Exploring Paris in 3 days means packing your itinerary with some top sights to see and top places to eat. Paris always conjures up images of stunning architecture, rich and buttery dishes, and postcard-worthy photo spots at every turn. For your Paris 3 day itinerary, I definitely recommend seeing some highlights like the Louvre museum and enjoying some classic French dishes.
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Essentials
Language: French.
Currency: EURO (€)
Voltage: 230 V. See my post on Essential Items to Pack in your Carry-on for tips on what plug adapters to buy.
Major Train Stations: There are 6 major train stations in Paris. They all go to different parts of France and the rest of Europe.
Major Airport: Charles de Gaulle or Orly. Charles de Gaulle might be slightly farther from downtown Paris, but it all depends where you’re flying in from.
Getting There
The 2 major airports in Paris are Charless de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly. They’re both about the same distance from Paris city centre, so which one you fly into might depend on where you’re coming from.
There are baggage depots at the train stations if you’re exploring Paris for a few hours. The English translation on the signs inside the station could be a bit misleading. The signs might say left luggage or even lost luggage but that’s usually also where you can store your luggage for the day. And watch out for pickpockets! Pickpockets rarely work alone, so keep your bags in sight and stay vigilant.
Buy tours with Viator to explore Paris with local guides. A good, curated tour saves you the hassle of commuting and planning. Check out my list of curated Viator tours to Paris, France.
Where to Stay
Hotel de L’Abbaye (Saint Germain)
Website: https://www.hotelabbayeparis.com/fr/salon-et-terrasse
This is a charming boutique hotel with a gorgeous greenhouse dining room. It’s in the 6th arrondissement and close to major transportation and bakeries. The room service is impeccable and they give you little surprises every night (like chocolates or face cream) when they make up your room. The rooms are elegant and the hotel is located on a quiet street. It’s a perfect hotel for a good night’s sleep after you’ve been out exploring for the day.
What to See and Do
Make sure to visit some top sights in your Paris 3 day itinerary. Buy a skip-the-line tour for major museums (like the Louvre) if you’re only in Paris for a short time. A good guided tour lets you skip the line and gives you a great intro about the place you’re touring. I highly recommend this if your schedule is tight.
Admire The Louvre Museum
The Louvre is a sanctuary for relics from all over the world. Buy a tour to skip the line or you might end up spending hours in line, a definite waste of time if you’re only exploring Paris in 3 days. There are free lockers for storage inside the Louvre. Make sure to hang up any umbrellas and avoid using selfie sticks. The museum has strict rules to prevent any destruction to its precious collection, so please follow the rules.
Remember that the pyramid entrance is not the museum. You need a ticket to actually enter the wings and do not exit or take short cuts through the pyramid! Many people think the pyramid entrance is a shortcut to get to the other wings—and it is! But you’ll need a new ticket to re-enter the wings because your ticket is good for a single entrance only. Only traverse through the museum through the wings and don’t go back to the pyramid unless you’re sure you want to exit the museum.
The top artworks you must see when you’re there are The Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace (or Nike) on the Grand Staircase, Hermaphrodite, and the gargantuan masterpiece The Coronation of Napoleon.
See Can Can Dancing at Le Moulin Rouge
And no, it’s not a high-end strip show. The Moulin Rouge has stunning dancers in crazy costumes and there is nothing erotic about the semi-nudity involved. The show itself is mediocre, but it’s also an absolute spectacle because of the costumes, the nonsensical storyline, and the outrageous set decorations. The dancing, singing, and acrobatic acts do make it a fun 90 minutes, however.
Tickets cost 200 EUROs per person as of October 2024. It’s a basic ticket that gets you either a bottle of champagne or wine (or a non-alcoholic drink if you want). Book in advance online if you’re serious about attending. I say it’s a fun event for first-timers to Paris, but not necessary.
Hike up to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre
There is a funicular at the bottom of the steps leading up the Sacré-Coeur Basilica that you can ride up in to avoid hiking up all the steps. This church was built as a repentance to all the chaos that was happening in, and to, France during the 1870s (the French lost the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune was just quashed). There is a great view of Paris from the stairs leading to the church. Also, the Montmartre neighbourhood is super charming and adorable. Take some time to relax in a café after your hike.
