Overnight flight from Boston Logan to Paris Charles de Gaulle — Boston to Paris; depart evening, ~7 hours nonstop, then allow immigration and baggage time on arrival.
Hotel check-in and rest — Paris; morning arrival, allow ~2–3 hours for transfer, luggage drop, and recovery.
Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse — Montparnasse; enjoy a classic, affordable Parisian meal, late morning or lunch, ~1 hour, €20–35 per person.
Luxembourg Gardens — 6th arrondissement; take an easy jet-lag-friendly walk among formal gardens, ponds, and sculptures, afternoon, ~1.5 hours.
Take the nonstop evening flight from Boston Logan International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, roughly seven hours in the air. After landing, allow about two to three hours for passport control, baggage, and the transfer into central Paris; the RER B train is usually the most economical option, while a pre-booked taxi is easier if you have large bags. Don’t plan anything demanding on arrival—drop your luggage at the hotel, check in if the room is ready, and take a proper rest.
Once you’ve slept or at least refreshed, head to Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse in Montparnasse for an easy first meal in Paris. Expect classic dishes such as steak-frites, eggs mayonnaise, or a simple dessert in a lively, old-fashioned dining room; budget about €20–35 per person. It’s a good introduction to Parisian dining without requiring a long reservation or a formal pace. From the hotel, use the Métro if convenient, but avoid unnecessary transfers while jet-lagged—walking or a short taxi may be worth the modest cost.
After lunch, stroll toward Luxembourg Gardens, allowing roughly 1½ hours to move slowly through the formal parterres, tree-lined paths, sculpture-lined promenades, and the pond near the Palais du Luxembourg. September is an especially pleasant time here, with softer light and fewer midsummer crowds. Opening times vary with daylight and season, generally from early morning until early evening, and entry is free. Keep the afternoon deliberately unstructured: find a chair by the pond, watch the model sailboats, and return to the hotel before dinner if the overnight flight catches up with you.
Île de la Cité and Place Dauphine — Île de la Cité; begin with a compact stroll through historic central Paris, morning, ~1 hour.
Sainte-Chapelle — Île de la Cité; admire its extraordinary stained glass, late morning, ~1 hour.
Notre-Dame de Paris — Île de la Cité; visit the restored cathedral and surrounding parvis, midday, ~1 hour.
Le Marais — 3rd–4th arrondissements; wander medieval streets, courtyards, and boutiques, afternoon, ~2 hours.
L’As du Fallafel — Rue des Rosiers; try a famous Marais falafel lunch or early dinner, ~45 minutes, €10–20 per person.
Start on Île de la Cité around 9:00 AM, when the island is quieter and the river light is lovely. Take a compact stroll around Place Dauphine, one of Paris’s most peaceful squares, then continue along the quays and through the historic lanes toward Sainte-Chapelle. Allow about an hour for this opening walk; the island is small, but leave time for photographs and a coffee from a nearby counter rather than trying to rush straight to the sights.
Book a timed entry for Sainte-Chapelle for approximately 10:30 or 11:00 AM. The chapel typically opens around 9:00 AM, though schedules and security procedures can vary; admission is generally about €13, with an additional security check at the entrance on Boulevard du Palais. Its upper chapel is the real highlight, especially when sunlight catches the immense stained-glass windows. From there, walk just a few minutes to Notre-Dame de Paris for your midday visit. Entry to the cathedral is free, but timed reservations may be available or required through the official system, and queues can form even outside peak season. Allow about an hour for the cathedral and its surrounding parvis, and remember that modest dress and quiet behavior are expected.
After Notre-Dame, cross toward Le Marais—roughly 15–20 minutes on foot, or a short Métro ride if your legs need a break—and spend the afternoon wandering without a rigid route. Focus on the medieval lanes around Rue des Rosiers, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, and the small courtyards tucked behind old hôtels particuliers. Boutiques generally open around 11:00 AM and stay open into the evening, while many museums and shops close on Mondays rather than today; still, check individual hours if you plan to enter anywhere. For lunch or an early dinner, stop at L’As du Fallafel on Rue des Rosiers, where the pita falafel is usually around €10–15. Expect a queue and a casual, takeaway-style experience—go slightly before noon or after 2:00 PM, and eat in the nearby streets or at your hotel rather than expecting a leisurely restaurant meal.
