I’m off to Paris tomorrow morning and although I realise the danger in attempting to plan my trip too thoroughly (after all, Paris is probably one of the best places for wandering around without a set plan) I wanted to make sure I had organised my trip to a certain degree. This is Paris in six days (without going in-Seine…). I’ve include the estimated costs of each day and activity in case anyone else is thinking about planning a trip and might find this useful!
Day 1 – Monday
I leave London at 10:30am and arrive at the Paris Nord train station around 1:30pm. When I arrive I’ll buy un billet of metro passes (that’s 10 for €11.50) for the week. From the train station I will head directly to my hotel to drop off my stuff and check in. I’m staying at the Hotel des Arts, Bastille, a budget hotel a little ways out of the city centre but I’ll have my own room and bathroom.
Once at the hotel, my plan is to walk the 6km across Paris, along the Seine, to the Rodin museum. I’ve heard wonderful things about the museum which offers young person entry for €4. That should take me to early evening and I’ll grab a quick dinner (€7-10) after the museum. The plan is to check the availability and pricing of a cruise down the Seine and book it for either Monday or Tuesday night. I’ll then take the metro back to the hotel for an early night.
Total cost for the day: ~€22 (not including Eurostar ticket and hotel)
Day 2 – Tuesday
Early start today for a Paris by Bike tour (€23) which will last from 10am-1:30pm. The English guided tour takes you through many of the most popular areas of the city and gives you local history along the way.
The bike tour ends in front of the Notre Dame cathedral so I’ll take some photos but skip the queue in favour of heading across the river to queue for the Lourve (€9 or €6 after 6pm) for a quick look at one or two galleries, just to say I went in.
I’ll spend the afternoon in that area, probably also checking out Musée d’Orsay (€5.50) and I might just go there instead depending on how crowded everything is. I’ll end with afternoon tea in Angelina’s (known for world famous hot chocolate, €10). If I didn’t do it the night before, I’ll do a Seine cruise on Tuesday.
Other food will probably be about €15-20 for the day.
Total cost for the day: ~€67
Day 3 – Wednesday
I’ll head out very early to beat the crowds for a trip up the Eiffel Tower (€12) and enjoy the view and some brunch from the top (€7). The midday plan is to follow the Tower tour with a trip to the Picasso Museum (€4) which houses many of his greatest works from throughout his lifetime.
For the afternoon, I’ve signed up for a market tour and French cooking class which will take 4-5 hours for a three course meal and tour through the markets (€70). I’m not sure I’ll get in, though, as I haven’t heard back from the booking agent so if not, I’ll wander the Montmartre area and swing by the Sacre Coeur and Champs-Élysées.
Total cost for the day: ~€90
Day 4 – Thursday
Off to Versailles!
Take the RER C to Versailles for a tour of the palace and gardens (I’ve heard rumours I can find a combination transport and admissions ‘Le Passport’ for €25 so I’ll look into that). Probably another €25-30 on food and souvenirs but I imagine this will be a full day trip.
Total cost for the day: ~€50
Day 5 – Friday
In the morning I’ll do the Catacombs Museum and Tour (€5). It’s supposed to be an amazing tour and it’ll give me an opportunity to see a new part of the city. In the afternoon, I’ll explore the neighbourhood of Montmartre if I didn’t get a chance to see it on Wednesday because I did the cooking course instead.
This evening I’ll walk along the Seine and visit any other evening attractions I’ve discovered over the first couple of days to fully enjoy my last night in Paris!
Other food will probably be about €20-25 for the day.
Total cost for the day: ~€30
Day 6- Saturday
It’s my last day in Paris so I’ll start by swinging by the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise (it’s 10 min from my hotel) and see the grave of Oscar Wilde, among other famous names. After my morning walk, I’ll gather my belongings and head back through Paris; by this point I’ll probably have found something I want to see again. One more Parisian breakfast and lunch and then I’ll make it back to Paris Nord by 1:45pm for my train back to London.
Total cost for the day: ~€15
So that, folks, is my week in Paris for under €285. Of course this doesn’t include the Eurostar ticket or the hotel, but those can vary so much that I’m sure you can sort those out yourself should you find yourself planning a trip to Paris.
Wow, it sounds so short now that I’ve planned it all out! I’ll try to find an internet cafe once or twice to update my blog and upload some pictures. Have a wonderful week!
Meaghan Fitzgerald is a marketer and entrepreneur building and growing consumer and gaming products and experiences. A Silicon Valley native, she started her first company, DormWise, in 2006 which she later sold in 2009. Meaghan spent 7 years in London in early stage consumer startups, two years at Xbox as a product marketer for Minecraft, and is currently the head of product marketing for VR experiences at Facebook and Oculus. Meaghan writes here about business, technology, gaming, and marketing. She has been named a top
Sounds amazing! DEFINITELY do stop by Sacre Coeur. It’s the most beautiful church in France. Also, The Centre Pompidou (http://www.centrepompidou.fr/) is my favorite thing to do in Paris, even if you just swing by to see the fountains. This is a must. Ile St. Louis is a beautiful spot for dinner. Get gelato there, if nothing else. Have fun!