A Week in Paris: The Ultimate Paris Itinerary & Travel Guide
Paris was absolutely amazing. The city of light, was incredible and it’s a trip we won’t forget. I am sharing a recap: A Week in Paris: The Ultimate Paris Itinerary & Travel Guide. Based on how I remember it, tips and tricks and with fun little detours along the way!
We stayed in the charming Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood in the 6th arrondissement—a perfect central location filled with history, cafés, and easy access to everything. Highly recommend this neighborhood for ease of getting around!
Arrival Day: Beating Jet Lag
To fight jet lag while waiting for our hotel room to be ready, we started with an incredible Thai massage at Ban Thaï Spa in Saint-Germain. I opted for deep tissue while Chris went for traditional Thai (the stretching was amazing!). We shared the same room, which made it extra relaxing and special.
Pro tip: Wear the disposable underwear they provide or bring a pair of loose short. Going commando will get you gently (but firmly) corrected, as I learned the hard way, haha!
Before the massage, the hotel recommended brunch at Eggs&Co. It was a fantastic little spot just steps away. The food was fresh, delicious, and exactly what we needed after such a long flight!
We also grabbed a classic baguette from one of the countless boulangeries —every single one we tried was excellent.
Later in the week I even found one stuffed with hot dogs. High French cuisine meets dirty gas station snack? Basically Chris’s heaven.
After checking in, we relaxed and headed out for dinner at the wonderful Chez Fernand (Christine location). This was a cozy traditional French bistro recommended by a friend. Tiny tables stacked close together mean you end up making friends with your neighbors. We chatted with a retired professional skier and her husband (who’ve traveled the world for 50 years) on one side, and a sweet couple exploring France for the first time on the other. The beef bourguignon was the epitome of French comfort food—rich, perfect, and unforgettable. Also keep your eyes peeled for some phallic bottle openers. Those were hidden all over, lol.
We stayed at the Villa des Prés, a boutique hotel that exceeded every expectation. The staff was beyond top-notch. The breakfast each morning felt like a dream brunch, the beds were incredibly comfortable ( I did bring my own pillow though), and the rooms were spacious and stylish. Highly recommended! Check out our view below.
Day 2: Versailles in the Rain
We started strong with a Paris travel day trip to the Palace of Versailles.
It was raining (pretty typical for Paris), but we explored the massive gardens by golf cart. This was a brilliant decision which we booked through Liv Tours. They are the only ones that use golf carts.
The estate spans about 800 acres; walking the whole thing would take all day, but we hit the highlights in an hour. Fortunately the rain held out till the garden tour was over. Absolute perfection.
This presented an extra magical view with a light misty setting hovering over the garden view. Truly something to behold. On a clearer day, I would have stayed longer to explore the gardens even more.
The palace itself was spectacular. Hiring a guide was absolutely worth it. You get all the best stories and skip the surface-level details. Our guide gave us a few recommendations to tour Paris during the rain.
This is how we discovered the Covered Passages & Art. You must find some of these! Stunning!
Since it was raining, our guide suggested hitting a historic covered passage. We chose Galerie Vivienne because it was one of the closest & best preserved covered passages. There are thirty or so scattered covered passages around the city! It was cool, atmospheric, and full of charm. I recommend checking out the book shop here. Chris asked if they had an early edition of the Count of Monte Cristo (his fav book) and the man sadly has sold it only a few days before. This speaks to the caliber of old books you can find roaming this tiny old library.
I absolutely adored the black and white art instillation in the old courtyard of the Les Colonnes de bruin. We learned all about this on our architectural walking tour. Don’t forget to look down under the drainage grates too.
To round out a very full day, we visited the Musée d’Orsay. The Impressionist collection is incredible. You can get remarkably close to the artworks, which is magical—you can see the thick, textured brushstrokes up close.
I may have lingered a bit too enthusiastically in front of one painting and earned some side-eye from a few fellow visitors who weren’t fans of my style. I’m sure I have art etiquette but what can you do!
Tired, we headed back toward the hotel and ate at a random little restaurant and it was of course delicious. I really don’t think we ever had bad food.
Day 3 of a Week in Paris: The Ultimate Paris Itinerary & Travel Guide
We did a fantastic walking tour focused on Parisian architecture called Haussmann’s transformation. We booked it through Liv Tours and our guides name was Jacob Simpson. The guide was engaging and knowledgeable. I learned so much without ever feeling bored. We walked all through the first district.
The early planning of Paris is unmatched. I don’t want to spoil it but I def recommend the walking architecture tour. He shared a great tip: Whenever you see an open door or porte-cochère, peek inside to discover beautiful hidden courtyards and gardens. We took his advice and discovered little gems all around the city.
Later, we explored the stunning Galeries Lafayette department store. The building itself is a masterpiece, and the view from the top terrace is unreal—definitely worth the trip even if you’re not shopping.
We jumped over to Sainte-Chapelle next. Grab tickets online to skip the line — it’s a total must-see. The stained glass windows are insane. Each one is a vignette from the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, with the Passion in the middle at the top. Like a glowing comic book of the Bible made of glass. To me this was more impressive than Notre Dame (close by) but also a site to behold. My photos don’t do it justice. THIS IS A MUST SEE.
We grabbed a little snack next at a cafe. The classic croquette mousier (Ham and melted cheese sandwich. Or get the croquette madam and they throw an egg on top. This turned out to be chris’s favorite snack.
To cap off that very full Paris travel day we headed to the Louvre.
