4-Day First-Time Visit to Paris: Planning Your Trip

A first visit to Paris in 4 days: it’s a challenging task to organize.

But we’ve already done the work for you!

What you’ll find in this article:

• A comprehensive interactive map of everything you can see during your stay

• A photo gallery of the suggested points of interest

• A file of the 81 points of interest to see or visit over 4 days, organized geographically to minimize fatigue, split into half-day segments

• A daily map of visits arranged in geographical order, including all travel routes

• A reminder of reservations to make at the end of the article

• A day-by-day summary of your stay at the end of the article

• At any time, free access to our database: with a single click, each point of interest is thoroughly documented

This is a pre-organized itinerary ready to use. However, the number of points of interest presented intentionally exceeds what you’ll have time to see. This way, you can choose before your trip or on-site while visiting what you prefer the most.

This 4-day sample itinerary for a first visit to Paris is primarily designed for a couple, with or without children. We also offer other options for romantic getaways, for couples with young children, with teenagers, etc. Finally, we also have stays ranging from 1 to 10 days.

Note: at the end of the article you will find
1/ All the necessary links to make your online reservations directly
2/ Two bonuses to consult, including 4 key tips to help you organize and make the most of your stay in Paris.

Interactive map of everything you can see during your stay

By hovering over the map, you’ll see the names of the locations of the markers. By clicking on each marker, a window opens with details about the location. Clicking on “View the location” will take you to the detailed article about that place.

Photo gallery of the suggested points of interest

Photos

Possible number of "key sights" to see on a first visit to Paris in 4 days

We’ve divided your 4-day stay into 4 "areas of interest," one per day. Each day, all the important (the "must-sees") and secondary sights have been chosen to be geographically close. This way, you won’t waste energy running from one end of Paris to the other. Here’s our suggested itinerary:

Day 1: Area around Place de la Concorde – Champs-Élysées – Place Charles de Gaulle – Arc de Triomphe – Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As a bonus, if you’re not too tired: Pigalle district – Montmartre hill

Day 2: Area around Versailles – the Château – the Domain of Versailles

Day 3: Area around Musée d’Orsay – Jardin des Tuileries – Louvre Museum. And if you still have time and energy: Le Marais district – Notre-Dame – Île de la Cité

Day 4: Area around Palais de Chaillot, esplanade and museums – Eiffel Tower – Hôtel des Invalides – Seine River cruises

You won’t have time to see or visit everything—and that’s intentional. This way, you can choose in advance or on the spot whether to skip a sight in favor of another that interests you more, without leaving any gaps in your schedule.

Here are a few rules we’ve also taken into account for organizing your detailed itinerary below:

Time allocation rules

• Allow 2 to 3 hours per museum. The Louvre or Orsay deserve this time. Two hours may be enough for smaller museums.

• We limited visits to 1h30 per monument. If the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or Notre-Dame are on your itinerary, they can be visited in this time frame—provided you’ve booked to skip the queues. Morning slots are best.

• A Seine river cruise lasts 2 hours; with lunch or dinner, count 2h30.

• Visits to the Palace of Versailles and/or Giverny (Monet’s home) can each fit into half a day (at a brisk pace), but they usually take up a full day. We therefore opted to swap a day in Paris for a day in Versailles.

• Getting around by metro takes 20 to 30 minutes between two locations. We opted for walking by following the routes of our "self-guided walks" that start at the exit of museums or monuments and lead to the entrance of the next museum or monument you want to visit. This will take about 1 hour 30 minutes, but you’ll discover 50 times more than by taking the metro or wandering aimlessly through the streets.

• We planned 30-minute breaks every 2 to 3 hours, scheduling stops for lunch, tea, or pastries.

• Another option was to alternate, when possible, museums, monuments, and walks. The Marais or Montmartre offer unique atmospheres.

• We also scheduled evenings (starting at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.) for a romantic dinner, a show, or even a visit to a renowned neighborhood. Paris is also best enjoyed in the evening.

Your first visit to Paris in 4 days: your itinerary in sections (A, B, C, etc.)

Below, you’ll find a copy of the organization of a "typical" 4-day stay generated by our Trip Planner. It includes the following sections:

A. Your stay dates: the dates have been arbitrarily set from August 15 to 18 (4 full days, which means arriving the evening before and departing late on the 4th day or the following day).

B. Selecting your interests for a first 4-day visit to Paris

We have chosen Museums, Monuments, Parks, and "nightlife," shopping, history, and culture as the main points of interest for your stay. These are the choices most tourists make during their visit.

