1st Timer in Paris - Itinerary Advice Requested

Below is the itinerary I've created. I like to do a lot, am not afraid of the metro, but also want to have time to just explore.

I hope you have a great trip! Your plans look good, though pretty busy. Based on experience, I suggest you do just one museum a day to avoid museum overload. I also suggest you schedule in one free day or two half days to give you time to take advantage of unexpected discoveries.

I also suggest that one evening you take a tour in a classic Citroen 2CV. We used this company and had a great time!

I agree that, in general, one museum is enough for a day. However, the Orangerie is so small that I feel its doable, and also fits well geographically with the Louvre and the Tuilleries. The water lillies are the big draw and there is seating in that room. There is a couple smaller exhibits which I certainly would not miss. There also is a few dioramas which your kids might really enjoy. It is miniatures of an art collector's home. I believe it was the collector that donated many of the artworks.

I would wait to visit the Musée d'Orsay until March 26 or later, when what seems certain to be a fabulous exhibit on 150 Years of Impressionism will open.

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/whats-on/exhibitions/paris-1874-inventing-impressionism

Since you will be there when the exhibit starts, you should be sure to take advantage ! Purchase a reserved ticket ahead of time.

For your first full day, Sunday, I would order your plan to have one of your two indoor activities first thing when they open. Either Sainte Chapelle at 9:00 or D'Orsay at 9:30. They are two of my favorite places in Paris and I have always enjoyed them even more at opening when there are fewer fellow visitors.

I might do the same with L'Orangerie on Day 2. Get the earliest entry time and (maybe) have the Water Lilies to yourself for a minute.

I think your plan looks very well thought out. Your days are nicely organized and you aren't zig zagging all over Paris. If I were to eliminate anything it would be the Champs-Elysees. I have walked a total of about one block on it and that was more than enough. There are much more charming areas to explore - like the Luxembourg Gardens which I don't see on your list. You can stroll around it or just sit in one of the green chairs and take everything in.

I think your plan looks pretty good and mostly (depending on museum closure days) you can move your blocks around to take advantage of things as Kim suggests! Will you have kids with you this trip (you mention them in relation to WDW)?

I would suggest one tweak though. I'd do the Champs-Elysees (if you decide this is something you want to do) on Day 2. After you finish the Orangerie you are right at Place de la Concorde which is a straight shot to the Arc de Triomphe. You can walk a little way along the Champs and then hop on the metro if you've had enough of the chain stores. Or get the Metro at Concorde just near the Orangerie and take Line 1 to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile stop and just look down the Champs-Elysees.

I've done the Louvre and the Orangerie on the same day often. I usually am a bit later in April so the weather is nicer but I grab a sandwich from the Eric Kayser kiosk outside the Louvre exit (follow signs for the Tuileries) by the Carrousel arch (the far end from the Arc de Triomphe) and sit in the Tuileries for a bit to people watch. If the day is yucky I will eat at the food court outside the downstairs Louvre exit or eat at one of the restaurants in the Tuileries if it's not windy as they are open air.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YkkeXNC9v3TU5K378

I'd probably do the dinner cruise a different day than Versailles just so you are not pushed to get back from there.

If you rearrange the Arc, you could add in the Resistance and Liberation Museum which is right across from the Entrance to the Catacombs. It's free, no reservation needed so you can play that by ear. The exit to the Catacombs is a few blocks away so you'd have to walk back. Both the Eiffel Tower and Catacombs will need advance purchase timed entries. If you don't have an interest in WWII, then the Resistance/Liberation museum might not be of interest to you.

Have a wonderful time!

Just be aware that walking from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe is all uphill. My recommendation would be to Metro up to Arc and walk down. It’s a lot easier.

I'd probably do the dinner cruise a different day than Versailles just so you are not pushed to get back from there.

Agree with Pam about the above. As an offshoot of that, there are many different reviews about dinner cruises offered by several companies. Some good, some bad, and some so-so. You might want to review the reviews. We simply prefer to have a great dinner early, and then do the river cruise. That way we don't have to divide our attention between the sights and eating. If you think you would prefer that, we'ed suggest using Vedettes du Pont Neuf. You can usually just walk up and board without reservations. But check it out to be sure.

Lots of great sites & museums in your plans, and you’re receiving good replies!

The first time that my husband & I spent substantial time in Paris, we had a plan very similar to yours, and I did enjoy doing all of it. The next year, I really wanted to go back to Paris and this time just savor being there. We had a wonderful time in Paris, but I didn’t feel like I mentally allowed time to sit at the outdoor cafe, to stroll vs. walk through a park or neighborhood, to wander and just enjoy the ambiance. I did return for a solo trip for a week and kept half my days itinerary free to spontaneously enjoy “being in Paris”.

Because of what I felt, my recommendation would be to just check how you’re feeling halfway through your time in Paris. Are you feeling like you’re checking off sites, feeling like your itinerary is telling you what to do vs. the opposite? Place the activities & sites that are your top priorities towards the front of your time and also at the beginning of each day. Then if you decide it’s time for an hour or two of just enjoying Paris, you’re able to have that flexibility.

Yes to going to the Luxembourg Garden! And, I like to wander in the Left Bank, too. And I like the evening river cruise without the meal; I do it each time I’m in Paris because the city is so beautiful from the water lit up at night. My favorite time to go up in the Eiffel Tower is at dusk. Then we can watch the city change from dusk to night - gorgeous!

I'll be the contrarian here. It looks to me like you have ticked off every "must see" major sight in Paris and want to do them all on your first trip. I would argue that this does not at all leave time to "have time to just explore." There is no time in this schedule where I see that happening, and would suggest that you figure out which of these major sights are most important to you and plan on returning for another trip to fill in the gaps. I would also suggest, as I do to everyone, to figure out the buses and take those in preference to the metro. The buses let you see and experience the city and all its neighborhoods rather than just tunneling underground everything and smelling grime and urine en route.

