From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, allow roughly 1½–2½ hours door-to-door, depending on immigration, baggage, and hotel check-in. The RER B is usually the most predictable option into central Paris—about 35–45 minutes to Châtelet–Les Halles, plus a short Metro or taxi connection; the airport train fare is around €13. Taxis use a fixed central-Paris fare, generally about €56 to the Right Bank or €62 to the Left Bank, plus any applicable supplement. After dropping bags, keep the evening gentle rather than trying to “do” Paris immediately.
Begin on Île de la Cité, taking an easy hour-long walk along the Seine and around the exterior of Notre-Dame. The riverside is particularly pleasant at dusk, and the area gives you a first sense of Paris without demanding much energy after the flight. If you still feel fresh, continue to Sainte-Chapelle; its stained glass is extraordinary, but entry is timed and should be reserved in advance. Allow about an hour inside, including security. February daylight fades early, so check the booked slot and current seasonal hours before committing—late-day entry may not be available, and same-day tickets can sell out.
From Île de la Cité, take Metro line 1 from Châtelet toward Hôtel de Ville, then walk into Le Marais—roughly 15–20 minutes door-to-door depending on the connection. Spend about 1½ hours wandering its historic lanes and small boutiques around Rue des Rosiers, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, and Place des Vosges; many shops close around 19:00, so treat this as an atmospheric walk if you arrive later. Finish at Bouillon République near Place de la République, where classic French dishes are served in a lively, informal setting for approximately €20–35 per person. Expect a queue at peak dinner time; arriving before 19:00 or after 21:00 is usually easier, and keep the rest of the night free for sleep.
Start at the Louvre Museum when it opens, ideally with a timed ticket for the first available entry. Allow about three hours, but keep the visit focused: choose one wing or a short list of highlights rather than trying to cover the entire palace. The Denon Wing is the natural choice for the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo, though security and crowding can make the route slower than the map suggests. Admission is generally around €22, with exact prices and opening hours subject to change; reserve through the museum’s official website and arrive 20–30 minutes early for security.
Walk north from the Louvre through the Palais Royal, allowing roughly 45 minutes for the covered colonnades, garden paths, and the striped Buren Columns in the courtyard. It is a good place to slow down after the museum, especially in the quieter garden arcades. Continue about 10 minutes on foot to Galerie Vivienne, one of Paris’s prettiest covered passages, with mosaic floors, glass roofing, small boutiques, and cafés. Shops typically keep daytime hours, but some may close around lunchtime, so treat this as a stroll rather than a shopping mission.
From Galerie Vivienne, walk roughly 10–15 minutes toward Rue Montorgueil. Spend an hour wandering the pedestrian-friendly market street and its side lanes, stopping for a pastry or a small specialty from places such as Stohrer, one of Paris’s historic pâtisseries. This is better approached as a grazing stop than a formal lunch: share a pastry, look into the cheese and produce shops, and leave room for dinner. Paris’s market streets can be lively on Fridays, but individual businesses often set their own hours.
For dinner, stay in the neighborhood at a classic French café or bistro such as Le Compas or L’Escargot Montorgueil; expect approximately €30–50 per person before extensive wine. Reserve if you want a particular table, otherwise arrive around 18:30–19:00 to improve your chances. The area is easy to explore on foot, with Sentier and Étienne Marcel Métro stations nearby; avoid adding another major sight tonight—the Louvre alone makes this a full first day of Paris sightseeing.
Take a morning SNCF NOMAD/TER train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Bayeux, allowing roughly 3½–4½ hours door-to-door for getting to the station, the 2h15–2h30 ride, and dropping bags at your hotel. A departure around 7:30–8:30 is ideal; reserve seats through SNCF Connect, and arrive at Gare Saint-Lazare 20–30 minutes early. After checking in or leaving luggage, walk into central Bayeux for lunch and your first look at the town’s quiet lanes.
Begin at Bayeux Cathedral, a striking Romanesque-Gothic landmark with an interior that is particularly atmospheric on a gray Normandy day; allow about 45 minutes. From there, it is roughly a 15-minute walk to the Bayeux Museum of the Battle of Normandy. Give the museum around 1½ hours for its maps, photographs, vehicles, and clear explanation of the 1944 campaign—an excellent primer before visiting the D-Day beaches on a later day. Check the day’s hours before setting out, since winter schedules can be reduced.
