One Day in Paris: Itinerary By Someone Who Lives Here

If you only have one day in Paris, you can cover a surprising amount of ground on foot. This walking route takes you through central Paris past the city’s top landmarks with some of the best food, shopping, and viewpoints along the way.

This one day in Paris itinerary is designed for first-timers or anyone who wants to hit the major sights without it feeling like a checklist. It’s a leisurely walk, and every stop includes practical info like metro access, nearby cafes, opening times, and ticket prices, so you’re not scrambling to Google things on the go. After living in Paris for nearly three years (and dozens of visits before moving here), this is the exact itinerary I give to any of my friends visiting Paris because you get to see so much of the city

And if you’ve already done the tourist circuit or the weather isn’t cooperating, there are two alternative itineraries at the bottom: one for a cooler, more local side of Paris, and one for a rainy day that doesn’t involve sitting in the Louvre for six hours.

Map of the Route

Looking for more recommendations? Check out my full Paris travel guide.

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One Day in Paris Itinerary: The Perfect City Stroll

8:15 – 9:30: Breakfast in Le Jardin du Luxembourg

Start your one day in Paris like a local: with a pastry in the Jardin du Luxembourg. There are plenty of bakeries surrounding the park (my favorite is La Parisienne), so grab a croissant and a coffee and kick back in a green chair around the fountain to enjoy. Have a stroll through the gardens to the palace at the north end of the park (the side facing the river) and exit at the famous Odeon Theatre. 

Metro Access: Line 10 stops Mabillon or Odeon, Line 4 stops Saint Germain, Rennes, or Vavin, RER B
Nearby Cafes: La Parisienne, LaCrema, La Bete Noire

9:30 – 11:00: Saint Germain & The Latin Quarter

Walking Time From Jardin du Luxembourg to Saint Germain: 5 minutes

The Saint Germain neighborhood sits between Le Jardin du Luxembourg and the Seine and is one of the main shopping hotspots of the city. To say nothing of the cultural significance of the area, welcoming artists, writers, and the world’s most famous intellectuals for centuries. Because of the mix of boutiques and monuments, there’s really something for everyone in the Saint Germain neighborhood, with plenty to explore on your one day in Paris. 

Saint Germain Highlights: 

Metro Access: Line 4 stop Saint Germain, or Line 10 Mabillon
Nearby Cafes: Bar du Marche (my favorite place in Paris to people watch with a coffee), Maison Fleuret, Cafe du Clown, Chez Coffee&Co, Bonjour Jacob

11:00 – 12:00: Walk to Notre Dame

Walking Time From Saint Germain to Notre Dame: 15 minutes

As you walk through Saint Germain towards the river, you’ll start to catch glimpses of Notre Dame sitting on an island in the middle of the Seine, l’île de la Cité. On your way over, stop at Shakespeare and Co., the most famous English bookstore in Paris. If the line is too long, pop into the cafe next door for a coffee. 

Then, cross the bridge, Petite Pont, and you’ll be right at the entrance of Notre Dame. There’s a viewing area in front of the cathedral to enjoy the sights and snap pictures. It’s free to visit the inside, and you have two options: book a time slot ticket or wait in line. Prepare for crowds, keep your wits about you, and be aware of pickpockets. 

Important Note: Since the devastating fire in 2019 and the massive renovation that followed, Notre Dame reopened to the public at the very end of 2024. It’s free to enter and tickets are released only a couple of days in advance, so factor this into your planning. If you can’t snag a ticket, you’ll need to queue instead. Book tickets here.

Ticket Prices: Free 
Opening Times: Every day from 8 AM – 7 PM (10 PM on Thursday)
Metro Access: Line 4 stop Cite, Line 10 stop Cluny Sorbonne, Line 1 & 11 stop Hotel Deville, RER B & C stop Saint-Michel Notre Dame
Nearby Cafes: Jozi, Noir, Minicafe, Chanceux

12:00 – 1:30: Lunch

Your Paris lunch options are far and wide, especially when in this area. Here are some of my favorite spots close to Notre Dame and the Louvre (your next stop):

Locals notoriously linger over lunch, but with only one day in Paris, don’t spend too much of it sitting in a restaurant! 

