Head to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport about three hours before your international departure on September 27. For most itineraries, allow roughly 10–11 hours of flying time plus any connection, with arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on September 28. Check your airline app before leaving home for the terminal and connection details, and keep your passport, medication, a change of clothes, and chargers in your personal item in case checked luggage is delayed.
Have the in-flight dinner, but keep it light, and drink water rather than too much alcohol. Set your watch to France time after boarding and try to sleep during the portion of the flight that corresponds to nighttime in Paris; this will make the first day much easier. A small neck pillow, compression socks, and noise-canceling headphones are genuinely useful on this route. Expect the time change to be nine hours ahead of Phoenix in late September.
You’ll land at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on September 28. Allow approximately 1–2 hours for immigration, baggage collection, and walking through the airport before making any onward plans. Keep your arrival-day schedule flexible: after the overnight flight, the priority is reaching your accommodation, checking in or dropping bags, and staying awake until a normal local bedtime.
After landing at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy-en-France, allow roughly 1–2 hours for passport control, baggage collection, and customs. With jet lag and luggage, take the RER B or a taxi into central Paris rather than trying to fit in a museum; taxis have a fixed fare to the Right Bank, generally around €56, while the train takes about 35–45 minutes. Drop your bags at your hotel, freshen up, and give yourself a little time before heading out.
Spend the afternoon wandering Le Marais, particularly the quieter lanes around the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. Begin at Place des Vosges, Paris’s elegant 17th-century square, then meander along Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Rue des Rosiers, and the small side streets filled with independent boutiques, galleries, and historic hôtels particuliers. Keep this relaxed—after the overnight flight, two hours is plenty, and the neighborhood is ideal for simply stopping when something catches your eye.
For a late lunch or pastry break, settle at Carette on Place des Vosges. Order a pastry, crêpe, or their famously rich hot chocolate; a light meal usually runs about €15–30 per person. It can be busy, but the terrace is wonderful for people-watching and the interior is a comfortable refuge if the weather turns cool. Check the day’s hours before setting out, as restaurant schedules can change seasonally.
From Le Marais, walk about 10–15 minutes toward Hôtel de Ville, then follow the river east toward Île Saint-Louis. This easy one-hour stroll is a lovely first glimpse of Paris: watch the light change over the water, cross onto the island if you feel energetic, and pause near the quays rather than trying to cover more sights. Finish with dinner at Bouillon République, a lively traditional dining room near Place de la République. Expect straightforward French classics and a bill of roughly €20–35 per person; queues are common at peak dinner time, so arriving around 6:30–7:00 p.m. is wise. Afterward, take the Métro or a short taxi ride back to your hotel and turn in early.
Start at the Louvre Museum when it opens—typically 9:00 a.m., though hours and timed-entry rules can change, so reserve a slot online in advance. Give yourself about three hours and be selective: choose the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and a couple of galleries in the Denon or Richelieu wings rather than trying to cover the whole palace. The museum is closed Tuesdays, and admission is generally around €22; arrive 20–30 minutes before your entry time for security.
Leave through the Carrousel du Louvre and walk through the arcades toward Palais Royal, about 10 minutes away. Pause at Colonnes de Buren in the courtyard, then continue west through the Tuileries Garden toward the Place de la Concorde. The formal garden is especially pleasant in early October, with chairs around the ponds and plenty of space to slow down; allow about 1½ hours, including a coffee or light lunch from a garden kiosk. If you want a proper meal, Café de la Régence near the Louvre is convenient, but keep it unhurried because you still need to collect the car.
Pick up your rental car in central Paris or at the designated airport rental center, allowing roughly an hour for paperwork and inspection. Photograph every side of the vehicle, confirm that collision and theft coverage are included, and enter your Bayeux and Giverny stops into the navigation before leaving. A small car is much easier on Normandy’s rural lanes; verify the drop-off address and whether the car has a Crit’Air sticker, and avoid driving through central Paris at rush hour if possible. Afterward, return to Saint-Germain-des-Prés by Metro or taxi rather than attempting to park, and settle in at Café de Flore for a classic café break—expect about €15–30 per person, with terrace seating costing more. Dinner at Le Procope, a short walk away on Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, is atmospheric and historic; reserve ahead and budget roughly €40–70 per person. Keep the evening early—the Normandy drive begins tomorrow.
