One Day in Paris: An Insider’s Guide to the Perfect 24 Hours
There’s no city quite like Paris. The architecture, the history, the food, the wine (did I mention the food?), it’s all amazing. My family is French, I lived here for a while in my twenties, and now I visit every year (and I can still never get enough!). While it breaks my heart that you only have one day in Paris, c’est la vie! You can still pack in an unforgettable trip in just 24 hours.
This guide is built from firsthand experience of my favorite spots in the city, optimized for ease, and designed to give you the greatest hits with enough breathing room to feel like you really saw Paris. Whether it’s your first time in Paris, a quick detour on a longer France trip, or a romantic honeymoon layover, this is your no-stress way to make every minute count.
Let’s dive into what makes one day in Paris absolutely worth it.
Is It Possible to Do Paris in One Day?
You might be wondering if it’s really possible to see Paris in a day. The truth is, you should spend ALL the time you can in Paris, even if it’s only one day!
Will you see everything? Not even close. But can you hit the major sites and still feel like you’ve gotten to experience Parisian culture? Bien sûr!
All you need is the right plan (and some comfy walking shoes), and you’ll get a beautiful taste of the city: history, art, pastries, wine, and of course, the Eiffel Tower sparkling. If you’re wondering where to stay in Paris or what the best arrondissement is, I’ve got a guide for you here.
One Day In Paris Must-Sees (and Must-Eats)
I’ll lay out what I think is a feasible, albeit busy, travel day in Paris. But this is a choose your own adventure guide. If you would rather spend two hours sipping crisp white wine over a Niçoise salad at lunch than go to a museum, do it! I recommend a Sancerre.
Before I dive into a 24-hour itinerary, here are the must-sees in Paris for the day, especially if you’re a first time visitor.
Food: Let’s start with the important stuff. While you’re in Paris you simply must eat a croissant (or almond croissant, my personal favorite), pain au chocolat, a crêpe, and a baguette.
Everything else about the day is negotiable. If you’re gluten-free in Paris, savory crêpes are typically made with buckwheat that celiacs can tolerate (but you take care of your tummy however you need). You’ll get a chance to eat all of these in my suggested itinerary.
Monuments: You should see some combination of the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame is my personal favorite church in Europe (it took nearly 200 years to build so you can actually see the architectural styles of the columns shift inside as what was popular at the time period changed). And no day in Paris is complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower, especially if you can watch it sparkle at night.
Museums: Personally, I think doing more than one museum in a day is aggressive, so I recommend you either go to the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay.
Obviously the Louvre is incredibly famous and incredibly massive. If you looked at every piece of art inside for just 5 seconds, it would take you nearly 100 days.
I’ll dive more into this in the itinerary, but buying a ticket with timed entry to the Louvre is critical so you’re not waiting in line longer than you’re actually in the museum (especially if you only have one day in Paris).
The Musée d’Orsay (one of my favorites) is a little smaller and is housed in a gorgeous former train station. It contains more impressionist/post-impressionist art like Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. I visit almost every year and you want a timed entry ticket for this also.
One Day in Paris Walking Map:
You can snag a google map of this itinerary here, including walking or metro times. I’ve got you mostly going in a straight line for the first half of the day, then heading to a food tour in the afternoon and you’ll want to take the metro or an uber over.
Bear in mind that Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, so if you decide to do any of the museums or tours I recommend, you need to book in advance.
Let’s dive into the perfect itinerary for your magical day in Paris:
One Day Itinerary in Paris: Quick Guide
|
Time |
Description |
Tickets Needed? |
|---|---|---|
|
7 am |
Grab pastries at Le Boulanger de la Tour |
Nope |
|
7:45 am |
Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral (arrive before it opens to skip the line) |
Nope |
|
10 am |
Timed entry at the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay |
Skip the line tickets are critical. Here for the Louvre and Here for the Musée d’Orsay |
|
1 pm |
Walk and grab snack at the Tuileries Gardens |
Nope |
|
3 pm |
Head to Montmartre for a food & wine tour |
Yes. I recommend this tour that takes you to 8 shops. |
|
8 pm |
Optional: Crazy Horse burlesque show |
Yes – you need to book tickets in advance (but it’s worth it)! |
|
After Sunset |
Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle |
Nope |
Now let’s get into the detail of why that should be your itinerary if you only have one day in Paris.
