I’m sharing my one week itinerary for Paris! In 2019, I found a cheap flight deal to Paris and booked it on the spur of the moment. It was my first time visiting the city. I stayed in Paris for one week, excited to finally check off this city from my travel list. I didn’t have as much time to research as I would’ve liked, but we still had plenty to do. Paris is a big city with a lot of history and a reputation for excellent Parisian patisseries (my personal interest in exploring). This post includes my itinerary for what to do in Paris, where to shop, what tourist sites are in Paris, and where to eat. 

Where I stayed in Paris

There are 20 arrondissements (districts) in Paris, each one with its own character. There are plenty of recommendations out there on which arrondissement is best. Google search for “where to stay in Paris” or “best place to stay in Paris” to see what appeals to you in looking for an area to stay in.

We stayed in an AirBNB by the 3rd arrondissement, also known as Le Marais. I picked this because the price of the AirBNB was within our budget, and it was close to the metro stop. The area had lots of local shops and restaurants. We felt safe walking around at all hours of the day and it was quiet at night. One morning we did a leisurely 30 minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral.

How I prepared to visit Paris

I went to Paris with only a carry-on. Check out My Travel Essentials Packing List for Any Trip, I use this to help pack my carry-on efficiently! When we went in March 2019, the weather was still chilly for us Texans. We packed a couple sweaters and one larger jacket to keep us warm while we walked around.

Do I need to know French to visit Paris?

I only know how to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ in French. I was nervous how we would be treated if we didn’t speak French, but after doing research I felt better knowing that we would be fine to get around with English.

When I travel to another country, I will download Google Translate app to my phone as a backup. The coolest feature is that Google Translate can help translate foreign text live, using your phone’s camera. I have used this to translate restaurant menus when an English menu wasn’t available. Download it just incase!

Book Paris excursions, tickets, or activities in advance

When I travel, I often see tourists waste their time by waiting in lines. If you want to visit a museum, visit an attraction, or do a day trip, look up if you can buy your ticket in advance to skip the line. The line for the Catacombs was 2 blocks long, but we skipped right to the front because we bought our tickets online weeks before. 

I bought ticket in advance for these activities:

• Louvre Museum
• Catacombs
• Croissant baking class
• Daytrip to Champagne region

How to get around in Paris

The public transportation in Paris makes it easy to get around without needing to rent a car. The subway system, or metro, is a quick and easy way to get around town. I use Google Maps to get walking directions, bus information, or metro stop information. It might take some practice learning how to read the metro directions, but you’ll figure it out with time! We mostly used the metro and walking to get around.

Look up the latest fees for the metro by Google searching “how much is a Paris metro ticket”. Last I checked in 2022, you could buy metro tickets at the ticket machines in the metro stations. They sell single tickets, and tickets in a book of 10. I bought tickets in books of 10, then purchased single tickets as I neared the end of the trip. They also offer weekly or monthly packages, but I prefer the flexibility of individual tickets. 

Order a pocket wi-fi for Paris

For most of my international trips, I will order a pocket wi-fi to carry with me at all times. This pocket wi-fi is just what it sounds like – it’s a small portable device that I can connect my phone to via bluetooth for the internet. I do this instead of an international data plan with my phone carrier because the cost of a pocket wi-fi is usually cheaper than a daily international cell phone rate. My husband and I can connect to 1 wi-fi device instead of paying for an international data plan for 2 phones.

Having access to wi-fi at all times helps ease the stress of trying to find free wi-fi or get phone signals. I can look up maps, directions, reviews to restaurants, and transportation information at any time. 

For Paris, I used Travel Wi-Fi and was able to pick up my device at the CDG airport tourist desk. 

My one week itinerary for Paris

Day 1 in Paris – Get situated

We landed in Paris in the morning around 9:00 am. We picked up our pocket wi-fi at the airport, pulled our euros at the airport ATM, and headed into town. Jet lagged, we walked around the city to stay awake and see the sights. 

