How to See Paris in a Day: A 24-Hour Itinerary

Bonjour

If this is your first time on The Weithouse - welcome! My name is Taylor and I’m the face behind the screen and camera bringing you resources to help you plan the trip of your dreams.

In January of 2022, my husband and I left our home in Atlanta, packed our bags and moved to Paris! Every day we wake up in disbelief that we get to call this incredible city our home, a city full of rich history, world-renowned food, and beauty hidden around every corner.

In my past life, I would have never supported only spending 24 hours in a city. However, after living in Paris for an extended period of time, I now fully support the notion to come see any piece of this amazing city that your agenda offers you.

In this 24 Hours in Paris Travel Guide, I’ll walk you through a real-life example of the day I planned for a friend when she only had 24 hours in Paris. You can then modify this itinerary based on your personal preferences, but it should be a good starting point if you feel overwhelmed on how to spend a day in Paris.

is it worth visiting paris for one day?

It is absolutely worth visiting Paris, even if you only have one day. During your 24-hours in Paris, you might not have the chance to experience everything that Paris has to offer, but truth be told, I’ve yet to see all of Paris after living here for over two years. The longer I’m in Paris, the more I’m convinced that Paris can never be fully seen.

As is the case, my advice is that you should use any amount of time offered to you in Paris, even if you only have 24-hours to discover the city of lights.

During your day in Paris you will get to see it in a moment in time that it will never be in again. So if the choice is between whether you should spend the day at your airport hotel or hop on the metro to explore the city, do the latter. Paris is waiting for you.

a first-timers approach to Paris

The remainder of this Paris in One Day Travel Guide is written and advised from the viewpoint that this is your first time in Paris.

If you’ve been to Paris previously, then odds are you already know the things that you want to do, or you can check out a robust list of places to explore in this post.

If you haven’t been to Paris, then you’re probably feeling crippled at trying to figure out how in the world you’re going to see Paris in a day. If this is you, the remainder of this guide will put you at ease.

the paris in one day travel guide

There are of course a million and one ways you could spend 24 hours in Paris, and the below will not encompass each and every way to do so. However, the steps to spend one day in Paris listed below will allow you to see a massive chunk of the city in your very limited amount of time and are all quintessentially Parisian.

BEgin your day in Paris at a Cafe

Whether you arrive for your day in Paris by breakfast or by lunch, you’re going to want to have fuel for your day ahead. If you just got off the plane, you will need coffee and non-plane nutrients. If you came in on a train, the same.

In order to make the most of your 24 hours in Paris, start by dropping off your bags at your Parisian hotel, (or lugging them with you if it’s too early to check-in) and head to have a Petit-Dejeuner (breakfast) or Dejeuner (lunch).

Eating like the French is just as, if not more, impactful than seeing a famous Parisian landmark, so kick off your 24-hours in Paris by doing just that.

If ordering breakfast, get a coffee and croissant to drink and a quiche or croque madame/monsieur to eat. If ordering lunch, get foie gras, steak and frits, duck, French onion soup or steak tartare. Order a glass of French wine or Champagne. If the weather is nice, be sure to sit “en terrace.” Enjoy the view. People watch. Savor the food.

Here are a few of my favorite cafes (if you find yourself nearby):

• Les Deux Magots

• Les Deux Musées (near the Orsay museum)

• Café de Flore (order the cappuccino to get a coffee that says “Cafe de Flore”)

• Le Bonaparte (near Deux Magots)

• Café Varenne (in the 7ᵉ, near Musée Rodin)

Spend the afternoon in paris at the Louvre

After you’ve paid l’addition (the check), continue your one day in Paris itinerary by routing yourself to the Louvre. Walk if possible. Even if it seems far. So much of Paris can be found in the architecture and diversity of the neighborhoods, and you can really only experience the magic of the city by walking.

The Louvre might sound like an ambitious goal for your 24-hours in Paris itinerary, but it’s doable and worth visiting. If you know of your day in Paris in advance, be sure to pre-book a timeslot online. If your trip is last minute or unexpected, you do have the possibility of purchasing a ticket at the counter, depending on how busy the museum is that day.

Once inside, head straight to the Denon wing where you can find many famous works of art (Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace and Liberty Leading the People). If you need a little pick me up, off of the Denon wing is Cafe Mollien, which offers outdoor seating and beautiful views over the Louvre courtyard and pyramids below.

As you exit the Louvre, stop in at the Ladurée in the Louvre Carousel to grab a macaroon (my personal favorite is vanille).

Hours: The museum is open from 9:00AM to 6:00 PM Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 1 hour before closing and the clearing of rooms begins 30 minutes before closing.

• Public holidays: the Louvre is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. It remains open on all other public holidays unless they fall on a Tuesday, the museum’s day of closure.

• Tickets: a reserved time slot is needed prior to entrance, which you can purchase here and costs 17,00 € (under 18 admission is free with proof of ID). You can also purchase guided tours for an additional fee.

