Five-Day Paris Itinerary from September 14 to 18, 2026

Early Afternoon — Saint-Germain-des-Prés

After arriving and settling in, head to Café de Flore on Boulevard Saint-Germain for a classic Parisian café lunch and a little people-watching. The café is open continuously, but arriving around 12:30–1:30 pm gives you the full lunchtime atmosphere; allow about €20–35 per person for a main dish and drink. It is polished and famously expensive rather than hidden, so keep the meal relaxed—this is a good first taste of Paris without rushing. From there, walk roughly 15 minutes east through Saint-Germain-des-Prés toward Jardin du Luxembourg.

Afternoon — Gardens and the Panthéon

Spend about 1½ hours in Jardin du Luxembourg, where the broad gravel promenades, clipped trees, Medici Fountain, and pond make for an easy first afternoon outdoors. In September, the garden generally closes between early evening and dusk, with exact hours varying by daylight, so avoid leaving this stop too late. Exit near Rue de Vaugirard and continue around 10 minutes on foot to the Panthéon. Allow an hour for the neoclassical interior and crypt, where figures including Voltaire, Rousseau, and Marie Curie are buried; admission is usually around €13, and the last entry is typically before the monument’s closing time, so check the official schedule if you arrive after 4 pm.

Early Evening — Books, the Island, and the Seine

Walk downhill for about 20 minutes toward Shakespeare and Company, the charming English-language bookshop beside the Seine. It is compact and can be crowded, but 30–45 minutes is enough to browse its famously wonky rooms; opening hours are generally into the evening, though they can change. Then cross onto Île de la Cité for an unhurried first-evening walk past Notre-Dame and along the riverside quays. The best stretch is between the cathedral and the Pont Neuf: settle briefly on the stone embankment, watch the boats pass, and let the city light up rather than trying to add another major sight. For dinner, choose one of the small bistros around Rue de la Huchette or Saint-Germain, or simply pick up a crêpe and continue along the Seine; central Paris is easiest on foot tonight, with Métro stations available nearby if tiredness catches up.

Morning — Marché d’Aligre

Begin at Marché d’Aligre in the Bastille area, ideally around 9:00–9:30 am, when the covered market and outdoor stalls are lively but not yet crowded. Browse the fruit, cheese, spice, and prepared-food stands, then build a casual breakfast or early snack for about €10–20 per person. The market is generally open Tuesday through Sunday, though individual vendors keep their own hours; allow roughly 90 minutes. From central Paris, take Metro Line 8 to Ledru-Rollin or Line 1 to Bastille, then walk a few minutes along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine.

Walk northwest toward Place des Vosges, a pleasant 15–20-minute route through the Marais. Take your time beneath the square’s arcades and pause in the garden at its center; this is one of the best places in the neighborhood to slow down before the museums. Continue to Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris, a short walk away. Admission to the permanent collection is free, while temporary exhibitions usually cost extra; reserve a timed ticket if one is required for the exhibition you want. The mansion courtyards and period rooms reward an unhurried visit of about two hours, and the museum is typically open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Afternoon — Rue des Rosiers and Centre Pompidou

For lunch, walk through the Marais to L’As du Fallafel on Rue des Rosiers. Order the classic falafel sandwich—usually around €10–12—and expect a quick, informal meal rather than a long sit-down lunch. Lines can form at peak hours, so arriving around 1:00 pm or eating a little later is easier. Afterward, stroll west through the Marais toward Centre Pompidou, about 15 minutes away. Spend the late afternoon with its modern-art collection and, if open, head to the rooftop for broad views over the Paris rooftops; museum admission varies by exhibition, generally around €15–17, and opening hours are commonly 11:00 am–9:00 pm, with Tuesday closures. Keep the evening flexible afterward—Rue Montorgueil is a good nearby area for dinner and a final wander without adding another major sight.

Morning — Musée de l’Orangerie

Start around 9:00 am at the Musée de l’Orangerie, in the Jardin des Tuileries, before the galleries become busy. The museum usually opens at 9:00 am and is closed on Tuesdays; admission is roughly €12–€16, with timed tickets worth booking in advance. Give the oval Nymphéas rooms about 30 minutes, then continue through the compact Impressionist and early-modern collection—this is an ideal museum for a focused 90-minute visit. From there, walk about 20 minutes across the Pont Royal and along the Left Bank to the Musée d’Orsay, or take Metro Line 12 from Concorde to Solférino if you prefer to save your legs.

Late Morning and Lunch — Musée d’Orsay

Plan roughly 2½ hours at the Musée d’Orsay, which generally opens at 9:30 am and stays open later on Thursdays; Wednesday is normally a regular opening day, with admission around €16–€20 depending on the ticket type. Start with the top-floor Impressionist galleries for the best light and views, then work down through Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir, and the sculpture halls. For lunch, keep it simple at the museum café or wait until you reach Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche—the walk there takes about 20 minutes via Rue de Sèvres and is more enjoyable than changing trains.