If you end up eating close to the Louvre and have a bit of extra time, swing through the iconic department store Samaritaine to marvel at the architecture (and the gorgeous clothes). 

1:30 – 2:00: Louvre

Walking Time From Notre Dame to Louvre: 15 minutes

If you end up having lunch a bit off the track of this itinerary, you can easily hop on the Metro to get to where we’re going next: The Louvre. 

While arguably the most famous museum on earth, the Louvre building itself is just as renowned. If you only have one day in Paris, tackling the world’s largest art collection might be a bit of a mission, but you can enjoy the courtyards and brilliant glass pyramid. 

Local Tip: If you walk through the arches in between Cour Puget and Cour Marly (between the Pyramid and Palais Royale), you can actually look into the Louvre’s sculpture gallery and get a glimpse of the art without going inside. There are also often musicians playing in this area, adding to the Parisian ambiance. 

If you do want to tack on a visit to the Louvre for your one day in Paris itinerary, you must book tickets in advance, and you will still have to queue. You should also decide what you want to see beforehand so you have a clear plan, otherwise you’ll spend ages wandering around. 

Book Louvre Tickets Here

Ticket Prices: €32 as of January 14, 2026 (previously €22), free for people under 18 or European (EEA) residents under 26
Opening Times: Monday, Thursday, & Weekends 9 AM – 6 PM, Wednesday & Friday 9 AM – 9 PM (closed Tuesday)
Metro Access: Line 1 stops Palais Royal Musee du Louvre or Louvre Rivoli
Nearby Cafes: Motors Coffee, Cafe Kitsuné (if you don’t mind a line), Calibre

2:00 – 3:30: Tulieries to Place de la Concorde

Walking Time From Louvre to Concorde: 20 minutes (but you’ll want to take your time through the gardens)

Your next stop borders the Louvre – the Tuileries gardens line the western edge of the museum compound, creating a massive green area in the center of the city. The Tuileries connect the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, and are filled with fountains, sculptures, and the quintessential green Paris park chairs. If you need to recharge, stop for a coffee at one of the garden’s kiosks, or wander slowly through the park taking in the sights. In the winter months, there’s a Christmas market on the side of the park next to Rue de Rivoli, with food, drinks, games, and rides. 

Local Tip: If you skipped the Louvre and have some extra time to fill, consider stopping into Musee L’Orangerie at the end of the park facing the Seine. It’s home to Monet’s famous water lilies and is small enough to enjoy if you only have one day in Paris. But be sure to book a ticket in advance so that you don’t waste time waiting in line to enter. 

The Tuileries finish at Place de la Concorde, home to a massive fourteenth century obelisk, gifted to France from Egypt. There are a few interesting landmarks around this area like Hotel de la Marine (one of the best small museums in Paris), the American Embassy, and the Automobile Club of France (keep your eyes out for fancy cars parked in front!). It’s also right next to the Petite Palais, which has free entrance and an incredible permanent art collection. The temporary exhibitions are also always worth visiting. The building is on the smaller side, and there’s a great cafe with a gorgeous courtyard. 

To really get a feel of the area (and Parisian monuments), peek into the Grand Palais next door or check out their exhibitions if you want to add a bit of culture to your itinerary for one day in Paris. There’s a Matisse exhibit on right now that everyone’s scrambling to get tickets for.

Metro Access: Line 1 stops Tuileries or Concorde (also on Lines 8 & 12)
Nearby Cafes: There are a few little coffee kiosks throughout the park, or the Tuileries Cafe Kitsuné 

3:30 – 5:00: Walk the Champs-Élysées

Walking Time From Concorde to Arc de Triomphe: 30 minutes (the Champs is about 2 kilometers end to end)

Continue your stroll up the Champs Élysées, the Parisian Fifth Avenue. This is one of the major tourist hotspots in the city where you can find everything from luxury shopping to flagship stores, massive restaurants, and Parisians stomping around in business suits. The Champs Élysées starts at the western end of Place de la Concorde and continues up to the Arc de Triomphe. 

