Self-guided itinerary · free
Paris in 4 days: from Île de la Cité to Versailles and Montmartre
The plan splits Paris into geographic clusters and keeps each day on a route you can walk. Day one is the city's historic core, Île de la Cité (Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie), and Le Marais across the river. Day two runs east to west along the right bank: the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Orangerie, Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. Day three is the left bank: the Orsay in the morning, Saint-Germain and the Jardin du Luxembourg in the afternoon and the Eiffel Tower in the late afternoon. Day four is a day trip to Versailles on RER C, ending in the evening with Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur. The Louvre and the Orangerie are closed on Tuesdays, so day two should not fall on a Tuesday. Hours and fees link to the official source with the date we last checked them; where an official site could not be read, the page says to check it.
Prepared by: Kolay Seyahat content teamLast updated 22/10/2026Every fact links to an official source
This is not a package tour. This itinerary is free information. Flights, hotels and experiences are each sold separately, under their own seller’s terms, with separate payment and a separate contract. Prices are never linked to one another.
Day by day
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Day 1 · Île de la Cité and Le Marais
Start at Notre-Dame, move on to Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie on the same island, walk to the historic market in Le Marais for lunch and end the evening on the banks of the Seine towards Île Saint-Louis.
Day 1 · 1 · 08:30–10:00
Notre-Dame de Paris
Booking recommended
Standing on the banks of the Seine for more than 850 years, this Gothic masterpiece reopened to visitors in December 2024, which makes it a meaningful place to begin for first-timers. You enter through the north portal and leave on the south side. Come early and book a time slot in advance in the official app; there is also a queue without booking, but the wait can be long. The Treasury has reopened to visitors too.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Visiting is free.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tickets and booking
Time slots are booked in the official Notre-Dame de Paris app; booking two days ahead, the day before or on the day is recommended. The queue without a booking can be long.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Check current opening hours at notredamedeparis.fr. Worshippers attending Mass enter without booking.
Day 1 · 2 · 10:15–12:30
Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie
A few minutes' walk on the same island brings you to Sainte-Chapelle, whose stained glass makes it one of the most striking interiors on Île de la Cité. On a sunny late morning the colours of the windows look even brighter. Right next door, the Conciergerie, a medieval palace and former prison, is a fitting stop for the story of the French Revolution.
Getting there
- Walk
Tips
Hours, closing days and fees for both could not be read from their official sites; check sainte-chapelle.fr and paris-conciergerie.fr before your visit.
Day 1 · 3 · 12:45–17:30
Le Marais and the Marché des Enfants Rouges
Cross the Seine to Le Marais and have lunch at the historic Marché des Enfants Rouges, which France's official tourism site counts among the markets of Paris. Spend the afternoon without a plan: narrow streets, boutiques and historic mansions invite you to explore the district on foot. When you tire, rest in a café and save energy for the evening.
Getting there
- Walk
Good to know
The Marché des Enfants Rouges is a historic market that France's official tourism site lists among the markets and food spots of Paris.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
The market's opening hours could not be verified; check before you go.
Day 1 · 4 · 17:30–19:30
An evening walk along the Seine
Close the day with a walk along the Seine towards Île Saint-Louis. This time you see the Notre-Dame of the morning from the river, in the evening light. According to France's official tourism site, a boat trip on the Seine is also a popular way to see the city, which you can choose instead of the walk.
Getting there
- Walk
Tips
You can have dinner on Île Saint-Louis or back in Le Marais.
Day 2 · From the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe
The Louvre in the morning, then through the Tuileries to the Orangerie in the afternoon, and on from Concorde along the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe. Avoid doing this day on a Tuesday.
Day 2 · 1 · 09:00–12:30
Musée du Louvre
ClosedBooking recommended
Home to one of the richest art collections in the world, the Louvre is also where you will find the Mona Lisa. You cannot see everything in one visit, so choose a few wings in advance and focus on them; three hours fill up well that way. A timed booking is recommended for everyone, including free visitors. Because it stays open late on Wednesdays and Fridays, on those days you can swap the Louvre to the afternoon and the Orangerie to the morning.
Opening hours
Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 09:00–18:00; Wednesday and Friday 09:00–21:00. Last entry one hour before closing; rooms are cleared 30 minutes before closing.
Source: Musée du Louvre · last checked 2026-10-22
Closed
Tuesdays; also 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
Source: Musée du Louvre · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Visitors from outside the European Economic Area €32.00; under-18s free. Free for everyone after 18:00 on the first Friday of the month (except July and August) and on 14 July.
Source: Musée du Louvre · last checked 2026-10-22
Tickets and booking
A timed booking is recommended for everyone, including free visitors; between 17 October and 1 November 2026 it is compulsory for most visitors. Official sales at ticket.louvre.fr.
Source: Musée du Louvre · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Adult visitors from Türkiye pay the non-EEA rate; under-18s are free. Buy tickets only at ticket.louvre.fr.
