Feedback on Our First-Time Paris Itinerary (October Trip)

It's not a bad plan. Your first few days have lighter activities, allowing you to acclimate to the time change.

But your "museum day" is really going to be a challenge, depending on how much time you plan to spend in the Louvre.

Personally, for a first trip to Paris, I'd want a little more time to walk around and explore neighborhoods. This is definitely a city worth seeing from the outdoors. Although your list of sights to visit is reasonable, you might want to consider skipping a few in order to spend more time wandering. You can decide on that as you go.

Check this out (https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/paris) and prioritize the three-triangle sights.

I'd avoid a museum day and split museums up. Day 2 leaves you plenty of room for exploring! Is Day 3 a Sunday? The organ music at St Suplice just before mass is amazing. And you didn't ask, but since it's your first time to Paris; ...when you arrive at CDG follow the signs to the official Paris taxi line (don't be tricked by anyone offering a ride or approaching you to help you) The rate is a fixed rate and a wonderful way to get directly to your hotel to drop off your luggage.
Enjoy your wonderful first time in Paris!!!

We just got back from a week in Paris and have some lessons learned from our trip that may help you in your itinerary.

• Build in travel time in your plans, especially when sites are not geographically close to one another. You can use CityMapper app to help you with metro, bus, and train times. Google Maps is good for walking.
• Build in coffee stops, lunch, into your schedule. You may find with some of your days (e.g. your Latin Quarter Day) that you can’t visit everything or you may not be able to go inside. Note that for example, Saint Chapelle, you need to be in line in advance of your time and if you miss your time, they make you go into the general line. The Notre Dame line can be quite long if you are not able to get tickets.
• Your museum day is a lot of crowds, the garden is a nice break between Louvre and Orangerie, there are some cafes in the park or plan for a picnic to give your feet a break, but allow you to have some time to eat.
• Montmarte has so many things to see and great places to eat. We broke away from the main sites and really enjoyed just exploring the parks, shopping, and cool coffee places.
• Paris Opera is a very long line. We had timed tickets and it didn’t matter, everyone is in the same line. Plan to get there at least 20 minutes before your time (if you are not the first entrants). We had a 10:30 time slot and got in closer to 11:00.

Once you build in the transit time, coffee/cafe time, you may decide to drop some of your plans. In addition, in places like the Latin Quarter on our way to visiting the main sites we discovered the gardens at the Natural History Museum, grabbed a coffee near by and spent over an hour exploring the grounds. We had to dump going into the Pantheon, but for us it was a great trade-off. It helped us to have our must haves and we did those and everything else was optional, so we knew what we wanted to drop along the way.

Something to consider about museums is that some have evening hours too, so one day I had a very late lunch and spent the evening at the Orsay. Check when you get into town what different museums may be doing that week.

Day 1 - If you're young and tend to bounce back quickly after a long overnight flight, you may be up to climbing the Arc de Triomphe the first day you arrive. But personally, I'd stick to an easy walk around the first day (if the Champs Elysées is near your hotel, that is a good place to wander) get your bearings, find a nice place to eat dinner, and get to bed fairly early so you're fresh the next day.

Day 2 sounds perfect!

Day 3 - A long day if you're planning to actually go in and visit each of those places as opposed to just "seeing" them.

Day 4 - A nice trip, but depending on the crowds and your personal stamina can be tiring. Beware scheduling the Louvre the very next day unless you're good with two long days in row on your feet surrounded by mobs of people.

Day 5 - The Louvre, if properly done, is gonna take HOURS - consider it an all day excursion. Strolling leisurely through the Tuileries is about the right activity after a long day at the museum. Most people probably wouldn't feel like seeing another museum on the same day, so maybe leave those as "optional."

Day 6 - A nice day at Montmartre, but personally, that is where I'd want to be in the evening, because the view of Paris from the top of the hill is spectacular at sunset and when the Eiffel Tower is lit up.

Day 7 and 8 - Time to wind down and maybe just wander a little bit. Hit some of those sights you have in mind but also be open to just seeing what you see. You'll have spent six days at a hectic pace, so let yourself just see where the day takes you. You don't want to ATTACK Paris, you want to drink it in and savor it!

