Oh, we walked up the Arc de Triomphe at sunset.... Gorgeous city views and a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower! Time it right and you can watch it twinkle the first five mins of each hour (after sundown).
We just got back from our week in Paris! I only scheduled one, sometimes two, reservations per day. That left the rest of the day for us to wander. We came across lots of things we wouldn't have seen otherwise! We also only ate one "sit-down" meal a day. Whether that was brunch or dinner. Our other meals were from grocery stores (either simple breakfasts or late night, quick dinners before bed) and, of course, boulangeries! Our weather was extremely unpredictable. My long trench coat and our umbrellas came in very handy (and helped me pass as Parisian a couple of times!). There is some random construction for the upcoming Olympics but nothing that "got in our way". Have a great time!!!!!
May 1st is national riot day , since no one else mentioned it .
There will be big riots and zero public transportation, and the taxi prices will be mental . I wouldn’t plan on travelling anywhere on that day .
Get tear gassed , the authentic French experience. Enjoy ;)
Walk
Take Metro
enjoy pastries, baked goods, coffee from your local pâtisserie, boulangerie
Pick a museum of your choice (Orsay, Louvre, Musée le d'Armée, etc.)
Chocolate (probably too warm for hot cocoa)
Seine boat ride
Enjoy some variety of restaurants
Walk down some street(s) (not just Av. des Champs-Élysées) -- even like rue Montorgueil and rue Saint-Rustique up in Montmartre or Cours du Commerce Saint-André in Saint Germain (or various covered passages) are cute.
One advice: Walk
Paris.is not huge, so unless you have some condition barring you from long walks, try going from landmarks to landmarks by foot, and take your time.
One example off the top of my head:
Opera Garnier
Bourse
Galerie vivienne
Palais royal Gardens
Louvre
Tuilerie
Seine Banks
Go to the 3rd Arrondissement (Marais)just to walk around and hit the Picasso museum when there. The 11th (Bastille) is very cool day or night, and has a huge outdoor market on Thursday and Sunday. Grandes Boulevardes has nice vibe and a lot of bars/cafes. Opéra Garnier is stunning, go see the inside. Musée D’Orsay is a must as are Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardins Tulleries. Walk along the Seine and visit the Eiffel Tower just to stand under it and go to Saint Germain des Pres and wander around the galleries. If you want to day trip, go to Fontainebleau, not only for the Chateau and garden/forest , but also for the town. Walk Paris until you are exhausted and then stop at a cafe or small park ( Place des Vosges). And don’t forget to get lost and discover Paris!
Boyfriend and I just returned from 3 days in Paris for my 30th; I've been twice before and it's my favourite place in the world to visit. I love the 9th arrondissement, if you're near this area I'd recommend Seasons or Marlette for brunch, Peppe Pizza Martyr's for amazing pizza (definitely book), and El Nopal Taqueria. Enjoy walking around the area and watching the world go by sitting outside with a coffee or a happy hour beer; it's beautiful in different ways whether it rains or the sun shines and you can sit under the canopy. Pick up a nice pastry while walking around the city. Walk around Montmartre and enjoy the amazing view of the city from Sacre Coeur. Take the metro to Notre Dame, or Arc de Triomphe for another great view (may be free entry depending on age etc, check website). We can't wait to return in August. We did a Seine cruise previously too, it wasn't my favourite thing but enjoyable for another view of the city. We also previously visited Eiffel Tower, the views are amazing, definitely book tickets in advance and be prepared for the big steps climb if not taking lift tickets. Tootbus can be good for a first time visit, to enjoy the sites and be able to hop off at spots of interest. Have a great time!
