Paris 3-Day Itinerary: A Mapped Route
Discover Paris without turning it into a checklist. Each day has a neighbourhood focus, a major visit and room to breathe. Choose dates, take the route into your plan and adjust museum and tower visits to your interests.
Explore the route stops ↓Eiffel and the Seine
Start with the view, slow down by the river. Around 5–7 hours · including breaks. In rain, shorten the riverside walk for a longer café break. For less walking, keep only Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower.
Art and the historic centre
One museum, one garden, both banks of the river. Around 7–9 hours · with the Louvre. If Louvre day falls on Tuesday, swap days 1 and 2. Without a museum: the courtyard and Palais-Royal. In rain, shorten the garden stop and spend longer indoors.
Montmartre and Opéra
From neighbourhood streets to grand façades. Around 5–7 hours · including breaks. If the hills tire you, shorten Montmartre and check access and the funicular. In rain, prioritise an interior Garnier visit if tickets are available.
Where to stay?
For a first visit, compare the Opéra area, Saint-Germain or accommodation on a useful metro line to the centre. Check late returns, lifts, noise and total cost. This guide is not a hotel ranking.
From the airport
Compare RER B from CDG and metro 14 from Orly against your accommodation address. The 2026 full-price Paris Région ↔ Aéroports ticket is €14; check coverage and service works with Île-de-France Mobilités. Beauvais is not covered.
How to budget?
Budget separately for accommodation, airport transfers, local transport, food and chosen admissions. Separate outdoor walks from museum and tower tickets: age, residency and discounts can change the price. Compare any pass with the places you will actually enter.
Are three days enough?
Three days offer a first introduction, not all of Paris. This plan assumes three full days, excluding arrival and departure flights. Versailles and Disneyland need separate days. Durations are editorial estimates that vary with breaks and pace, not live navigation.
Day 1: Eiffel and the Seine
Start with the view, slow down by the river.
Around 5–7 hours · including breaks
Trocadéro
Morning · 30–45 min
Start with the Eiffel Tower across the river. Take a photo break here; treat the tower visit as a separate activity.
Starting point
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsEiffel Tower
Late morning · 2–3 hours, optional
Make the tower your main reservation if you want to go up. Otherwise take a short walk nearby and move on to lunch. Allow extra time for security and queues.
Allow roughly 20–25 min walking from the previous stop
Eyfel · Eiffel · Google MapsSeine riverside · Pont de l’Alma
Afternoon · 45–60 min
After lunch, leave time for a riverside stroll. Use street level if lower quays are closed. Replace this walk with a cruise if preferred, checking its departure pier separately.
Roughly 15–20 min walking
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsPont Alexandre III
Late afternoon · 30–45 min
Finish with bridge and river views. Dinner in a nearby neighbourhood avoids doubling back. Sunset time varies by season.
Roughly 15–20 min walking
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsDay 2: Art and the historic centre
One museum, one garden, both banks of the river.
Around 7–9 hours · with the Louvre
Louvre Museum
Morning · 2.5–3 hours, optional
Choose two or three collections rather than trying to finish the museum. Closed Tuesdays; check your ticket slot on the official site. Skip the interior in favour of the courtyard and Palais-Royal if museums are not your priority.
Starting point
Louvre · Google MapsTuileries Garden
Midday · 45–60 min plus lunch
Rest in the garden after the museum. A long walk is optional: save energy for the historic centre. Check garden gates and seasonal access on the day.
Roughly 10–15 min walking
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsÎle de la Cité · Notre-Dame
Afternoon · 60–90 min
Explore the island and cathedral surroundings together. Cathedral admission is free, with optional free reservations through the official site. Tower visits are separate and are not included in this itinerary.
Allow roughly 30–40 min walking; check public transport for a shorter walk
Notre-Dame · Google MapsSaint-Germain-des-Prés
Evening · 60–90 min plus dinner
Slow down among bookshops and side streets. Choose a seasonal bistro dish or a crêpe break without making a famous queue compulsory. Check menus and prices before sitting down.
Roughly 20–25 min walking
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsDay 3: Montmartre and Opéra
From neighbourhood streets to grand façades.
Around 5–7 hours · including breaks
Montmartre · Abbesses
Morning · 60–90 min
Explore the neighbourhood after a bakery stop. Narrow streets, hills and stairs call for an easy pace. Check access beforehand if mobility is limited; this route does not guarantee step-free access.
Starting point
Paris je t’aime · Google MapsSacré-Cœur
Late morning · 45–60 min
The basilica is free to visit. Respect worship and quiet; climbing the dome is a separate option outside the core plan. Leave time for an unhurried neighbourhood lunch afterwards.
Roughly 15–25 min uphill walking; check the funicular option
Sacré-Cœur · Google MapsOpéra · Palais Garnier
Afternoon · 60–90 min, interior optional
Continue from Montmartre to the Opéra neighbourhood. For the interior, book online against the official calendar; access may change around rehearsals. Finish nearby rather than adding another distant stop.
Allow roughly 30–40 min for transfer; check the current route
Palais Garnier · Google Maps