C. Selected locations for a first 4-day visit to Paris

Our selection includes 16 key points of interest ("Must-Sees") that align with the themes chosen above and the duration of your stay (4 days). We have also included 66 other important points of interest. In this section, we present 81 points of interest for your 4-day stay.

This is why the itinerary below is spread over 4 days. The day assignments take into account the geographical location of the various sites to minimize unnecessary and tiring travel.

D. Day 1 itinerary (Day 1 route map)

E. Day 2 itinerary (Day 2 route map)

F. Day 3 itinerary (Day 3 route map)

G. Day 4 itinerary (Day 4 route map)

H. Reminder of booked visits

It’s important to book visits in advance to avoid waiting at entrances and wasting unnecessary time. This precaution allows you to see as much as possible during your stay.

Important note: You can also use (tutorial URL + Generator) for free to adjust and modify the organization of this sample itinerary: see below or by clicking onBonus: Your tailor-made Paris stay

Excerpt from the 3-day itinerary for a first visit

C Selected locations

The places listed below are those we have chosen and which we believe are the most relevant for a first visit to Paris over four days. Our site www.visitingparisbyyourself.com (VPBY) also offers alternatives for 1, 2, 3, 5 days or more.

By clicking on each of the places listed below, you will get a detailed and well-documented descriptive sheet. This will help you decide which places you ultimately want to see and/or visit.

You can thus plan in advance those you wish to see, visit if open to the public, with full knowledge.

Day 1

• Place de la Concorde, born in blood, Paris’s central square — 12 Place De La Concorde, 75008 Paris, France

• The Luxor Obelisk, an Egyptian gift now standing in Place de la Concorde — Obélisque de Louxor, Place de la Concorde, Paris, 75008, France

• Fountains of Place de la Concorde, inseparable companions of the Obelisk — Place de la Concorde, Place de la Concorde, Paris, 75008, France

• Musée de l'Hôtel de la Marine: a monument, art exhibitions and 200 years of history — 2 Place De La Concorde, 75008 Paris, France

• Musée du Jeu de Paume: photography and imagery, video art, experimental cinema — Jeu de Paume, 1 place de la Concorde, Paris, 75001, France

• Musée de l'Orangerie, must-see: Claude Monet and other painters — 17 Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris, France

• Champs-Élysées Gardens, a vast green space near Place de la Concorde — 14 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris, France

• Luxury on the Champs-Élysées and Avenue George V — 55 Avenue George V, 75008 Paris, France

• Place Charles-de-Gaulle and its star formed by 12 converging avenues — 1 Avenue De Wagram, 75017 Paris, France

• Arc de Triomphe: Austerlitz, World War I, and the Unknown Soldier — Place Charles de Gaulle | Place de l'Étoile, Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, 75116, France

• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe — Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, 75008, France

• Musée des Romantiques – George Sand, Ary Scheffer, Ernest Renan — 16 Rue Chaptal, 75009 Paris, France

• Pigalle District, a famous spot for parties and prostitution. Since 1881 — Saint-Georges, Paris, France

• Moulin Rouge Show, legendary cabaret and French Cancan still on the bill — 82 Boulevard De Clichy, 75018 Paris, France

• Montmartre Small Trains (2), two departures, to discover the Butte while resting — Place Blanche, 75009 Paris, France

• Montmartre Funicular, a must-see practical attraction — 1 Rue Tardieu, 75018 Paris, France

• The Butte Montmartre, the Montmartre district, a world of its own — Montmartre, 75018 Paris, France

• Sacré-Cœur Basilica Forecourt, breathtaking views of Paris — 5 Parvis Du Sacré-Cœur, 75018 Paris, France

• Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, uninterrupted vows and prayers since 1885 — Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, 35 rue du Chevalier de la Barre, Paris, 75018, France

• Place du Tertre in Montmartre, for painters and tourists — Place du Tertre, 75018 Paris, France

• Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, 900 years of history, dedicated to artists — 2 Rue du Mont Cenis, 75018 Paris, France

• Musée de Montmartre, the lives of artists from the Butte in the 19th century — 12 Rue Cortot, 75018 Paris, France

• Clos de Montmartre: The Story of a Vineyard in Paris, a Confidential Vintage — 18 Rue des Saules, 75018 Paris, France

Day 2

• The Château de Versailles Through France’s Chaotic History — place d'Armes, Place d'Armes, Versailles, Yvelines 78000, France