Day 2 · 2 · 13:45–15:15
The Tuileries and the Musée de l'Orangerie
Closed
After leaving the Louvre and having lunch, walk west through the Tuileries. At the end of the garden, the Orangerie is a short but intense museum stop on the Louvre–Concorde line, a calmer visit you can see in one go after the morning's vast collection.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 09:00–18:00; Friday 09:00–21:00. Last entry 17:15 (Friday evening 20:15).
Source: Musée de l'Orangerie · last checked 2026-10-22
Closed
Tuesdays, 1 May, the morning of 14 July and 25 December.
Source: Musée de l'Orangerie · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Full price €12.50 online, €11 at the museum. Joint Orsay/Orangerie ticket €20 (sold at the museum only).
Source: Musée de l'Orangerie · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
The official site warns against resale sites, "skip the line" offers and fake sites; buy at billetterie.musee-orangerie.fr. When we checked, the page carried an exceptional Saturday closure note; check for your week.
Day 2 · 3 · 15:30–18:30
The Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe
Start at Place de la Concorde and walk west along the Champs-Élysées; the avenue runs about 2 km to the Arc de Triomphe and completes the classic Louvre–Concorde–Arc walk. At its western end, the Arc de Triomphe closes the day, and the view down the avenue from its terrace can be the finale. Head back to your hotel by metro.
Getting there
- Walk
Good to know
The Champs-Élysées runs about 2 km between Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Hours, fees and terrace access at the Arc de Triomphe could not be read from the official site; check paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr.
Day 3 · The Orsay, Saint-Germain, the Luxembourg and the Eiffel Tower
The Musée d'Orsay in the morning, Saint-Germain-des-Prés at lunchtime, the Jardin du Luxembourg in the afternoon, then the Eiffel Tower in the late afternoon and dinner in the 7th arrondissement.
Day 3 · 1 · 09:30–12:30
Musée d'Orsay
Housed in a former railway station, the Orsay shows major Impressionist works, and the building itself is part of the visit. Giving it the first hours of the morning leaves the afternoon for the outdoors. If you bought the joint ticket at the Orangerie yesterday, it is valid here too; otherwise check admission on the official site.
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The Musée d'Orsay is housed in a former railway station and shows major Impressionist works.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Hours, closing days and fees could not be read from the official site; check musee-orsay.fr.
Day 3 · 2 · 14:00–15:30
Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Jardin du Luxembourg
After lunch in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, walk to the Jardin du Luxembourg, between Saint-Germain and the Latin Quarter. This classic Paris garden, where families take a break too, is the right place to rest outdoors after the morning's museum. Gates are on Place Edmond Rostand, Place André Honnorat, Rue Guynemer and Rue de Vaugirard.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
16 October–last Saturday of October 08:00–18:15; last Sunday of October–31 October 08:00–17:15; 1–15 November 08:00–17:00; 16–30 November 08:00–16:45. In summer it opens at 07:30 and closing extends from 20:00 in early April to 21:30 at the end of June.
Source: Jardin du Luxembourg · Sénat · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Free entry.
Source: Jardin du Luxembourg · Sénat · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Closing time changes on the 1st and the 16th of each month; check the official table for your day.
Day 3 · 3 · 16:00–19:00
The Eiffel Tower
Booking recommended
The symbol of Paris and the natural end point of a walk along the Seine. You can climb the stairs or take the lift; the Le Jules Verne restaurant is on the second floor. Looking over the city in the late-afternoon light, or watching the tower from the riverbank below, is the natural close of the day. If you plan to go up, book in advance on the official site.
Entrance fee
Check the official site for current information
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tickets and booking
France's official tourism site points to the tower's official site (toureiffel.paris) for bookings.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Hours, ticket types and prices could not be read from the official site; check toureiffel.paris.
Day 4 · A day trip to Versailles and Montmartre in the evening
Take RER C to Versailles in the morning for the palace and gardens; back in Paris, end the evening in the streets of Montmartre and at the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
Day 4 · 1 · 09:00–16:00
The Palace of Versailles and its gardens
Take RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche; it takes about 45 minutes from the centre and the station is a short walk from the palace entrance. West of Paris, the palace is known for its Hall of Mirrors and, with the gardens, needs more than half a day. Give the morning to the palace interior and the hours after lunch to the gardens, then return to Paris on the same line.
Getting there
- Train RER C
Getting there
RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche, about 45 minutes from the centre. Address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Closing days, hours and fees could not be read from the official site; check chateauversailles.fr before you go and put this day on a day the palace is open. A standard Metro-Train-RER ticket covers the trip.
Day 4 · 2 · 18:00–21:00
Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica
Back in Paris, spend the evening in the streets of Montmartre, then climb to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica at the top. Because the basilica stays open late every day, this evening plan works easily; the view of Paris from the city's highest hill and the evening atmosphere make a classic finale for first-timers. Have dinner in Montmartre.
Opening hours
The basilica is open every day 06:30–22:30; on the first Thursday of each month it exceptionally closes at midnight.
Source: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Entry to the basilica is free. Dome daily 10:15–17:30 (last entry 17:00): adults €8, children up to 15 €5; tickets sold only at the on-site desk.
