Vet my 4-day Paris itinerary

Haven't been to the restaurants but the schedule for the attractions looks doable unless you get stuck in long lines at the major ones.

When are you traveling?

Asking because if it’s nice weather and you’ve entered the Louvre at 9A on Day 2 you might consider eating lunch at one of the cafes in the Tuileries. I like Les Marroniers. There is also an Eric Kayser boulangerie kiosk right beside the Carrousel Arch near the Louvre’s Tuileries exit where you can get a sandwich then sit in the gardens for lunch.

Day 3: There is a little pocket garden along the corner on Les Invalides complex across from the La Tour-Maubourg Metro entrance. If you pick up food for lunch at your traiteur on Rue Cler you can head there to eat if it’s a nice day. Have a plastic bag to sit on as sometimes the benches have a lot of bird poop on them.

Looks okay. I would go from Rodin Museum directly to Napoleon's Tomb at the Invalides before Rue Cler to save backtracking. They aren't far apart. Rue Cler after the Invalides would mean some backtracking to the Eiffel Tower later, but if you want to see it in the evening I understand. And be sure to give yourself enough time at the Musee d'Orsay. Maybe have lunch at the nice cafe at the Musee Rodin, then Napoleon's Tomb, Rue Cler, etc. Also, after the Invalides you will go to Rue Cler by way of the Champs de Mar/Eiffel Tower if I am getting my directions right. (Never been to Rue Cler, and have no real interest in it. There are lots of similar neighborhoods in Paris.)

I am not familiar with the Jeusselin Traiteur nor Le Comptoir de l'Arc, nor their locations, so I can't comment on that portion of your visit. Also, I think the Champs Elysees is overrated, as a long uphill (or downhill) wide boulevard with too many to tourist shops along it. However, its place in history (picture the parade on the liberation of Paris in 1945) is iconic, so there is that. And from the Arc de Triomphe yoyu have a great view down the Champs Elysees to the Place de la Concorde.

You are well-organized and in general I think you are allowing yourself ample time at your sights, barring unforeseen long lines.
Amusez-vous bien!

The square I mentioned next Les Invalides is called Square Santiago du Chili. It's really only a 5 minute walk from there to Rue Cler so in my mind not much of a back track if your heart is set on the Jeusselin Traiteur. There are also several boulangeries in the area. I like the sandwiches best from Bretteau-Sebastien which is located on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet just past Rue Cler but before the Ecole Militaire Metro stop.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YjVbJF5kVKUagNez7

I'll add that I usually walk from my hotel in the Rue Cler area to the Orsay. I'm old and it takes me about 28 minutes to get there so really not a long distance at all...just a smidgy over a mile.

Again, it will depend on when you plan to travel and what the weather is like on the actual day as to whether an outside venue for lunch would work.

I see from your thread over on the Trip Advisor Paris forum that you are traveling January to March so my suggestions for outdoor lunches will not work for you.

For Day 3 there are plenty of places to eat indoors between the Orsay and the Rodin or Rue Cler area. There are also a bunch of cafes and restaurants along Rue Cler if you wanted to eat there. Le Petit Cler is a good lunch spot with good people-watching, lol. I do not think Jeusselin Traitteur has any seating. They may have had a couple of outdoor tables set up when I was there last month but don't remember 100%.

The first day is going to take more travel time than you have planned, especially if you don't have the metro memorized.

I was at the Louvre today. 9am ticket. Line was several hundred people by 0900, and with tour groups it took over 30 minutes to get in and put the coats in a locker. I highly recommend you think about what you want to see and go there first. I aimed at French painting, went to the top and worked my way down, and for the first hour I had entire rooms to myself. Just doing that and the royal quarters, and the sculptures, took 6 hours. I cannot imagine doing it faster.

I walked the Champs Elysees last night from the Arc d' Triomphe to the Tuileries. It's worth doing, but that's a good walk and crowded. Some of the window displays are fantastic.