Metro Access: Line 1 stops Concorde, Champs Élysées Clemenceau, Franklin D. Roosevelt, or George V

Nearby Cafes: Cotume, any bistro along the Champs Élysées (check the price first!), Cafe Nuances

5:00 – 6:00: Top of the Arc de Triomphe

It’s not a day in Paris without seeing the city from above. While most tourists make a beeline for the Eiffel​ Tower, any local will tell you that the best view is actually from the Arc de Triomphe (or the Montmartre Tower). When you choose another vantage point, you get to have the Eiffel Tower as part of the view. The Arc de Triomphe is also surrounded by the largest roundabout in France, with incredible vistas in every direction. 

Because of the roundabout surrounding the monument, you need to take an underground tunnel to access the Arc. There are stairs at the end of the Champs Élysées and behind the Arc on Avenue de la Grande Armée that will bring you under the road and pop you out in the center, right under the Arc (don’t make the rookie mistake of trying to weave through traffic). 

If you want to go on top, save time and buy tickets in advance, and then show your ticket at the desk and take the separate staircase for those who pay with access. Then, you climb 284 steps to the top terrace to take in the sights (note that good physical fitness is recommended, and there’s an elevator available only for those with mobility impairments). 

Book Arc de Triomphe Tickets Here

Ticket Prices: €22 (Wednesdays and winter months are €16)
Opening Times: 10 AM – 11 PM, Tuesdays open at 11 AM. Winter months clothes at 10:30 PM
Metro Access: Line 1, 2, 6, or RER A stop Charles de Gaulle Etoile
Nearby Cafes: Inform, L’Arc, Cafe Rumi, Maurice Cafe (their waffles are the perfect afternoon snack)

6:00 – 7:00: Soak in Eiffel Tower Views from Trocadéro

Walking Time From Arc de Triomphe to Trocadero: 15 minutes

Now that you’ve seen the sights from above, it’s time to get up close and personal. Walk from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Trocadero (or take the Metro Line 6 three stops), to see the Eiffel Tower across the river in all her glory. Depending on the time of year you’re visiting (and when the sun goes down), you may be able to catch the first sparkle of the night from this vantage point. Snap some photos, drink a hot chocolate from one of the vendors (or at famous Carette, though prepare for a line), and revel in the early evening Parisian magic. 

Local Tip: Watch out for pickpockets and other common scams like petition signing and friendship bracelets. 

Eiffel Tower Sparkle Times: After sunset every hour for five minutes
Metro Access: Line 6 or 9 stop Trocadéro
Nearby Cafes: Carette, Le XXV

7:00 – 9:00: Steak Frites at Les Marches

Walking Time From Trocedero: 5 minutes

After all the walking, dinner is well deserved, and nothing is as satisfying as a classic steak frites. Stay on the Left Bank to avoid tourist prices around the Eiffel Tower and have a cozy local dinner at Les Marches. You’ll rub elbows with hip Parisians from the area and might even be the only foreigners in the place (I went for my birthday one year and it’s still one of my favorite places to eat in West Paris!). Have a few glasses of wine and definitely don’t skip dessert. After a day full of seeing the sights, this is one of the best non touristy things to do in Paris.

Address: 5 Rue de la Manutention, 75116 Paris
Hours: Every day 12 – 2:30 PM, 7:30 – 10 PM
Metro Access: Line 9 stop Iéna or Line 6 stop Trocadéro

More Food Options: 

9:00 – Late: Eiffel Tower and a Nightcap

Walking Time From Les Marches: 10 minutes

When you’re full of fries (and hopefully profiteroles), cross the Passerelle Debilly, the pedestrian bridge in front of Les Marches, and walk along the Seine at the base of the Eiffel Tower. You’ll arrive right in front of it, where you can enjoy the evening sparkles and take in the sights. 

Grab a bottle of wine or a pack of beers from the grocery store and finish your one day in Paris in true French style – tossing back a few with one of the best views in the world. If you feel like really topping it off, head to the top of the Eiffel Tower to get one last glimpse of Paris… for now. 

