A couple of days in Paris

Here is what Rick recommends:
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/paris-itinerary

Notre Dame is still closed from the fire 5 years ago. Reopening in December.
And I would not suggest Versailles. It is out of city center, and would take up too much of your limited time, and it's always packed, so when there's so much else to see...I'd skip unless you must and then I'd say it's almost a full day.

You are very near Luxembourg Gardens, which is a nice stroll. Saint Chapelle is quite amazing. (Make reservations)

Have you been to Paris before? Musee d'Orsay and/or L'Orangerie are my favorite museums. I'd do a river cruise, (but not the dinner cruise) perhaps in the evening to see the twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower on the hour after dark.

If you want an authentic, casual but delicious meal one night; we enjoyed Cafe Varenne's Beef Bourguignon. (I'm sure everything on the menu is delicious.) Reservations highly suggested, but they are kind hosts and do their best to accommodate otherwise. About 15 min walk from your hotel.

Enjoyed the gardens at the Rodin Museum. We also took a taxi to Montmarte/Sacre Couer and explored the neighborhood. Enjoy every minute!

I agree with skipping Versailles unless it’s a “must do” for you. It would not be for me but we all travel differently!

I love the Louvre but again, don’t go because you think you should. Is there anything in particular that interests you there? The medieval walls in the lower level? The Code of Hammurabi? The vase owned by Alienor d’Aquitaine? Napokeon III’s apartments? The big 3 ladies - Mona Lisa, Venus di Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace?

The Arc de Triomphe, Latin Quarter and the exterior of Notre Dame will be easy to work in.

jjpain9989,
With 2 1/2 days, this is how I would plan my days. One of the full days..... begin the morning with seeing the Eiffel Tower from the Champs de Mar, walking around it. Then walk to the Invalides, spend about 2 hours there (Napoleon's tomb, military museum, suits of armor). Next walk to the Rodin Museum to enjoy the sculptures and the gardens (another 2 hours, including lunch at their nice cafe first. None of this is rushed, nor does it allow for hours and hours at each place. The walk between them was doable for me in my mid-seventies (about half an hour for me between locations). It is now mid-afternoon. You could walk to the Pont Alexandre III bridge to admire the Seine. Metro (I would be tired of walking by then) to the Ile de la Cite area, then check out the bouquinistes along the river. Dinner somewhere nearby, then a ride on the Vedettes de Pont Neuf (one hour of sitting, yay!)

The other full day (for me) would be a visit to The Cluny Museum, then walk to Notre Dame to see the outside, then Ste. Chapelle. Explore the Marais a bit, then I would go to the Opera Garnier (and tour the inside!). Close by is the Galleries Lafayette dept. store. Pop inside to admire the "ceiling". On the rooftop you can get a good view of Paris. Lunch somewhere in this time, depending on where you are when you get hungry. Dinner wherever you have planned.

The half-day depends on whether it is the latter part of your arrival day or the first part of your departure day.

I have left out the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay because they each deserve lots of time, and for me, I would spend at least 4 hours at the Louvre and three at Orsay, and even then I would feel too rushed. That is just me. Others feel differently. It is all a matter of preference.

Whatever you choose to do, whatever will please you the most, it is all good. Enjoy yourselves!