Paris is one of the world’s most popular destinations. And with good reason. As anyone who knows the city will tell you, there really is so much to see and do. If you are in the process of planning your first trip to the French capital, you have almost certainly already discovered this for yourself. With our years of experience, we have put together a three day package of activities and walks with first time visitors to Paris and lovers of art and history in mind.
- Thomas Dowson
- Last Checked and/or Updated 25 March 2023
- No Comments
- France Travel Tips, Itineraries
Three-day Itinerary at a Glance
The following lists detail the highlights that make up this itinerary for people visiting Paris for their first time with only three days available. The three days do not have to be done in the order that we have presented them. And, if you only have two days, you could choose any of the two depending on your interests. It is unlikely, but not impossible, that any of these three days would suit anyone with only a day in Paris.
Day 1 - Axe Historique
- Luxor Obelisk
- Tuileries Garden
- The Louvre
- Bastille
- Opera Garnier
- Arc de Triomphe
Day 2 - Along the Seine
- Arenes de Lutece
- Cluny Museum/Roman bath house
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Conciegerie
- Musée d’Orsay
- Boat trip on the Seine River
Day 3 - Day Trip
- Coach trip to Giverny
- Museum of Impressionism
- Monet’s house & garden
- Coach trip to Versailles
- Royal chambers
- Tour of the gardens
Cruising down the Seine River at dusk when the city’s lights are only just being turned on is one of many magical moments you can experience in Paris. Did you know that there over 300 illuminated sites in Paris? From national buildings to churches, statues to fountains, in fact all manner of physical landmarks are lit at sunset. Just over 30 bridges are beautifully lit, some of which you would see for yourself on a Seine evening cruise.
In fact, Paris is often referred to as La Ville Lumière, the city of light. Paris was not only one of the first cities in Europe to use street lighting on a grand scale, the city also dominated intellectual developments in Europe during the 18th century. The City of Light was not only brightly lit, it was a city that increasingly ‘saw the light’ as the Renaissance thinkers began to challenge traditional, religious orthodoxy.
As the boat continues down the river, as the lights become brighter, you do not have to be a Renaissance thinker to appreciate the centuries of history being lit up on the banks of the Seine. Paris has a unique urban riverside architecture, the history of which can be seen from the boat – from the medieval Cathedral of Notre Dame to the 19th century Eiffel tower. For this reason, Paris along the banks of the Seine is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
Paris for Beginners
Having visited the French capital many times over the years I have created what I feel is an ideal three day itinerary for first time visitors to Paris. For people who specifically want to see the best of the city’s art and history. To achieve this I have assembled a specific combination of guided tours, skip-the-line entry tickets, self-guided walks and a day trip.
The first two days are focused on sites in the centre of Paris, while the third day is a day trip to Giverny to visit Monet’s house and gardens and Versailles to visit Louis XIV’s extraordinary palace and gardens. The first two days can be followed throughout the year. As Giverny is only open from the end of March to the end of October, adding on the day trip we recommend is only possible from April to October.
You would be hard pressed to follow this three day itinerary without the services I suggest. For example, you could visit both Giverny and Versailles by yourself, but it would be an extremely long and tiring day. The guided tours allow you to see and appreciate the highlights of the attractions without your having to arrange and coordinate your own transport. For example, there is no direct public transport link between Versailles and Giverny.
Our itinerary, in central Paris of course, ends with a sunset cruise on the Seine River. After two tough days seeing Paris from the Romans to the 21st century, it is time to sit back, relax and see this history from another perspective. Of course you can spend so much more than two days in central Paris, but this itinerary is specifically for those visitors who only have three days. We will follow this itinerary with a five-day itinerary very soon.