Musée de l’Orangerie — Place de la Concorde; see Monet’s vast Water Lilies and other Impressionist works, morning, ~1.5 hours.
Jardin des Tuileries — 1st arrondissement; walk through the formal gardens toward the Louvre, late morning, ~1 hour.
Musée du Louvre — Louvre district; reserve a timed visit focused on highlights rather than attempting the entire museum, midday–afternoon, ~3 hours.
Galerie Vivienne — 2nd arrondissement; explore one of Paris’s elegant covered passages, late afternoon, ~45 minutes.
Le Grand Véfour — Palais-Royal; enjoy a refined French dinner near the day’s route, evening, ~2 hours, €100–180 per person.
Begin at Musée de l’Orangerie when it opens—typically around 9:00 AM, though confirm the September schedule and reserve a timed ticket online. The museum is compact, so allow about 90 minutes for Claude Monet’s enormous Water Lilies panels and the Impressionist collection downstairs; admission is generally around €12–€15. From there, walk directly into the Jardin des Tuileries, following the central paths east toward the Louvre. Take your time around the fountains and sculptures, and stop for coffee at Café des Marronniers if you want a brief break without leaving the gardens.
Enter the Musée du Louvre for a timed midday reservation—ideally around 12:00 or 12:30 PM—and plan a focused three-hour visit rather than trying to cover every wing. Choose a few priorities in advance, such as the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and the French Romantic galleries; tickets are usually about €22, and security plus walking between rooms can add significant time. For lunch, use the museum café only if convenience matters, or eat beforehand near Rue de Rivoli. Afterward, leave plenty of energy for a short wander through the arcades of Galerie Vivienne, reached in roughly 15 minutes on foot from the Louvre via Rue de Richelieu. Its mosaic floor, glass roof, bookshops, and specialty boutiques make it especially pleasant in the late afternoon, and 45 minutes is enough to enjoy it without turning the day into another museum marathon.
Walk back toward Palais-Royal for dinner at Le Grand Véfour, one of Paris’s historic dining rooms beneath the arcades. Reserve well ahead and check the current menu and dress expectations; this is a polished, leisurely meal, commonly €100–€180 per person depending on the menu and wine. The restaurant is a natural finish to the day, so avoid scheduling anything afterward—take a final quiet lap around the Palais-Royal courtyard, then use Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre or Pyramides Métro stations for the ride back.
Paris–Caen train and rental-car transfer to Bayeux — Gare Saint-Lazare to Caen, then rental car to Bayeux; take a late-afternoon train, allow ~2 hours by rail plus ~30 minutes to Bayeux, and collect the car at Caen station with parking arranged at your lodging.
Bayeux Old Town — Bayeux center; take a gentle orientation walk along the Aure River and medieval streets, evening, ~1 hour.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux — Bayeux center; see the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral illuminated in the evening, ~45 minutes.
Le Petit Normand — Bayeux center; have a traditional Normandy dinner within walking distance, ~1.5 hours, €25–45 per person.
Take the direct SNCF Nomad train from Paris Gare Saint-Lazare to Caen, allowing roughly two hours to two hours fifteen minutes, then collect your reserved rental car at or near Caen station. The drive to Bayeux takes about 30 minutes on the D514; have your lodging’s parking instructions ready, since central Bayeux has a mix of restricted streets and small public lots. If possible, avoid a very late departure from Paris—arriving in Bayeux by around 6:00 PM gives you enough daylight for a first walk. Confirm the rental desk’s closing time, and keep your SNCF ticket and rental confirmation available offline.
After checking in, take an easy one-hour orientation through Bayeux Old Town, following the Aure River and the medieval streets around Rue Saint-Jean and Rue du Général de Dais. This is a good town to explore without a map: stone houses, little bridges, waterwheels, and half-timbered façades appear around nearly every corner. Continue to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux, whose Romanesque and Gothic exterior is especially atmospheric when illuminated after dark. Entry is generally free during opening hours, though access may be limited during services; allow about 45 minutes and check the posted evening schedule rather than counting on late interior access.
Walk to Le Petit Normand for a traditional Normandy dinner, ideally reserving ahead for September. Expect regional staples such as crêpes, galettes, seafood, local cheeses, and apple-based desserts, with dinner costing approximately €25–€45 per person before drinks. Bayeux restaurants often serve dinner from around 7:00 PM, but some kitchens close earlier than in Paris, so aim for an 7:00–7:30 PM seating. Finish with a quiet stroll back through the center; save the car for tomorrow, when it will be far more useful for exploring the surrounding landing beaches and villages.
