Itinerary for Paris--A 3-Day Parisian Escapade
- Day 1 (9 schedule items)
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- A L Hotel, Paris
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This is a chic hotel in one of my favorite parts of Paris, St. Germain des Pres. All the rooms have a different décor. Oscar Wilde once rented a room here, and they display some of his handwritten notes in the lounge area.[Full Description]
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- B Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris
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Stretching for two kilometers (one mile) and lined with trees, les Champs-Élysées has become the center for festivities and official parades. It is a magnet for tourists and for the multitudes who enjoy evenings spent strolling along the broad and picturesque avenue. The many cinemas, cafés, and restaurants tempt visitors to rest their legs for a few hours, tired from walking by the designer boutiques, banks, and embassies also situated in this chic neighborhood. The avenue was originally created in 1667 by André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV's gardener, in order to improve the view from the Jardin des Tuileries. The avenue was lenghtened at the end of the 18th Century, to run from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.[Full Description]
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- C Place de la Concorde (La), Paris
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Originally known as place Louis-XV, this square was created between 1755 and 1775 by the architect, Gabriel. Renamed Place de la Révolution in 1792, a guillotine was installed and 2800 executions took place including that of King Louis XVI. Louis-Philippe christened it Place de la Concorde in 1830. The Louqsor obelisk, a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt to King Charles X of France, has been standing in the center of the square since 1840. The eight statues representing France's largest cities and the two fountains were also added at this time. The square is home to one of Paris' most prestigious hotels, the Hôtel Crillon.[Full Description]
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- D Arc de Triomphe, Paris
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The arch is a site of memories, current events and celebrations. The lists of the dead will move you. And the cars that drive around the monument will terrify you! Standing in a direct line between the Louvre and the Grande Arche de la Défense, the monument links the past with the present and offers amazing views. A truly impressive landmark, 50 meters (164 feet) high and 45 meters (147 feet) wide, Paris would not be Paris without it! Open daily from 10am.[Full Description]
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- Chez Pauline
- E Musée du Louvre, Paris
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You can spend days in the Louvre and not see everything so to maximize my time, I usually choose a few things that I really want to see and focus on that. For me, trying to see it all means I don’t really take the time to see anything. Browse the Louvre’s collections/exhibitions online before you visit to decide what you want to see. You really will enjoy it more—otherwise it’s overwhelming.[Full Description]
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- F Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
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Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Climbing the 387 steps to the top of this masterpiece is well worth the effort for the spectacular view. Construction of the first great Gothic cathedral began in 1163 and was largely completed by 1212. The rebuilding of the two transept gates in 1270 marked its completion. The west face is adorned with three richly decorated doorways and crowned with two 69-meter (226-foot) towers. The cathedral is busy at the best of times; especially on Sundays, when much of the building is closed to visitors.[Full Description]
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- Itineraires
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Itinraires in Paris | Food & Wine
This restaurant was opened by a husband and wife team, who had a tiny, well-loved restaurant called Le Temps au Temps that I had enjoyed years ago. Their new place is in the Latin Quarter and received a positive write up in the New York Times earlier this year.[Full Description]
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- G Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter), Paris
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Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter)
The Latin Quarter is a vibrant, university area – the Sorbonne is here along with a number of other schools. I like to browse through the area’s numerous bookstores and have an after-dinner coffee or drink at one of the cafes or bistros.[Full Description]
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- Day 2 (7 schedule items)
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- H Marche aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt, Paris
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This has to be one of my favorite attractions in Paris. The Puces de Clignancourt is the largest and most well-known flea market in Paris. You can find some real treasures here—art, antiques, clothing, furniture and more. However, it’s not cheap. The market actually encompasses a number of smaller markets—I can spend hours here wandering through all of the stalls.[Full Description]
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- Chez Louisette
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Chez Louisette in Paris - Lonely Planet Travel Information
This restaurant is in located in the flea market so it’s very convenient when you get hungry while shopping/browsing. The food is decent but you really go for the atmosphere—there is usually live music in the form of singers accompanied by an accordion and performing tunes by Edith Piaf and the like.[Full Description]
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- Montmartre
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If Paris, in your mind, is a series of winding streets, small squares and quaint shops perched on a slope overlooking the city then you should go to Montmartre. Heavily touristy near the Sacré Coeur, rue des Abbesses is slightly less so. Montmartre has all of Paris’ charm, without all of Paris’ hassle.[Full Description]
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- I Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (Le), Paris
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This Romano-Byzantine basilica overlooks Montmartre, one of Paris's most picturesque districts. Its distinctive dome rising up over the rooftops, the basilica offers the perfect vantage point from which to survey the city. Inside, the mosaic of Christ and the crypt are of particular interest. Commissioned by the Catholic Church, construction began in 1875 under the watchful eye of architect Paul Abadie, and was finally completed in 1914.[Full Description]
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- J Canal St-Martin (Le), Paris
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This is a perfect place for a pre-dinner (or after dinner) stroll. It’s scenic and you can sit and watch the barges go by on the canal. A nice way to spend an evening.