One Day in Paris: Full Itinerary
Morning Pain au Chocolat
Start with pastries at Le Boulanger de la Tour. I personally think this is the best croissant in Paris, especially the chocolate one, because they’re served warm so the chocolate inside is melted.
I make a trip to this French bakery every fall. Ideally you can do this at ~7am so you can make it to Notre-Dame before it opens.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Then head to Notre-Dame Cathedral. It’s open to the public from 7:45 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday to Friday, with a later closing time of 10:00 PM on Thursdays. On weekends it’s open from 8:15 AM to 7:30 PM.
It’s free to enter the cathedral, so you don’t need to buy a ticket for this. The lines can get pretty long though, so I recommend arriving at or before opening. If that’s too early for you (it usually is for me) I still think it’s worth taking a walk over to look at the outside.
Louvre or Musée d’Orsay
Next, head to a timed entry visit at either the Louvre or Musée D’Orsay.
The Louvre: If you’re going to the Louvre, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a timed entry ticket + guided tour. The only thing more massive than the Louvre is the line to get in.
This tour gives you skip the line access to the Louvre and a knowledgeable (and fun!) guide (and it sells out early, so you need to reserve in advance).
If it’s your first time, a guide will help explain the history and (literally) guide you on the right path to make sure you hit all the major sites you don’t want to miss without wasting time.
Must-see artworks at the Louvre include the Mona Lisa (obviously. She’s smaller than you think though!), Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, and Napoleon’s Coronation by David.
Musée d’Orsay
The Musée d’Orsay is one of the best museums in Paris and a personal favorite. I recommend this timed entry ticket + digital audio guide. I get an audio guide every time I visit, even though I go to this museum pretty much every year. I find I get so much more out of the museum at least with an audio guide.
You can also book a skip the line ticket and guided tour here if you’re looking for more explanation from a human instead of a recording, which is worth it for first time visitors.
Make sure you make it to the fifth floor to look at the famous clock, which also offers a great view of the city.
No matter what museum you go to, feel free to stop at the museum café to grab an espresso or a quick bite. Museums are tiring, it’s okay to take a break when you need it 🙂
Stroll the Tuileries
You’re going to be hungry, so from either museum, head to the Tuileries gardens (in front of the Louvre and across the street from the Musée d’Orsay), stroll around and grab a crêpe from a vendor. I personally love cheese + mushroom crêpes, or you can opt for a classic Nutella. There are also lovely sit down cafés where you can have a more filling meal.
Montmartre Cheese, Wine and Pastry Tour:
If you only have one day in Paris, you simply must spend some of it eating cheese and drinking wine. Make your way up to Montmartre (one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris) and let a local guide you through 8 different local food stops.
If you’re not into a tour, you can always stop at pretty much any café you see and get a fabulous meal.
Crazy Horse Burlesque Show
If somehow you’re not exhausted, and you’re looking for nightlife, I cannot recommend the Crazy Horse Paris enough.
It’s art meets music meets burlesque, all in all a fabulous Parisian evening. Tickets sell out ~1 month in advance, so you definitely need to plan this one ahead.
see the Eiffel Tower Sparkle
There’s nothing more magical than getting a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. After sunset, the Eiffel Tower transforms into a glittering masterpiece, sparkling with 20,000 lights for five minutes every hour on the hour. The last showing is at 1am and lasts 10 minutes.
