One Week in Paris: My 7-Day Itinerary for First-Timers

Planning one week in Paris and not sure how to fit it all in without spending half your trip on the metro?

Look, I’ve been to Paris an ungodly amount of times, and I figure it’s time to throw my hat in the ring when it comes to itineraries. I’ve stayed near the Moulin Rouge, in the 8th, near La Défense, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, in Montmartre, in the 6th, and most recently in a little house with a garden in Villeneuve-la-Garenne with our dog. I’ve done Paris for a Taylor Swift concert, with my in-laws, solo, and on a budget.

This 7-day Paris itinerary takes the best of all those trips and plans each day by neighborhood, so you aren’t hopping around the city like a madwoman. Here’s the week at a glance:

Why I Plan Paris by Neighborhood

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, and every street sign tells you which one you’re in. Planning each day around one or two neighborhoods is the single best thing you can do for a first trip. You’ll walk more, ride less, and actually see the city instead of the inside of a metro car.

On one trip, my mother-in-law wanted to tack the covered passages in the 2nd onto an already full day across town. We walked there after hours of sightseeing, the city was in chaos from the pope’s visit, and it was not smart. Learn from us and keep each day in one part of the city.

Map of My One Week in Paris Itinerary

Every stop in this itinerary is on the map below, color-coded by day, along with the two hotels I’ve stayed at. Tap any pin for the details, or open the map in Google Maps to save it to your phone before your trip.

Day 1 · 18th Arrondissement

Day 1: Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur

Morning: Arrive and Settle In

Paris has two main airports, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly, and both take a while to reach the city. Budget at least an hour from landing to your hotel, and more at rush hour. Here’s how we’ve done it.

From Charles de Gaulle (Flights From the States)

Most flights from the United States land at CDG, northeast of the city. You have three main options:

• Train: The RER B runs from the airport into central Paris. The Paris airport ticket costs €14 one way, and you load it onto a Navigo Easy card (€2) or the Paris transport app.
• Taxi: Official taxis charge a flat fare of €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank.
• Private transfer: After an overnight flight, Welcome Pickups is the easiest option. A driver meets you at arrivals with your name on a sign.

From Orly (Flights From Europe)

Many flights from within Europe land at Orly, south of the city. We flew easyJet from Venice into Orly, and it was an easy start to the trip.

• Metro: Metro Line 14 now runs straight from Orly into central Paris, and the same €14 Paris airport ticket covers it.
• Taxi: Flat fares are €36 to the Left Bank and €45 to the Right Bank.
• Private transfer: Welcome Pickups covers Orly too.

Driving to Paris and Driving in Paris

We’ve also driven to Paris from Mons, with a stop in Compiègne along the way. Traffic in Paris is brutal, so keep that in mind if you’re driving in. On our September trip, we parked underneath the Louvre for the afternoon, and later my husband found a parking garage near our apartment while the rest of us picked up groceries. Book or research parking before you arrive, and plan to leave the car parked once you’re in the city.

Once you’ve made it into the city, check in or drop your bags at your hotel.

Where to Stay for One Week in Paris

My two favorite areas are Montmartre and the 6th arrondissement. The vibes are just the best. Montmartre is one of the busiest parts of Paris, packed with artists and the history of the poets and painters who lived there, plus the story of the Moulin Rouge. The 6th puts you on the Left Bank within walking distance of Saint-Germain, the Latin Quarter and the Seine. I’ve stayed at Hôtel Dalila in Montmartre and Hotel Saint Paul Rive Gauche in the 6th.

If you’re traveling with family or friends, an apartment gives you more space for the money. These are the three we’ve rented in and around Paris:

• Montmartre: A “luxury” apartment near the Moulin Rouge, where we stayed with my husband’s mom, her sister, and her fiancé in September 2026. It was what we could find at a decent price point for a group, and it put us right in the neighborhood for pastries, our walking tour, and dinners around the corner.
• Neuilly-sur-Seine: A small, kitschy little place just west of the city, where my husband, my friend Maggie, and I stayed in May 2024 for the Taylor Swift concert. It’s close to the park around the Fondation Louis Vuitton and an easy ride to the Arc de Triomphe.
• Villeneuve-la-Garenne: A small house with a garden just north of Paris, where we stayed in October 2026 with our dog and my husband’s cousin. It was last-minute and budget-friendly, but getting into the city by Bolt or metro took time every day.