Day 9 - Have a nice trip home!

IMO, the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Esplanade du Trocadero at night is spectacular and will be a definite "We're in Paris" moment. I would do this on your first night. You could either walk from your hotel or take the metro. And I wouldn't necessarily bother actually walking down to the Tower that night. Save that for another time.

Some of your activities are weather dependent. So try to be flexible with your Seine cruise and your Eiffel Tower picnic. Watch the weather forecast and book your cruise a couple days in advance when the skies are dry.

I'm not sure what your Champs Elysee plans are, but there are much better areas of Paris to stroll and cafe stop.

As others have mentioned, I would spread out your museum visits.

Since you are planning to visit the Arc de Triomphe, the Pantheon and Sainte-Chapelle, take a look at the [Passion Monuments Subscription1. It provides free admission to those sites and more, as well as skip the security line. And the view from the Panorama at the Pantheon beats out the view from Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, IMO.

And you haven't mentioned what days of the week correspond to your itinerary, so you may need some tweaking.

Your going to have a great first visit to Paris!

I concur that the Champs Elysees isn't the greatest place. Lots of chain chops and very commercial. It's nice to look down the boulevard from the Arc toward the Place de la Concorde, but you may find a better place to stroll. Since it's arrival day, I would stroll around the neighborhood by my hotel, find a nice place for dinner and relax to get over any jet lag. Day 2 is good, but if you want, you could combine the Invalides (Army Museum, Napoleon's tomb) and the Rodin Museum after the Eiffel Tower. They are all within walking distance of each other and make a nice combination. The cafe at the Rodin has a reasonably priced and decent lunch menu. Trocadero afterward, then your cruise.
Day 3 looks too busy. Save St. Sulpice for a Sunday (organ music before 11:00 mass). Of course, the things you want to see won't all take tons of time, but as SandyO says, build in transit time, cafe/aperitif time, mealtimes, and waiting in security lines times. You may not fit everything in on day 3. Plot your route so you don't double back and can stop to take in a view. Day 5, you may get museumed out after the Louvre. That's okay. You have Day 8 to catch up. I also wonder if you may not be up for the Orsay the evening of day 6. But you wisely have that free day 8. My best advice is to plan your days by seeing/doing things in the same neighborhood. Check open/closing times, closed days, etc. on the actual websites for the places you will visit, as well as getting your reservation times where needed.
Have a wonderful time! Amusez-vous bien!

As Judy mentioned it is important to check when the various museums and sites are open. Each place is different and even the opening and closing times vary by day of the week. That way you won’t waste time going somewhere that is closed or can take advantage of later hours.

I think your time at the Louvre depends on how big of an art museum type you are. I know it’s sacrilegious to some, but we skipped the Uffizi Gallery altogether in Florence because we acknowledge that we are not savvy enough about art to enjoy spending a big chunk of time there, and chose some other things that interested us more.

As for the Louvre, I would personally not spend more than a couple of hours there. Yes it is amazing, but we found that the one-hour Rick Steves Audio Europe tour was sufficient for our limited time (and attention span) on our first trip to Paris. So I think this would make your Day 5 very doable. Obviously you can stop and start the audio at any time if you want to spend more time in a certain area, but it’s a great overview you can do on your own without getting overwhelmed. Only you can decide your priorities and interests and energy levels.

My problem with planning a museum day is not so much museum overload, although that is a consideration.

Depending on the museums, in this case the Louvre and the Orangerie, reservations need to be made in advance. Now you are committed to a specific day.

What if that specific museum day is the only day of blue skies during your stay? Do you really want to spend most of that day indoors? Plan both indoor and outdoor activities every day.

Paris really is at its best with strolls through the parks, watching the kids sail boats at Luxembourg Gardens, sitting at an outdoor cafe with a coffee.

Hopefully the poster and her husband will enjoy 9 days of sunshine in Paris.

Depending on the museums, in this case the Louvre and the Orangerie,
reservations need to be made in advance. Now you are committed to a
specific day.