If you went to the Crazy Horse show, walk out and turn left, you’ll spot the Eiffel Tower from the main intersection at the end of the block. If not, head anywhere near the Eiffel tower and you’ll be able to see it 🙂
I’ll admit, this is a busy day, but pick and choose whichever parts of it you want! You truly can’t go wrong- even if you only have one day in Paris, it’s worth a visit!
One Day in Paris FAQs
Absolutely. Will you see everything? Not even close. But if you have a solid plan like this one (and comfy shoes), you can absolutely hit the highlights. You’ll eat the best croissants in Paris, visit a museum, see Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night. It’s a packed day, but totally worth it.
If you’re lucky enough to have an overnight, I’ve got an entire article on the best places to stay in Paris you can check out here. Short version: look for places in the 1st through 10th arrondissements if you want easy access to the major sites and a walkable experience.
Do learn a few basic French phrases (bonjour, merci, excusez-moi) — it goes a long way.
Do greet shopkeepers when you enter and leave (it’s considered rude not to).
Don’t expect quick restaurant service — lingering is part of the culture.
Do dress a little nicer than you would at home (think casual chic, not athleisure. Leggings are a telltale sign of a tourist).
Don’t skip the wine with lunch — you’re in France! 🍷
In restaurants, service is included by law (you’ll usually see “service compris” on the bill), but it’s polite to leave a small extra tip (around €1–€2 at cafés or 5–10% at nicer places if the service was good). For tour guides, €5–€10 per person is appreciated for a small group tour, or €10–€20 if you’re on a private tour and loved it.
Paris is very safe and very well set up for tourism. The primary “danger” you need to be aware of is pickpockets, especially if you’re in a crowded museum or on the metro. I recommend a bag or crossbody with zippers like this one. Keep your valuables in your front pocket and just be aware.
Paris is super walkable, especially if you stick to the major neighborhoods like I lay out in the itinerary. The metro is fast, cheap, and easy to navigate (even if you don’t speak French). If you’re running late or heading across town, an Uber or Bolt can save time too.
Yes, yes, and yes. If you’re planning to visit the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, or even the Eiffel Tower, buy your tickets with timed entry before you arrive. Trust me — you don’t want to waste half your only day in Paris standing in line when you could be eating pastries instead.
Notre-Dame Cathedral is open to the public from 7:45 AM to 7:00 PM Monday to Friday, and 8:15 AM to 7:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. On Thursdays, it stays open later, until 10:00 PM. It’s free to visit the inside, but I recommend getting there early to avoid the lines — especially if you only have one day in Paris.
The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year. From mid-June to early September, it’s open from 9:00 AM to 12:45 AM (last elevator ride up at midnight). The rest of the year, it’s usually open from 9:30 AM to 11:45 PM. But you can look at it all day, every day 🙂
The Louvre is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day except Tuesdays, when it’s closed. On Fridays, it stays open later until 9:45 PM — perfect if you want a slightly less crowded visit. Either way, you absolutely need a timed entry ticket if you want to avoid standing in monster lines.
The Musée d’Orsay is open from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM every day except Mondays, when it’s closed. On Thursdays, it stays open later, until 9:45 PM. It’s a gorgeous museum and perfect if you love Impressionist art — but like the Louvre, definitely book your timed ticket in advance if you’re short on time.
Final Thoughts: Even One Day in Paris is Unforgettable
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this guide, it’s that one day in Paris is always better than no day in Paris. You may not see it all (no one ever really does) but you’ll experience enough to fall completely, hopelessly in love with this city.
Between the buttery croissants, the glow of the Eiffel Tower, the masterpieces tucked inside the museums, and the simple magic of walking along the Seine, even a quick trip can feel like something out of a dream.
If you have the chance to spend more time here (or are planning your next trip already — trust me, you’re going to want to come back), check out my guides to the best places to stay in Paris and more unforgettable things to do.
No matter how much time you have, Paris has a way of staying with you.
Cheers to your next adventure and please send me all the photos (or tag @insidetheupgrade on Instagram!) of the incredible food you eat while you’re there 🥂🥐
