France

Paris

Give Paris three to four days, grouping sights by area: islands and Louvre, Left Bank, Marais, Montmartre. Christmas lights, department store trees and New Year's Eve at the Arc; 3 nights. This guide pulls together 7 sights, 1 outdoor spot and 3 places to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Paris with friends Browse 16 places

Places: 16
Curated routes: 2
Best season: May – Sep
Warmest month: July
Coolest month: January
Wettest month: December

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Paris

16 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

7 sights worth building a day around across Île de la Cité, 1st arr. and 7th arr. 3 of them are free.

Photo: Didier B (Sam67fr) · CC BY-SA 2.5
See
Sainte-Chapelle
13th-century royal chapel with 15 soaring stained-glass windows.
Tip Book a timed ticket; sunny mornings light the glass best.
- Île de la Cité
- $$
- 60 min
- Sunny morning
Photo: Ali Sabbagh · CC0
See
Notre-Dame de Paris
Gothic cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire restoration.
Tip Entry is free; reserve a time slot online to skip the line.
- Île de la Cité
- Free
- 60 min
- Early morning
Photo: Chabe01 · CC BY-SA 4.0
See
Musée du Louvre
The world's largest art museum, from the Mona Lisa to Egyptian antiquities.
Tip Book a timed entry and pick two or three wings rather than trying to see it all.
- 1st arr.
- $$$
- 3 hr
- Opening time
Photo: Claude villetaneuse · CC BY-SA 3.0
See
Musée d'Orsay
Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in a former Beaux-Arts train station.
Tip Head straight to the 5th floor; closed Mondays.
- 7th arr.
- $$$
- 2.5 hr
- Thursday evening
Photo: hiszpan400 · Google
See
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
White-domed basilica at the top of Montmartre with a panorama over Paris.
Tip Climb the dome for a higher view; arrive early to dodge crowds.
- Montmartre
- Free
- 75 min
- Early morning
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG · Public domain
See
Eiffel Tower
Iron landmark with views from the second floor and summit.
Tip Book summit tickets online; it sparkles for five minutes every hour after dark.
- 7th arr.
- $$$
- 2.5 hr
- Evening
Photo: Didier Boy de la Tour · CC BY 3.0
See
Champs-Élysées
The avenue's plane trees are wrapped in lights from late November into January, running up to the Arc de Triomphe.
Tip On 31 December the avenue closes to traffic for the midnight show projected on the Arc.
- 8th arrondissement
- Free
- 60 min
- After dark

Outdoors

1 outdoor spot for fresh air in 16th arrondissement.

Photo: Celette · CC BY-SA 3.0
Outdoors
Jardins du Trocadéro
Terraced gardens and fountains facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, the classic place to watch it sparkle.
Tip On New Year's Eve arrive early; access points are controlled and the area fills up.
- 16th arrondissement
- Free
- 30 min
- After dark

Eat

Where we would book a table in Paris across Le Marais, Grands Boulevards and 1st arrondissement.

Photo: User:MauchoEagle · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eat
L'As du Fallafel
Marais falafel counter on Rue des Rosiers, stuffed pitas to go.
Tip Takeout line moves fast; closed Friday evening and Saturday.
- Le Marais
- $
- 30 min
- Lunch
Photo: Arnaud 25 · Public domain
Eat
Bouillon Chartier
1896 workers' dining hall serving classic French dishes at low prices.
Tip No reservations at Grands Boulevards; expect a short line.
- Grands Boulevards
- $
- 75 min
- Early dinner
Photo: Thomon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eat
Angelina
Tearoom on Rue de Rivoli since 1903, known for thick hot chocolate and Mont-Blanc pastries.
Tip Queues are long in December afternoons; go right at opening.
- 1st arrondissement
- $$
- 60 min
- Morning

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Paris across Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Aligre, 12th arr.