How to get from CDG airport to Paris city center

We took the train from the Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) to the Paris city center. You could also take a bus or taxi but we preferred the train. Look for airport signage to see where the main train station in Terminal 3 is. The train runs every 10 to 20 minutes, making it a great option to take. Tickets can be purchased at the airport terminal and last I checked, they were 10€ one-way for adults. Use Google Maps to get train and metro directions from the airport to your lodging to see what transfer options you need to do.

Check into AirBNB

I wasn’t sure how much time it would take to get situated at the airport and the time it would take to get to our AirBNB. I looked up a coffee shop near the AirBNB for us to kill time if we got there before check-in time. Luckily, we arrived right at 12:00 pm!

Sightseeing

Okay, we tried really hard not to take a nap, and I don’t recommend taking one to better adapt to jetlag! Sometimes, you can’t fight it. We took a short nap and then headed into town. 

On the first day, we went to:

• Eat a sandwich at a nearby cafe
• Le Peloton Cafe for coffee
• Notre-Dame Cathedral, the cathedral is currently closed after Notre-Dame caught fire in 2019. 
• Eiffel Tower at sunset is a great time to catch the must-see light show on the tower. The Champ de Mars park is a good spot to see the tower and enjoy a picnic.

Day 2 in Paris – Explore the city

On our second day in Paris, we were so jetlagged! We slept in til 12:00 pm!! After finally leaving our little apartment, we ate pastries, saw some more sights, and visited a free greenhouse.

On day 2 in Paris, we went to:

• Utopie Bakery to try their croissants, eclairs, and pain au chocolat
• Walk down the Champs-Elysses, a beautiful street lined with shops 
• Walk towards the Arc de Triomphe, a famous Paris monument. You can pay to enter but we didn’t do this.
• Visit the Jardins de Trocadéro to get a different view of the Eiffel Tower during the day. You can pay to walk up the Eiffel Tower but we didn’t do this. If I go back, I’ll try this out!
• Visit the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil, a botanical garden with several garden houses and free entrance
• Auberge Pyrenees Cevennes for dinner, a French restaurant with an old tavern feel

Day 3 in Paris – The Louvre and Catacombs

For our third day in Paris, we had tickets booked to the Louvre first thing in the morning and tickets booked for the Catacombs in the afternoon. We drank lots of coffee to stay awake during the day and walked around to explore.

On day 3 in Paris, we went to:

• Louvre Museum first thing in the morning with tickets purchased in advance. After entering, go straight to see the Mona Lisa before the crowds come in. We walked around the massive museum for 2 hours.
• Walk around the area by the Louvre. We ended up in Little Tokyo! It was cold and rainy. We saw people lining up for a ramen shop to open and decided to try the ramen at Kotteri Ramen Naritake to warm us up.
• Senoble Famille Gourmands is a really cute patisserie with macarons.
• Jardin du Palais Royal is a beautiful garden. This is free to enter a great spot to relax.
• Visit the Catacomb. You must book your ticket online to visit! The Catacombs are a labyrinth of tunnels located deep below Paris. This was created as an underground cemetery and the walls are lined with human bones. It’s eerie and morbid but the history is fascinating. I thought this was an amazing experience.
• Zero Zero for an evening drink, a super small dive bar near the apartment
• Blend for dinner, a food spot with cool branding that serves a huge delicious burger

Day 4 in Paris – Day trip to the Champagne wine region

When I visit a place, I want to try their local specialities. For me, France is famous for their pastries and cheese, but also for their champagne. Since we had a week in Paris, I thought it would be a really cool experience to do a day trip to visit the Champagne wine region. I booked a tour through AirBNB Experiences that picked us up from Paris and drove us to the region to visit several champagne producers. We visited a small family Champagne producer and two larger Champagne producers, tasting several glasses of wine throughout the trip.

I highly recommend doing a day trip to the Champagne wine region from Paris if you have time! Previously, my only experience with champagne was cheap prosecco for mimosas. Visiting the real deal and getting a walkthrough of tasting true champagne is a unique experience that will help you appreciate this wine.