What if that specific museum day is the only day of blue skies during
your stay? Do you really want to spend most of that day indoors? Plan
both indoor and outdoor activities every day.

Paris really is at its best with strolls through the parks, watching
the kids sail boats at Luxembourg Gardens, sitting at an outdoor cafe
with a coffee.

100%. While I would never tell anyone NOT to go to the Louvre, if someone wanted my honest opinion - and I have spent months in Paris, so I know it pretty well - I would say to skip it if you only have a week unless it is something you particularly WANT to see for some reason. (Hey, if your heart is set on it, and it is intended to be the highlight of your trip, then go do it!). But for the average person who just wants to check the Mona Lisa off the list, honestly there are so many better experiences to be had on a short visit.

As I said, I have spent months in Paris - about a year in France altogether - and I have many treasured memories and experiences I long to repeat. Seeing the Mona Lisa is not one of those. (I first saw it in 1980 when you just walked up to the Louvre and bought a ticket and went inside. Then when you got to the Mona Lisa, there were maybe 8-10 people standing around looking at it, then moving on to see something else. "Okay, wow, there it is! And now what else is there to see?" Nothing like it is today - it has been hyped to the point of frenzy which really ruins the whole experience.)

If I had to see only ONE museum on my trip to Paris right now, it would be Musée d'Orsay, but again that is just my personal preference. And like you said here, Paris is best enjoyed by slowing down and just taking it in. It is the simple things that really stick with you long after you've gone home - like for me a PERFECT Fall day in the Jardin du Luxembourg or just strolling along the Seine are my best memories.

Everyone has to figure out for themselves what will make a memorable trip, we all have different priorities. But for those traveling to Paris for the first time, maybe just consider slowing it down a bit, savoring the experience, and giving those unexpected memorable moments a chance to happen.

'm not sure what your Champs Elysee plans are, but there are much better areas of Paris to stroll and cafe stop.

i agree with both Jean and Judy. I feel like if I spent my first day in Paris walking on the Champs Elysées, I would find it so depressing that I wouldn't be in a very good frame of mind and would think all of Paris was that crowded, uninteresting, and overpriced.

Here are my thoughts:

Day 1: Where is your hotel? There might be something interesting in the neighborhood as well.

Day 2: This day seems light to me. I stay in the Rue Cler area but to me it's not worth making a particular side trip to walk the 2 blocks down the section where there are stores and markets. IF you want to go over there for a meal, that's fine. There are shops where you can get stuff for a picnic but there are also shops along the Rue Saint-Dominique on the way to Rue Cler. A few blocks past Rue Cler there is the Army Museum and Napoleon's tomb at the Les Invalides complex and the Rodin Museum right across the street from it. You could also do the Musee d'Orsay today.

Day 3: This looks fine. The last time I walked by Shakespeare & Co (last October) there were "petition girls" working the sidewalk just in front of the door. These are women who come up to you with a clipboard and some kind of story about signing a petition while poking the clipboard into your stomach to distract you. Sometimes they will indicate they are deaf and mute (eye roll...they are not). My point is just to be pickpocket proof if you go in this direction from Notre Dame and do not respond or make eye contact. ALSO....Are you fans of Midnight in Paris? The Woody Allen movie with Owen Wilson? I don't like either of them but I love this movie. The church steps where Owen Wilson gets picked up by the time-traveling taxi are right behind and to the side of the Pantheon. It's Saint-Etienne-du-Mont and is pretty cool inside. There is a wonderful carved stone double helix rood screen from the 1500's as well as a shrine and maybe the bones of Sainte-Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.

Day 4: this looks fine

Day 5: Well, I learned something new. I did not know there was a museum collection at the Bibliotheque Richelieu. I just added it to my itinerary for my Fall trip!

Day 6: Looks fine. You might enjoy a Paris Walks walk of Montmartre if it falls on the right day for you.

Day 7: Looks good.

Day 8: I think you are wise to give yourselves a flex day. If the weather is pretty you might want to do something outside like Jardin des Plantes or if it's yucky out, maybe the Covered Passages.

Day 9: Start calculating when you can visit again as you are sitting in the departure lounge, hahaha!

Have a great time!