Leave Paris around 8:00 a.m. with the rental car, allowing roughly 1–1½ hours to reach Giverny via the A13. Park in the lot serving the Fondation Claude Monet—arriving early is worthwhile, since the village gets noticeably busier by late morning. Spend about two hours at Claude Monet’s House and Gardens, entering through the house before wandering through the flower gardens to the Japanese bridge and water-lily pond. In early October, the summer borders will be past their peak, but the autumn color and softer light are lovely; check the foundation’s 2026 calendar and reserve timed admission if offered.
A short walk through Giverny brings you to the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, a manageable one-hour stop with changing exhibitions exploring Monet’s circle and the wider Impressionist movement. Allow a little time afterward to browse the quiet lanes rather than rushing straight back to the car. For lunch, settle in at La Musardière, a charming restaurant and hotel near the gardens; budget approximately €25–45 per person and reserve ahead, particularly for a weekday visit during the popular garden season.
After lunch, drive from Giverny toward Bayeux, using the A13 and then continuing west toward Normandy; the trip takes about 2–2½ hours. Check into your Bayeux accommodation and leave the car there if possible—the compact center is easiest on foot, and parking around the cathedral can be limited. In the evening, walk toward Bayeux Cathedral and have a relaxed dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette, a friendly choice near the cathedral with traditional dishes and a budget of roughly €25–45 per person. Keep the evening unhurried: tomorrow’s landing-sites touring is much more enjoyable with an early start.
Leave Bayeux around 8:00 a.m. for the 45-minute drive east to Sainte-Mère-Église, following the D15 and D974. Arriving early makes parking easier and gives you time at the Airborne Museum before tour groups arrive. Allow about two hours for its aircraft, personal stories, and immersive exhibits covering the American airborne landings; check the museum’s October schedule and expect roughly €10–€12 admission. From here, drive about 25 minutes north-west to Utah Beach at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. The Utah Beach Landing Museum typically takes 1–1½ hours, and the beach itself is immediately outside—walk down to the water afterward to appreciate how flat and open the landing area is. Admission is generally around €9–€10; seasonal hours can change, so verify before leaving.
Continue west for about 25 minutes to La Cambe German War Cemetery. This is a quiet, deliberately restrained place, with dark stone markers and a peace garden; keep your visit to roughly 45 minutes and allow the atmosphere to speak for itself. A 20-minute drive brings you to Omaha Beach at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, where you can walk the shoreline and look back toward the bluffs that made this sector so difficult. Set aside about 1½ hours, including time at the small memorial area and the beach. Wear shoes with good grip—the sand can be tiring, and the paths near the bluffs may be uneven. Between stops, use the smaller coastal roads rather than rushing back to the main highway; road signs are clear, but mobile coverage can be patchy, so download an offline map.
Finish with dinner at La Sapinière, near Longues-sur-Mer, about 25 minutes from Omaha Beach. Reserve ahead if possible, especially for an October weekend, and expect approximately €25–€45 per person. If daylight remains, the nearby Longues-sur-Mer Battery is worth a brief look before or after dinner, though the gun emplacements are best viewed in daylight and the site is generally open-air. From there, return to Bayeux in roughly 20 minutes; refuel the car before reaching town and avoid leaving valuables inside overnight.
Begin at Bayeux War Cemetery, ideally around 8:30 a.m., while the grounds are quiet and the light is soft. From central Bayeux, it is an easy walk of about 15–20 minutes, or a short drive with limited street parking nearby. Allow about an hour to read the inscriptions and take in the scale of the cemetery; it is the largest Commonwealth cemetery of the Second World War in France, with more than 4,000 graves. Please keep voices low and remember that this remains a place of remembrance, not simply a sightseeing stop.
Continue to the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie, roughly a 10-minute walk away. Give yourself about two hours for its maps, vehicles, photographs, and chronological account of the campaign from D-Day through the liberation of Normandy. It generally opens around 10:00 a.m. in October, with admission commonly around €8–€10, but confirm the 2026 schedule before leaving. The museum is substantial enough that it is worth taking your time rather than trying to absorb every display quickly.
After lunch, walk into the old center for the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. A light lunch at Le Moulin de la Galette or a café along Rue Saint-Jean works well before the visit; reserve if you want a full sit-down meal. The tapestry museum typically uses timed entry, so book ahead and allow about 1½ hours. Audio commentary is useful here, since the embroidered scenes are much easier to follow with the historical context. Expect admission in the neighborhood of €12–€15, subject to the museum’s 2026 rates.
Finish your sightseeing at Bayeux Cathedral, a pleasant 10-minute walk from the tapestry museum through the historic center. Spend around 45 minutes inside and then wander the nearby lanes around Rue de la Maîtrise and Rue Franche; this is one of the best parts of Bayeux for simply looking at half-timbered houses and small courtyards. The cathedral is usually free to enter, though hours can vary around services, so step inside respectfully and check the posted schedule.
