4-Day Paris Itinerary from Le Marais Hotel Saint Louis

Morning

From Le Marais Hotel Saint Louis, leave around 9:00 AM and walk roughly 10 minutes through the quiet streets of Le Marais to Place des Vosges. Enter beneath the arcades and take a slow lap around the square before continuing to Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris, which is usually open Tuesday–Sunday from about 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM; the permanent collection is free, though temporary exhibitions may charge admission. Allow around 90 minutes—the courtyard sequence and rooms in the historic mansions are as enjoyable as the collection itself.

Lunch and Afternoon

Walk north toward Marché des Enfants Rouges, roughly 10–15 minutes, for lunch around €15–25 per person. The market is generally open Tuesday–Sunday, but individual stalls keep their own hours and can close between lunch services, so arrive by 12:30–1:00 PM; expect a lively, close-quartered atmosphere rather than a leisurely restaurant meal. Afterward, walk about 25 minutes to Île Saint-Louis, crossing back toward the Seine for an unhurried wander along the island’s elegant streets. Stop at Berthillon for its famous ice cream—flavors and opening days vary by season, and the main shop may be closed on some weekdays, so treat it as a flexible stop rather than a guarantee.

Continue across to Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité, about 10–15 minutes on foot. Reserve a timed ticket in advance if possible; security at the courthouse complex can add time, and late-afternoon entry is best booked with at least a 30-minute buffer. Plan about an hour, with the upper chapel’s stained glass most vivid when daylight is still strong.

Evening

Finish with a relaxed walk along the Seine riverbanks near Pont Neuf, about 10 minutes from Sainte-Chapelle. The lower quays are ideal for sitting with a drink or watching the boats as the light fades. For casual dinner, stay around Rue Dauphine or Rue Saint-André des Arts, where you’ll find cafés and simple bistros in the €25–40-per-person range; reserve if you want a table at a popular spot, but otherwise follow the livelier terrace. From Pont Neuf, Le Marais Hotel Saint Louis is about 20–25 minutes on foot, or take Métro Line 1 from Châtelet toward Château de Vincennes and get off at Saint-Paul, followed by a short walk.

Morning

Leave Le Marais Hotel Saint Louis around 8:15–8:30 AM for Café de Flore in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The simplest route is Métro Line 1 from Saint-Paul or Hôtel de Ville toward La Défense, changing at Châtelet for Line 4 to Saint-Germain-des-Prés; allow about 25–30 minutes and use a €2.15 single-journey ticket. Order a café crème with a croissant or tartine—breakfast usually runs about €15–25 per person. Afterward, take the RER-free option of a pleasant 20-minute walk along the Left Bank toward the Musée du Louvre, or use Line 4 from Saint-Germain-des-Prés to Châtelet and connect to Line 1 for Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre.

Allow roughly three hours inside the Musée du Louvre, ideally with a timed ticket booked in advance. Don’t try to conquer every wing: choose a focused route through the Denon or Sully wings, seeing the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and a handful of French paintings. The museum is generally open from 9:00 AM, closed Tuesdays, with admission commonly around €22 for visitors from outside the European Economic Area; security and the sheer size of the building make an early arrival worthwhile.

Lunch and Afternoon

For lunch, cross to Le Fumoir, directly opposite the Louvre on Rue de l’Amiral de Coligny. It is a polished but relaxed stop for about an hour, with a useful midday menu and a typical spend of €30–50 per person. From there, walk west through the Jardin des Tuileries for about an hour. Take the central path when you want the grand perspective, but detour toward the tree-lined side avenues for quieter chairs around the ponds. Continue to Place de la Concorde, where you can pause for 30 minutes beside the Egyptian obelisk and look back toward the gardens and down the Champs-Élysées. Be careful crossing the broad traffic lanes here; this is a square to admire from its edges rather than wander through its center.

Evening

From Place de la Concorde, walk or take Line 8 from Concorde to Madeleine, then walk about 10 minutes to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Spend around 90 minutes browsing the historic fashion floors and the spectacular glass-and-steel dome; the rooftop terrace is usually free and offers one of the best central views of the Paris skyline, including the Eiffel Tower and Opéra Garnier. Department-store hours are typically around 10:00 AM–8:30 PM, with later closing on some evenings, while the rooftop may close earlier or change access seasonally—check on the day. For an easy dinner afterward, stay in the Opéra neighborhood rather than rushing back to the hotel; the area has plenty of brasseries within a short walk of the department stores.