Continue on foot to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, usually only a few minutes away. Plan 1–1½ hours, including the audio guide, which helps make the embroidered scenes much easier to follow. The museum has had periods of closure and renovation, so confirm its reopening status and book a timed visit if required; admission is commonly around €12–€15. If energy allows afterward, wander along the Aure River and the old mill-lined streets rather than adding another major sight.
Have dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette, a relaxed choice in Bayeux known for savory galettes and sweet crêpes; budget approximately €20–€35 per person. It is wise to reserve, particularly on a Saturday evening, and allow a little time between the museum and dinner for hotel check-in. Afterward, take an easy walk around the cathedral square—Bayeux is compact, and most hotels in the center are within 10–15 minutes on foot.
Have breakfast early in Bayeux, then plan on leaving around 8:00 by car or with a private D-Day guide. The coastal sites are spread out, and Sunday service is limited, so driving is far easier than trying to piece together local buses. Start at Omaha Beach, arriving at Colleville-sur-Mer or Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer for a quiet walk along the sand and a look at the wartime monuments. Allow about 1½ hours; the wind off the Channel can be fierce in February, and the beach is exposed with very little shelter.
Continue to the Normandy American Cemetery, immediately above the beach at Colleville-sur-Mer. Give the memorial and rows of graves at least 1½ hours, including time for the visitor center and the view toward the coast. Entry is free, but security and visitor-center hours can vary seasonally—check the official site shortly before visiting. The cemetery is generally open daily, though winter opening hours may be shorter; arrive with photo ID and avoid bringing large bags.
After a short drive, spend around 1½ hours at the Overlord Museum in Colleville-sur-Mer. Its strength is the large collection of vehicles, equipment, and personal artifacts, which helps connect the battlefield outside with the wider Normandy campaign. Check the winter timetable before setting out, as seasonal hours can be reduced and Sunday admission may depend on the museum’s published schedule. From there, drive west to Pointe du Hoc at Cricqueville-en-Bessin, allowing about an hour to walk the clifftop craters, bunkers, and observation points. Wear sturdy shoes—the ground is uneven and often muddy, and the site is completely exposed to weather.
Return to Bayeux for dinner at La Rapière, a polished choice for Normandy cooking in a more intimate setting. Reserve ahead, particularly for Sunday evening, and expect approximately €45–70 per person before drinks. If you are driving, keep the wine tasting modest; alternatively, arrange a taxi or private transfer back to your hotel. This is a full but manageable touring day—leave the coast after Pointe du Hoc rather than adding another museum, and allow roughly 45 minutes to get back into Bayeux depending on traffic and weather.
Leave Bayeux around 8:00 by rental car or organized transfer; allow roughly 2–2½ hours once you include the approach to Mont-Saint-Michel, parking, and the shuttle across the causeway. Cars cannot continue onto the island: use the mainland car park, then take the free shuttle or walk the scenic causeway in about 35 minutes. Aim to reach the island late morning, before the narrow lanes become busiest.
Go straight to Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey for a roughly two-hour visit. The medieval rooms, cloisters, and terraces are the day’s essential experience, with excellent views over the bay. Reserve a timed ticket in advance through the official monument website—opening times and admission prices vary seasonally, and entry involves steep stairs with no lift to the upper levels. Wear shoes with good grip; the stone floors can be slippery, especially in damp weather.
After the abbey, descend through the Grand Rue and village ramparts, allowing about 1½ hours to browse the tiny shops and lookouts rather than lingering in the most crowded stretch of the lane. The ramparts are the better place for wide views across the sand and tidal channels. For lunch, La Mère Poulard is the iconic choice for its soufflé-style omelet, generally about €35–60 per person; it is atmospheric but not the island’s best-value meal, so check the menu before sitting down.
In the afternoon, take a guided walk across Mont-Saint-Michel Bay for about two hours, but only with a qualified local guide. The bay’s quicksand and tides are serious hazards, and tours may be cancelled or altered for wind, rain, or unsafe tidal conditions. Check the tide table and confirm the meeting point in advance; if conditions are poor, use the time for another circuit of the ramparts and the quieter lanes behind the main street instead. Keep some flexibility for the shuttle back to the car park, particularly near sunset or at busy periods.