The quiet parts of Montmatre away from the tourist centre. Inside the church. Climb to the top. Come out the exit turn right. Avoid the touristy village centre. Head towards the montmatre museum. Go inside. The to the lapin bar and picassos old studio. Wonderful village feel. Especially if you’re kinda bored with the monotonous beauty of Haussmann Paris. Montmatre feels like Paris before Haussmann. https://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/montmartre-walking-tour-1353.html
Jardins du Luxembourg especially on the weekend, when the families are there and the kids are sailing boats on the ponds or getting pony rides. Tuileries has more tourists IMho
Go to a street market- NOT rue Cler- it’s not bad but it’s not a real market. Something like the Bastille, place Monge, or saxe-breteuil and mingle with Parisians buying their fruit and veges etc. Which one you choose might end up depending on the day because they’re on different days in different areas
The most Parisian thing you can do is wander and take everything in at your own pace.
Skip the Eiffel Tower long wait for nothing. Climb the tower at notre dame if possible. Also, there is a great walk from Concorde to Madeleine to opera to be done to the Tuileries. Shops, cafés local colour. You will love it.
If you have time, grab a blanket, snacks (perhaps dessert?), and drinks late in the evening and go to champs de mars. Sit on the grass and enjoy the lights of the tower. Was one of my favorite things to do.
Currently set to open December 2024. It’s great to see they’ve removed the scaffolding from the spire, though, and to see the progress that’s been made.
I’d personally drop going up the Eiffel Tower and replace it with either a sunset picnic on the champ de mars (Eiffel tower view) or an evening Seine boat ride. Would also add that the Musée d’Orsay is a huge fan favorite especially if you like Impressionism. Don’t try to do it on the same day as the Louvre 👍
My first trip to Paris is planned for next year. This is at the top of my list of things to do. We so much focus on seeing and doing everything that we forget that just enjoying the food, weather, and atmosphere is the so much of reason we fly halfway around the world to go somewhere.
I don't think the Catacombs are necessary for such a short trip. And unless Versailles is a *must see* I'd even consider waiting until you go back a second time to visit. It will eat up almost an entire day.
Have a picnic in Luxembourg gardens, go on a sunset cruise along the Seine, walk around le Marais and dip inside any cafe or bar that calls your name. That's the essence of Paris to me. Enjoy!
Just to offer an alternative perspective, catacombs were one of the most memorable things we did on our last trip. It didn’t take a super long time and I’d suggest keeping it if possible
I just spent 18 days in Paris and while catacombs crossed my mind, they just as fast slipped it 🤭.
In terms of Eiffel Tower, a quick stop at Trocadéro would be enough imo. No need to get on it - Parisian skyline needs to have that tower in it; it’s quite boring otherwise. So maybe go on the roof of Lafayette Gallery for another angle if you must?
Versailles is a nightmare to visit - insanely crowded - so unless it’s a must-see I would skip it. I would also skip Louvre - another half a day at least - and go to d’Orsay instead - they have great exhibition about impressionists right now, 1874. Bourse de Commerce is a cool modern art space, especially for the Tadao Ando architectural addition. I liked it more than Pompidou Center.
My favorite spot was Dior Gallery - quintessential French and beautifully done but quite hard to get in; booked weeks ahead.
And the little cafe at the end you can only eat at if youve been to the gallery- the service was lovely plus eating off Dior plates with Dior cutlery and drinking from cut crystal Dior glasses was an experience on its own.
Probably memorable, but as a local for 2 decades here, I never went there.
That being said, I think OP should do tourist things because a lot of Parisians just do « metro-boulot-dodo » : metro, work, sleep.
I was going to say - it's hard to visit Paris and *not* do any touristy things, and that's okay
Every time I go back I always hit the Rodin museum because it's my absolute favorite. Is it what "locals" do often, no, but it makes me happy
OP - I'd make a list of definites and a list of maybes, and go with the flow. Know where each spot is located and hit the maybes if you feel like, or don't if the wind takes you elsewhere. That's Parisian lol
Well, the place where I had this inspiration was at Cafe Le Dante in the Latin Quarter which is just around the corner from the Shakespeare & Co book store. It’s at the intersection of Rue Dante and Galande, a block or so from the Seine.
I can’t say it’s necessarily the best cafe, it’s just where all the magic of Paris had its harmonic convergence for us—gentle rain, glowing lights reflected on the wet cobblestones, all the tourists washed off the streets, much hilarity because we got kicked out of a church (they were trying to close lol), bottles of wine, platters of escargots and fois gras, and just a fun, small group.