• Domaine de Versailles: Gardens, Park, Trianon, and the Queen’s Hamlet — château de Versailles France

• Visiting Versailles: Plan Your Visit to the Château de Versailles

Day 3

• Musée d'Orsay and the Impressionist Painters in a Former Railway Station — 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007 Paris, France

• Tuileries Garden: 4 Centuries of History, 80 Master Statues to Discover — Jardin des Tuileries, Rue de Rivoli, Paris, 75001, France

• Carrousel Garden Between the Louvre and the Tuileries: 20 Maillol Sculptures — Jardin du Carrousel, Jardins du Carrousel, Paris, 75001, France

• Carrousel Triumphal Arch Crowned by the Horses of Saint Mark from Venice — Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Place du Carrousel, Paris, 75001, France

• Musée des Arts décoratifs: furniture, jewelry, fashion, advertising, and unique pieces — 107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

• Carrousel du Louvre, a luxury shopping destination next to the Louvre — Carrousel du Louvre, 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

• Louvre Pyramid: a subject of controversy, aesthetic and technical innovations — Pyramide du Louvre, Cour Napoléon, Paris, 75001, France

• Louvre Museum: 8 collections and 35,000 works to discover — 75001, Paris, Île-de-France, France

• Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art — 2 Pl. du Palais Royal, 75001 Paris, France

• Paris City Hall: History of Insurrections, Born from the 1871 Fire — Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, 75004 Paris, France

• Le Marais District, Paris' Iconic Neighborhood — Le Marais, Paris, France

• Museum of Arts and Crafts — 60 Rue Réaumur, 75003 Paris, France

• Picasso Museum, World-Famous, Unique, and Personal Art Collection, 200,000 Pieces — Musée Picasso, 5 rue de Thorigny, Paris, 75003, France

• Place des Vosges, iconic square of the trendy Marais district in Paris — Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris, France

• Victor Hugo House, where he wrote his major works such as Les Misérables — 6 Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris, France

• Bastille Column and the July 1830 Revolution – A memorial and a tomb — place de la Bastille, Place de la Bastille, Paris, 75004, France

• Medieval half-timbered houses of the Marais from the 15th century — 11-13 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris, France

• Île Saint-Louis, a discreet and refined gem at the heart of Paris — Île Saint-Louis, 75004 Paris, France

• Notre-Dame de Paris: a martyr cathedral that will rise again in 2024 — Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Paris, 75004, France

• Kilometre Zero of France on the forecourt of Notre-Dame — Parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II

• Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité — 7 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France

• Sainte-Chapelle, a masterpiece touched by grace, once threatened to disappear — 8 Boulevard Du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

• Île-de-la-Cité and Île Saint-Louis, where it all began — Île de la Cité, Paris, France

• Île de la Cité, the cradle of Paris, 1,000 years of history over 22 hectares — 1 Boulevard Du Palais, 75004 Paris, France

• Clock Tower of the Palais de la Cité, Paris’s oldest clock — 1 Quai De L'Horloge, 75001 Paris, France

• Pont au Change, a link between the Pompidou Center and the Latin Quarter — Pont au Change, Pont au Change, Paris, 75001, France

• Conciergerie, Gothic monument, royal palace, courthouse and prison — Musée de la Conciergerie, 2 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

• Pont Neuf, Paris’s oldest bridge still in service — Pont Neuf, Pont Neuf, Paris, 75001, France

• Vedettes du Pont-Neuf, romantic and historic Paris from the Seine — Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf, Square du Vert-Galant, Paris, 75001, France

• Equestrian Statue of King Henry IV on the Pont Neuf, the Third of His Name — Equestrian Statue of Henry IV, Place du Pont Neuf, Paris, 75001, France

• Romantic Vert-Galant Square in the Heart of Paris: The Legend of the Templars — Square du Vert-Galant, Square du Vert-Galant, Paris, 75001, France

Day 4

• Trocadéro Esplanade, a Balcony Overlooking the Eiffel Tower — Square du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris, France

• Musée de l'Homme and Research Center on the Past and Future — 17 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre 1918, 75116 Paris, France

• Naval Museum, a fresh perspective – Collections since Louis XV — 17 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre 1918, 75116 Paris, France

• City of Architecture Museum, 15 centuries of models, paintings and casts — 1 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre 1918, 75016 Paris, France

• Palais de Chaillot and Trocadéro Gardens: Temporary UN Headquarters — 1 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre 1918, 75116 Paris, France

