3 days in Paris
A 3-day route through Paris built from the stop base: 12 stops, timed with the walk between them. Change the pace or your arrival day and the plan is rebuilt.
Data checked on October 4, 2026
No arrival day set. Times below work on any day each stop is open. Watch the “closed” tags, or pick your arrival day above.
Day 1
Louvre, Tuileries and Opéra · Marais and the east
3 stops · 6 h 30 of visits · 53 min on foot
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9:30 am1:00 pm
Louvre Museum
The largest museum in Paris, in a former royal palace. The collection is too big to see in one visit, so choose a few wings and expect a security queue at the Pyramid.
Go at opening time, or on a Wednesday or Friday evening when the museum stays open late.
Book a timed ticket on the official site before you go. The museum strongly recommends it for every visitor, including those with free entry.
Closed on Tuesdays. Open until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays. Entry to the museum is free after 18:00 on the first Friday of each month, except in July and August. Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
See ticketsSource: Musée du Louvre, checked October 4, 2026
- 30 min walk
- Lunch break
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2:30 pm4:30 pm
Le Marais
A neighbourhood of 17th-century mansions, small museums, shops and cafés in the 3rd and 4th districts. It works as a walk with no fixed route.
Source: Paris je t'aime, checked October 4, 2026
- 23 min walk
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4:53 pm5:53 pm
Canal Saint-Martin
A tree-lined canal with iron footbridges and locks, and cafés along the quays. It is a place to walk or sit, not a sight to tick off.
Source: Paris je t'aime, checked October 4, 2026
- Running late? Drop Canal Saint-Martin first. Nothing is booked there.
Day 2
Montmartre · Left Bank
4 stops · 8 h 15 of visits · 28 min on foot
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9:30 am11:00 am
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
The white basilica on the Montmartre hill. Entry to the nave is free, and the front steps look over the whole city. The dome climb is a separate visit.
Early morning is the quietest time on the steps.
The basilica is open every day from 06:30 to 22:30. Dome hours are listed separately and we did not check them.
Source: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, checked October 4, 2026
- Too far to walk in comfort (about 52 min on foot). Take public transport.
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11:21 am1:51 pm
Musée d'Orsay
A former railway station that holds a large Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection. The museum notes some renovation work, so check access conditions on its page.
The Thursday late opening gives you an evening slot.
Buy a timed ticket online to use the separate timed-ticket entrance.
Closed on Mondays, 1 May and 25 December. Open 09:30 to 18:00, and until 21:45 on Thursdays. The last entry is at 17:00, or 21:00 on Thursdays.
See ticketsSource: Musée d'Orsay, checked October 4, 2026
- Too far to walk in comfort (about 45 min on foot). Take public transport.
- Lunch break
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3:11 pm4:26 pm
Arc de Triomphe
The monument at the top of the Champs-Élysées, with a terrace reached by 284 steps. The official site says the lift is under maintenance until further notice, so the climb is by stairs only. Reach it by the underpass, not by crossing the roundabout.
Go up late in the day for the light on the avenues and the Eiffel Tower in view.
Tickets are sold online on the official site, which saves queuing at the ticket desk.
From 1 October to 31 March: Wednesday to Monday 10:00 to 22:30, Tuesday 11:00 to 22:30. The last entry is 45 minutes before closing. Summer hours run later.
See ticketsSource: Arc de Triomphe (Centre des monuments nationaux), checked October 4, 2026
- 28 min walk
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4:54 pm7:54 pm
Eiffel Tower
The iron tower on the Champ de Mars, with lifts or stairs to the second floor and a lift to the summit. Allow time for the security check at the entrance and again at the pillar before you go up.
Book a slot around sunset to see Paris in daylight and after dark.
Time-stamped e-tickets can be booked up to 90 days ahead for lifts and 60 days ahead for stairs. You can still buy on site, but the summit queue is long. Bring ID for each ticket holder.
The official calendar shows 09:30 to 23:00 for early October, with the last ascents at 22:45. Hours change by date, so check the calendar for your day.
See ticketsSource: Tour Eiffel, checked October 4, 2026
- Running late? Drop Musée d'Orsay first. Nothing is booked there.
Day 3
Île de la Cité · Left Bank
5 stops · 6 h 15 of visits · 43 min on foot
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9:30 am10:30 am
Sainte-Chapelle
A Gothic royal chapel inside the Palais de la Cité, known for its walls of stained glass. Expect a security check, and leave large bags at your hotel because they are not allowed.
Pair it with Notre-Dame, which is a few minutes away on foot.
Timed tickets are mandatory. Book on the official ticket site and arrive at the time on your ticket, not before.
In October it is open 09:00 to 17:00, with the last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours change by season. Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
See ticketsSource: Sainte-Chapelle (Centre des monuments nationaux), checked October 4, 2026
- 7 min walk
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10:37 am12:07 pm
Notre-Dame Cathedral
The restored cathedral on the Île de la Cité. Entry is free, and you queue to walk through the nave.
Arrive early, or reserve a slot, to avoid the longest queue.
A free time slot can be reserved on the official site a few hours before your visit. It is optional, but it shortens the wait.
Check the cathedral's official page for the current hours before you go.
Source: Notre-Dame de Paris, checked October 4, 2026
- 13 min walk
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12:20 pm1:20 pm
Panthéon
A neoclassical building that is now the burial place of figures from French history. The crypt is the main part of the visit.
A quiet stop to fit between lunch and the Luxembourg Gardens.
From October to March it is open 10:00 to 18:00 every day, with the last entry 45 minutes before closing. It closes at noon on the first working Monday of each month. Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The panoramic view is closed.
Source: Panthéon (Centre des monuments nationaux), checked October 4, 2026
- 12 min walk
- Lunch break
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2:32 pm3:47 pm
Luxembourg Gardens
A large formal park on the Left Bank, with chairs by the pond and tree-lined paths.
Come in the middle of the day, and leave before the gates close.
The garden changes its hours every two weeks to follow sunrise and sunset. From 1 to 15 October it opens at 07:45 and closes at 18:45. From 16 October it opens at 08:00 and closes at 18:15.
Source: Jardin du Luxembourg (Sénat), checked October 4, 2026
- 11 min walk
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3:58 pm5:28 pm
Latin Quarter
The student district around the Sorbonne on the Left Bank, with narrow streets, bookshops and cafés. Its sights include the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens.
Source: Paris je t'aime, checked October 4, 2026
- Running late? Drop Panthéon first. Nothing is booked there.
- If it rains, swap Latin Quarter for Musée de l'Orangerie, which is indoors and close by.