Bayeux Tapestry Museum — Bayeux center; view the famous 11th-century embroidered account of the Norman Conquest, morning, ~1.5 hours.
Bayeux Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy — Bayeux; add essential local context before visiting the landing beaches, late morning, ~1.5 hours.
German Military Cemetery at La Cambe — La Cambe; pause at the stark, landscaped cemetery west of Bayeux, early afternoon, ~45 minutes.
Pointe du Hoc — Cricqueville-en-Bessin; see dramatic cliffs, bomb craters, and ranger history at the American assault site, afternoon, ~1.5 hours.
La Rapière — Bayeux; return for a well-regarded dinner in a historic setting, evening, ~1.5 hours, €35–60 per person.
Start at Bayeux Tapestry Museum soon after opening, ideally around 9:00 AM, before the day-trip crowds arrive. The visit takes about 90 minutes and follows the famous 11th-century embroidered story of the Norman Conquest with an audio guide. Admission is roughly €12–€15; reserve a timed ticket if available, and check the September schedule because opening hours can vary. From central Bayeux, everything is walkable, and the museum is close to cafés for a quick coffee afterward.
Continue to the Bayeux Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy, about a 15-minute walk or a few minutes by car. Allow another 90 minutes for the maps, photographs, vehicles, and detailed account of the 1944 campaign—this visit is especially useful preparation for the afternoon’s battlefield sites. Afterward, have a light lunch in Bayeux before driving west; keep it simple so you can stay on schedule, and allow roughly 25 minutes to La Cambe by car.
At the German Military Cemetery at La Cambe, spend about 45 minutes walking quietly among the dark stone markers and landscaped mounds. It is a stark contrast to the larger Allied cemeteries and rewards a respectful, unhurried visit. There is free parking, and the site is generally open during daylight hours, though facilities are limited. Continue another 15–20 minutes to Pointe du Hoc, where you can walk around the immense bomb craters and along the clifftop above the Channel. Wear sturdy shoes—the ground is uneven—and stay behind barriers near the edges. The visitor area and outdoor site are usually accessible until early evening; allow about 90 minutes, including time for the ranger exhibits and views.
Drive back to Bayeux, roughly 35–40 minutes, and make La Rapière your dinner stop. This warmly atmospheric restaurant occupies a historic setting and is a good place to settle in after a full day outdoors. Expect approximately €35–€60 per person before drinks; reserve ahead, particularly for a September weekend, and allow about 90 minutes. After dinner, take a relaxed walk through Bayeux’s quieter central lanes rather than adding another formal sight—the town is particularly pleasant once the day’s excursion buses have departed.
American Cemetery and Visitor Center — Colleville-sur-Mer; arrive early for the moving memorial and sea views, morning, ~2 hours.
Omaha Beach — Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer; walk the broad shoreline and reflect on the landing site, late morning, ~1 hour.
Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema — Arromanches-les-Bains; learn how the artificial harbor supported the invasion, early afternoon, ~1 hour.
Arromanches-les-Bains harbor — Arromanches; explore the remaining Mulberry harbor structures and waterfront, afternoon, ~1 hour.
Le Mulberry — Arromanches-les-Bains; finish with seafood or Norman specialties near the harbor, evening, ~30–50 per person.
From Bayeux, drive west to the American Cemetery and Visitor Center at Colleville-sur-Mer, about 25 minutes by car. Leave around 8:15 AM so you arrive soon after opening, when the grounds are quiet and parking is easier. Allow roughly two hours for the visitor center, memorial, chapel, and the rows of graves overlooking the sea. Entry is free, and the visitor center is also free; bring photo identification, as security checks are routine. The cemetery is open daily, but confirm the September hours before leaving. From there, drive about 10 minutes to Omaha Beach at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer. Spend an hour walking the broad shore and looking back toward the bluffs—the scale of the beach is best understood on foot. Wear sturdy shoes and check the tide times; the shoreline can be wet and windy even on a pleasant day.
Continue east along the coast, roughly 20 minutes, to Arromanches-les-Bains for the Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema. The immersive film explains the construction and use of the artificial harbor through archival footage and panoramic projection; allow about an hour. Showings run throughout the day, but schedules and admission—generally around €7–€9—can change seasonally, so check the official timetable and buy ahead if a particular screening matters. Afterwards, walk down into the village and explore the Arromanches-les-Bains harbor, where sections of the Mulberry harbor remain visible offshore. The walk is steep in places, and the harbor is most atmospheric around low tide, when more of the concrete structures emerge.
