A Weekend in Paris

Paris is one of the best and most visited cities in the world! It’s a bit difficult to fit everything in, especially for art lovers, so having a plan is essential. I’ve stayed in Paris for much longer than a weekend, I’ve actually spent about two weeks in Paris. My best advice is to do plenty of research beforehand, so you can tailor the City of Lights to your tastes. 

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Friday: 

Depending on when you land, you can fit in a lot on your first day in Paris 

• Seine boat tour! See all the sights without wearing yourself out! You can book during the day or after sundown. I’ve done it both ways, and don’t have a favorite. Typically starting at the base of the Eiffel Tower, and continuing along the Seine until turning around just after Ile Saint Louis Island. You’ll see the Les Invalides, Musee d’Orsay, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Grand Palais, and more! 

• See the Arc de Triomphe, and walk down the Champs-Élysées. I love doing this after dark, because they light up the street. 

• Go to a grocery store, and pick up picnic materials to dine out by the Eiffel tour for dinner. It starts sparkling at dust, and then on the hour every hour for one minute, so be sure to plan accordingly to see the tower sparkle. 

Saturday: 

• Pick a museum or two! At the bottom, I’ve detailed my favorite sites in Paris below. 

• I would also reserve this day for North Paris

• Visit Montmartre, the arts district in the 17th arrondissement (this is the name of Parisian neighborhoods) This is where the romantics, writers, and artists made Paris their own. Many licensed street artists will be around, so this is a great place to pick up a souvenir, but it is handmade one of a kind art, so be prepared to pay for the artists, time, talent, and materials. A painting this size costs €100. Also come with cash!
  

• Also in this area is the Moulin Rouge! Be sure to stop by

• From Montmartre, you should go up the hill to The Sacré-Cœur, a beautiful basilica. The view from the hill and the stunning church are worth the hike up.

Sunday: 

• If you didn’t see the Louvre on Saturday, make sure to stop by and marvel at the 18th century palace along with the Jardin Tuileries 

• Sundays are always the hardest for me, because of the stress of getting to the airport or train station on time. When planning for Sundays, either plan to go back to your accommodation on your way to leave to pick up bags or plan activities where it won’t be a hassle to bring your backpack or will have storage.

My personal favorites

Museums

• The Louvre is the most famous museum in Paris, and for good reason. It holds many artifacts from across time and cultures. At minimum you need a good three hours. I spent close to 6 hours inside the museum! You also need to book the first opening slot of the day and arrive early (About a half hour before) to get in before it gets too crowded.

• The Musée d'Orsay is also a prominent museum. Situated inside a train station built for the same World’s Fair as the Eiffel Tower, it’s a spectacular tribute to the impressionist and post impressionist art movements. They often have amazing exhibitions, that are ticketed, so I recommend looking at their website, and getting these tickets beforehand, because they often sell out.

• The Centre Pompidou has a controversial reputation, as many Parisians hate the garish pipes that run along the outside of the building. I think the building serves as an interesting talking point of putting the inside out. If you’re a modern and contemporary art lover, this is your scene. 

• The Picasso Museum in Paris is a testament to the later part of the artist’s life. It holds most of his later works that he is most famous for. Unless you’re a die-hard Picasso fan, I wouldn't stop by, because you can see Picassos around the world, and in other museums in Paris, specifically the Orsay. 

• The Musee l'Orangerie is loved by many Parisians, but is quite small, and does not hold the most famous works by the impressionists. It’s notable for its 360 room view of Monet’s water lilies. I would not recommended going, unless you are an avid lover of impressionists, and also plan to go to the Orsay. 

• My favorite thing about French Museums is that they offer a wide variety of discounts for students! If you’re not worried about waiting in ticketing lines, and are okay with being turned away in case of capacity, don’t book ahead, and instead wait in the ticketing line the day of.

Other sites

• A grand jewel of Paris is Palais Garnier, or the Paris Opera House. If you have extra time on Friday or Sunday, I would highly recommend going inside to see the incredible art and architecture. 

• The Jardins du Luxembourg is a beautiful park and perfect for a romantic stroll, you’ll often find typical Parisians visiting as well. 

• Hotel Les Invalides is a stunning gold building that was built in the 1700s. It's currently a military museum, so unless you're interested in French military history, I would recommend to see it from the outside.

• The Palace of Versailles is a lifetime must see, but it can be very hard to see all of Paris and Versailles in just a weekend, because it is an hour- long train ride outside of Paris, and the Palace and gardens combined at minimum are a three to four hour experience. I would recommend leaving on a Thursday, so you have a full day Friday or Saturday to make it to the palace. 

Tips on the Metro: 

The metro in Paris is one of the best in Europe. The city is well connected, and the trains run often. The first time you use the metro, you’ll need to find a RATP machine to purchase tickets. You can either purchase single journey fares or day passes. They are phasing out single use paper tickets, so most likely, you’ll also be purchasing a reusable RATP card to scan as you go into the metro. 

I also recommend following RATPgroup on X or downloading the app for updates! Oftentimes, train announcements are only made in French, so it’s good to have a way to double check information. 

As with many metros, different lines shut down at different times, so be sure to plan ahead on how to get back before going out!