Morning

From the Louvre, take Métro Line 1 to Concorde, then Line 12 toward Mairie d’Aubervilliers and get off at Abbesses—allow 25–35 minutes, including the walk. Start around 8:30–8:45 AM if you want an unhurried breakfast at Café des Deux Moulins, the red-painted café made famous by Amélie. A coffee, tartine, and eggs will usually run €15–25; it opens early, but service can be leisurely, so don’t arrive on a tight schedule. Afterward, spend about 90 minutes wandering Rue Lepic toward Place des Abbesses, pausing at the small food shops and side streets—this is the more atmospheric, village-like side of Montmartre, away from the busiest souvenir strip.

Continue uphill to Sacré-Cœur Basilica, ideally before late-morning crowds build. The basilica is free and generally opens from around 6:30 AM; modest clothing is appreciated, and the dome has a separate ticket if you want an even higher panorama. The broad steps below are a fine place to pause, though the best quieter views are often found a little farther around the gardens. Keep valuables secure around the funicular and steps, where pickpocketing is common.

Afternoon

Walk roughly 10 minutes through Montmartre to Musée de Montmartre, housed in old buildings connected with the neighborhood’s artists. Allow 90 minutes for the permanent collection and the peaceful gardens; admission is typically about €15, with hours generally around 10:00 AM–6:00 PM, though check the museum’s schedule before setting out. For lunch, continue north toward La Recyclerie, a creative café in a converted railway station near Porte de Clignancourt. Expect €15–30 per person, and allow a little extra time for the kitchen’s relaxed pace. From there, walk or take Line 4 one stop to Porte de Clignancourt, then spend the rest of the afternoon at Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. The sprawling market is best treated as a collection of districts rather than one attraction: browse the covered stalls for furniture, prints, and vintage objects, and keep your eye on the time because many vendors begin closing by late afternoon. Sunday through Monday are usually the liveliest days, while opening hours vary by market; two hours gives you a good first taste without turning the day into an antiques marathon.

Morning

From Montmartre, leave around 7:40–7:50 AM for École Militaire, the closest practical Métro stop for the Eiffel Tower. Take Line 12 from Abbesses to Concorde, then Line 8 toward Balard; allow 35–45 minutes including the walk from the station. An €2.15 single-journey ticket works, but check the Île-de-France Mobilités app for live service updates. Arrive by about 8:30 AM for security and your reserved timed entry—avoid driving, as parking is scarce and traffic around the tower is frustrating. Spend roughly 2½ hours exploring the tower and its viewpoints; bring only a small bag, since security lines are slower with bulky luggage.

Lunch and Afternoon

Afterward, walk about 15 minutes south to Rue Cler, passing through the elegant streets of the 7th arrondissement. This lively market street is ideal for an unhurried lunch: choose a table at Café du Marché for classic brasserie fare, or pick up cheese, fruit, and pastries from the food shops for a casual picnic. Budget €20–40 per person, and note that many shops close for part of the afternoon. From Rue Cler, walk roughly 15 minutes toward Musée Rodin, allowing about 1½ hours for Rodin’s sculptures inside the former mansion and in the garden; the Thinker and Gates of Hell are especially atmospheric outdoors. Admission is generally around €15, with garden-only tickets sometimes available, and the garden is best enjoyed slowly rather than as a quick photo stop.

Late Afternoon and Return

Continue by Métro or taxi toward Luxembourg Gardens—the trip from Musée Rodin takes about 20–30 minutes depending on connections. Spend the late afternoon beside the palace, fountains, and tree-lined promenades; this is a good point to slow down, buy a crêpe or ice cream, and simply watch Parisian life rather than add another museum. Around 6:00 PM, return to Le Marais Hotel Saint Louis by walking to Luxembourg station and using the nearby Line 4 connection toward the center, or take a taxi if you are tired; allow 30–40 minutes. Once back in Le Marais, you can collect your things and have dinner nearby, with Marché des Enfants Rouges or the restaurants around Rue de Bretagne convenient options if they are still serving.