Finish at Le Mulberry, near the waterfront, for seafood or Norman dishes such as oysters, mussels, local fish, and apple-based desserts. Budget about €30–€50 per person, more with wine; reserve for dinner, especially on a Sunday evening in September. Afterward, return to Bayeux in about 30 minutes. The coastal road is easy by daylight, but leave before it gets fully dark if you are not used to narrow Normandy lanes, and check your rental car’s fuel level before departing Arromanches.
Bayeux–Caen drive and train to Paris — Bayeux to Caen, then Paris Saint-Lazare; depart late morning or early afternoon, allowing ~30 minutes driving, ~2 hours by train, and rental-car return at Caen station.
Montmartre — 18th arrondissement; climb through village-like streets to enjoy one of Paris’s most atmospheric neighborhoods, late afternoon, ~2 hours.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica — Montmartre; take in the interior and panoramic city views from the steps, late afternoon, ~1 hour.
Rue des Abbesses — Montmartre; browse cafés, food shops, and neighborhood streets, early evening, ~1 hour.
Bouillon Pigalle — Pigalle; end with classic French dishes at accessible prices, evening, ~1 hour, €20–35 per person.
Leave Bayeux in the late morning, allowing about 30 minutes to drive to Caen and extra time to refuel and return the rental car near Caen station. Aim for an early-afternoon direct train to Paris Gare Saint-Lazare; the ride takes roughly two hours to two hours fifteen minutes. Once in Paris, take Métro line 13 from Saint-Lazare to Place de Clichy, then walk uphill toward Montmartre, or use a taxi if you have luggage. Check that your hotel can hold bags before heading out.
Spend about two unhurried hours wandering Montmartre, approaching from Rue des Martyrs and continuing through the neighborhood’s steep, village-like lanes rather than going straight up the tourist route. Look for small galleries, old stairways, and glimpses of the city between buildings. Continue to Sacré-Cœur Basilica, where entry to the basilica is free and generally available until evening; the dome, reached separately by stairs, costs roughly €6 and may close earlier. The broad steps in front are ideal for the Paris panorama, but the quieter view from Square Marcel-Bleustein-Blanchet behind the basilica is a better place to pause. Keep valuables secure around the steps and funicular area.
Descend through Rue des Abbesses, browsing its cafés, bakeries, and specialty food shops; this is a good time to stop for a coffee or an apéritif before dinner. From Abbesses, walk downhill about 15 minutes to Bouillon Pigalle, a lively, old-fashioned dining room near Place Pigalle. Expect classic dishes such as onion soup, steak-frites, or profiteroles at around €20–35 per person. It is popular and often operates on a queue rather than reservations, so arrive before the main dinner rush—around 6:30–7:00 PM—or be prepared to wait.
Café de Flore — Saint-Germain-des-Prés; have a final Parisian breakfast or coffee before departure, morning, ~1 hour, €15–30 per person.
Airport transfer and departure from Paris Charles de Gaulle — Paris to Boston Logan; leave central Paris roughly 3 hours before the flight, allowing ~45–60 minutes by RER or taxi plus airport check-in and security.
Have one last Paris breakfast at Café de Flore in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, ideally around 8:00 AM. Order a café crème, hot chocolate, or a simple tartine with butter and jam; budget roughly €15–€30 per person. The café is a classic rather than a hidden bargain, but the early hour is pleasant and much less hectic than lunchtime. Allow about an hour, and check your airline’s baggage rules before leaving—this is not the morning to discover that a souvenir needs to be rearranged into your checked luggage.
From Saint-Germain-des-Prés, allow about 45–60 minutes to reach Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, plus a generous airport buffer. A taxi or prebooked fixed-fare car is easiest with luggage; the RER B is cheaper, but requires handling bags and can be crowded. Leave central Paris approximately three hours before your Boston flight—earlier if checking bags or traveling on a busy morning. At Charles de Gaulle, follow signs for your terminal, complete airline bag drop and security, then allow extra time for passport control before the transatlantic gate. Keep your passport, boarding pass, and any receipts for VAT-refund purchases accessible rather than buried in your suitcase.