I feel like if I spent my first day in Paris walking on the Champs
Elysées, I would find it so depressing that I wouldn't be in a very
good frame of mind and would think all of Paris was that crowded,
uninteresting, and overpriced.

I agree. However, a lot depends on where their hotel is located. If the Champs Elysées is on their "must see" list AND it is close to their hotel, it's as good a place as any to stroll. You can always head towards the Tuileries, after all, which is a nice introduction to Paris.

"it's as good a place as any to stroll"

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I don't know where the poster is from, but the Champs Elysee of today is not what most Americans envision. I would hate for that to be their first impression of Paris.

"it's as good a place as any to stroll"

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I don't know where the
poster is from, but the Champs Elysee of today is not what most
Americans envision. I would hate for that to be their first impression
of Paris.

I said it's as good a place as any IF it was near their hotel and I stand by that. The OP also said they want to see the Arc de Triomphe and Galleries Lafayette Champs Elysées on that first day, along with their stroll, so where else would that be? The Champs Elysées, of course! (Clearly this is what they WANT to do.)

So yeah, I'll own my disagree.

Thank you all so much for the thoughtful and detailed feedback — it’s incredibly helpful and appreciated! I’m definitely taking your suggestions to heart.
• NickB – Thanks for the great tip! I’ll definitely check museum schedules once I arrive to help with planning.
• StellaB – Your detailed breakdown was incredibly helpful. I especially appreciated your advice about pacing—such an important reminder! I tend to overpack my itinerary out of excitement, but you’re absolutely right that the most lasting memories often come from simple pleasures: relaxing in a park or strolling along the Seine. I’ll definitely keep your words in mind and aim for a more thoughtful, balanced pace. Also will plan indoor and outdoor alternatives daily. Thanks for your perspective on the Louvre. Will definitely consider it.
• Jean– Thank you for mentioning the Passion Monuments Pass. I hadn’t looked into it yet, but it sounds like a smart option. I really appreciate the recommendation!
• @Judy – Combining the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, and the Rodin Museum into one day sounds like a perfect plan—thank you! The tip about lunch at the Rodin café and the suggestion to time St. Sulpice on a Sunday are noted.
• Ncangelose and Jannypanny – Thanks so much for your input! Every little piece of advice is helping to shape this trip into something really special.
• Kim, Jean, StellaB, and Judy – Our hotel is near the Champs Elysees, which is why we included it on Day 1, but I really appreciate your candid thoughts. Since we will be arriving in the afternoon, I just wanted to stay within the vicinity. Based on your feedback, I’ll be sure to make it part of a larger walking route rather than the main focus.
• Pam – Your thoughtful feedback was fantastic—thank you! You’re right that Day 2 looks a bit too light, and I’m rethinking whether Rue Cler is worth going out of the way for or just a casual stop. Also, thank you for the warning about petition scammers near Shakespeare & Co—I’ll stay alert. And yes, we’re definitely fans of Midnight in Paris, so your mention of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont made me smile. It's now on the list! I also laughed at your Day 9 comment—odds are we’ll already be planning our return while sitting in the airport.
Big thanks again to everyone for taking the time to share your tips and experiences. I really enjoyed reading them all. You’ve helped me look at our trip with fresh eyes.

I have been to Paris 3 times for 14 days, 2 days and 12 days. I hope to go back ten more times!
You have gotten some excellent advice in the previous responses.
I will just add, don't hesitate to change your plans once you are there. Pick the few things that you won't be happy if you miss and that need scheduled tickets and then use a pencil for the rest of the week.

Something I did on my recent trip was to visit flea markets and neighborhood "yard sales". It was a blast looking at all of the vintage treasures while being outside in non touristy neighborhoods. In fact, I skipped some of my planned museum visits and went to more sales instead.

Two other great ways to get in a good neighborhood walk plus some history or good food is to take a tour with Paris Walks or a food tour.

Have a great time!

Oh gosh, I’m so glad you are Midnight in Paris fans! You’ll have to rewatch before AND after, haha!