• Trocadéro Fountain in the Palais de Chaillot gardens — Place de Varsovie, 75016 Paris, France

• Aquarium de Paris, home to a unique collection of fish and biodiversity — 5 Av. Albert de Mun, 75016 Paris, France

• Musée des Arts asiatiques Guimet, world-renowned and its Buddhist Pantheon — 6 Place D'Iéna, 75116 Paris, France

• Place Diana in Paris, a site of two commemorations — Place Diana, 75016 Paris, France

• Musée national d’Art moderne – Centre de création industrielle, from Fauvism to the present — 13 Avenue Du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France

• Pont de l'Alma and its Zouave — Place De L'alma, 75008 Paris, France

• Seine River Cruises with Bateaux-Mouches — Pont de l'Alma, Port de la Conférence, 75008 Paris, France

• Paris Sewers and their Museum: The Sewers in Action — Esplanade Habib Bourguiba, Pont de l'Alma, 75007 Paris

• Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Museum of Arts and Civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas — Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, 37 quai Branly, Paris, 75007, France

• Bateaux Parisiens Cruises — Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France

• Pont d'Iéna, majestic architecture between Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower — Pont d'Iéna, Paris, France

• Batobus Shuttles, a hop-on hop-off service on the Seine — Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France

• Pont Bir-Hakeim, exceptional view, reminder of World War II — 2 Pont De Bir Hakeim, 75015 Paris, France

• Vedettes de Paris Cruises — 2 Port de Suffren, 75007 Paris, France

• Eiffel Tower, a technical and commercial feat, symbol of France — 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France

• Champ de Mars, an idyllic setting and a break at the foot of the Eiffel Tower — Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France

• Amphibious Bus Marcel the Duck, for a mixed land and Seine cruise — Pl. Jacques Rueff, 75007 Paris, France

• Hôtel des Invalides in Paris: hospital, cathedral, military pantheon, museums — Hôtel des Invalides, Esplanade des Invalides, Paris, 75007, France

• Napoleon I’s Tomb beneath the Dome of Les Invalides — 2 Place Vauban, 75007 Paris, France

• Musée Rodin, masterpieces by Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel — 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris, France

Below, in section D, is your itinerary for your first day in Paris. Of course, you can swap Day 2 with Day 1, and so on. However, we advise against mixing parts of one day with parts of another, as this could disrupt the geographical optimization that helps you avoid unnecessary and tiring travel.

Please note that you won’t be able to see everything on the proposed list. This is intentional. It allows you to skip certain points of interest in favor of others you find more important. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

HBooking reminders

The list below is a reminder of all the sites and attractions to visit mentioned in the 4-day itinerary for your stay in Paris. They require a ticket if you wish to visit them. Simply click on the "Réservation..." link for direct and immediate online booking. The price charged is the same as the one on the official site. We earn a small commission paid by the site, not an extra fee on your ticket.

It is important to book in advance to avoid queuing at the entrance. This precaution allows you to see as much as possible during your stay.

• Moulin Rouge Cabaret - Book Moulin Rouge Cabaret

• Musée de Montmartre - Montmartre Museum entry reservation

• Palace of Versailles and Versailles Estate as well as Visit Versailles: plan your visit to the Versailles Estate

  • Gardens of the Palace of Versailles reservation

  • Book Versailles Castle: Entry Ticket + Access to the Gardens + Trianon Estate

  • Book Versailles Castle: Round-Trip Transport Only

  • Book Guided Tour of Versailles Castle: Hall of Mirrors Tour and Stroll Through the Vast Gardens

  • Book Versailles Castle: Entry Ticket + Round-Trip Transport

• Musée d'Orsay - Book tickets for Musée d'Orsay

• Louvre Museum - Book tickets for the Louvre Museum

• Picasso Museum - Book tickets for Musée National Picasso

• Sainte-Chapelle - Book Sainte-Chapelle tickets

• Conciergerie - Book Conciergerie tickets (Sainte-Chapelle combo)

• Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum - Book tickets for Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum

• Eiffel Tower - Book tickets for the Eiffel Tower

• Hôtel des Invalides - Book tickets for Hôtel des Invalides

• Napoleon’s Tomb - Book tickets for Les Invalides

• Musée Rodin - Book tickets for Musée Rodin Paris

• Batobus shuttles, a Seine Hop-on Hop-off service - Book Batobus river taxi (9 stops)