The only museum's I would consider combining with Musee d'Orsay would be the Legion of Honor or the Orangeri. If you don't have a ticket for the Orangeri you should plan on an hour wait to get in (minimum). The problem with that is the d'Orsay is another place it's easy to spend 5-6 hours in and not see everything.

Thank you for the wonderful insights, much appreciated.

@Pam I realized after posting that I didn't mention any dates, or a place I'll be staying at. Although not confirmed, I wish to travel early next year, and stay somewhere in the 6th to 9th arrondissements. Sadly, posts can't be edited.
I've no particular affection for Jeusselin Traiteur except it is mentioned in Rick's book. I've noted down the restaurants you mentioned.

@Judy I made the changes in the 3rd day itinerary as you suggested, putting Rue Cler after Napoleon's Tomb.

@KGC I intend to spend a long time at the Louvre (art lover). What I hadn't realized is that Musée d'Orsay is a significant investment of time. I'll skip some of the latter items on the list if it takes more than 3 hours.

One question: Is it recommended to take a guided tour of the Versailles, or better to do a self-guided tour along with some help from Rick's book?

The Musee d'Orsay is much more of a favorite of mine than the Louvre. The collection is more international, whereas the Louvre tends to focus on French history and possessions.

The Orangeri is worth going to for the Monet panels, but it's always jammed in those rooms and that makes it almost impossible to enjoy them as they were intended to be seen.

Actually you can edit your original post on this forum! You can't on Trip Advisor but this forum is easier. If you want to add a time frame you can, and I would recommend you just make a note that you are editing.

You can play by ear how you do your lunch and Napoleon's Tomb. You do not need reservations to visit the Tomb or the rest of the Les Invalides complex (if you have an interest in the Army Museum) nor to enter the Rodin Museum so that part of your day can be fairly flexible. You will want to get a timed entry for the Orsay.

Not knowing what your budget or other requirements are, if you want to stay in the 7th in the Rue Cler area, I am partial to Hotel Muguet and Hotel Relais Bosquet. My other go-to hotel is, in my opinion, in need of a top to bottom cosmetic reno. It is also less expensive than the other 2. It's clean, just very tired looking inside.

Just something to remember when you do the Louvre. Once you get inside and under the pyramid, you go up escalators to the 3 different wings. Your ticket is scanned when you enter each wing and you can only enter one time thru the main area. You CAN go from wing to wing within the ticketed area, if that makes sense. So...if you start in the Denon wing, see the Mona Lisa and French art, you can move thru corridors to the Sully wing without having your ticket scanned again. If you are planning a long visit there are a few cafes WITHIN the ticketed areas but there are more choices if you move back out to under the pyramid which would require you to scan your ticket again. I'm just telling you this so you figure out what areas you might want to concentrate on and work out a preliminary plan.

Here is the floor plan of the Louvre:

https://api-www.louvre.fr/sites/default/files/2024-06/Web%20-%20EN%20%20LOUVRE_PlanG%20-%2004-2024.pdf

Here is the list of what galleries are closed on certain days of the week:

https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/list-of-available-galleries

The Orsay building is not as big or complex since it was a train station in it's former life not a royal palace, lol!! My best tip here is when you enter, walk straight back thru the sculpture toward the back wall. Veer to the left and find the hidden escalators that take you directly to the 5th floor and the Impressionist galleries (if that time frame is of interest to you!). If you enter at the time the museum opens and hoof it to the back you will have a few minutes alone in these upper galleries before people filter up there!

No advice on Versailles...The last time I went I was on a Rick Steves tour so it was guided within the palace and then we were set free to see the Trianons, the Hamlet and the gardens.

@Pam

I would recommend you just make a note that you are editing

Done.

My other go-to hotel is ... reno

Did you mean https://www.renoir-hotel.com/?

No, it’s Hotel Beaugency on Rue Divivier.

By reno I meant renovation.

Pam is quite right, if you go in as the museums open, and then head to the top floors, you can have the place to yourself for an hour or so. It's my favorite way to work the exhibits. I have video of entire rooms without a soul around from this past weekend, when there were 2-3,000 people in the doors.