My family and I are taking a week-long trip to London in July 2022. We are planning to chunnel to Paris for a day trip. I was wondering if Sunday or Monday was a better day for a one-day trip? Also, since we are there for such a short time, what are the must-dos?
We spent a week in Paris didn’t get to 1/4 of our wish list.
Everyone is going to tell you something different, based on their own preferences. Personally I’d just soak it in and enjoy. Pick an arrondissement and shop, eat, and soak it in. Have 1 museum in mind? Pick the area around it. Cross the Seine, get eyes on Eiffel Tower or Arc if you’re so inclined- and make notes for a future trip!
Who is included in the family (age range)? Any particular interests? The must-do’s will fill more than you’ll have time for, so you’ll need to focus on what YOU really want to see.
What you want to do May dictate which day is better, depending on closures.
For me, a whirlwind day in Paris would include a van tour around the city to drive by some of the main sights and neighborhoods. Arc de Triomphe, Champs elysee, maybe Montmartre, Latin quarter. This might be better on a Sunday when traffic might not be so horrible. A quick lunch at a crepe stand, maybe a ham sandwich on a great baguette. A quick trip up the Eiffel Tower. A very quick trip to the Orsay museum. A quick trip to St. Chapelle. A stop into a bakery to stock up on croissants and baguettes for the train ride back.
That’s probably more than you have time for. But if you’re taking the latest train back, a 1 hour evening river cruise would be nice.
The challenge in all this is it takes time to get from one place to the next. You’d need to optimize your day by planning your stops well and considering how you will get from place to place (metro, taxi, Uber).
The first Eurostar train that departs from London’s St Pancreas station on Sunday is at 8:31a arriving at Paris Gare du Nord at 11:47 (2h 30m); France is one hour ahead of the UK. The first train on Monday departs at 5:59 arriving at 9:20a.
Rick Steves app has an Historic Paris self-guided walking tour that begins on Ile de la Cité, Paris’s birthplace 2,000 years ago in front of Notre-Dame that takes you to the Left Bank, Latin Quarter and back to Ile de la Cité at Point Neuf which is a perfect place for a picnic; make sure you bring something to sit on. The last train departing Paris on Mon is at 8:01p. The further out you buy your Eurostar tickets the cheaper it is.
If you are only going to have a week long trip, I would not visit Paris for only one day. London has so much to see and do that you could spend two or three weeks there and still feel you want to see more. And it’s not inexpensive to get there. Purchasing rail tickets in advance means $140 per person round trip. You’ll be able to get a taste of Paris but not really visit that magnificent City of Lights. This autumn I’m returning to Paris for my sixth visit and I doubt it will be my last.
Check the sites you want to see: some sites are closed on Mondays
Many museums are closed on Mondays but the Louvre is open.
Some small restaurants and shops might close on Sundays but those in the tourist areas will be open.
Consider taking a hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour. The Big Bus company takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to see everything. They also partner with Les Bateaux Parisiens to offer ticket combos to include a 1 hour river cruise.
I personally would just walk and enjoy the city, eat something delicious - not stress too much about entering sites unless there was something very meaningful to you.
My vote for a "must-do" is Sainte-Chapelle - it is one of the most splendid interiors in Paris. Whatever you do, buy tickets in advance!
Have a wonderful trip!
Do you mean a day trip or overnight? If you mean a day trip, you must arrive 1 hour before departure for Eurostar so with 2 1/2 hour travel time and check-in that is 3 1/2 hours one way. So on a day trip that's 7 hours of travel time.