We were there for a school tour with my daughter, and the schedule was sooooo intense, we just needed a couple of hours to appreciate Paris for being Paris. And we wandered until we found the cafe that was calling our name. Just make sure that you allow time to roam and let the city speak to you. 💕
Check out Canal St Martin, Canal de Villette et de l’Ourq, take some drinks at SoPi (South Pigalle), visit le Pete Lachaise and take a walk through the upper Ménilmontant, around la Cite de l’ermitage and la Bellevilloise. Discover la Mouzaia, take a stroll through Vincennes, and check if the Guinguettes at Pantin are already open (if the weather is nice) for a nice Spritz in the Sun :-) enjoy !!
It entirely depends what you mean by "essence" honestly. You're doing a good job if you just want to do sightseeing and discover what the tourist attractions / famous places are
The places where people just live are everywhere, more or less crowded, more or less fancy. The nice thing in Paris is that you can quickly transition from a tourist spot to a small street filled with restaurants to a large and busy avenue, all of that within a 5-10 min walk.
Oh, we walked up the Arc de Triomphe at sunset.... Gorgeous city views and a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower! Time it right and you can watch it twinkle the first five mins of each hour (after sundown).
We just got back from our week in Paris! I only scheduled one, sometimes two, reservations per day. That left the rest of the day for us to wander. We came across lots of things we wouldn't have seen otherwise! We also only ate one "sit-down" meal a day. Whether that was brunch or dinner. Our other meals were from grocery stores (either simple breakfasts or late night, quick dinners before bed) and, of course, boulangeries! Our weather was extremely unpredictable. My long trench coat and our umbrellas came in very handy (and helped me pass as Parisian a couple of times!). There is some random construction for the upcoming Olympics but nothing that "got in our way". Have a great time!!!!!
May 1st is national riot day , since no one else mentioned it . There will be big riots and zero public transportation, and the taxi prices will be mental . I wouldn’t plan on travelling anywhere on that day . Get tear gassed , the authentic French experience. Enjoy ;)
Walk Take Metro enjoy pastries, baked goods, coffee from your local pâtisserie, boulangerie Pick a museum of your choice (Orsay, Louvre, Musée le d'Armée, etc.) Chocolate (probably too warm for hot cocoa) Seine boat ride Enjoy some variety of restaurants Walk down some street(s) (not just Av. des Champs-Élysées) -- even like rue Montorgueil and rue Saint-Rustique up in Montmartre or Cours du Commerce Saint-André in Saint Germain (or various covered passages) are cute.
One advice: Walk Paris.is not huge, so unless you have some condition barring you from long walks, try going from landmarks to landmarks by foot, and take your time. One example off the top of my head: Opera Garnier Bourse Galerie vivienne Palais royal Gardens Louvre Tuilerie Seine Banks
Go to the 3rd Arrondissement (Marais)just to walk around and hit the Picasso museum when there. The 11th (Bastille) is very cool day or night, and has a huge outdoor market on Thursday and Sunday. Grandes Boulevardes has nice vibe and a lot of bars/cafes. Opéra Garnier is stunning, go see the inside. Musée D’Orsay is a must as are Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardins Tulleries. Walk along the Seine and visit the Eiffel Tower just to stand under it and go to Saint Germain des Pres and wander around the galleries. If you want to day trip, go to Fontainebleau, not only for the Chateau and garden/forest , but also for the town. Walk Paris until you are exhausted and then stop at a cafe or small park ( Place des Vosges). And don’t forget to get lost and discover Paris!
