Paris in one day

Everyone wants to go see the Eiffel once in their life or be proposed there or have the mandatory kissing photo right under the tower. But for me, Paris was a lot more. For starters, it was the macaroons and the crepes, the wrought iron lamps and the romantic bridges. It was the food and the bread, it was the city of lights. But a student, not only did I have a constraint on time but also needed a budgeted trip. So I did – Paris in one day!

There is so much to explore in Paris but if you have only one day, here is the best way to maximize your time.

Here’s my guide on how to spend the day in Paris. But before that, there are 2 key things to remember:

Buy your metro pass: Paris Visite is an unlimited tourist travel pass that you can buy for one, two, three, or five calendar days. The one day travel pass costs 12 euros. Mobilis is a pass for one calendar day. The price depends on the zones where you intend to travel; if you plan to stay within the city, a Zone 1 pass is all you need.

Keep a map in your pocket to enable you to lose yourself in the cobbled steep streets of Paris (No, people around are not too friendly, so you really do have to be on your own)

Where to buy passes: You can buy Paris Visite, Mobilis, and other passes at major Métro stations, RER stations, and railroad stations in the Ile-de-France region, including those at Paris airports. Paris Visite is also available at branches of the Paris tourist office

8:00 am

Sacre Coeur [Visiting time: 1 hour]

Start your morning with a beautiful cup of coffee and a Parisian Nutella filled crepe. Energise yourself well, because you have a lot of walking to do today. Take a metro to Abessess station and you will arrive right in the heart of Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement. Montmartre is home to the highest point in the city and the Sacre Coeur BAsillica sits on the crest of this hill. I choose to start from here because it’s the best birds eye view The Sacre Coeur is a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For lazy walkers, the funicular at Montmartre takes you from the bottom of the hill up to the Sacré Cœur in Montmartre

9.30 am

Eiffel Tower [Visiting time: 1.5 hours]

Head towards the Seine to get a beautiful bright view of the Paris Signature tower – Le tour Eiffel. There are lifts that take you both up and down the east, west and north pillars of the tower. You can choose to go up to the 2nd floor and stop there or go all the way up to the top. I choose to take the stairs and climb the Eiffel because it was on my top ten things to do and trust me the climb was fun. So, everyone feeling athletic, give it a shot.

Many head up to the first floor where Eiffel has a restaurant named ‘58 Tour Eiffel’ with an ultra-contemporary décor and exquisite French cuisine. But there are two problems, it’s way too expensive (starting 90 Euros) and you’re inside the Eiffel. I would pick a restaurant that is outside so that I get a beautiful view of this tower.

Tip: Eiffel also has a gift shop on the top, which sells everything at thrice the price. Gift souvenirs can be purchased from local shops and vendors on the streets. Feel free to bargain with them, they usually reduce costs by 15-20%

11.00 am

Luxembourg gardens [Visiting time: 30 mins]

Le Jardin du Luxembourg, or the Luxembourg Garden, located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, was created beginning in 1612 by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France, for a new residence she constructed, the Luxembourg Palace. With flowers, statutes and greenery over 23 hectares of land, the Garden allows you to have a peaceful walk.

12.30 pm

Notre Dame [Visiting time: 1 hour]

Head towards Notre-Dame, the iconic cathedral of Paris famous for it’s Gothic Architecture. It forms part of the religious life in the country ever since 1345. There’s usually a long queue around, so you’ll end up spending sometime around the area.

Apart from visiting the cathedral, the area around is very scenic aswell. There are tiny lanes across that form hubs for the best four cheese fondue ( a must-have) around Notre Dame. Depending on queue levels, you can plan your lunch at one of these small cafes. If you are individual or just two travelling, you can choose for a half fondue which select cafes offer.

2.30 pm

Louvre Museum [Visiting time: 1.5 hrs]

Most famous for being the home of Da Vinci’s masterpiece the ‘Mona Lisa’, the Louvre is one of the most impressive museums in Europe, with a spectacular collection of art and sculpture to explore.

I personally think the Mona Lisa is over-appreciated – but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting the Louvre. My fascination of making the visit to re-live Inverted Pyramid Da Vinci Code Scene.

4.30 pm

Arc de triomphe [Visiting time: 30 mins]

Inspired by Rome’s Arch of Titus, Arc de Triomphe is the worlds largest traffic roundabout. It is also the tallest and largest triumph arc in the world. It is located in the famous and extremely busy "Place Charles de Gaulle"

It is well worth climbing the stairs to the top of the arch from which you can see the 12 radiating avenues that goes in and out of the circuit. You can view across the Champs-Élysées from the Arc all the way to the Place de la Concorde and the further away Musée du Louvre (the Louvre Museum).

5.30 pm

Champs Elysees [Visiting time: 30mins -1 hr]

Champs Elysees Avenue, named after the ‘Elysian Fields’ where happy souls live in the hereafter according to Greek myth, runs through Paris for 2-km from the Place de la Concorde until the Arc de Triumph.

While walking in Paris, In Champs Elysees Avenue, the city stands for the style and happiness of living in France, and on top of the massive traffic and fast food restaurants, the Avenue des Champs Elysees still sparkles. Along the way, you will see fancy brands such as Louis Vitton and Cartier but also cinemas and cafés. In some magical way, the avenue always feels like there is something happening in this avenue - the stores are open up until late in the evening and many are open even on Sunday, something which is not a common practice in Paris and certainly not in France.

The Champs Elysees Avenue (Paris) is unarguably one of the famous streets in the world and is also considered by real estate experts to be one of the most expensive real estate streets in Europe.

07:00 pm

If time permits, head back to Eiffel to watch it light up by night. Just sit down in the stairs/ garden, get a go-to pack of sandwiches and coffee and enjoy your night.

08:00 pm

If you’re staying over, definitely visit Montmartre again to see the Moulin Rougue Show.

And remember, Paris is always a good idea!

Thank you @Nihal for making this happen.