If you’re on a budget, Villeneuve-la-Garenne, just north of the city, works, but you’ll commute a lot. You can also compare Paris hotels on Booking.com or Hotels.com.

Getting Around Paris for a Week

I buy a Navigo Easy card and load it up for the trip. The metro is easy to navigate. Pull up Google Maps for the line, then double-check it against the map in the station before you board. Match the two up and you’ll be fine. For more on metro etiquette, read my Paris travel tips for first-timers.

Then go find breakfast. In Montmartre, the brioche and croissants at Boulangerie Pâtisserie des Dames were so good.

Midday: Walk Montmartre With a Guide

Montmartre is best on foot with someone who knows its stories. On our September trip I was in charge of planning, and I booked a free Montmartre walking tour. It was quite good.

If you’d rather eat your way up the hill, I loved the Montmartre food and walking tour I took with my friend Maggie. We learned where to find the best food in Montmartre and saw Emily in Paris and Amélie filming locations, plus the most photographed spot of all, La Maison Rose. If food tours are your thing, I also wrote about the food tours I took in Venice and the 10 Tastes of Amsterdam food tour.

Alternative: If a walking tour isn’t something you want to do, grab lunch at La Bohème Montmartre, then finish the climb to Sacré-Cœur for the view over the city. Go peruse the artists in Place du Tertre, the square outside the restaurant, and maybe stop to get your portrait done there.

Evening: A Neighborhood Dinner

Stay close to home on your first night. We walked around the corner from our apartment to a bistro called Les Quidams.

On another night we ate at La Cuisine des Marchands de Vins, where the menu changes. Make reservations if you know you want to eat somewhere specific in Paris.

Day 2 · 1st and 9th Arrondissements

Day 2: The Louvre, Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Opéra Garnier

Morning: The Louvre

The days of walking down into the Louvre and buying a ticket on the spot are over. Book a timed ticket on the official Louvre website. On our September trip we tried to pop in on the way to our apartment and couldn’t, so we bought tickets online for the next day. You want to do this. The Louvre has so much to see, so pick a few rooms instead of trying to see it all.

For lunch, Café Marly overlooks the Louvre courtyard. We didn’t have reservations, and they seated us right away. I had a BLT, and the food is actually quite good. I know people think it’s a tourist trap, but I kind of like it.

Afternoon: My Favorite Museum in Paris

Next door, in the same building complex, is the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, by far my favorite museum in Paris. I have my AA in fashion merchandising and design, and the younger version of me got so excited by the exhibit on clothing preservation. Some of the outfits on display will give you goosebumps.

The museum rotates its exhibitions. I caught La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress from Tradition to Modernity right before it closed on November 1, 2026, and it was something else. Stop by the gift shop on your way out.

Check out what I did on my solo day in paris:

Late Afternoon: The Opéra Garnier

Walk up to the Opéra Garnier and give it about two hours. It’s easy to get lost here. Tripods aren’t allowed, so don’t plan a photo shoot, and please respect the space. The stage is scheduled to close for a long renovation starting in 2027, though visitor areas are expected to stay open, so check before you go. Sephora is right across the street if you need a few makeup items.

I did this route on my solo day in Paris, with a perfume class first. Read my solo day in Paris and my Galimard perfume workshop review if you want to add it.

Evening: A Paris Cocktail Bar Tour

To close out the night, my friend Maggie and I did this Paris cocktail bar tour, and it was a great tour. I would never have found these great bars in Paris on my own. My favorite stops were the Mobster Bar and La Mezcaleria, two must-visit bars in Paris if you love a good cocktail. There’s a lot of walking, so wear comfy shoes.

Day 3 · 4th, 5th and 6th Arrondissements

Day 3: Notre-Dame, the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain

Morning: Notre-Dame Cathedral

I was especially excited to see Notre-Dame after it reopened, and we did a slow walk through it. I loved that they displayed the outfit the pope wore on his most recent visit to Paris.