One other suggestion is if you do go with the Louvre and Orangerie on the same day, book a Louvre entry for as early in the AM as is comfortable for you all. I am an early bird so I try to get in at 9. Give yourselves permission to leave at 11:30 or 12. IF it’s a lovely day there is an Eric Kayser bakery kiosk just as you come up the exit stairs from the Louvre toward the Tuileries and are by the Carrousel Arch. Grab a sandwich and something to drink and head for chairs in the garden! There are also cafes with terraces in the Tuileries as well. I like the one called Les Marrionniers which if you are walking from the Louvre toward the Orangerie it’s the last cafe on the left. I’d book the Orangerie for 2-230.

If you are in the mood to do Louvre research there is an excellent book called Adventures in the Louvre by Elaine Sciolino, a former journalist with the NYT. I was able to get it out of my local library.

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A lot of folks have chimed in about the museums, so I'll add my $0.02. I've spent hours in the Louvre; I like it very much. But I have not seen all of it, and I can't imagine trying to in one day. The Orangerie on the other hand was a disappointment. Not for the art, but because of the crowds. There's no way you can sit and take in one of the paintings without being disturbed, and I waited longer in line than I spent inside. The d'Orsay is my favorite (I like the Impressionists), and I have twice as many photos from there than of the Louvre.

I don't see the attraction of the Galleries Lafayette, which is basically another mall type shopping venue, and as for Shakespeare & Co. I'd rather hit the book vendors along the Seine (where I've actually found some good stuff).

You need to plan for rain, and cloudy conditions, and the leaves change and drop pretty fast, so the gardens may not be what you're expecting. If you can, be flexible and if the weather's good make those your "outside" days. The temps change a lot in October, with the end of the month getting quite chilly.

Just to add re Galeries Lafayette. I wouldn't bother with the one on the Champs Elysees. The one near the Opera Garnier is the iconic one with the beautiful ceiling. And go up to the rooftop for a nice view of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background (kind of far away though). I don't shop there (not a souvenir person), but it is a nice addendum to a visit to the Opera Garnier, which is a gorgeous rococco building that has a wonderful Chagall ceiling. I see you have included it with your Opera day, along with Au Printemps. Good planning! The buildings of the stores are the attraction and deserve their reputations, and are all close by to one another.
Enjoy!

I agree with Judy. The Galerie Lafayette on Blvd Haussmann is worth a stop for the interior alone. The view from the rooftop is the icing on the cake. If shopping, you'll need deep pockets.

I will chime in regarding the high profile stores on Blvd Haussmann. Once you have seen the beautiful ceiling and inside of Galeries Lafayette, pop over to the Printemps building with the restaurants on the 6/7th floor. Consider sitting outside, with a view of the Eiffel Tower, at Laurent Dubois’s restaurant and have a croque monsieur. His shops elsewhere are highly regarded fromageries and the ingredients of his Croque Monsieur are first rate.

@Claire- Thank you so much for the recommendation! I had to look up what a Croque Monsieur is. Oh my, it looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it while sitting outside with a view of the Eiffel Tower—what a perfect Paris moment!

@judy and jeanm- Thanks for pointing out the Galeries Lafayette near the Opera Garnier (vs the one in Champs Elysee). I’m really looking forward to seeing the Opera Garnier as well.

@KGC - I’m definitely leaning toward prioritizing the d’Orsay now, especially since so many people speak highly of it (and I love the Impressionists too!).

@Pam - Thank you so much—what a fantastic set of tips! I hadn’t heard of Adventures in the Louvre but I’ll see if our library has it too. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all of this!

Re the Orsay Museum. Consensus here is to get your reservation for as early as possible and head straight to the top floor where most of the impressionists are, then work your way down. This gives you more time in the most popular area before the crowds hit.
Enjoy!

For the first day I would recommend taking a river cruise on the Seine. It will give you a great overview of the city. After checking in to our hotel we like to head to Trocadero and see the Eiffel Tower across the Seine and then cross the bridge and take the Bateaux Parisien river cruise. If you have dinner before going there and you time it to see the lights on the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero or from the boat, it is magical and you will fall in love with Paris. Some of Day 1 activities could be moved to Day 2 if you like. You have planned a wonderful trip!