Itineraries
Where to stay
Le Marais or Saint-Germain for first-timers, central and full of cafes; the Latin Quarter for value; the 7th for Eiffel Tower views; Montmartre for a village feel.
The areas: Le Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Latin Quarter, 7th arrondissement, Montmartre.
Where to stay in Paris: areas and adviceHotels in ParisPlaces to see
All things to do in FranceViewpointArc de TriompheThe triumphal arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées, with a rooftop view.Entry: Rooftop ticket
ViewpointEiffel TowerThe iron tower of 1889, with views from three levels.Entry: Book ahead
NatureGardens of VersaillesFormal gardens of fountains, groves and the Grand Canal behind the palace.Entry: Free on days without a fountain show
NeighborhoodÎle Saint-LouisA small island in the Seine of 17th-century townhouses, quiet quays and ice cream shops.Entry: Free to visit
NeighborhoodLe Marais and Place des VosgesMedieval lanes around the oldest planned square in Paris.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumLouvre MuseumThe world's most visited museum, home of the Mona Lisa.Entry: Timed tickets
NatureLuxembourg GardensFormal gardens with the Medici Fountain and green chairs to sit in.Entry: Free to visit
MarketMarché des Enfants RougesThe oldest covered market in Paris, founded in the 1600s and now full of food stalls.Entry: Pay as you go
MarketMarché Notre-Dame, VersaillesThe central food market of Versailles, with covered halls on a square of cafes and restaurants.Entry: Pay as you go
ChurchMontmartre and Sacré-CœurThe white basilica on the hill, above artists' squares and stairways.Entry: Basilica free
MuseumMusée CarnavaletThe museum of the history of Paris, in two mansions in the Marais.Entry: Permanent collections free
MuseumMusée d'OrsayImpressionist masterpieces in a former railway station.Entry: Free on the first Sunday of the month, with a reservation
ChurchNotre-Dame CathedralThe Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire.Entry: Free; reservations optional
MuseumPalace of VersaillesThe palace of the French kings, with the Hall of Mirrors and vast gardens.Entry: Passport ticket with a timed palace entry
MuseumPalais GarnierThe gilded 19th-century opera house, with a grand staircase and a ceiling painted by Chagall.Entry: Self-guided visit
FoodPassage des PanoramasThe oldest covered passage in Paris, opened in 1799, with small restaurants and stamp dealers.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodRue ClerA pedestrian market street of food shops and cafes near the Eiffel Tower.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodRue des MartyrsA sloping street of bakeries, pastry shops and food stores running up toward Montmartre.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodRue MontorgueilA pedestrian market street of bakeries, cheese shops, cafes and bistros near Les Halles.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodRue MouffetardA sloping Latin Quarter street of food shops, market stalls and cafes.Entry: Pay as you go
NeighborhoodSaint-Germain-des-PrésA Left Bank quarter of literary cafes, bookshops and bistros around its abbey church.Entry: Pay as you go
ChurchSainte-ChapelleA 13th-century royal chapel whose walls are almost all stained glass.Entry: Timed tickets
MuseumTrianon Estate, VersaillesMarie Antoinette's estate in the park: two small palaces and a model village.Entry: Included in the Passport