Entry is free, but reserve a time slot on the Notre-Dame website before you come. Slots open only a couple of days in advance, and visitors without a reservation aren’t guaranteed entry. If you’d rather not deal with it, guided Notre-Dame tours include entry.

Midday: Left Bank Bookshops and a Croissant

Walk across the river to Shakespeare and Company, where I always pick up more books. It has gotten so incredibly popular that the line only gets longer, so go early. The Abbey Bookshop nearby is quieter. Then wander the streets to Le Corner Saint-Germain for a small croissant.

Afternoon: Ancient Roman Baths at Cluny

Right across the street, the Thermes de Cluny are the remains of ancient Roman baths, now part of the Musée de Cluny. It’s a fascinating hour if you love history.

Want to see the city from the water? We took the Batobus from the Notre-Dame stop. It’s a hop-on, hop-off river shuttle, not the open-top cruise you usually see. For a classic sightseeing cruise, book a Bateaux Parisiens Seine cruise.

Want a guide for part of your week? Compare Paris tours and experiences here:

Evening: Drinks and Dinner in the 6th

This is my favorite part of Paris for an evening. We had drinks at Galway Irish Pub, then dinner at Brasserie des Arts, a quiet little place in the 6th. I had a steak, someone had snails, and someone had tartare. Café de Flore is another classic, where I had steak with salad and a glass of white wine.

Day 4 · 7th Arrondissement

Day 4: Les Invalides and the Eiffel Tower

Morning: Walk to Les Invalides

If it’s your first time in Paris, don’t be intimidated by the metro. It’s the easiest way to cover ground, and Les Invalides has its own stop: Invalides, on Lines 8 and 13 and the RER C. Once you’re in the neighborhood, put the map away and walk. The French call it being a flâneur, wandering the city with no rush. It’s the best way to get a feel for Paris.

Les Invalides deserves at least two to three hours if this is your type of museum. A ticket costs about €17 and includes Napoleon’s tomb, the Musée de l’Armée, and the Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération, which tells the story of the French Resistance. Napoleon’s tomb is worth seeing.

Afternoon: The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a walk from Les Invalides. Buy tickets ahead of time on the official Eiffel Tower website, even skip-the-line tickets, for quicker access. We bought tickets on site, and the line to get into the park around the tower ate up most of our time. Everyone goes through a security check with bag screening before the cash desk and elevators

Watch the weather. On one visit the summit was fogged out, and on another we could only reach the second floor because the top was restricted during the pope’s visit. It’s a madhouse in high season, and even in late October. Paris is always busy.

Evening: Dinner at Les Cocottes

I found Les Cocottes on Paris Eater’s guide to restaurants near the Eiffel Tower, and it’s an easy 8 minute walk over for dinner. I had a glass of Languedoc-Roussillon and the filet de boeuf with butter and fries, and we split the house chocolate pie, which was divine.

Day 5 · Versailles

Day 5: Day Trip to Versailles

Versailles is the one-day trip I’ve taken from Paris, and it fits neatly into a week. The palace sits just outside the city and deserves a full morning. If you have more time in France after Paris, my 3-day Bordeaux itinerary and Menton travel guide are good next stops.

Morning: Getting to Versailles

We took the RER C from central Paris to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, and our tour met right across the street from the station. A single ticket costs €2.50, and the palace is a short walk from there. If you book the tour I recommend below, you’ll do the same thing, so give yourself plenty of time for the train.

Midday: A Guided Tour of the Palace

We took the Versailles Palace Guided Tour with Reserved Entry. A guide walks you through the palace and its history, and reserved entry means you aren’t starting your visit in the general ticket line.

The Hall of Mirrors, my gosh. What beauty that is. The unfortunate thing about Versailles is how packed it gets. It was shoulder to shoulder when we went, so keep your bag zipped and in front of you, and be patient if you want a photo in the Hall of Mirrors.