We’d been told the night was the BEST time to go, way fewer crowds. Definitely get a private guide. With 35,000 pieces of art its overwhelming. Our guide gave us a great edited tour. Trust me on this or you’ll get lost. It over 400 rooms just to walk through it
We saw all the most famous piece like the Mona Lisa, but my favorite was Jacques-Louis David’s Oath of the Horatii. Our guide truly had some great insight. We just would not have gotten if exploring on our own. Beyond the art, within the entire building is a work of art. You must start at the bottom and see the old castle ruins the the Louvre is built right over. Its insane how deep the history really goes in this city. DO NOT SKIP THIS PART!
You think that would be enough for us! But, since it was still light out and our internal clocks were off, we Ubered over to the Eiffel Tower.
Short line, up to the first floor. It was way bigger and more beautiful than I expected. Yeah it’s touristy and over-visited. But, it’s touristy because it’s awesome. We checked out the restaurant on the first floor but bounced before ordering. I suggest skipping the restaurant, but I loved exploring at sunset. Don’t forget to stick around for the sparkle.
Finally, bed.
Day 4: French Countryside & Recovery
Early the next morning we headed out to the French countryside. We drove around and visited working farms and cute little villages.
It was pretty, but coming from the wide-open Western USA — and having grown up in the country myself — it felt pretty familiar. Mostly we were just beat from going so hard the first few days. So we headed back to our Saint-Germain neighborhood and returned to Ban Thaï Spa. It was even better the second time. Chris fell asleep… several times… and kept waking himself up snoring.
That night we had dinner at Ralph’s — super solid with a great vibe. The big giant blue door at the entrance is impressive.
Day 5: Bike Tour Around Paris
On Day 5 we did a bike tour that covered all the major spots in the city. Such a fun way to see everything.
The best part was our Paris travel guide basically made up hilarous facts as we went along the tour. I’m definitely not a history expert but apparently neither was he. My favorite was his story about how there were no gargoyles on Notre-Dame until Victor Hugo added them in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and how they came to life at night to hang out with Quasimodo. When your guide uses Disney Cartoons as his as source material, the tour gets legendary.
Did you know the original roof of Notre-Dame was made of fiberglass? That’s what our bike tour guide told us anyway.
In all seriousness we loved biking the city but I would not recommend this guide if you want actual facts, lol.
After the bike tour we hit up Chez Janou. Amazing spot known for its chocolate mousse. (We saw it on instagram). But we also had to try ratatouille. I was pretty skeptical of this dish, but I have to tell you it was amazing. Did you know they serve it cold? I was shocked! And they served us the best shrimp I’ve ever eaten. Highly recommend. There was a huge line, but I accidentally handed the host a few euros…and he found us a table immediately. *Wink Wink*
After we took an uber to Montmarte. This section of the city features Beautiful streets and amazing views. Walk to the top of the hidden stairs and take a seat on the cathedral steps. Just take in the view there. We had no real agenda here, but stumbIed upon a charming boutique hotel – Hotel Particulier– it only features six guest rooms.
Turns out…it used to be a home owned by the Hermes family. Grab a bite here or stay for tea. The bathroom was the highlight. The toilet I used, claimed to have been peed in by Brad Pitt…pretty cool. Be careful of the wall art in there though. It’s some kind of Japanese Kama Sutra..very graphic lol. Truly the entire hotel inside and out is very charming.
Our Last Paris travel day: a Week in Paris: The Ultimate Paris Itinerary & Travel Guide
I’ve always wanted to bake croissants so why not learn in Paris where they originated? It was actually so fun! We even brought some home to the kids and they actually liked them! Basically they are just pure butter which makes sense why they are so delicious. Which brings me to another key point…
French butter is superior. Oh my gosh. It’s so good. The class we booked is available at Maison Fleuret & they do them twice a day on weekends.
We hit up some cool Saturday morning markets that sold all the best looking food I’ve ever seen and we ended up buying French butter to bring home. Yes it made it in my carry on and yes I declared it at customs.
After the food market we hit up the antiques at a fleas market Marche aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves.
It was fun to wheel and deal and buy a few things that looked older than anything in the state of Utah. I walked away with two solid brass coat hangers and a charming little copper pot.
Chris and I walked all around the river and city over again half way looking for a place for dinner. We ended up settling on a place super close to our hotel. Truly, we just loved that neighborhood I guess!
Then we found a spot with an open table in a little passage. It looked old and was pretty busy. There were only like 10 tables, but we had an amazing meal. One of the best meals of the trip. It was very French. I had the beef cheek and Chris had the sole fish – mind blowing. We decided to quickly look inside and see what the restaurant was like. Turns out it’s one of the oldest & largest restaurants in Paris – Le Procope. The decor feels like stepping straight into 18th-century Paris. The space is full of mahogany woodwork, crystal chandeliers, gilded mirrors, and rich red-and-gold tones everywhere. It really is so stunning. Everyone from Voltaire to Robespierre to Ben Franklin have eaten there…and now the Bolens too. Don’t forget to go see Nepolean’s hat displayed inside!
What to pack for a Week in Paris: The Ultimate Paris Itinerary & Travel Guide:
Since Spring in Paris is still chilly, I suggest lots of layers! And another tip? You can leave your athleisure at home. Parisians only wear legging and sweat pants to exercise.
I packed 2 trench coats, one suede with a hood and one classic. One pair of black, blue, and white wide leg jeans, 1 pair of trousers, 2 neck scarves and a cute collar, 4 short sleeve or sleeveless tops in basic colors. One denim button up top, 2 dresses – both worked day to night. I could pretty much wear all my pants with all my tops and mix accessories.
This made for easy adjustments for weather. I literally wore one pair of sneakers with everything including my dress. This was perfectly fine! Don’t forget the gel heel inserts! they saved me. It’s a lot of walking.
Sharing & linking my favorite Paris travel looks below:
Day One Look // Day Two Look // Day Three Look // Day Four Look // Day Five Look
If you’re looking to travel nationally this Summer, check out my 30A Travel Guide!
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