Photo: Celette · CC BY-SA 4.0
Drink
Café de Flore
Saint-Germain café open since the 1880s, linked to Sartre and de Beauvoir.
Tip Pricey; order a coffee or hot chocolate and watch the boulevard.
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- $$$
- 45 min
- Afternoon
Photo: Phill Gillespie · Google
Drink
Le Baron Rouge
Standing-room wine bar by the Aligre market, wine from barrels and oysters in season.
Tip Go Sunday late morning after the market.
- Aligre, 12th arr.
- $
- 60 min
- Sunday late morning

Shop

Markets and shops worth the detour in 9th arrondissement.

Photo: Captainm · CC BY-SA 3.0
Shop
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Department store whose 1912 glass and steel dome holds a giant Christmas tree each year, with animated windows outside.
Tip See the tree from the third-floor balcony, then go up to the free rooftop terrace.
- 9th arrondissement
- $$$
- 1.5 hr
- Weekday morning
Photo: Schölla Schwarz · CC BY 3.0
Shop
Printemps Haussmann
Belle Époque department store next door, known for its animated Christmas windows and lit domes on Boulevard Haussmann.
- 9th arrondissement
- $$$
- 60 min
- After dark

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in 8th arrondissement.

Photo: Joe deSousa · CC0
Stay
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Palace hotel on Avenue Montaigne with red awnings, a short walk from the Champs-Élysées lights.
- 8th arrondissement
- $$$$

How to fit Paris into a trip

Paris shows up on 2 of our curated routes, so you can work it into more than one kind of trip.

Stop 1 of 3
Paris to the Riviera
Bistros, lavender country & the Côte d’Azur by TGV
Trip length
8 days
Best season
May – Sep
Pace
easy
- Next: Avignon
See the full itinerary
Stop 1 of 2
Paris & Reims
Champs-Élysées lights, champagne cellars, NYE
Trip length
5 days
Best season
Dec – early Jan
Pace
easy
- Next: Reims
See the full itinerary

Getting here and onward

Paris to ReimsReims is about 131 km / 81 mi away in a straight line
Paris to AvignonAvignon is about 577 km / 359 mi away in a straight line

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Paris month by month

Average daily highs run from 6°C / 43°F in January to 25°C / 77°F in July. December is the wettest month, with about 69 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Paris weather and the best time to visit →

Near Paris

8 other destinations from our guides within about 350 km (217 mi), measured in a straight line.

Paris questions, answered

How many days do you need in Paris?

Our route notes suggest 3–4 days or 3 nights in Paris. On our Paris to the Riviera route it is stop 1 of 3 in a 8-day trip. The listed visit times for our 16 places add up to roughly 20 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Paris best known for?

Give Paris three to four days, grouping sights by area: islands and Louvre, Left Bank, Marais, Montmartre. Standouts on our list: Sainte-Chapelle (13th-century royal chapel with 15 soaring stained-glass windows); Notre-Dame de Paris (Gothic cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire restoration); Musée du Louvre (The world's largest art museum, from the Mona Lisa to Egyptian antiquities).

When is the best time to visit Paris?

Our routes through Paris are best May – Sep or Dec – early Jan. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (25°C / 77°F), the coolest in January (6°C / 43°F) and the most rain in December (about 69 mm).

What are the best things to do in Paris?

Start with Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame de Paris, Musée du Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. Our guide lists 16 places in all, from 7 sights, 1 outdoor spot, 3 places to eat, 2 bars & cafés, 2 shops and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in Paris?

Our picks: L'As du Fallafel (Le Marais); Bouillon Chartier (Grands Boulevards); Angelina (1st arrondissement). Takeout line moves fast; closed Friday evening and Saturday (L'As du Fallafel).

What is near Paris?

The closest destinations in our guides are Reims (about 131 km / 81 mi), Amboise (about 190 km / 118 mi) and Tours (about 204 km / 127 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Paris with your crew

Open the Paris to the Riviera route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 16 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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