Day One – Axe Historique
This day allows you to experience the great art and culture Paris is so well known for. We start on the Place de La Concorde, where you will not be able to miss the Egyptian obelisk at its centre. This is the Luxor Obelisk, which arrived in Paris in 1833 as a gift to France. Standing at the obelisk, look north west up the famous Champs-Élysées. You will see the Arc de Triomphe. Looking south east through the gates to the Jardin de Tuileries you will see another triumphal arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, and you should be able to make out the tip of the glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum.
You are standing on the axe historique, a line of roads and monuments that extends out from the centre of Paris to the west. It was first conceived in the 17th century, and its most recent addition, La Defense, was inaugurated in 1989 to mark the bicentenary of the French Revolution. Walk along the axe historique to the Louvre, where we recommend you take a two hour guided tour of the world’s most famous museum. Not only will you see some of the famous items in the museum’s collections, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo, but you will be taken into the basement to see the foundations of the 13th century fortress – the first Château du Louvre.
After the formal tour is over, you can either explore the museum for another hour, or follow our suggestion and see the remains of the Bastille. From here it is a short metro ride to the extraordinary opulent Palais Garnier, the opera house built for Emperor Napoleon III. An audio guide will show you around what is surely the most famous opera house in the world. The opera house is the setting for the 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux; subsequently adapted as a very popular musical for stage and screen.
End your day at the Arc de Triomphe, with rooftop access of this famous Parisian landmark. Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III, and based on the Arch of Titus in Rome, the monument honours fallen soldiers from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Beneath the arch itself is France’s tomb to the unknown soldier from the First World War. The views from the top, particularly at the end of the day, are quite breath-taking. From here you are able to appreciate the extent and grandeur of the axe historique.
Day Two – Paris Along the Seine
Over a period of some 2,000 years, the Seine River has played an important part in the evolution of Paris. Remnants of the earliest periods, as well as some of the world’s finest art galleries and museums can be found long the banks of the Seine. On this day our itinerary will take along the river, from the Île de la Cité to the base of the Eiffel Tower. Here you will board a boat for a sunset cruise.
Ordinarily we would recommend you start your day at the Crypte archéologique de l’île de la Cité. This is an archaeological site uncovered during the construction of an underground car park in front of the Notre Dame. Here you can see the remains of the Roman port as well as houses from later Medieval periods. Sadly, this attraction is closed due to the devastating fire at the Notre Dame cathedral. As the island and the immediate area to its south on the left bank is where the Romans established their settlement Lutetia (Lutèce in French), there are other Roman sites to start the day with.
If you are up for an early start make your way to Paris’ Roman amphitheatre. The Colosseum it is not, but it is worth a visit, particularly if you are interested in Roman history and Architecture.
From the Arènes de Lutèce, as it is called in French, it is a 15 minute walk to the Musée de Cluny – the National Museum of the Middle Ages. Part of the museum is in what was a public bath house – the Thermes de Cluny. Unfortunately the museum is closed on Tuesday. If you want to go into the museum, this itinerary is not possible on a Tuesday (or Monday). But there is quite a bit to see of the Roman bath house from the street.
From the Hôtel de Cluny it is only a ten minute walk across the river on to the Île de la Cité to Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. For these two must see attractions, we recommend a combined ticket that gets you skip-the-line-entry to both. Sainte-Chapelle is considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. It was built in only 7 years to house Louis IX’s passion relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns. The holy chapel was attached to the Palais de la Cité, now the Conciergerie, the residence of French kings from the 6th to the 14th century. At this time the palace became an important administrative, financial and legal centre. During the French Revolution it became a courthouse and prison; the most notable prisoner being Marie Antoinette.
The Musée d’Orsay, about a 25 minute walk from the Île de la Cité, is another of Paris’s iconic museums. Here you will find a mainly French art dating to between 1848 and 1914, including a very popular collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces. A striking building in its own right, the museum is a former Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900, the Gare d’Orsay. From here take a 10 minute or so walk along the Seine to the quay to cruise the Seine just as it is getting dark.
