Two of my top four favorite movies are set in Paris: Ratatouille and Midnight in Paris. When I was 16, I was so obsessed with Paris that it was the theme of my bedroom. When my family went on a trip to Turkey, my parents surprised me with a stop in Paris (and were disappointed when it turned out that my French lessons at school hadn’t translated into me being able to navigate us around with ease).
I’ve been wanting to go back to the city of lights ever since, and this year I was so grateful to spend 4 days in this romantic city with my husband (16 year old Alyssa would die). Here’s everything we did, ate, and saw, and a few tips if you’re planning your own trip.
If you’re interested in other destinations, check out my guides to
- A Cultural Guide to Tokyo, Hakone, & Kyoto
- Italy: Solo Female Itinerary: Rome, Venice, Trieste and An Art Lover’s Guide to Italy: Florence and Rome)
- A Museum Lover’s Guide to Amsterdam
- A Romantic Guide to Lisbon & The Algarve
- A History Lover’s Guide to London
Day One – Travel & The Latin Quarter
We stayed at Hôtel Les Dames du Panthéon and loved it. The location was excellent (our room literally looked directly at the Pantheon) and the staff was helpful and welcoming.
We strolled over to the Luxembourg Gardens and admired the Medici Fountain and all of the flowers in bloom. We sat down at Mademoiselle Angelina and I got my first pain au chocolate of the trip and the absolutely decadent “L’Africain” hot chocolate.
We got dinner at La Petite Périgourdine (I had chicken, Joe had duck, and we both loved it) and then walked around the Latin Quarter where Gil in Midnight in Paris gets lost and picked up by the time traveling car. We even visited the exact steps he sits on in the movie!
Day Two – The 7th & Museums
This day started with one of my favorite activities we do each trip – a photo shoot! I love getting to meet someone who lives in the city, to explore an area with a local guide, and to get beautiful pictures to look back on. For me, it takes the pressure off trying to get perfect shots while we’re exploring on our own because I know we already got a great record of the trip.
I always book through Airbnb and we had a great experience with Deyan!
We explored the base of the Eiffel Tower, picked up a baguette and fruit on Rue Cler, and then crossed the Pont Alexandre III bridge to go to the Musée de l’Orangerie. Seeing Monet’s Waterlilies in person was overwhelming in the best possible way, and I really enjoyed the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection overall.
Next was a walk through the Tuileries Garden and we admired the Louvre from the outside. We went to the Musée d’Orsay for their evening hours. In retrospect, I wish that we had reworked our itinerary to go right when they opened because it was uncomfortably crowded when we were there. If you know me, you know I really like to be one on one with art!
We had dinner at Le Caveau du Palais and I got the most delicious apple tart for dessert.
Day Three – Le Marais & The Islands
The next morning we started our day with the first timed ticket to Sainte-Chapelle and then we visited Notre Dame without a timed ticket. It worked really well for us and we didn’t have long to wait.
We walked over to Église Saint-Gervais and then found a cafe tucked away in the back called Minicafé Rue des Barres where we got a filling breakfast of yogurt with a basil sauce – so different and so good!
We then made our way to the Victor Hugo House and Place des Vosges. I loved the (free!) Victor Hugo House because of its manageable size focus on how decor reflected the author’s life. We also went to the Carnavalet Museum, which I now recommend skipping.
That evening we went on a Seine river cruise through Vedettes du Pont Neuf and had a great experience! We’re both happiest on the water.
That evening we had my favorite meal in Paris at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. It is a steakhouse where you just sit down and they bring you food. The only thing you get to order is your drink and dessert. It was so delicious and I loved that we had Parisians sitting on either side of us. We were served salad, steak frites with some kind of sauce, and we got chocolate relais for dessert (thanks to the French couple next to us who helped us order what they got!).
We were lucky that we barely had to wait, but be prepared for a line as they don’t take reservations.
Day Four – Imperial Paris
We started our last day with the first timed ticket to visit Les Invalides. This was a big hit for Joe, who enjoys military history, and there is nothing like Napoleonic grandeur.
Our next stop was the highlight of the trip for me – Musée Rodin. I’ve never been all that enthralled with sculpture, but seeing Rodin’s home and gardens filled with his creations was impactful. It was particularly meaningful to know that I was seeing his vision, since many artists are only recognized after they are dead. Rodin was lauded during his lifetime for his talent and he was able to design the museum and gardens to his specifications. I could have stayed here for hours.
We went to Café Varenne, then on to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe (with a timed ticket to skip the line). The views from the Arc are magnificent and you get to see so much of the city. We went to the Petit Palais next, but I recommend skipping this one. While beautiful, the art felt second-rate compared to the other museums we visited (which feels crazy to say, since they have a Monet, a Rembrandt…but truly, you don’t need to spend your limited time here).
Our last meal was at Restaurant Le Coupe-Chou and I loved it! I got a pork and berry dish that was perfectly savory and sweet. It was a great way to end the trip!
Tips
Transportation – We used the metro and transit to/from the airports with ease. We got a physical card when we first arrived and then topped it up as needed via the île-de-france-mobilités app.
Jet lag – We took a nap each afternoon that both helped us deal with the jet lag and made sure we were rested so we could make it through the late, multi-hour dinners.
Timed tickets – It can be hard to predict exactly when you’ll be able to make it to each activity, but having timed tickets saves you from standing in long lines. I try to use the rule of thumb of one-two activities in the morning and one in the afternoon to give a good amount of buffer room.
Have you visited Paris? What are your favorite locations?
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