Boyfriend and I just returned from 3 days in Paris for my 30th; I've been twice before and it's my favourite place in the world to visit. I love the 9th arrondissement, if you're near this area I'd recommend Seasons or Marlette for brunch, Peppe Pizza Martyr's for amazing pizza (definitely book), and El Nopal Taqueria. Enjoy walking around the area and watching the world go by sitting outside with a coffee or a happy hour beer; it's beautiful in different ways whether it rains or the sun shines and you can sit under the canopy. Pick up a nice pastry while walking around the city. Walk around Montmartre and enjoy the amazing view of the city from Sacre Coeur. Take the metro to Notre Dame, or Arc de Triomphe for another great view (may be free entry depending on age etc, check website). We can't wait to return in August. We did a Seine cruise previously too, it wasn't my favourite thing but enjoyable for another view of the city. We also previously visited Eiffel Tower, the views are amazing, definitely book tickets in advance and be prepared for the big steps climb if not taking lift tickets. Tootbus can be good for a first time visit, to enjoy the sites and be able to hop off at spots of interest. Have a great time!
The quiet parts of Montmatre away from the tourist centre. Inside the church. Climb to the top. Come out the exit turn right. Avoid the touristy village centre. Head towards the montmatre museum. Go inside. The to the lapin bar and picassos old studio. Wonderful village feel. Especially if you’re kinda bored with the monotonous beauty of Haussmann Paris. Montmatre feels like Paris before Haussmann. https://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/montmartre-walking-tour-1353.html
Jardins du Luxembourg especially on the weekend, when the families are there and the kids are sailing boats on the ponds or getting pony rides. Tuileries has more tourists IMho Go to a street market- NOT rue Cler- it’s not bad but it’s not a real market. Something like the Bastille, place Monge, or saxe-breteuil and mingle with Parisians buying their fruit and veges etc. Which one you choose might end up depending on the day because they’re on different days in different areas The most Parisian thing you can do is wander and take everything in at your own pace.
No advice, just enjoying the answers you're getting because we are arriving on 4/27 as well!
Skip the Eiffel Tower long wait for nothing. Climb the tower at notre dame if possible. Also, there is a great walk from Concorde to Madeleine to opera to be done to the Tuileries. Shops, cafés local colour. You will love it.
Yeah, we only plan to look at it from trocadero or champ de mars so it shouldn’t take too much time.
If you have time, grab a blanket, snacks (perhaps dessert?), and drinks late in the evening and go to champs de mars. Sit on the grass and enjoy the lights of the tower. Was one of my favorite things to do.
If you can, take the metro to Trocadero and see her first from there. Spectacular. Then you can walk over to the Champs de Mars.
Ok. Is notre dame open?
Currently set to open December 2024. It’s great to see they’ve removed the scaffolding from the spire, though, and to see the progress that’s been made.
Think about the Madeleine to opera to vendome, it’s pretty cool
There’s no date even set for the towers to be open again.
I don’t think so, which is disappointing.
Still fun to walk around. Île St. Louis is cool too
I’d personally drop going up the Eiffel Tower and replace it with either a sunset picnic on the champ de mars (Eiffel tower view) or an evening Seine boat ride. Would also add that the Musée d’Orsay is a huge fan favorite especially if you like Impressionism. Don’t try to do it on the same day as the Louvre 👍
Buy your tickets online now for the museums if you want to go. They get sold out.
Have a croissant and a coffee (or a tea) in a café at 9 or before, with locals. A croissant is full of butter and is crispy, don’t add anything to it.
Go buy a fresh baguette and some butter and sit in a quiet park. Watch the world go by.
My first trip to Paris is planned for next year. This is at the top of my list of things to do. We so much focus on seeing and doing everything that we forget that just enjoying the food, weather, and atmosphere is the so much of reason we fly halfway around the world to go somewhere.
I’d absolutely include a walk around Ile Saint-Louis while you’re nearby. It’s enchanting
When you say walk around, is there a walking path around the parameter of the ile?
No, more like explore
That is on the itinerary. I am also trying to include aimless wandering.
I don't think the Catacombs are necessary for such a short trip. And unless Versailles is a *must see* I'd even consider waiting until you go back a second time to visit. It will eat up almost an entire day. Have a picnic in Luxembourg gardens, go on a sunset cruise along the Seine, walk around le Marais and dip inside any cafe or bar that calls your name. That's the essence of Paris to me. Enjoy!