Day Three – Day Trip to Monet’s Giverny & Louis XIV’s Versailles
Our recommendation for a day trip from Paris is to Monet’s Garden at Giverny and Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles. Tours that do both of these only run between April and October, inclusive, because Monet’s garden is only open from the end of March to the beginning of November.
Our second choice, one that runs throughout the year but with limited availability over the winter months (i.e. only a few days a week), is a day trip to the D-Day Beaches in Normandy.
Restrictions
Day One: Because the Louvre is closed on Tuesday, you are not able to follow our Day One itinerary on a Tuesday (unless you substituted the Louvre for something else).
Day Two: Because the Musée d’Orsay is closed on a Monday, you are not able to follow our Day Two itinerary on a Monday unless you substituted the Musée d’Orsay for another attraction (suggestions: Orangerie). Also, if you want to go into the Musée de Cluny to see the Roman Baths and the national medieval collection, our Day Two is not good for a Tuesday either as the museum is shut on Tuesdays.
Day Three: Because Monet’s House and Gardens are only open from the end of March to the beginning of November, this day trip is only available between April and October, inclusive. It does not run on a Monday. In its place, we recommend a day trip to the D-Day Beaches in Normandy.
What You Need to Purchase
Our Paris for Beginners itinerary is intended for first time visitors with three days to see the best art galleries and historical sites. As time is short, we recommend a specific combination of skip-the-line tickets, self-guided walks, a guided tours of one museum and a day trip. These are listed below.
Each of these activities can be purchased online, in advance. I recommend using the GetYourGuide or Tiqets platforms for these. They not only have some of the best deals, but more importantly in my view, for most of these activities you are able to cancel your activities up to 24 hours in advance of the starting time. For example, if you book a guided tour of the Louvre for 10h00 am on 14 February – you have up until 10h00 am on 13 February to cancel that guided tour to get a *full refund* back to your account.
Be sure to buy the right set of tickets for the right day.
For Day One the following tickets are required:
► Ultimate Louvre: Fast Track Guided Tour with Ticket
This is a two hour guided tour in English, with a skip-the-line entry ticket. To follow our itinerary, you will need a ticket for 10h00.
► Opera Garnier Entry Ticket
An audio guide can be purchased at the door, and last about an hour to an hour and a half.
► Arc de Triomphe with Rooftop access Entry Ticket
Skip-the-line entry ticket at anytime during the regular opening hours for date of purchase.
Save a few Euros by purchasing a combination ticket for Opera Garnier and Arc de Triomphe.
For Day Two the following Tickets are required:
► Cluny Museum
A ticket to the museum includes the Roman bath house.
► Sainte-Chapelle & Conciergerie Combined Skip-the-Line Ticket
Skip-the-line entry tickets for both Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie, to be used during the respective opening hours of both attractions on the date you choose.
► Musée d’Orsay Reserved Access 1-Day Admission Ticket
This is a single entry, skip-the-line ticket for both permanent and temporary exhibitions in the Musée d’Orsay, and is valid for the entire day.
► 1-Hour Seine River Cruise with Aperitif
Boats sail at regular intervals during specified hours – these differ throughout the year. Your ticket is valid for the entire day of the date of purchase.
For the Day Trip on Day Three, the following ticket is required:
► Monet’s Giverny & Versailles Palace Full-Day Trip from Paris
This day trip with a live tour guide.
The Total Cost for all tickets for the three days as outlined above is €328.15 (as of March 2023, and with the day trip to Giverny and Versailles). You could reduce this quite a bit by taking a self-guided tour of the Louvre using an audio guide. This would bring the overall price down to €279.15. Of course you could get a cheaper guided tour of the Louvre, you could also get a more expensive one. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind: the cheaper the guided tour, the more people that will be on it. The more expensive, the fewer people. Buying a 2-day Paris Museum Pass would not save you any money with the above itinerary. Unless you manage to add another museum to this itinerary. It could safe you money if you make different choices. You would need to work it out.
Archaeology Travel Writer