If you’d prefer a guided tour of the museum, you can book a skip-the-line guided tour (like the ones featured below) with Get Your Guide.

Walk to the louvre tuileries or palais royal

After your historical and artistic immersion in The Louvre, continue your 24-hours in Paris by heading to either the Louvre Tuileries or Palais Royal. The Louvre Tuileries and Palais Royal are both gardens of Paris, and are beautiful examples of public spaces enjoyed by both locals and tourists.

Each garden is a short walking distance from The Louvre itself and depending on the weather, are great spots to take a little rest after all the walking you will have likely done. If you choose Palais Royal, be sure to get your photograph on the famous Buren columns and grab coffee from a cute Parisian coffee shop like Cafe Kitsune or Laïzé Paris.

Spend the late Parisian afternoon in montmartre

Once you feel well rested and caffeinated, hop on the metro, taxi or walk and make your way to the highest point in Paris: Montmartre.

Montmartre is perched on top of a hill overlooking Paris in the 18th arrondissement, and is a wonderful area of Paris to visit, especially if you only have one day in the city. The hilltop village used to be entirely separate from Paris, and gives off an atmosphere that you can’t find in other parts of the city. The views from the top are also a must see during your 24 hours in Paris, and the mass of rooftops and chimneys and cathedrals sprawling out from below you will be a memory you treasure forever.

Begin your late afternoon in Montmartre by walking towards the main square, Place du Tertre, to see the famous Montmartre portrait artists drawing and painting in the streets. If you have time, you can even get your own portrait done, just be sure to have cash on hand to pay your artist!

From the square, head towards Sacré-Cœur, a cathedral set high and lovely overlooking Paris. It is free to enter the cathedral, and it’s a great way to admire the beauty of French cathedrals during your short 24-hour itinerary.

On the stairs in front of Sacré-Cœur you will get the amazing vista of the city mentioned previously. From the stairs, you cannot see the Eiffel Tower, but walk past the dog park (to the right of Sacré-Cœur if facing the city) towards the iron gate and you’ll get the view.

Grab a traditional French meal for Dinner

Since you only have one day in Paris, it’s important to maximize every meal. I personally think the best type of restaurants in Paris are small, hole in the wall places run by a couple or small number of people, with a menu full of classic French dishes, wines and desserts.

You can find these restaurants throughout all of Paris, and Montmartre is no exception. In Montmartre some of my favorite small restaurants for traditional French foods are La Vache et Le Cuisinier (my favorite dish is the quail) or La Potager du Père Thierry. Both restaurants are really small on the inside and require reservations.

For a gastronomic eating experience, make a reservation at Signature Montmartre where you will enjoy a delicious meal of French-Korean cuisine or if your stomach can handle it, indulge in fondue at Le Refuge des Fondus.

End your 24 hours in paris with the eiffel tower

There’s no better way to end your 24-hours in Paris than by spending it with the iron lady. From Montmartre, take a taxi/uber to Trocadéro or to Champ de Mars where the route should take you around the Arc de Triompohe, meaning you get to experience the famous round-about from the car’s perspective!

Spend the remainder of your day in Paris enjoying the Eiffel Tower light up, sparkle on the hour or by climbing to the top. The last available time slot to head to the top of the Eiffel Tower is at 23:00 (11PM), so there’s definitely time in your one day Paris itinerary to squeeze it in. Just be sure to book tickets in advance in order to reserve your time slot. They sell out quickly, especially during peak months.

Another option once at Trocadéro is to take a river cruise in order to see Paris lit up from the river at night. The boarding point for the cruises is at the base of the Eiffel Tower and is another beautiful way to enjoy the beauty of both the Eiffel Tower and maximize seeing the most of Paris in your one day visiting. You can find a handful or various river cruises to book on Get Your Guide.

If you don’t plan to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower nor do a river cruise, enjoy sitting either on the Champ de Mars (the grass in front of the Eiffel Tower) or the view from Trocadéro (which sits across the river). Grab a bottle of French wine, Champagne, a baguette or French pastries and simply soak in the beauty and magic of Paris. The Eiffel Tower sparkles on the hour at night, and it sparkles for five-minutes.

paris in a day

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, there are a million and one ways to see Paris in a day. Nonetheless, I hope this guide began to give you an idea of how to spend your 24-hours in Paris.

If you want to build your own one-day Paris itinerary, I recommend reading our Complete Guide to Paris, which is a robust guide that includes all of the landmarks, restaurants, museums and neighborhoods of Paris. You can then pick and choose the things you would like to do from the guide and build out your own day.

Or check out our Paris landing page for all of our helpful Paris tips and tricks.

Au revoir (goodbye) & à bientôt (see you later),

Taylor

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Need help planning the rest of your trip?

If you’re exploring more of France, be sure to check out this South of France itinerary, check out our roundup of boutique hotels in Paris, read our quick guide to visiting Monet’s Home & Gardens, or learn what it’s like to live as an American expat in Paris.

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