Leave Mont-Saint-Michel around 7:00 by rental car for the long eastbound drive to Reims. Allow 5½–7 hours door-to-door, including a fuel or coffee stop, motorway traffic, returning the car if applicable, and hotel check-in. The practical route follows the A84, A13, and A4; budget roughly €70–€110 for fuel and tolls. Pack water and breakfast, as services along the motorway are functional rather than charming, and avoid arriving in Reims much later than mid-afternoon if you want time for the cathedral area.
After dropping bags at your hotel, walk into central Reims and have a late lunch before sightseeing. If you are driving into the center, use an underground car park rather than attempting street parking; the cathedral quarter is compact and easiest on foot.
Begin at Reims Cathedral, allowing about an hour to admire its enormous Gothic façade, sculpted portals, and the modern stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall inside. Entry to the cathedral is generally free, though access can be restricted by services or events; dress quietly and check the official schedule before setting out. The nearby Palais du Tau, the former archiepiscopal palace beside the cathedral, makes a natural continuation and takes roughly an hour. Its opening days and hours can vary by season or conservation work, so confirm availability before relying on the visit; admission is typically around €8–€9.
Finish with an unhurried promenade along Place Drouet-d’Erlon, about a 10-minute walk from the cathedral. It is lively but touristy, with cafés, brasseries, and illuminated façades—pleasant for stretching your legs after the drive rather than for a major cultural stop. For dinner, reserve at Le Café du Palais, a short walk back toward the cathedral. Its Art Deco interior and classic French cooking make it a good first evening in Champagne; expect approximately €30–€50 per person, and check the Tuesday service hours before going.
Begin in the Saint-Nicaise district, ideally with a late-morning reservation at Champagne Taittinger. The visit takes around 1½–2 hours and descends into historic chalk cellars, where the cool, steady temperature is a welcome contrast to the streets above. Advance booking is essential, and tasting formats and prices vary, typically from about €30–€60 per person. Wear shoes with good grip and bring a light layer; the cellars are chilly year-round.
Afterward, walk roughly 10 minutes through the quiet Saint-Remi quarter to the Basilique Saint-Remi. Allow about 45 minutes to appreciate its Romanesque nave, Gothic choir, and unusually peaceful atmosphere. Entry is generally free, though opening hours can vary around services, so keep the timing flexible rather than planning this as a rushed appointment.
Continue directly into the Musée Saint-Remi, housed in the former Saint-Remi abbey beside the basilica. Give it around 1½ hours: the collection explains Reims’ Gallo-Roman beginnings, medieval religious importance, and long relationship with Champagne. Museum schedules and admission fees can change seasonally, so check the official listing before setting out; allow roughly €5–€10 for entry. Have a light lunch beforehand or afterward at a café near Rue de Vesle, since the Saint-Remi area has fewer convenient casual restaurants than central Reims.
In the later afternoon, take a taxi to Veuve Clicquot on the outskirts of Reims—allow about 10–20 minutes depending on traffic, and arrange the return taxi in advance. The house visit lasts approximately 1½–2 hours and must be booked for a specific time; do not rely on walk-in availability. Tastings and tours commonly cost around €40–€100 or more depending on the cuvées. A taxi is preferable to driving yourself, as you will be tasting and the site is not especially convenient by public transport.
Finish with a special Champagne-region dinner at Le Jardin Les Crayères, in the elegant Parc de Champagne area. Reserve ahead and confirm whether your booking is in the garden restaurant or another dining room, as the estate’s offerings and prices can vary; budget approximately €80–€150 per person before additional wine. From Veuve Clicquot, a taxi usually takes around 10–15 minutes. This is a good evening to slow down: allow two to three hours for dinner and choose a Champagne pairing only if you are comfortable with the taxi ride back to your hotel.
Take a morning TER from Reims Centre to Épernay; the ride is usually 35–40 minutes, but allow 1–1½ hours door-to-door with the walk to the station, luggage, and hotel drop-off. From Épernay station, the center and Avenue de Champagne are about a 15-minute walk, or a short taxi ride if you have bags. Start with a relaxed stroll along the avenue, where grand Belle Époque façades conceal some of the region’s largest cellars. Set aside about 45 minutes before your first appointment; it is worth noticing the houses and vineyard-owner mansions rather than treating the street simply as a tasting route.