I will agree with others about only doing one museum a day, and that the Champs-Elysees is ehhh... It is now just an international shopping mall with statement stores and tons of tourists. There is so much more I would do before walking down that tourist trap.

Ditto PharmerPhil. Always think you'll be going back to Paris. I too thinks a pretty comprehensive itinerary. Part of the beauty in Paris is exploring. When we were there last, we walked to the Louvre at night. There was photo shoot in progress and someone playing the cello in the background. It was magical.

Thanks everyone for the great input and responses.

This will be a solo trip, no kids.

I was not aware the the Champs-Elysees was not that much of a draw. I'm not one to need to wander down a street filled with tourist shops or high-end shops (I can just do that in Times Square or Georgetown), so may strike that if it suits me. Day 3 was really the day I was anticipating using to just explore. I definitely want to go up the Eiffel Tower as well as the Arc, but am not overly sold on the Catacombs, so may just use the late afternoon/evening to explore a nearby neighborhood.

As for Versailles, does it make sense to hire a tour guide? I saw one which was highly rated and was about 6 hours. It left Versailles at 2pm (transportation provided) so it seemed very reasonable to be able to take an evening river cruise.

For the Louvre and a few others, I've pretty much decided to hire a guide for a few of these. It seems like there are a lot of options to "skip the line" and I'd much rather pay to do that rather than sit in a line for 30 minutes to an hour waiting to get in somewhere.

Your trip looks very much like our first Paris trip way back in 2004. Minus the Catacombs and cruise, and throw in Pantheon, Les Invalides, Pompidou Center, Jardin de Luxembourg, Versailles, and a side trip to Belgium to see the town where the Belgian branch of my family is from. I would love to go back and re-do Paris but just chill--no big sightseeing. Just cafes, stores, parks, and side streets.

dedauphin,
Please be aware that "skip the line" does not mean a shorter security line. You will not avoid this anywhere, to my knowledge. They may only mean skip the line to buy a ticket.

You’ve planned this out well and have a solid itinerary! Full days, but nothing I wouldn’t attempt. If you did this as written you’d have a great time. But as a fellow solo traveler, and a lover of Paris I have the most minor of notes:

People talk about how crazy the Louvre is, but the Orsay can be just as busy and overwhelming. Consider swapping it onto a less busy weekday. The Louvre, Tuleries, Orangerie and the Arc are on the same metro line which makes seeing these in any arrangement very simple. The Champs-Elysees is a total nothing in between them. Plan on a nice, long relaxed lunch after the Louvre.

Considering how wonderful Paris is above ground, I would skip the catacombs. I didn’t care for it, very time consuming too.

A lot of food tours are also walking tours. I suspect the content in Montemarte may overlap a bit too much for you, and in the same day. If this is your first trip to France, a food tour is also something you may want to bump up to the beginning of your trip. Being geared towards tourists, these food tours usually provide a great introduction to the cuisine and food culture in general that can serve you well during your visit.

Enjoy your trip!

dedauphin,
Also, a reserved time will be required for the Louvre, whether it is done by you or by a guide. Even with a guide, you will be subject to availability of tickets for a particular time. Just don't want you to be surprised or disappointed. This applies to some other sights as well.
Bonne chance!

I’m with pharmerphil and sue. I enjoy Paris as a flâneuse. The unexpected finds are invaluable. Your itinerary allows hardly any time to be that dawdling observer, strolling along the Seine….To each their own, however I’d allow more space for that. This is coming from a high energy person:)

I enjoy Paris as a flâneuse.

My wife and I have been to Paris three times. We want to return spend the entire time as Flâneurs. A month would be nice, but I don't think we can stay that long. One thing I'd love to do is visit all the sites where Amelie was filmed. There's sites on the internet that list them.

I've picked up a book, "Secret Paris" (Thomas Jonglez), has anyone used this? Looks to be perfect for the flâneurs!

I think you have laid out a pretty nice itinerary and I do not know Paris in March but I have to put a vote in for the Rodin museum. It’s small but the sculpture garden is wonderful, the famous Thinker is there and worth a look. The mansion museum has a nice mix of paintings and sculpture, you can see it in an hour unless the weather is nice and then lingering in the garden may delay you. It is one of my favorites that I try not to miss. So might consider that.

This looks a lot like my first trip to Paris! You’ve hit a lot of my highlights. As others have mentioned, it’s worth finding time to just sit and people watch in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Maybe wander that way after the Musee D’Orsay? You’ll pass lots of good cafes for a bite or glass of wine on your way. Your day in Montmartre looks pretty full already, but if there’s time, I enjoyed the Montmartre Museum…it’s small, but I found it interesting with a lovely little garden area. Bonne Vacances!

This looks like a good plan. I'd suggest seeing the Arc on Monday since it's a short Metro (or bus) ride from the Louvre/Tuileries/Orangerie. I agree that the Champs is overrated, but it would be worth walking down it part way to see for yourself, Monday after the Arc.

That leaves Tuesday with a lot of time for strolling, cafe sitting, Luxembourg Gardens etc. I was fascinated by the Catacombs but it was a long time ago, I was 19 and each of us held a candle as we stumbled through the tunnels lined with centuries-old bones. That might not appeal so much now (especially since I'm closer in age to the occupants).

What TC said about the dinner cruise -- certainly do a Seine cruise, and Vedettes du Pont Neuf does a great job, but don't get distracted by eating or pay a lot for a meal just because it's waterborne. Cruise (daytime or evening or both) and eat separately.

Hopefully your first trip to this beautiful city won't be your last, but you've put together a good first-trip plan.