On day 4, went to the Champagne region 

• We booked our visit through an AirBNB Experience. The company we went with is called Wine Tours Paris and we had an excellent time with our certified sommelier!

Day 5 itinerary for Paris – Palace of Versailles

When researching things to do in Paris, Versailles came up as something to do. The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence with huge opulent golden gates and an expansive, amazing garden. The Palace of Versailles is similar to other royal residences in Europe if you’ve been able to visit, but the highlight of the palace is the Hall of Mirrors, garden, and Estate of Trianon (Marie-Antoinette’s Estate). Located outside of Paris, it makes for an easy day trip visit. It’s highly recommended to book your ticket in advance.

On day 5, we went to Versailles:

• Booked our “Passport tickets” in advance to visit the Palace of Versailles. It’s worth spending 2€ more for the Passport ticket which includes access to the garden grounds and Estate of Trianon, which was Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.
• Took the train to Versailles using the RER C train station, with the train destination being Versailles-Château. The journey is about a 30 minute train ride from the Paris city center.
• Entered the Palace of Versailles when it opened at 9:00 am. Viewed the Palace and Le Grande Trianon, basically my dream home, full of pink and teal accents. 
• Took a trolley to get around the gardens because they’re so expansive
• Left the palace to go to Marché Notre-Dame, an outdoor market with vendors
• Returned to Paris to take a nap
• BAPBAP, a small brewery with local craft beer by our apartment
• La Fine Mousse, a small bar full of people spilling out onto the streets

Day 6 itinerary for Paris – Croissant baking class

I love baking and cooking! I had the idea to take a croissant baking class in Paris. It’s been a dream to go to pastry school in France, maybe one day! I was able to find a class through an AirBNB Experience and booked our spots in advance. We made croissants and pain au chocolat. After class, we spent the day walking around to visit shops and try some food. 

On day 6 in Paris, we went to:

• A croissant baking class at 9:00 am, we were able to take home the croissants and pain au chocolat pastries we made
• Sainte-Chappelle, a gorgeous church full of tall glass stained windows. I personally think this church is more beautiful than Notre-Dame because of the stained glass.
• Walk around the Le Marais area to shop and eat. Some stores were were able to visit include:
  • Merci Merci, a curated store and coffee shop
  • Kilo Shop, a thrift store where your purchase is by the weight
  • Paper Tiger, a cute stationery shop 

Day 7 itinerary for Paris – Sunday markets

On our last day in Paris, we had an open day to decide what we wanted to do. We decided to walk around the area to browse the markets and get a panoramic view of Paris before we head back to Texas. The markets opening time and days vary, check to see if they’re open when you want to visit.

For our last day in Paris, we went to:

• Bastille Market, a large market full of fresh product and vendors
• Ble Sucre, a bakery owned by a former 5-star hotel pastry chef
• Aligre Market, an indoor/outdoor market with mostly fresh produce
• Sacre Coeur, a basilica that offers a great view of Paris
• Bercy Village, recommended by a bartender, this new area is full of shops and restaurants and feels much different than the rest of Paris
• Returned to our apartment to pack up before leaving the next day

Other points of interest in Paris

I had so many points of interest saved for Paris and even within a week, I didn’t have enough time to visit them all. Here are other things I wanted to do that I hope to visit if I go back!

• Musée d’Orsay, a museum with mostly French art
• The Centre Pompidou, a museum with contemporary and modern art
• Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden
• Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a museum of decorative arts such as furniture, tapestries, glassware
• Cler Street, a foot traffic only street with food stalls
• Marché aux Puces de Vanves, the largest outdoor antique market in the world
• Luxembourg Gardens, a garden with fountains, sculptures, and orchards
• Saxe-Breteuil Market, a pricey food market with views of the Eiffel Tower
• Opera House, open to tours for for this beautiful space

My one week itinerary for Paris, France

I loved my one week trip to Paris! It was a last minute trip, but even looking back at my itinerary, we still did so much. I can proudly say I ate pastries every day and that’s really my Parisian dream.  I hope sharing my one week itinerary for Paris helps you on your trip!