Your main visit is Moët & Chandon, whose tour descends into the chalk cellars beneath the avenue and typically lasts 1½–2 hours, including a tasting. Reserve a timed visit well ahead: appointments are essential, and the available languages, tour lengths, and tasting formats vary. Cellars remain cool year-round, so bring a sweater even if the weather is mild. Afterward, continue along the same avenue to Champagne Mercier for its visitor experience, usually around 1½ hours. This also requires advance booking, and it is wise to leave a generous 20–30 minutes between reservations for walking, check-in, and the inevitable browsing in the boutiques. Combined visits and tastings can easily cost €50–€100 or more per person depending on the package.
After the second cellar visit, keep the rest of the afternoon unstructured: wander back toward central Épernay, browse the smaller champagne shops, or return to your hotel for a break. For dinner, book La Banque, a lively brasserie in the town center with a broad menu and a comfortable setting for a final glass of Champagne. Expect roughly €30–€50 per person before additional drinks. It is an easy walk from the avenue, but reserve ahead if possible, particularly for an evening when cellar tours have filled the town. If you are tasting at both houses, use the trains or a taxi rather than driving.
Hire a taxi or arrange a private driver from Épernay for the day; this is much easier than trying to connect the villages by bus, especially if you plan to taste champagne. Leave around 9:00 for Hautvillers, roughly 15–20 minutes away. Begin at Hautvillers Abbey, where Dom Pérignon is buried and the village’s champagne history feels particularly tangible. Allow about an hour, but check the church’s opening arrangements locally—religious sites can have irregular access, especially outside services.
Afterward, walk or drive through the lanes above the village to the Hautvillers vineyard viewpoints. The views over the Marne Valley and neatly divided slopes are among the best in the region; on a clear morning, the patchwork of vines makes the short trip worthwhile even in winter. Wear shoes suitable for muddy paths, and do not wander into vineyard rows unless a signed public path clearly permits it.
Continue about 10 minutes to Aÿ-Champagne for your reserved visit at Champagne Bollinger. Allow 1½–2 hours, including the cellar tour and tasting. Advance reservation is essential, and tasting policies may require identification or limit the number of pours for the designated driver, so confirm the details when booking. The village is compact enough to explore on foot afterward: spend about an hour around Aÿ, looking at its historic streets and small-producer storefronts. Many independent growers keep limited hours in the off-season, so treat this as a leisurely browse rather than counting on walk-in tastings.
Have your driver return you to Épernay for dinner at Le Royal, a comfortable choice for regional cooking after a full day in the vineyards. Budget roughly €35–60 per person and reserve ahead, particularly for a Friday evening. Ask about local dishes and pairings, but avoid driving after the Bollinger tasting: use the same private driver or pre-book a taxi back to your hotel. Expect the countryside to be quiet after dark, with limited taxi availability compared with Reims or Paris.
Take an early TER from Épernay toward Paris Gare de l’Est, usually changing at Reims. Allow about 2½–3½ hours door-to-door once you include the walk to the station, the connection, luggage, and leaving bags at your Paris hotel. After dropping luggage, take the Métro or a taxi to the Tuileries Garden; the Musée de l’Orangerie is best visited with a timed ticket, and a focused visit takes around 1½ hours. Go straight to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies rooms, then spend a little time with the modern collection downstairs. Admission is generally around €12, though prices and entry rules can change.
Walk through the Tuileries Garden toward Place de la Concorde, allowing about 20 minutes at an easy pace. The square itself needs roughly 30 minutes: look toward the obelisk, the fountains, and the grand perspective stretching west toward the Champs-Élysées. Continue along the avenue, but don’t feel obliged to walk every block; the most pleasant stretch is around the lower gardens and the section approaching the Arc de Triomphe. The full walk from the Orangerie to the arch is about 2.5 km, or 35–45 minutes depending on stops. For the arch’s rooftop viewpoint, reserve a timed entry in advance; expect roughly €16–€20 and allow about an hour for security, the climb, and the panorama. The summit involves many stairs, so take the lift only if staff confirm it is operating for your needs.
Have dinner at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte, whose classic steak-frites meal is served in two portions with the restaurant’s signature sauce. Expect approximately €30–€45 per person before drinks. The Champs-Élysées branch can be busy, and the restaurant traditionally does not take standard reservations, so arrive early—around 6:30–7:00 p.m.—or be prepared to wait. Afterward, the nearby Avenue des Champs-Élysées is lively for an evening stroll, while your hotel is easiest to reach by Métro or taxi rather than retracing the entire avenue.
