4 Days in Paris

If you are visiting Paris and looking for what to do, you are in the right place! Paris is a large city with over 2 million people and over 1 thousand square miles of metropolis divided into 20 arrondissements. Arrondissements are subdivisions for French local governments, think of it as the neighborhoods. Additionally, there is so much culture packed into this city - beautiful architecture, museums galore, delicious food and cafe lifestyle! Here is what to do for 4 days in Paris. 

Springtime in Paris: Good weather and less crowds 

We visited Paris in April and highly recommend going at this time of year for 2 reasons: good weather and less crowds. The weather was lovely, ranging from that of a warm summer day to cool evenings in the long weekend I was there. There were tourists of course but minimal crowds or waits. I was able to book tours within the few weeks leading up to my trip. It is also easy to get seated at a cafe with minimal if any wait! 

Airport to Hotel 

We flew into the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). At the airport, we followed signs for the RER train to Paris and took the 40 minute train ride to the Chatelet Les Halles stop near where we were staying. We stayed in the 1st Arrondissement at the Hotel Moliere. It was a short walk from this train station to the hotel but you can also grab a bus if you are staying a little further away. The 1st arrondissement is a great location as it is walking distance to a number of stops on our agenda. The Musse du Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries are a few of the notable places in the 1st arrondissement. 

Day 1 - Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower Tour

Day 1 was really half a day since we landed around noon. After getting from the airport to my hotel, it was early afternoon. I had a cup of tea in the hotel lobby and changed out of my travel outfit. From there, we were off to see the most iconic landmarks in Paris - the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower! The Arc de Triomphe is on the west side of the city where the 8th, 16th, and 17th arrondissements meet. As I walked out of the tunnel leading up from the underground train station, I was amazed at the grandness of this monument. The monument was constructed in recognition of Napoleon and was inaugurated in 1836. Read more about the history of the Arc de Triomphe.

Arc de Triomphe

From the Arc de Triomphe, it is a 35 minute walk to Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement. Since it was my first day in the city, I wanted to see it by foot and so chose to walk, but feel free to use the amazing public transportation system too. I could tell we were getting closer as the crowds increased and there were individuals selling Eiffel Tower trinkets to commemorate this iconic tower. And for good reason. It's hard to put into words the incredible feeling of seeing something you have dreamed about for so long. It signified a “you made it moment.” Seeing the Eiffel Tower was the realization of a lifelong dream to visit the City of Love!

Eiffel Tower

After taking a few pictures in front to capture the moment, we headed over to get in line about 30 minutes early for our trek up the tower. I recommend you book your ticket to the Eiffel Tower as soon as you know you are going to Paris! There are limited spots for the elevator tour that goes all the way to the top. My trip was in the spring when it's less crowded so there were still tickets available a week or two before leaving, but the options were limited. I was able to get tickets to go to the second floor via the stairs (674 stairs to be exact!). With incredible views of the entire city from the second floor, it's hard to believe this isn’t the top of the tower! 

The tour of the Eiffel Tower was definitely a hike, albeit a beautiful and iconic hike! Needless to say, it was time for dinner. Within a very short walking distance of the Hotel Moliere were a number of great cafes! The first night’s dinner was Bistrot Victoires - an incredible cafe tucked away on a beautiful narrow Perisian street with a view of the Statue de Louis XIV from the al fresco dining tables. Here we ate (French) onion soup, duck with French fries (frites), and of course a baguette all while day turned to night. 

View from dinner at Bistrot Victoires

A wine bar was calling my name and just a block over is one of the highest rated ones in the city - L’Envers, Cave et Bar a Vin. What we referred to as the Wine Cave, but in French ‘cave’ means ‘cellar’. Well it was the chicest cave I have ever been to with deep teal walls and gold accents. Oh yes the wine, that was delicious too! 

Day 2 - Museums 

Day two started off with breakfast at the Boulangerie Moliere. A ‘boulangerie’ is a bakery where the bread is made in-shop. We picked up a ham and cheese croissant and a salmon quiche and shared them while looking at the neighboring architecture including an intricate stone statue waterfall. We walked toward the Louvre - our first museum of the day. But on the way, we happened upon a cute little cafe - Cafe de la Comedie - where we stopped to get tea and espresso. 

From there, it was on to the most visited museum in the world - The Louvre. The main entrance is the landmark pyramid which was added by Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei in 1989. I suggest booking a morning ticket for the Louvre and getting in line early as it can become crowded. Once you go through the main entrance, you will head downstairs and can explore the various wings. Grab a map! Because this place is huge and there is no way you can see it all. It just is physically impossible. Pick out what is important and visit that. And if the Mona Lisa is on that short list, look for the signs leading you to her. 