Afternoon and Evening — Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, Jardin des Plantes, and Le Train Bleu

Spend about an hour at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, Paris’s elegant historic department store, browsing its design floors before lingering in La Grande Épicerie de Paris for pastries, cheese, or a small picnic-style treat. It is usually open from around 10:00 am to 7:45 pm, with Wednesday evening hours often extending later. Then take Metro Line 10 from Sèvres–Babylone to Jussieu and walk 10 minutes to the Jardin des Plantes—allow approximately 1½ hours for the formal gardens and, if open, the historic glasshouses. Check the glasshouse schedule before going, as it may close earlier than the gardens. Finish at Le Train Bleu inside Gare de Lyon, reached in about 20 minutes by Metro Line 5 from Gare d’Austerlitz or by taxi. Reserve ahead for dinner beneath the Belle Époque ceiling; expect approximately €50–€80 per person, and arrive around 7:30–8:00 pm so you can enjoy the setting without rushing.

Morning — Café des Deux Moulins and Moulin Rouge

Arrive in Montmartre around 9:00 am by Metro Line 12 to Abbesses or Line 2 to Anvers; allow 20–35 minutes from central Paris. From Abbesses, it is a pleasant uphill walk to Café des Deux Moulins, while Anvers is generally easier if you prefer fewer stairs. Have breakfast at this much-loved café associated with Amélie—coffee, pastries, or a more substantial œuf-and-tartine breakfast usually comes to about €15–30 per person. It opens from early morning, but the first hour is the calmest. Afterward, walk downhill for roughly 10 minutes along Rue Lepic toward the Moulin Rouge, pausing for the changing views over Pigalle; the cabaret’s red windmill and Boulevard de Clichy make a quick but memorable photo stop. The exterior is free, while performances require separate, much more expensive tickets.

Midday and Afternoon — Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre, and Musée de Montmartre

From Moulin Rouge, walk back uphill through Montmartre—about 20 minutes, with some steep sections—or take the funicular from near Anvers if you would rather save your legs. Visit Sacré-Cœur Basilica, free to enter and generally open from early morning into the evening; keep shoulders covered and expect security checks. Spend time on the steps and terrace below the basilica for one of Paris’s broadest city views, then wander through the lanes to Place du Tertre, where artists sketch portraits and paint in the square. It is touristy but atmospheric, especially if you explore the quieter side streets around Rue des Saules rather than stopping at the first restaurant. Continue a few minutes to the Musée de Montmartre, typically open around 10:00 am–6:00 pm with admission roughly €15; allow about 1–1½ hours for its collection on the neighborhood’s artists and cabaret culture, including the peaceful gardens associated with Renoir. Buy tickets online if possible, particularly for the temporary exhibitions.

Evening — Bouillon Pigalle

Walk downhill for 15–20 minutes from the Musée de Montmartre toward Pigalle, or take Line 12 from Abbesses for one stop if your feet are tired. Finish at Bouillon Pigalle, a lively, inexpensive dining room where classic dishes such as steak-frites, œufs mayonnaise, and profiteroles usually keep the bill around €20–35 per person. It often operates continuously from lunch into late evening, but queues are common at dinner; arriving around 6:00–6:30 pm is the easiest option, or put your name down and have a short drink nearby while waiting. Expect a noisy, communal atmosphere rather than a leisurely fine-dining meal—exactly the right finish after a day on Montmartre’s hills.

Morning — Arc de Triomphe

After breakfast in Montmartre, take Metro Line 2 from Anvers toward Charles de Gaulle–Étoile; the ride takes about 20 minutes, and the station brings you directly beneath Arc de Triomphe. Arrive around 9:30 am, before the Champs-Élysées crowds build. Allow about an hour to visit the monument and climb the 284 steps for one of Paris’s best city views—especially the star-shaped avenues radiating from the roundabout. Admission is roughly €16, with timed tickets advisable; the rooftop can close temporarily in poor weather, and the underpass is the only safe way to reach the monument.

Late Morning and Lunch — Champs-Élysées and Rue Cler

Walk east along Avenue des Champs-Élysées toward Place de la Concorde, browsing the grand façades and flagship shops rather than lingering too long on the busiest retail stretch. From Franklin D. Roosevelt, take Metro Line 9 to La Tour-Maubourg—about 15 minutes including the transfer walk—then stroll toward Rue Cler. This market street is a relaxed place for lunch: pick up a tartine, quiche, cheese, or pastry from places such as Maison Constant, with about €20–35 per person for a casual meal. Most shops are open through the day, though some small food merchants close on Monday or take a mid-afternoon break.

Afternoon and Evening — Musée Rodin and Eiffel Tower

After lunch, walk about 10 minutes to the Musée Rodin, entering through the elegant 18th-century mansion and then taking your time in its sculpture-filled garden. Plan roughly two hours; the museum is generally open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm, with last entry around 5:45 pm, and combined indoor-and-garden admission is usually about €15. From there, it is a pleasant 20-minute walk across Invalides and over to Champ de Mars, or a short ride on Metro Line 8 toward École Militaire. Finish at the Eiffel Tower around sunset and stay for the evening illumination; sparkling lights traditionally run for five minutes at the start of each hour after dark. If you want to go up, reserve a timed ticket well ahead; otherwise, the lawns and riverside viewpoints around Champ de Mars offer the best unhurried finale.