Start around 9:00 at Marché d’Aligre, one of the most enjoyable Sunday markets in eastern Paris. Browse the covered Marché Beauvau and the outdoor stalls along Place d’Aligre and Rue d’Aligre—look for cheese, oysters, seasonal fruit, and the small antiques and bric-a-brac section. Allow about 1½ hours, with a coffee or pastry from a nearby bakery. Sunday trading is usually the liveliest, but individual stalls and seasonal schedules vary, so check locally; arrive earlier for the best produce and less crowding.
From the market, walk about 10 minutes to the entrance of the Coulée verte René-Dumont near Avenue Daumesnil. This former railway viaduct becomes a surprisingly peaceful elevated garden, with planted walkways, staircases, and changing views over the 12th arrondissement. Follow it northwest for roughly an hour toward Rue de Lyon and Bastille. It is free, but access points and opening hours can vary; wear comfortable shoes, since you will alternate between the promenade and street-level sections.
Continue west into the Marais, either on foot in about 20–25 minutes from Bastille or by Métro from Bastille toward Saint-Paul. Take a relaxed break in Place des Vosges, Paris’s most graceful early-17th-century square. Sit beneath the arcades or on the central lawn, and leave time to wander the quiet surrounding streets rather than treating the square as a quick photo stop.
Then visit Maison de Victor Hugo, at 6 Place des Vosges, the apartment where Hugo lived during his years in the square. The visit is compact—about an hour—and focuses on evocative rooms, furniture, drawings, and objects connected with the writer. Entry to the permanent collection has often been free, while temporary exhibitions may charge admission; verify the current Sunday opening arrangement before setting out, as museums can have weekly closures or altered seasonal hours. If the apartment is unavailable, keep the square and neighborhood walk as the afternoon’s anchor rather than trying to force in another major museum.
For dinner, walk north through the Marais to Les Philosophes on Rue Vieille-du-Temple, roughly 10–15 minutes from Place des Vosges. It is a dependable, atmospheric choice for classic bistro cooking—think onion soup, steak-frites, duck, or a simple plate of cheese—at about €30–50 per person before drinks. The dining room can be busy on Sunday evening, so reserve if possible or arrive early, around 18:30–19:00. Afterward, stroll the nearby lanes toward Rue des Rosiers and Hôtel de Ville; the Marais is particularly pleasant at night when the daytime shopping crowds have thinned.
Begin at Musée Rodin when it opens, ideally reserving the first available admission if timed entry is offered. Allow about 1½ hours for the sculpture galleries and gardens; in early March, the outdoor paths can be damp, but the quieter winter atmosphere suits Auguste Rodin’s work beautifully. The museum is easiest to reach by Metro to Varenne, and a small bag is preferable because security and cloakroom queues can slow you down.
Walk roughly 15 minutes through the 7th arrondissement to Rue Cler, a pleasant market street for a final Paris breakfast or provisions. Pick up pastries, fruit, cheese, and something easy to eat later from the bakeries, fromagers, and specialty shops—allow around 45 minutes, but check individual shop hours because some businesses open late or close on particular days. Continue on foot toward Champ de Mars, about 15–20 minutes, rather than taking the Metro; this gives you one last look at the neighborhood’s handsome residential streets.
Spend about two hours around the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars. If you want the second floor or summit, book the official timed ticket well ahead; summit access can sell out, and tickets are not something to rely on buying on arrival. Otherwise, enjoy the views from ground level and the surrounding lawns, with your Rue Cler picnic if the weather cooperates. Keep an eye on bags around the tower and avoid unofficial ticket sellers. From here, allow at least 45–60 minutes to return to your hotel, collect luggage, and reach your departure transport.
For Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, leave central Paris roughly 3½–4 hours before an international flight, adjusting earlier during busy periods or if checking luggage. A pre-booked taxi or ride is simplest with bags, though traffic on the périphérique can be unpredictable; the RER B is often faster and cheaper if your luggage is manageable, but allow extra time for station changes and the walk to the platform. From central Paris, budget about 60–90 minutes door-to-door in normal conditions, then allow another 2–3 hours at the airport for check-in, security, and passport control.
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