Book Eiffel Tower Tickets Here to Skip the Line

Ticket Prices: Adult tickets cost €36.70 to take the lift to highest deck, the Summit. Ticket prices are lower for students, children, and if you visit the second deck rather than going to the top. You can also save a few bucks with a stairs only ticket (instead of one that includes lift access). 
Opening Times: From 9 AM to midnight most of the year. See full range of opening times here.
Metro Access: Line 6 stop Bir Hakeim or RER C stop Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel
Where to Have a Nightcap: Jiuba Laurier, Le Gustave, Comptoir Moderne, L’Asphalte, Gatsby

One Day in Paris If You’ve Been Before

If you’ve already been to Paris and have seen the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Champs Élysées, skip it all and make a beeline for more hip, local neighborhoods where Parisians actually hang out: le Marais, Canal Saint Martin, Belleville, and Oberkampf – kind of like Paris’ Brooklyn. We’re talking vintage shopping, long lunches on terraces, natural wine, street art, and zero selfie sticks. This is the Paris that actually made me want to live here, and the area that I call home.

Fair warning: this day involves a lot of eating, drinking, and wandering around with no real agenda, aka being a flâner, or someone who strolls around all day. Yeah, we have a word for that in French.

Here’s a loose itinerary for one day in Paris if you’ve already seen the main attractions:

9:30 – 11:00 AM – Breakfast and coffee in Le Marais. No shortage of cafes and terraces to have a leisurely pastry. My current hyperfixation is the pan con tomate at Cortado Cafe. Le Philosophes makes great eggs if you’re looking for a big terrace and one of the best places to have breakfast in Paris. 

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Vintage shopping on Rue de Turenne and the surrounding streets. Tons of high end finds and curated stores, but lots of affordable treasure hunting, too. Pop over to Rue du Temple to create custom charm bracelets or embroidered pouches at many stores (most people head for The Perlerie 22, but the selection at Noomi Creative Market is way bigger without the crowds). If you’re not keen on shopping, pop into the Picasso Museum, which can easily be seen in an hour or two.

1:00 – 2:30 PM – Lunch at Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris. Grab a table at one of the stalls or bounce around to try everything. I really love the butcher where you can pick out a steak, and they’ll cook it up for you. And if you go to the Italian place, just know their house speciality is spaghetti vongole. Les Enfants du Marchè is also amazing (wine bar style), albeit pretty pricey.

2:30 – 3:30 PM – Walk to the Canal Saint Martin, spread out and have a rest on the banks with what may seem like every young, hip person in Paris. If you’re still feeling peckish, this is a great spot for a picnic or to chill out with a book (or a beer) for a bit.

3:30 – 5:30 PM – Explore Belleville. This area is one third North African, one third Chinese, and one third bobo Parisien (basically our hipsters), with endless street art, cool cafes, and some of the best places to eat in the city (Belleville restaurants never disappoint). Climb to the top of the hill or head to the Parc de Belleville for Eiffel Tower views. This is an amazing place to watch the sunset.

5:30 – 7:30 PM – Walk south to Rue Oberkamf and Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud. This area is filled with wine bars, coffee shops, and concept stores. Stop for a glass of wine before dinner, or post up on a terrace and watch people go by.

7:30 PM – Late: Stay in the neighborhood for some of the best food in Paris. People flock to this area to eat at spots like Le Servan, Rives, Furia, and Jip, just to name a few. If you don’t have a reservation, arrive right at opening to be sure you get a seat, since restaurants around here are packed every night. After dinner, you’ll be surrounded by no shortage of bars, so choose a terrace, settle in, and do as the Parisians do!

Practical Information

If you feel like taking the metro, Line 11 covers pretty much this entire itinerary. Get off at stops: 

• Hôtel de Ville or Rambuteau for Le Marais
• Arts et Métiers for Marche des Enfants Rouge
• Republique for Canal Saint Martin
• Goncourt or Belleville for Belleville (or Pyrénées to go straight to the top of the hill). 