Have dinner at Le Petit Bistrot in the historic center, where traditional Norman dishes and a relaxed atmosphere make a good ending to the day. Budget roughly €25–€45 per person, and reserve ahead if possible—October evenings are quieter than summer but popular restaurants can still fill. If you have room afterward, take a short stroll through illuminated Bayeux before returning to your hotel; everything in the center is close enough to do on foot, and there is no need to drive tonight.
Leave Bayeux around 8:00 a.m. for the roughly 1½-hour drive to Mont Saint-Michel, using the A84 and allowing extra time for a coffee stop if needed. Follow signs to the mainland visitor parking area rather than trying to drive toward the mount itself. After parking, the included shuttle takes about 12 minutes; walking the causeway is also possible, but save your legs for the island. The parking area and shuttle system can be busy later in the morning, so arriving early is a real advantage.
Begin with Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, reached by climbing the village’s steep lanes and many steps. Allow about two hours for the Romanesque and Gothic rooms, cloisters, terraces, and spectacular views over the bay. Tickets are generally around €13 per adult, with opening hours varying by season—reserve through the official monument website if timed entry is offered. Afterwards, follow the Mont Saint-Michel ramparts and wander the Grand Rue at an unhurried pace; the best views are from the outer wall, while the quieter side lanes are much more pleasant than the busiest central stretch.
For lunch, stop at La Mère Poulard, the island’s historic restaurant, and try its famous soufflé omelet or a regional dish. Expect roughly €35–60 per person, and check the current menu and hours before committing, as prices reflect the location as much as the food. After lunch, return toward the mainland and spend about an hour at a Mont Saint-Michel bay viewpoint, then walk a section of the causeway or shoreline path if conditions are safe. The mount changes dramatically with the tide and light; check the day’s tide table, and never walk far onto exposed bay sands without a qualified guide, since quick-moving channels can be dangerous.
For dinner, drive a few minutes to Le Relais Saint-Michel in Beauvoir, where the dining room and terrace have one of the broadest views back toward the illuminated mount. Budget approximately €30–55 per person and reserve ahead, particularly for a window table. After dinner, return to the mainland parking area by shuttle and collect the car; if you are staying on or near the mount, confirm the evening shuttle schedule and hotel access instructions before setting out.
Leave Mont Saint-Michel around 8:00 a.m. for the drive to Paris via the A84 and A13. Allow 4–4½ hours, including a coffee or fuel stop and possible congestion approaching the capital. Keep the rental-car return address handy—Paris has several different branches, and navigating to the wrong one can cost time. Aim to arrive around 12:30–1:00 p.m.; allow roughly 45 minutes for the inspection, paperwork, fuel check, and unloading luggage. Take photographs of the car and fuel gauge before handing over the keys, and confirm that no extra insurance or toll charges remain unclear.
After returning the car, continue by Metro or taxi to the Tuileries Garden and have lunch nearby before visiting the Musée de l’Orangerie. The museum is compact, making it a good first Paris stop after a long drive; reserve a timed ticket if available, and allow about 1½ hours for Monet’s Water Lilies and the Impressionist collection. It is generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and closed Tuesdays, but verify the October 2026 schedule before booking. From the museum, a pleasant 10-minute walk through the Tuileries brings you to Place de la Concorde. Spend about half an hour taking in the obelisk, fountains, and broad views toward the Champs-Élysées and Rue Royale—it is especially atmospheric in the late afternoon, though traffic around the square is heavy.
For dinner, walk or take the Metro toward the Opéra district and settle into Le Grand Café Capucines on Boulevard des Capucines, a traditional brasserie with high ceilings, mirrored décor, and a lively evening crowd. Expect roughly €30–55 per person for a main course, dessert, and a drink; reservations are sensible, particularly after 7:30 p.m. This is a good night to keep unhurried: the long Normandy-to-Paris drive is behind you, and the café’s central location makes it easy to return to your hotel by Metro or taxi without adding another major sightseeing stop.
Leave Paris around 8:00 a.m. on the RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche; the ride takes about 35–45 minutes, followed by an easy 10-minute walk along Avenue de Paris to the palace. Buy a point-to-point ticket at the station machine or through Île-de-France Mobilités—ordinary Paris Metro passes do not always cover the full journey. At Palace of Versailles, head first to the State Apartments and Hall of Mirrors, ideally with a timed Palace Passport reservation for the opening period. Allow about 2½ hours, and expect security queues even with a ticket; comfortable shoes are essential.