Musee du Louvre

Three hours in the Louvre went by fast here and we were ready for lunch. A short walk away from The Louvre is a cafe I highly recommend - Cafe de la Regence. We shared a hamburger and nutella filled crepe! It was the perfect break before our next museum. Musee d’Orsay, built in a former railway station,  is well known for having a number of works by the impressionists. I fell in love with this style and was so inspired by the works of Renoir, Monet, and Van Gogh. 

Speaking of Monet, the Musee de l’Orangerie hosts two incredible rooms filled with Monet’s Water Lilies and is the final museum of the day. The rooms are meant to be enjoyed silently as a meditation. This exhibit fulfilled all my artist dreams as I took in the incredible colors surrounding me in 360 degrees. 

For dinner, it was time to check out a new neighborhood. The 10th and 11th arrondissements are home to the St. Martin Canal. This neighborhood is less touristy than those we had been up to this point in our trip. The canal was lined with locals sitting and chatting with friends as they drank and ate. It was an astonishing site to see the number of people that leave their apartments to enjoy the city in this way. We had dinner at La Marine with incredible services and delicious food. We had escargot and raviolis. Then walked to Cafe Mondial to take in the sights and have a couple of drinks. 

St. Martin Canal

Day 3 - Palace of Versailles 

An hour-long train ride will get you out of the city and to the town of Versailles. A short walk from the train station is the Palace of Versailles! Commissioned by King Louis XIV and started in 1661, it and the gardens spread across nearly 2,000 acres of land. You are guaranteed to get your steps in as you go from one opulent room to the next as you tour some of the most famous rooms of the palace. That is just the beginning though. Outside the gardens extend for as far as the eye can see as it centers around the Grand Canal. As you tour the garden, you will find it filled with mini gardens - secluded areas centered around unique water features. The gardens at the Palace of Versailles are so peaceful. It is a place where you want to get lost for the day, and it's easy to do with so much to see. I definitely recommend adding on the gardens to your tour of the Palace!

Palace of Versailles and Garden

Day 4 - Notre Dame, Luxembourg Gardens, and Montmartre

The last day was a day free for exploring all the city that we had yet to see. First stop, breakfast! At Baguett’s Cafe, I had the best scrambled eggs of my life. From there, we were off to stroll by Notre Dame and read about the history since the terrible 2019 fire. The messaging noted hopes of having it back open by the end of 2024. 

Notre Dame

From Notre Dame in the 4th arrondissement, we walked through the Latin Quarter past the Pantheon in the 5th arrondissement to the Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th arrondissement. This in total is a 20 minute walk. Before stopping to sit at the Luxembourg Gardens, we grabbed a baguette, cheese, meat and wine to enjoy a picnic lunch. This is something I saw all over Paris. Young people covered the gardens as they met with friends to chat, eat, and drink. 

The Montmartre district is in the 18th arrondissement and is home to The Basilica of Sacre-Cœur de Montmartre. The basilica sits on top of a hill overlooking the city with gorgeous views of the Eiffel Tower. This is a cute neighborhood filled with shops and definitely worth exploring. There is also a very cool piece of art, the I Love You Wall, which features the words ‘I love you’ in many languages. This really is the City of Love! 

Basilica of Sacre-Cœur de Montmartre and the 'I Love You Wall'

Our evening (and our trip) closed out right where it had started, the Eiffel Tower. It is nothing short of magical at night when the lights come on. Also be sure to visit on the hour to catch the lights as they sparkle and twinkle for 5 minutes. This is just for the first few hours after dark and the times differ depending on the time of year you visit so check their website.

As you watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle against the night sky, bask in the moment, for you will carry the memories you make in Paris with you for a lifetime. 

Eiffel Tower at Night

Must Knows for Paris

• Dinner is from around 7PM to 10PM and if you are visiting from the United States in the spring or summer you will notice how late it stays sunny. 

• After dinner people will have a few drinks at the cafe and the real night life doesn’t start until close to 2AM going into the early morning! 

• Food service is not fast, but it is enjoyable. Plan plenty of time for meals and don’t be in a rush. Also be sure to ask for the receipt when you are ready to go.

• If you want to tour the Eiffel Tower, book your ticket as soon as possible.

• Try speaking French (bonjour and merci go a long way), but know that the majority of people speak English and you can get around easily.

Agenda: 4 Days in Paris

Day 1

• Arc de Triomphe 

• Eiffel Tower photos and tours 

• Dinner near hotel 

Day 2

• Louvre Museum

• Musée d'Orsay 

• Musée de l'Orangerie

• St. Martin Canal 

Day 3

• Palace of Versailles 

Day 4

• Notre Dame

• Luxembourg Gardens

• Montmartre and The Basilica of Sacre-Cœur de Montmartre

• Eiffel tower at night 

To plan what to pack for your trip, check out What to Pack for Paris and 5 Tips for Packing for Paris.