You can walk to Oberkampf from Belleville (10-15 minutes), or take Line 2 from the Belleville station and get off at Couronnes or Ménilmontant

Rainy Day Paris Itinerary

If you only have one day in Paris and it happens to be raining (highly likely given the god forsaken weather in this city), there are plenty of things to do that don’t involve getting drenched or spending the entire day in the Louvre. This is how I’d spend it:

10:00 – Noon – The Petit Palais and Grand Palais are situated next to each other, and a great place to get out of the rain. The Petit Palais is free to enter with a modestly sized but marvelous permanent collection. They also have interesting temporary exhibitions that you can purchase a ticket to. There’s a nice cafe and a gorgeous courtyard to enjoy if the rain stops for a second. Then, pop over to the Grand Palais, another exhibition space with gorgeous architecture.  

Noon – 1:30 PM – Grab lunch at Enni Udon (perfect to warm up on a rainy day) or go for a classic brasserie meal at Chez André with red leather banquettes, brass fixtures, and pretty much every traditional French dish you can think of.

1:30 – 3:00 PM – If you’re still in the Champs Elysées area, La Galerie Dior is right next door on Avenue Montaigne. It’s a museum dedicated to the history of the fashion house, but book tickets in ahead of time because it sells out weeks in advance.

Or if you’d prefer a change of scenery, hop on the Metro to Palais Garnier for a guided tour of the Paris Opera House to soak in the gorgeous interior. 

Book a visit to Opera Garnier here

If neither of those calls to you, other small museums for a rainy day in Paris are: Musée Picasso (the Marais, reasonably sized, never as packed as the big museums), Musée Carnavalet (free, also in the Marais, covers the entire history of Paris), or Musée Rodin (though this one is better if the weather clears up so you can enjoy the sculpture garden).

3:00 – 5:00 PM – Paris has a handful of 19th-century covered passages that are glass-roofed shopping arcades and basically weatherproof streets. They’re all within walking distance of the Opera area, so if you were at Palais Garnier and have an umbrella, this is a great next stop.

Start at Passage Verdeau and then into Passage Jouffroy (old bookshops, a wax museum, and a vintage cane shop). After you’ll come to Passage des Panoramas (full of small bistros and stamp dealers), and finally, Galerie Vivienne, my personal favorite. Don’t miss the print shop on the Louvre side. You can hit all four in about an hour without rushing, or longer if you actually go into the shops, stop for a coffee, or have a goûter (the French afternoon snack).

If you’d rather do proper shopping, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps are both right by the Opera and connected by covered walkways, so you won’t get soaked getting between them. Galeries Lafayette has the famous stained glass dome, worth seeing even if you don’t buy anything. The rooftop terrace is free and has a decent view of the city, rain or shine.

5:00 – 7:30 PM – After romping around the rainy city all day, by this time you’ll have earned a drink. Book a wine tasting to have a little apero (aperitif hour) before dinner. Besides finally pulling back the curtain on French wine (or learning more if you’re already an aficionado), you can also add on cheese, meats, and other local goodies while staying warm and dry. 

7:30 PM – Late – Take your new drinking knowledge to the nearest wine bar for dinner and a bottle of France’s finest. There’s no better way to end a rainy day in Paris than somewhere cozy with good food. Some of my favorites are L’Orillon, Paloma, Les Vins du Matin, and Frenchie Bar à Vins, all serving up modern French small plates and wine.

Practical Information

If you want to take the metro, Lines 1, 9, and 13 all serve the Champs-Élysées area, where you’ll start your morning. Get off at stops:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt or Champs-Élysées Clemenceau for the Petit Palais and Grand Palais (& lunch options)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt or Alma-Marceau for La Galerie Dior on Avenue Montaigne
• Opéra (Lines 3, 7, 8) for Palais Garnier, the covered passages, Galeries Lafayette, and Printemps, all within easy walking distance of each other 
• Bonne Nouvelle or Grands Boulevards (Lines 8, 9) to enter the covered passages from the other end if you prefer

For the wine tasting and dinner, locations vary by where you book, but most of the wine bars listed are in the 10th and 11th arrondissements, take Line 5 to Oberkampf or Goncourt, or Line 8 to Filles du Calvaire.

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