Seeing Paris in a weekend is no mean feat. There’s no point trying to see and do everything, but come up with a list of the things that are most important to you and get a feel for the famous capital. Here is our suggestion for a weekend in Paris.
SATURDAY MORNING
Everyone wants to see the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris! So off you go! Walk or take the metro, tram or bus. At over 1,000 feet tall, you can’t miss it! From the top of this majestic and famous “Iron Lady”, take in the breathtaking 360° views. There are two ways to climb its 3 floors: either take the stairs if you’re feeling brave or ride in the lift. Open daily from 09:30 to 23:00 and until midnight from June to September.
Continue along Quai Branly, admire the greenwall and stroll through the gardens where trails, gentle slopes, torrent stone paths and ponds create the perfect spot for meditation and daydreaming.
If you want to browse any of its collections of arts and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, the museum is open every day, except Mondays, from 11:00 to 19:00 or 21:00 on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
After this bucolic break, it’s time to delve into the city’s feverish activity around the Latin quarter and Saint Germain des Prés. Organised around student life since the 13th century, the Latin Quarter surrounds Place Saint Michel and its fountain, which have become a popular meeting place in the capital. From its quays, the square offers beautiful views of Notre Dame, the Palais de Justice and the Louvre. It is the ideal spot for lunch with a multitude of restaurants, cafés and other eateries.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
After a quick look at the bookshops and other stores, head to Boulevard Saint-Germain, then to Boulevard Saint-Michel, admire the Hôtel de Cluny, the Museum of the Middle Ages and its gardens where the Gallo-Roman thermal baths are the only witnesses of the time when Paris was called Lutetia. Rue des Écoles and then Rue Saint Jacques, one of the oldest streets in Paris, take you in front of the prestigious Sorbonne University.
Here you are close to the Jardin du Luxembourg, where you can enjoy exceptional botanical heritage, stroll by the lake or simply take a break before tackling the marathon of shopping and window shopping essential during any trip to Paris!
And don’t miss the most famous avenue in Paris, the Champs Elysées. At over a mile long and 230 feet wide, it is considered “the most beautiful avenue in the world”. Continue your walk to Place de la Concorde. Like nowhere else, with its two fountains and statues symbolising cities in France, its rostral columns and the incredible Luxor Obelisk!
Want to dream? Visit Place Vendôme to immerse yourself in a typically Parisian world of luxury. Not had your fill? Then head to Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré and its prestigious boutiques. From there you can admire the monumental and unusual church of La Madeleine.
And if you fancy a bit more shopping, don’t miss the Les Halles district and its large mall, or the surrounding streets packed with shops, cafés and restaurants.
SATURDAY EVENING
Start the evening with a delicious meal. You’re spoilt for choice in Paris. Gourmet restaurant or cheap eats, bistro or world cuisine… book a table in the restaurant that most takes your fancy!
If you have any energy left, enjoy one of the spectacles put on by the capital: cinema, boulevard theatre, concerts, variety reviews, street artists.
And if you prefer to see some Parisian nightlife, head to the grands boulevards and their trendy cafés or hit one of the capital’s trendy nightclubs: Champs Elysées, Montparnasse train station, Montmartre… there are plenty to choose from!
In Paris, anything is possible. The hardest part is choosing!
SUNDAY MORNING
The most beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower is from the steps of Place du Trocadéro and is not to be missed. Walk through the garden, which is also home to the Palais Chaillot and the City of Architecture and Heritage. Open every day, except Tuesdays, from 11:00 to 19:00 or 21:00 on Thursdays.
To see the capital from a different viewpoint and visit the Seine, combine tour and cruise by taking the boat bus. It offers unlimited trips from its 8 stations and takes you to the sites you’ve not yet visited.
If you prefer a mini cruise without stops on the “bateaux mouches” that crisscross the Seine, you will have to resume your tour on foot along the quays.
You pass in front of the Musée du Quai d’Orsay, a former railway station. Open every day, except Mondays, from 09:30 to 18:00 or 21:45 on Thursdays.
Pass by the Esplanade des Invalides, then follow the banks of the Seine to the Pont des Arts, famous for its “love locks”. You then reach the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, and Île de la Cité. Formed by the twists and turns of the Seine, it was the heart of ancient Lutetia, where three buildings from the Middle Ages still stand: the Conciergerie, Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame. Glorified by Victor Hugo’s novel, sung and danced, it has become one of the symbols of Paris. The esplanade is still very lively, the point zero of the French road system, it is the international meeting place!
Turn right onto Square Jean XXIII and enter Île Saint Louis. There are many private mansions here, some home to celebrities.
Take the stairs down to the banks of the Seine, a nice spot for a picnic.
Finally, a few miles from Paris, don’t miss Rungis Market known for its fresh produce and special atmosphere.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Take one of the many bridges back to the left bank and Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville. Headquartered in the city since 1357, the town hall is a Renaissance-style building that houses, in niches, the statues of men who have made history in every field: physicists, painters, writers, politicians, etc. Visit by reservation only.
It is now time to travel to another legendary place in Paris: the Louvre and its inverted pyramid. The museum is open from 09:00 to 18:00 (Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Closed on Tuesdays, it is open for longer on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 09:00 to 21:00. The square courtyard, completed in the 17th century, is accessible all day free of charge.
One last cultural stop to end this fleeting yet exciting encounter with our rich capital on a high note!