Source: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The Sacré-Cœur dome stands 130 m above sea level with a panoramic view of the city.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
The dome is closed in the evening, so this plan misses it; if you want to go up, move Montmartre to another afternoon. There is no lift to the dome, only a narrow staircase of about 300 steps; not recommended for people with limited mobility or claustrophobia.
Getting around
Getting there
From Charles de Gaulle, RER B runs direct to Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles and Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame; the ride to Gare du Nord takes about 30–40 minutes depending on the service. RoissyBus was withdrawn on 1 March 2026. From Orly, metro line 14 runs direct to the centre (Gare de Lyon, Châtelet).
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
From 1 January 2026: Metro-Train-RER ticket €2.55; Bus-Tram ticket €2.05; airport ticket €14; weekly Navigo (all zones) €32.40; Paris Visite 1 day €30.60. The Metro-Train-RER ticket is not valid at airport stations.
Source: Service-Public.fr · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
Navigo Easy is a rechargeable card sold at stations; each passenger needs their own ticket or card. The metro normally runs from about 05:30 to 01:15, and until about 02:15 on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of public holidays.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
Call 112 in an emergency and you will be routed to the right service. France also has 15 (medical emergencies), 17 (police) and 18 (fire brigade).
Source: Service-Public.fr · last checked 2026-10-22
What and where to eat
Recommended places
Bistrot des Fables
7th arrondissement, near the Eiffel TowerTraditional French
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide mentions chef David Bottreau's strong repertoire of bistro classics (blanquette de veau, profiteroles). It fits the evening of day three.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Kodawari Ramen – Yokochō
6th arrondissement, Saint-GermainJapanese (ramen)
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide notes its house-made ramen from house-milled wheat, with texture and flavour in place. Handy for lunch on day three.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Fana
18th arrondissement, MontmartreModern French
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide describes a small restaurant on a pedestrian street in Montmartre with a seasonal menu and a standout chocolate dessert. It fits the evening of day four.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Le Savarin
9th arrondissementModern bistro
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide presents it as honest cooking firmly rooted in the classic repertoire.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Capsule
14th arrondissement, south of the LuxembourgTraditional French
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide mentions its simple, comforting family-style dishes, such as roast chicken and île flottante.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Le Tire-Bouchon Rodier
9th arrondissementTraditional French
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide mentions its friendly wine-bar spirit, counter and shared tables.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
What to eat and where to look
Lunch at market stalls
Marché des Enfants Rouges, Le Marais (lunch on day one)
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · last checked 2026-10-22
Local specialities
Baguette (baguette de tradition)
The City of Paris holds a traditional baguette competition every year, judging appearance, taste, baking, crumb and air holes. In 2026 the 33rd edition was won by Fournil Didot in the 14th arrondissement.
Source: Ville de Paris · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Onion soup (soupe à l'oignon)
Its present form dates from 18th-century Paris: onions slowly caramelised in butter are cooked with white wine, Madeira and stock, then topped with garlicky toast and melted Gruyère.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Croque-monsieur and jambon blanc de Paris
The toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich, and traditional cooked Paris ham, often eaten in a buttered baguette sandwich.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Steak-frites
According to France's official tourism site, a typical Paris brasserie classic.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Paris pastries
Macarons, Paris-Brest, financiers, religieuses, mille-feuille, Saint-Honoré and Opéra are counted among the pastries of Paris and Île-de-France.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Brie de Meaux
Listed among the cheeses of Île-de-France, together with Melun and Coulommiers.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Crêpes and galettes (a Breton speciality)
Common in Paris but from Brittany: sweet crêpes are made with wheat flour, milk and eggs, savoury galettes with buckwheat flour and water.
Source: France.fr (Atout France) · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours and prices vary by venue; check the venue’s own site before you go. Recommendations are not paid placements.
Where to stay
Candidates were picked by distance to the area, star rating, guest rating (weighted by number of reviews) and completeness of hotel details. Ratings, review counts and details come live from our catalogue. Tiers follow the star rating.
Sample dates: 26.11–29.11 (3 nights), 2 adults. Prices change with dates; choose your own dates on the hotel page.
Saint-Michel, the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain
RER B runs direct from Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame to Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Luxembourg and the Orsay are close by.
Good for: First-timers and couples
Budget
Mid-range
Châtelet and Le Marais
Châtelet–Les Halles brings together RER B (Charles de Gaulle) and metro line 14 (Orly), with the Louvre and Le Marais close by.
Good for: Families who want easy transport and first-timers
Budget
Mid-range
7th arrondissement: around the Eiffel Tower and Saint-Dominique
A quieter residential area close to the Eiffel Tower and the Orsay.
Good for: Couples and families who want a calm setting
Budget
Mid-range
Photos: Pexels (Gheorghe Lupan, Leonardo Delsabio, Manon Segur, Pixabay, Wojtek Strzelec, Sipal Photography, Vinícius Vieira ft, Rola Al Homsi, Audrey Bory, Bingqian Li, Efrem Efre, Svitlana Shakalova, Sergey Guk)