Afternoon: The Gardens, If You Have Time

We stuck to the palace on our tour and didn’t visit the gardens or Marie Antoinette’s estate. If you’d like to see them, plan extra time, since the grounds are huge. Several tours bundle palace and garden access together. Compare your options here:

Evening: Dinner, Wine Bars and Late-Night Jazz

Back in Paris, we had dinner at Restaurant Willette Café Troquet, then went on to wine bars. La Curieuse Compagnie was really good, and I fell for their Bonnet-Coton-Ygueule, a Vin de France.

We finished the night at Le Caveau de la Huchette, a jazz club in the Latin Quarter. We were there until 4 a.m., and it was so much fun.

Day 6 · 14th and 7th Arrondissements

Day 6: The Catacombs, the Resistance Museum and the Musée d’Orsay

Morning: The Paris Catacombs

My first visit to the Catacombs was ten years ago, and it’s so much better now. The headsets turn on as soon as you enter and tell the Catacombs’ story as you walk. Last time, there was nothing like that. Tickets are €31 for adults and include the audio guide, and online booking is strongly recommended.

Midday: The Musée de la Libération de Paris

The Catacombs exit is close to the Musée de la Libération de Paris, so we went straight there. I think this museum belongs on everyone’s list. It made me reflect on our relationship with our allies. The ending has a beautiful dress a woman made to celebrate the victory, and I loved that.

Afternoon: The Musée d’Orsay

Head to the Musée d’Orsay for the afternoon. We bought tickets on the spot with hardly a wait and spent about two hours there.

Evening: Saint-Germain

The Orsay is a short walk from Saint-Germain, so end the day back in the 6th for dinner and a slow walk home.

Day 7 · 10th, 3rd and 4th Arrondissements

Day 7: Canal Saint-Martin and Le Marais

Morning: Check Out and Store Your Bags

On our last day in Paris in 2024, we dropped our bags in storage before heading out so we could enjoy the day hands-free. Radical Storage has drop-off points all over Paris.

Midday: Canal Saint-Martin

Walk along the Canal Saint-Martin and stop at Artazart, a bright red bookshop and design gallery on the water. Then have lunch at La Marine. And yes, I had a steak. The service was spectacular, and the food was so good. I highly recommend it.

Evening: Head to the Airport

Pick up your bags and book a Welcome Pickups transfer back to CDG or Orly, so you aren’t hauling a suitcase through the metro at rush hour.

What to Pack for One Week in Paris

• Shoes you can walk in all day. I switch between New Balance sneakers and a comfortable pair of boots.
• A crossbody bag that zips closed, like my Baggallini RFID crossbody.
• An umbrella, because Paris rain shows up when you least expect it.
• A Navigo Easy card, which you can buy at any metro station when you arrive.

For what to wear and what not to wear in Paris, see my Paris travel tips.

One Week in Paris FAQ

Is one week in Paris too long?

No. A week lets you see the big sights, take a day trip to Versailles and still have time to wander. I’ve been to Paris many times and still haven’t run out of things to do.

Do I need to book the Louvre in advance?

Yes. Buying tickets on the spot is no longer a reliable option, so book online before you go.

Is the Navigo Easy card worth it for a week?

Yes. Load it up when you arrive and tap through the metro all week instead of buying single tickets.

Where should I stay for one week in Paris?

Montmartre or the 6th arrondissement. If you’re on a budget, staying just outside the city works, but plan for a longer commute every day.

Is Paris busy in the fall?

Yes. Paris is always busy, even in late October, so book the big sights ahead no matter when you go.

Why One Week in Paris Is Worth It

One week in Paris gives you time to do the city properly: the big museums, a day trip, long dinners and slow walks between neighborhoods. Plan each day by arrondissement, book the big sights ahead, and leave room to wander. That’s how a week in Paris stays fun instead of exhausting.

Research and Sources

• My own trips to Paris, including stays in Montmartre, the 6th, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Villeneuve-la-Garenne
• Catacombes de Paris: tickets and audio guide
• Opéra de Paris: Palais Garnier visits
• Sortir à Paris: Palais Garnier renovation timeline
• Musée de l’Armée: Les Invalides