Paris, je t’aime.
You may not know this, but Paris has over 420 parks, which means, you have 420 incredible options for eating like the locals.
Here is an itinerary for you Parisian lovers that will take you off the beaten path, while still seeing the major sites. Heads up, this could be accommodated to any kind of Traveler!
First and foremost, it is important to break Paris down into 3 sections in order to see as much as possible in a short period of time. This list is absolutely not complete, but is a good stepping stone to launch you in the right direction. I’m going to break it down into: The Food, The Museum and The Chic.
Day 1 – The Food
Paris is famous for its delicious patisseries, cheese, chocolate, macaroons, wine, the list goes on. This part of Paris is where you can find some of the most famous patisseries, the best falafel, the greatest sandwiches, the best cheese shops, the cheapest wine, the most delicious Ethiopian, yummy galettes…you get the picture! In addition to the awesome food, this area is also great for shopping and picnicking. Spend your whole day walking through some of the famous monuments, shopping, eating, and picnicking.
Monuments: Notre Dame, Sorbonne, Panthéon, Place de la Bastille, Le Centre Pompidou, Bataclan
Shopping: Rue de Tournon, Rue de Condé, Rue Monsieur le Prince
Food: La Parisienne (Sandwhiches/Patisserie), Restaurant Godjo (Ethiopian), Breizh Café (Galette/Creperie), L’As du Fallafel, Chez Gladine Saint-Germain (Basque), Arnaud Larher (Chocolate and Pastries), Du Pain et des Idees (ranked top Patisserie).
Cheese: Fromagerie Laurent Dubois
Picnicking: Le Jardin du Luxembourg, Square Jean XXIII, Tour Saint-Jacques, Square René Viviani, Quai de Montebello (Overlooking the Notre Dame).
Day 2 – The Museum
Make sure to give yourself PLENTY of time this day. There are lots of incredible places you will want to see and not enough time in the day.
Hours for Museums:
Louvre – Approx 9am – 6pm, closed Tuesdays, Wed/Fri 9am – 10pm
Musee D’Orsay – 9:30am – 6pm, Closed Mondays, Thursday 9:30am – 9:45pm
Eiffel Tower – 9am – 12am, weather dependent
Catacombs – 10am – 8pm, Closed Mondays, reservations are highly recommended
Shopping: Les Halles
Food: A La Mère de Famille (Boulangerie), Ladurée Paris-Royal (Macaron), Restaurant Victor
Don’t Miss: Le Jardin des Tuileries, La Place du Carrousel, Invalides
Picnicking: Champ de Mars, Le Jardin des Tuileries, Quai André Citroën
Day 3 – The Chic
You may also know Paris as a fashion capital of the world. This day, we will be exploring the beauty and the chic of Paris, including some of the most spectacular architecture. First, let’s walk down the Champs Élysée starting at Place de la Concorde all the way to the Arc de Triomph. You will see high end luxury brands during this adventure, expensive restaurants, great chocolateries. You may want to step into some of the avenues next to the Champs Élysée to find more boutique and artisan shops!
Grab a bottle of wine and some macarons while walking down the Avenue Hoche to one of my favorite parks in Paris, Parc Monceau.
After you relax at Parc Monceau, either take the Metro or walk down Boulevard des Batignolles for some stunning architecture with an old Paris feeling. Once you get to Blvd de Clichy, you are right in the Red Light District.
Now is the time to explore Moulin Rouge area! Walk on up the Rue Lepic for the start of Montmartre, one of the oldest parts of Paris, home to some of the most historic artists, poets, and authors. This area is absoluetly stunning and is well worth an entire half day to explore! Don’t miss the Sacré Coeur at night to see some of the best views of Paris.
Monuments: Arc de Triomph, Place de la Concorde, Moulin Roge, Sacré Coeur, Montmartre
Food: Le Coq Rico, Coquelicot (boulangerie), La Rotisserie Dufrenoy, L’Affineur’Afiiné (fromagerie), Restaurant Helen
Shopping: Champs Élysée, Montmartre
Picnicking: Parc Monceau, Sacré Coeur
