Paris
A weekend in Paris: 2-day itinerary
Two days is enough for one riverbank, one museum and one hill, not for Versailles as well. Base yourself in the 1st–6th or 10th–11th arrondissements, buy a Navigo Easy or a carnet of tickets, and book the Louvre or Orsay slot before you fly. Add a third day or skip the day trip if you want both banks done calmly.
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GuideParis
Key facts
- Time needed
- 2 full days for central Paris; 3 days if you add Versailles or Disneyland Paris
- Best months
- May–June and September; July–August heat 35–40 °C and many small restaurants close in August
- Where to stay
- 1st–6th for walking, 10th–11th for value near Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est
- Metro ticketscheck
- Single ride about €2.50, carnet of 10 about €17–20, Navigo Easy card about €2 (2026 estimate)
- Museum entrycheck
- Louvre about €22, Orsay about €16, Sainte-Chapelle about €13 (2026 estimate)
- Free sights
- Notre-Dame exterior and parvis, Sacré-Cœur exterior, Père Lachaise, most churches
- Airport transfer
- CDG to centre by RER B about 35–45 min; Orly by Orlyval + RER B or tram about 40–50 min
- Book ahead
- Eiffel Tower summit, Louvre and Orsay timed slots, and any TGV out of Paris
Top picks
A weekend works when you pick one anchor per half-day and walk between them. The two-day shape below keeps travel time low: Saturday on the Right Bank and the river, Sunday on the Left Bank and the hill.
If you have only one day, cut Sunday morning and keep the Louvre, the river and Montmartre. If you have three, add Versailles as a full day out — it is a 40-minute RER C ride each way and eats six hours.
| Slot | Pick | Cost (2026 estimate) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat morning | Louvre timed entry, then Tuileries | €22 | 3 h |
| Sat afternoon | Île de la Cité, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame parvis | €13 chapel; parvis free | 2–3 h |
| Sat evening | Seine walk or a 1-hour river cruise | €15–18 cruise | 1–2 h |
| Sun morning | Musée d'Orsay | €16 | 2–3 h |
| Sun afternoon | Latin Quarter, then Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur | Free; metro fare only | 3–4 h |
| Optional | Eiffel Tower summit | €29–30 lift | 2 h with queues |
| Optional | Versailles (RER C) | €21 palace; €32 passport | 6 h door to door |
Prices are 2026 estimates; check each operator's site before booking.
Prices and hours
Museum hours shift by season and by day of the week, and several Paris museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays. Confirm the day before you go rather than trusting a printed guide.
The Eiffel Tower and the big museums sell timed slots online; walk-up queues in summer run past an hour. Sunday is the busiest free-entry day at many city museums, so go early.
| Item | Price (2026 estimate) | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louvre | €22 | 09:00–18:00, late night one evening; closed Tuesday | Timed slot online |
| Musée d'Orsay | €16 | 09:30–18:00, late night Thursday; closed Monday | Timed slot online |
| Sainte-Chapelle | €13 | 09:00–17:00 winter, later in summer | Check seasonal hours |
| Eiffel Tower lift | €29–30 summit | 09:30–23:00 summer, shorter in winter | Book weeks ahead |
| Arc de Triomphe roof | €16 | 10:00–22:30 summer | Check seasonal hours |
| Seine cruise | €15–18 | Roughly 10:00–22:00, every 30–60 min | Operators vary |
| Metro single ride | €2.50 | 05:30–01:15 weekdays, later Fri–Sat | RATP |
| Carnet of 10 | €17–20 | Same as metro | RATP |
| Navigo Easy card | €2 card | Load at station machines | RATP |
| Versailles palace | €21; passport €32 | 09:00–18:30 high season; closed Monday | Check seasonal hours |
All figures are 2026 estimates and change with season and operator.
Getting there
From the UK, Eurostar runs London St Pancras to Gare du Nord in about 2 h 20 min; book 8–12 weeks out for the cheaper fares. From the US, nonstop flights land at CDG or Orly, and the RER B or Orlyval plus RER B gets you into the centre in under an hour.
Within Paris, the metro and RER cover everything on this itinerary. Buy a Navigo Easy card and load single rides or a carnet; a weekly Navigo pass only pays off if your stay runs Monday to Sunday. Taxis from CDG run on a fixed fare, roughly €55–65 to the Right Bank (2026 estimate).
Do not rent a car for a city weekend. Parking is expensive, the périphérique is slow at peak hours, and the metro is faster for every stop on this plan.
- Eurostar London–Paris: about 2 h 20 min, book early
- CDG to centre: RER B, 35–45 min
- Orly to centre: Orlyval + RER B, 40–50 min
- Airport taxi fixed fare: roughly €55–65 (2026 estimate)
- Metro single ride: about €2.50 (2026 estimate)
FAQ
Questions people ask
How do I spend a weekend in Paris?
Give Saturday to the Louvre, Île de la Cité and a Seine walk, and Sunday to the Musée d'Orsay, the Latin Quarter and Montmartre. Book museum slots online first, keep one anchor per half-day, and walk between stops where you can.
Where should I stay for a weekend in Paris?
The 1st–6th arrondissements put most sights within walking distance but cost more. The 10th and 11th near Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est are cheaper and one metro ride from the centre. Stay near a metro line that crosses the river.
Is a weekend enough for Paris?
Enough for central Paris: one museum, the river, one hill and a neighbourhood or two. Not enough for Versailles, Disneyland Paris or a slow Left Bank day as well. Add a third day if you want any of those without rushing.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialParis Convention and Visitors Bureau
- officialMusée du Louvre – visit information
- officialMusée d'Orsay – practical information
- officialEiffel Tower – official site
- officialChâteau de Versailles – official site
- officialRATP – Paris metro and RER
- officialEurostar – London to Paris
- secondaryWikivoyage – Paris