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- The Pink Flamingo
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Bonjour Paris - The Pink Flamingo
Order a pizza from this restaurant and have it delivered to you on the canal. The Pink Flamingo is a French-American-run pizza place (67 rue Bichat, metro Goncourt) a short walk from the canal. They fire up creative pizza combinations and offer canal delivery—they give you a pink balloon, you go to the canal, and they bring your pizza.[Full Description]
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- Nouveau Casino
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Finish off the night in the area with some great DJ and live music before heading back to the hotel.
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- Day 3 (7 schedule items)
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- K Cimetière du Montparnasse, Paris
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The Montparnasse cemetery stretches over 18 hectares (45 acres) and houses the tombs of several famous French people. Situated on the land of former farms, the site was chosen by Napoléon and the cemetery was created in 1824 (after Père-Lachaise and Montmartre). It is divided up by straight walkways, two of which demarcate the Grand and the Petit cimetière. People laid to rest here include Alfred Dreyfus (of the Dreyfus Affair), the author Guy de Maupassant, Jean Seberg (the actress who starred in À Bout de Souffle ((Breathless)) among others), the poet Baudelaire, the literary couple Sartre and de Beauvoir, Samuel Beckett and Serge Gainsbourg.[Full Description]
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- L Catacombes (Les), Paris
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If you have even the slightest sense of the macabre, then you don’t want to miss Les Catacombes. I find this place to be both creepy and fascinating at the same—and would definitely recommend a visit as long as you’re ok with the idea of walking down into a mass underground warehouse of human bones. The bones were removed from graves in Paris starting around the late 1700s when cemeteries became breeding grounds for disease. The bones of around 6 million Parisians are located here—they are stacked in piles along a maze of narrow corridors and galleries, and there are bizarre quotes carved into the walls.[Full Description]
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- L'Agassin
- M Musée d'Orsay, Paris
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This is probably my favorite Paris museum. In particular, I love the extensive collection of impressionist paintings here—but the museum also features many other collections of paintings, sculpture, photography, furniture and more. The building is also beautiful—a work of art in itself—and was once an old train station originally built in the early 1900s.[Full Description]
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- N Saint Germain des Prés, Paris
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Take a break back near your hotel and sit in one of this neighborhood’s many cafes for a cup of coffee and a pastry. Or wander through the art galleries and shops in the neighborhood before dinner.[Full Description]
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- L'Epi Dupin - As featured in our special feature on Pari
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L'Epi Dupin - As featured in our special feature on Pari
This is a neighborhood restaurant with simple, sophisticated and delicious food. It made Conde Nast Traveller’s “It List” in 2008 so it’s now frequented by quite a cosmopolitan clientele—you’ll want to make reservations well in advance. The chef changes the menu daily based on what’s available at the market. Make sure you order dessert![Full Description]
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- O Tour Eiffel, Paris
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I often save a visit to the Eiffel Tower as something I do the last evening I’m in Paris. While it is impressive during the day, seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night is spectacular—as are the night views of Paris from the top.[Full Description]
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