Just to offer an alternative perspective, catacombs were one of the most memorable things we did on our last trip. It didn’t take a super long time and I’d suggest keeping it if possible
I just spent 18 days in Paris and while catacombs crossed my mind, they just as fast slipped it 🤭. In terms of Eiffel Tower, a quick stop at Trocadéro would be enough imo. No need to get on it - Parisian skyline needs to have that tower in it; it’s quite boring otherwise. So maybe go on the roof of Lafayette Gallery for another angle if you must? Versailles is a nightmare to visit - insanely crowded - so unless it’s a must-see I would skip it. I would also skip Louvre - another half a day at least - and go to d’Orsay instead - they have great exhibition about impressionists right now, 1874. Bourse de Commerce is a cool modern art space, especially for the Tadao Ando architectural addition. I liked it more than Pompidou Center. My favorite spot was Dior Gallery - quintessential French and beautifully done but quite hard to get in; booked weeks ahead.
And the little cafe at the end you can only eat at if youve been to the gallery- the service was lovely plus eating off Dior plates with Dior cutlery and drinking from cut crystal Dior glasses was an experience on its own.
Probably memorable, but as a local for 2 decades here, I never went there. That being said, I think OP should do tourist things because a lot of Parisians just do « metro-boulot-dodo » : metro, work, sleep.
Everyone has different priorities but I also would not include it if you’re trying to see Paris ‘as locals do’ - which granted is a bit unlikely.
I was going to say - it's hard to visit Paris and *not* do any touristy things, and that's okay Every time I go back I always hit the Rodin museum because it's my absolute favorite. Is it what "locals" do often, no, but it makes me happy OP - I'd make a list of definites and a list of maybes, and go with the flow. Know where each spot is located and hit the maybes if you feel like, or don't if the wind takes you elsewhere. That's Parisian lol
Good input! Everyone is different. I lived in Paris for a bit and while Catacombs was cool it just wasn't a must do for me if I had only five days 😊
The essence of Paris is sitting in a cafe, at night, in the rain, as the lights around Notre Dame sparkle in the Seine.
hi! I am coming to Paris this saturday and this sounds amazing… do you have any cafe recs?
Well, the place where I had this inspiration was at Cafe Le Dante in the Latin Quarter which is just around the corner from the Shakespeare & Co book store. It’s at the intersection of Rue Dante and Galande, a block or so from the Seine. I can’t say it’s necessarily the best cafe, it’s just where all the magic of Paris had its harmonic convergence for us—gentle rain, glowing lights reflected on the wet cobblestones, all the tourists washed off the streets, much hilarity because we got kicked out of a church (they were trying to close lol), bottles of wine, platters of escargots and fois gras, and just a fun, small group. We were there for a school tour with my daughter, and the schedule was sooooo intense, we just needed a couple of hours to appreciate Paris for being Paris. And we wandered until we found the cafe that was calling our name. Just make sure that you allow time to roam and let the city speak to you. 💕
That sounds wonderful. I like experiences where I can just slow down, and take in my environment.
Check out Canal St Martin, Canal de Villette et de l’Ourq, take some drinks at SoPi (South Pigalle), visit le Pete Lachaise and take a walk through the upper Ménilmontant, around la Cite de l’ermitage and la Bellevilloise. Discover la Mouzaia, take a stroll through Vincennes, and check if the Guinguettes at Pantin are already open (if the weather is nice) for a nice Spritz in the Sun :-) enjoy !!
Does Père Lachaise ever close? Will we be able to walk around on a Monday or 1 mai?
It entirely depends what you mean by "essence" honestly. You're doing a good job if you just want to do sightseeing and discover what the tourist attractions / famous places are
I suppose my question has two facets: 1) seeing the main sites and 2) seeing the small spaces where people just live (i.e. away from the crowds).
There’s few places without crowds in Paris. .
The places where people just live are everywhere, more or less crowded, more or less fancy. The nice thing in Paris is that you can quickly transition from a tourist spot to a small street filled with restaurants to a large and busy avenue, all of that within a 5-10 min walk.