset. Each day is built to be walked, with short Metro hops only where the map demands them. Reserve the Eiffel Tower and any museum you cannot miss before you arrive and the two days flow easily.

2 days
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Day 01

The Essential Paris

Eiffel Tower, the great museums, and the islands, all in one well-paced day.

  1. Morning

    Trocadero

    Start at Place du Trocadero for the head-on view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, the city's best photograph before the crowds arrive.

  2. Late Morning

    Eiffel Tower

    Cross the river and go up, or picnic on the Champ de Mars lawn beneath it. Pre-booked tickets save an hour of queuing.

  3. Lunch

    Musee d Orsay

    Walk the Left Bank to the old railway station that now holds the world's finest Impressionist collection; lunch under the great clock.

  4. Afternoon

    Louvre Museum

    Cross to the Right Bank for the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the glass Pyramid. Two focused hours beats a forced march.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Sainte-Chapelle

    On the Ile de la Cite, step into the jewel-box chapel whose 13th-century stained glass glows like a lantern in late light.

  6. Evening

    The Seine and its bridges

    End with a riverside stroll or a Bateaux-Mouches cruise past Notre-Dame as the Eiffel Tower begins its hourly sparkle.

Day 02

The Right Bank: Arc de Triomphe to Montmartre

Grand avenues, the Marais, and a sunset on the Butte.

  1. Morning

    Arc de Triomphe

    Climb to the terrace above Place Charles de Gaulle for the star of twelve avenues radiating out, then stroll down the Champs-Elysees.

  2. Late Morning

    Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

    Marvel at the stained-glass dome and ride to the free rooftop for a panorama over the Opera district.

  3. Lunch

    Bouillon Chartier

    Queue briefly for the century-old workers' canteen serving classic French plates at gentle prices under Belle Epoque mirrors.

  4. Afternoon

    Le Marais

    Wander the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, from Place des Vosges to the boutiques and falafel of the old Jewish quarter.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Centre Pompidou

    See modern masters behind the inside-out building's colourful pipes, and take in the view from the top-floor escalators.

  6. Evening

    Sacre-Coeur and Montmartre

    Ride up to the 18th for sunset from the basilica steps, then dinner in the village lanes around Place du Tertre.