How To Visit Paris In A Single Day

Have 24 hour layover in Paris? Just stopping through on your way to your next destination? Or want to see EVERYTHING you can and need ways to maximize your itinerary? Here’s my guide on how to see Paris in 24 hours!

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The Louvre

This world-famous museum in Paris should definitely be the first stop on your list because you don’t want to waste hours of your day standing in line. The Louvre opens at 9:00, so we arrived around 8:30, took a few pictures and then people were already lining up so we followed suit. Once you’re inside make a mad dash to The Mona Lisa. If you’re lucky like we were, you can get right up against the ropes and take a selfie with her.

Travel Trick – If the lines are too long, try using the more secluded Carrousel entrance. This is basically the underground entrance to the Louvre found inside the mall – look for the inverted pyramid past all the shops.

Shortly after we got to the painting, loads of people were gathering in behind us, so timing is everything! Then take your time appreciating everything this magnificent place has to offer! Each room is filled with art from all over the world, and be sure to check out their seasonal exhibitions too. Just make sure you don’t go on a Tuesday because that’s the one day of week The Louvre is closed.

Notre Dame

The Notre Dame is a 20 minute walk from The Louvre or if you prefer to take the metro, take (blank to blank). Make sure to download “JeFile” on your phone because before you head over, you can reserve a time slot in the app (free of charge) and then buy your ticket at the app’s service station. Note that there are two different lines for the tower entrance and the cathedral entrance. I suggest doing the tower entrance first as they only let a few people in at a time for the climb to the top.

Lunch Time!

The area around The Notre Dame has a ton of places to stop in a get a bite to eat before heading to the next spot. Make sure to stay hydrated and let your legs rest for a bit before continuing on! You’ll most likely start to fee the soreness from those 422 Notre Dame stairs later today (Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you).

Palais Garnier

This may be a lesser known stop in Paris, but I LOVED this Paris Opera House. I felt like royalty climbing the ceremonial staircase that then split off to lead to the Grand Foyer. The golden hallways are lined with candlelit chandeliers hanging from beautifully painted ceilings. Every room you wander into leaves you speechless at its beauty. The auditorium is equally as impressive with its red and gold color scheme, and a stunning painted ceiling surrounding another impressive chandelier. Oh yea, and the stage in the auditorium is the largest in Europe. This was unanimously my husband and I’s favorite museum in Paris because…. well it felt so Parisian! 

L’Arc de Triomphe

Take the metro to Charles de Gaulle Etoile. To get to the base of the monument there is an underground tunnel on the Avenue de la Grande Armee side of the circle. You can access this tunnel from the Wagram exit of the Metro. Once you’re at the base of the Arc, be sure to check out the madness of the traffic circling around you. It is by far one of the craziest roundabouts I’ve ever seen, yet the cars merge in and out rather fluidly for how much chaos it looks like. The Arc also has an option to climb to the top, however after climbing the Notre Dame and with the Eiffel Tower views coming shortly, you could probably skip this vantage point for today.

Eiffel Tower

By this point the day is winding down and you’re probably on your last leg, so I’ve saved the best for last – The Eiffel Tower! There are a few different options for tickets so be sure you know which one you want. I recommend getting one of the options that allows you to take the lift, then you just have to decided whether you want to go to the very top, or just the second level.

When my husband and I went, we got tickets to the top, but stopped at the second floor first to enjoy the views. We then waited in line to get on the second lift to get to the top. I have to admit, the views from the top were not that much different from the second floor… then we had to wait again in another line to get back down. If we ever did it again, we would just get the second level tickets. However, to be fair… there is a champagne bar at the top.

To complete your day of adventure, top it off with a meal at The 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant on the first floor. If you’re looking for something a little more within budget, there are also buffet options on the first and second floors.

Cheers…

…to a great day in Paris! Don’t forget to stay at the Eiffel Tower long enough to see it sparkle in the night sky!

Quick Facts – Metro Stops

• The Louvre
  ‘Palais Royale-Musee du Louvre’ on lines 1 and 7
• Notre Dame
  St-Michel Notre Dame – RER B Train Line (blue)
  St-Michel Notre Dame – RER C Train Line (yellow)
  Cité – Line 4 (fuschia)
• Palais Garnier
  Opera (Line 3, Line 7, Line 8)
  Chausée d’Antin La Fayette (Line 7, Line 9)
  Auber on RER line A (Red)
• Arc De Triomphe
  Charles de Gaulle Etoile – Line 1 (yellow), Line 2 (blue), Line 6 (green-blue), RER A (red)
• Eiffel Tower
  Champ de Mars / Tour Eiffel on line RER C
  Ecole Militaire on Line 8
  Bir-Hakeim on Line 6
• Paris Metro Map Link