Where to Eat
Your 3 day trip to Paris must involve trying some delectable, classic French dishes. Ask for une carafe when you’re in a restaurant and you’ll be served a jar of tap water for free. Say anything else and you’ll be charged for a bottle of still or sparkling water for €7 or more. Yes, it’s a lot of money, so make sure to ask for une carafe!
Quartier Lorette
Website: https://www.quartierlorette.com/
Style: Casual bistro dining.
Price range (as of October 2024): Between €10 to €30.
We passed by this bistro on our way to Sacré-Coeur and we’re so glad we stumbled into it for lunch. We had croque madame and croque monsieur here and it was a dream come true to finally try it. Both croques have béchamel sauce, grilled cheese, and ham but a croque madame comes with a fried egg on top too. Make sure to order a glass of Chardonnay with some Saint Marcellin, Comté 6 mois (aged 6 months), and Saint Nectar fermier cheeses.
Bouillon Julien
Website: https://www.bouillon-julien.com/
Style: Casual dining and cheap dining inside an art nouveau building.
Price range (as of October 2024): Between €5 and €15. An insanely cheap and delicious joint. Their motto is [at the Bouillon Julien] everything is beautiful, delicious, and of great value.
Bouillon Julien is where quality meets affordable luxury. A Monsieur Louis-Pierre Duval, a butcher by trade, wanted to serve good, simple, hearty meals for the people in his neighbourhood. Years later in 1906, the idea to serve hearty, good food at affordable prices and in a beautifully decorated place was taken up by Edouard Fournier who opened up Bouillon Julien. Eating here is like dining in an art museum with Alphonse Mucha-inspired paintings, stained glass ceilings, and large, shiny mirrors. It’s a veritable testament to art nouveau.
Try the rabbit terrine for appetizer and calf’s head (veal cheek) for your entrée. There’s also classic steak frites and creme brûlée for dessert. You MUST book in advance for a seat and walk up to the host if you see a large line up. Make sure to tell them you have a reservation so you can skip the line up (which will inevitably be there).
Bistro La Ferme du Pré
Website: https://leprecatelan.paris/bistrot-la-ferme-du-pre
Style: Elegant bistro dining with hearty, but refined, French classics.
Prices (as of October 2024): About €20 to €30 per dish.
Chef Frédéric Anton finally fulfilled his dream of opening up a bistro. Bistro la Ferme du Pré serves refined, bistro French food where the chef has found a happy balance between upscale and hearty. I personally liked the terrine de campagne, ris de veau (sweetbreads) with mushrooms and Madeira sauce, and the baba al rhum for dessert. My partner had the steak frites and devilled eggs with pulled chicken which were all delicious choices.
The setting is whimsy with copper pots hanging on the walls, framed silver lids, and hunting-lodge style chandeliers. You should definitely take a taxi to get here because the metro can be a bit confusing. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a balance between sumptuous and cozy dining that’s outside of downtown Paris.
Bar de la Croix Rouge and Poilâne Bakery
Neighbourhood: In St Germain.
Prices (as of October 2024): Between €15 to €20 for tartines.
This little bar serves tartines which are open-faced sandwiches. Try their salmon on toast or the roast beef with mayo. They are sublime. And you must get a glass of chilled beer with it. The bread is served with Poilâne bread (a legendary bakery in Paris). Poilâne is around the corner from Bar de la Croix Rouge and worth a visit if you want some fresh bread for breakfast. I highly suggest visiting Poilâne if you want some fresh, French bread.
Le Train Bleu (at the Paris Gare de Lyon Train Station)
Website: https://www.le-train-bleu.com/en/
Style: Fine-dining in a majestic setting.
Prices (as of October 2024): Breakfast is between €5 to €20 and lunch and dinner prices can range between €30 to over €150 depending on what you’re ordering of course. Check out their prix fixe menus for some more options.
Le Train Bleu was created for the 1900 Paris Exhibition when visitors came flocking to Paris via the Gare de Lyon. Enjoy breakfast crepes here or an omelette with a side of mushrooms while sitting under Renaissance-style frescoes. You can walk right in from the high-speed rail with your baggage and it won’t be a problem. Take a look at their prix fixe menus which range from decadent to quite affordable. Definitely make a reservation on their website if you know for sure you want to have lunch or dinner there.
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