• Amphibious Bus - Amphibious Bus Reservation – Departure from the Eiffel Tower

• Bateaux-Mouches Paris - Eiffel Tower - Night Cruise Reservation – Bateaux-Mouches Paris – Departure from the Eiffel Tower – 2 Port de Suffren 75007

• Bateaux Parisiens - Eiffel Tower - Book a Seine cruise with “Bateaux Parisiens” – Departure from Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac – Eiffel Tower – Port de la Bourdonnais 75007

• Bateaux-Mouches Cruises - Pont de l'Alma - Book a Seine cruise – Departure from Pont de l’Alma 75008 – Port de la Conférence – Bateaux-Mouches

Bonus #1: Customize your Paris stay

The itinerary you just reviewed can be enhanced to better suit your preferences and travel choices.

The typical stay outlined above is based on the 3 criteria you’ll find in the paragraph "Excerpt from the Stay Organization" above:

1. A. When are you traveling

2. B. Choosing your interests (types of visits)

3. C. Selected locations

But you can easily optimize this arbitrary choice we made. Just click on our Stay Generator. You can adjust these 3 parameters A, B, and C to perfectly match your preferences.

In just 5 minutes and 5 clicks, you’ll get a personalized itinerary tailored to your tastes, half-day by half-day. Plus, all reservations are made online. Feel free—no obligation—to click on the links for the sites you’d like to visit.

Reservations for your transportation (plane, train, or car), as well as your accommodation, are also included. Even suggestions for souvenir gifts for yourself, your friends, or your family—all at affordable yet high-quality prices. You’ll see they have nothing in common with those plastic Eiffel Tower snow globes!

How does it work?
Click on "Paris Trip Organizer"—it’s completely free. It will save you the hassle of optimizing your stay to fit in as much as possible. In addition to your travel dates (Point A. - Final or provisional), you’ll need to redefine:

1/ Point B "choice of interest" by clicking on the list (Museums, Churches, Monuments, Parks, etc.);
2/ The VPBY Trip Generator will then provide you with a set of relevant guides;
3/ This leads you to point C (Selected Places). You select by clicking on the names of the museums, monuments, parks, or activities you’d like to visit; The Generator suggests at the top of the screen "Smart Organization" to group visits by location and duration, avoiding unnecessary and tiring travel;
4/ The Generator returns your itinerary for each day of your stay, broken down by half-days and evenings;

This takes 5 clicks and just 5 minutes to get your personalized itinerary, "tailored" to your tastes. And it’s completely free. To use it, click on "Paris Trip Organizer"

Note: Want to see what users of the VPBY Trip Generator think of their experience? Click on "They created their trip with VPBY"

Bonus #2: 4 essential tips to help you organize and enjoy your stay in Paris

1. Phrasebook Translator for those who don’t speak French fluently

Having trouble finding the right word or phrase in French? Click here on PHRASEBOOK – or in the top right corner of your screen. It’s a glossary of 100 useful words and/or expressions for a tourist visiting Paris. You’ll feel confident making yourself understood. At restaurants, hotels, shopping, the metro, greetings, asking for directions, and more. Eight languages are available. And guess what? Each word and phrase can also be heard in clear French.

2. List of Reservations to Make

To avoid wasting time waiting in line, we recommend making your reservations online a few days in advance – or on-site if you prefer. All official reservations are useful and available on our website:

• Reservations to enter museums, monuments, shows, and Seine River cruises

• Reservations for your arrival in France: flights, trains, and cars

• Reservations for your accommodation: hotels, apartments, guesthouses – in Paris or nearby

The links to all these reservations are available directly in the articles about the visits that interest you or in the self-guided itineraries of our walks. But also, by clicking on "Reservations" in the header bar, you’ll find all the reservations you’ll need during your stay.

3. Collecting High-Quality Paris Souvenir Photos

These are collectible HD photos available in digital format or as long-lasting prints (75 to 100 years). Their size ranges from postcard to large-scale prints (1 meter or more). A lifelong keepsake to decorate your home. A high-quality souvenir (unlike typical snow globes or plastic Eiffel Towers). At a very affordable price. Click on:

• Paris Souvenir Photos

• Paris Photos: Best HD Collection, Souvenirs & Decor

4. Take home a personalized photo report of your stay in Paris

We suggest a professional photo shoot in Paris at the locations of your choice, with you as the star. A "family" report, wedding, or other events. From 1 hour to a full day. The best quality-to-price ratio. Click on:

• Our Partner Photographers