Walk back toward the palace entrance for lunch at Le Grand Café d’Orléans, a convenient, polished stop near the Place d’Armes. Allow roughly €20–40 per person and expect the busiest period between noon and 1:30 p.m.; a slightly early lunch will give you more time outside. Afterward, spend about two hours in the Gardens of Versailles, following the central perspective toward the Grand Canal and branching into the formal parterres. Fountain and music-show schedules vary by date, and access may carry a separate charge—check the official Versailles calendar before leaving Paris. The gardens are expansive, so consider the little train or rental carts if walking becomes tiring, though the prettiest views are often reached on foot.
Continue to Petit Trianon and Queen’s Hamlet, using the estate’s little train, a rental cart, or allowing around 25–35 minutes on foot from the palace gardens. This quieter corner feels very different from the ceremonial rooms: explore Marie Antoinette’s retreat, the English-style garden, and the rustic hamlet buildings beside the lake. Reserve about two hours, and check closing times carefully because the Trianon domain can close earlier than the main gardens, particularly outside summer. For dinner, walk or take the estate shuttle toward La Flottille, beside the Grand Canal. It is a relaxed setting for a substantial French meal—roughly €30–55 per person—before returning to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche. Check the evening RER C departures in advance; after dinner, allow about 15–20 minutes to reach the station and keep your ticket handy for the ride back to Paris.
Take the RER C from Versailles Château–Rive Gauche back toward central Paris; the ride takes about 35–45 minutes, and the fare is roughly €4–€6. Aim to reach the Musée d’Orsay around opening time—usually 9:30 a.m.—by continuing to Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame or Musée d’Orsay station, depending on the service. Reserve a timed ticket ahead, as popular morning slots often sell out. Give yourself about 2½ hours for the Impressionists, the giant station clock, and the upper-level galleries; check the museum’s official schedule because it is commonly closed Mondays and may have occasional late-opening days.
Walk about 15 minutes along the Seine and across toward Rue Cler, a pleasant market street in the 7th arrondissement. Spend an hour picking up bread, cheese, fruit, pastries, and something to drink from the food shops—ask for items “à emporter” if you want them packed for the park. Then walk roughly 10 minutes to Champ de Mars for an unhurried picnic beneath the Eiffel Tower. Stay on the eastern side near the tower for the classic view, but wander farther toward École Militaire if you want a quieter patch of grass. After lunch, allow about two hours for the Eiffel Tower itself. Use your timed reservation for the second floor or summit; security lines can still take 20–45 minutes, and summit access may be weather-dependent. If your ticket time permits, cross briefly to Trocadéro afterward for the most expansive photograph of the tower.
Finish with dinner at Les Ombres, on Quai Branly, where the dining room and terrace frame the illuminated Eiffel Tower. Reserve well in advance and expect roughly €60–€100 per person before drinks; request an outdoor or window table, though views are never guaranteed. Dinner may run until about 10:30 p.m., so check the last RER C departures before sitting down—service varies by night and engineering work is common. If the train schedule feels tight, return to Paris after the tower and take a taxi or rideshare back to your hotel after dinner instead of hurrying through the meal.
Leave your Paris hotel roughly 3–4 hours before departure. A prebooked taxi is the easiest option with luggage, especially for an early flight; depending on traffic and your hotel’s location, allow 45–75 minutes to reach Charles de Gaulle Airport. The RER B is cheaper—generally around €13–€14 per person—but is less comfortable with large bags and can be affected by maintenance or strikes, so check the Île-de-France Mobilités app the night before. Confirm your terminal and airline in advance: CDG is sprawling, and the walk or shuttle between areas can take longer than expected.
After check-in and security, give yourself about an hour for breakfast and last-minute shopping. Airside cafés and bakeries offer coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and more substantial meals; prices are airport-level, so expect roughly €8–€18 per person. Use the duty-free shops for French specialties such as wine, chocolates, skincare, or spirits, keeping airline liquid and baggage allowances in mind. If you are carrying wine or other liquids, buy them after security and leave them sealed in the official duty-free bag.
Be at the gate when boarding begins—CDG often requires a document check and a substantial walk or shuttle ride, particularly for flights leaving from the farther concourses. The journey to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will take about 11–12 hours of flying time, usually longer if your itinerary includes a connection. Keep your passport, boarding pass, medications, and a light layer accessible, and set your watch to Phoenix time after departure to make the westbound adjustment easier.