From a show at Moulin Rouge to art museums to Versailles to historic Paris monuments to amazing French food – Lorelei, Heidi, Anneleis, Cassie & Ron saw it all during 5 days in Paris!
Paris
5 Days in Paris: Activities
We did SO MUCH in 5 days in Paris!
Moulin Rouge
If you have the money and the time, absolutely go to the Moulin Rouge. You get a pretty good dinner or you can just go for their famous cabaret show. I was so enthralled the whole time we were watching and the women, mostly topless, were so talented and beautiful. I don’t suggest going with your mom and dad though… (awkward!)
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is beautiful; it’s the former home of the French Royal Family. But seeing the gardens is key, in my opinion. We went on the last of our 5 days in Paris and it was very cold and rainy and my family was unable to see the gardens. I’ve been to Versailles on a previous trip when the weather was good and seeing the gardens was such a different experience. It’s worth the trip outside the city!
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower sparkles at night, and the view from the gardens beneath it was amazing! If you go up the tower, do not take your umbrella; a man next to us, who was holding his umbrella, got shocked by lightning during a rain storm. We got some great photos and afterwards went around the corner to this little cute café, Le Castel Café, and had some wine and the biggest Dr. Pepper I’d ever seen.
Louvre
The Louvre is world’s largest museum and home to many masterpieces, most famously the Mona Lisa. Instead of the main entrance at the pyramid, a better entrance to go to is the Carrousel entrance. It is located at the Rue de Rivoli and the Place du Carrousel, so if you’re looking at the pyramid, go left along the street. Security still took forever but the line was shorter and at least you are under cover if it starts to rain!
Musee d’Orsay
The Musee D’Orsay museum is set in a train station and the architecture is just marvelous. There are many original Degas and Van Gogh paintings as well as sculptures from all different artists including a small-scale Statue of Liberty. My favourite exhibit I saw here was the Art Deco furniture pieces – they were GORGEOUS. Definitely worth the time to see this if you have 5 days in Paris. Again, security takes FOREVER so if you can travel without a purse or bag, do so. We went late in the day and only had about an hour and a half to look around by the time we got through. It is mostly a self-guided tour with maps and the handheld devices if you want to know more about specific pieces.
Pantheon
In the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon houses the remains of distinguished French citizens such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Alexander Dumas. The underbelly is a labyrinthine and very solemn; I felt so humbled to be in the presence of such great names. You may also purchase tickets in the spring to go on a guided tour to the upper level for some yet even more amazing views of the city. When my sister and I went, we thought the time they allotted for staying at the top was a bit long, and we weren’t able to leave on our own, but it was lovely nonetheless!
Notre Dame
This famous cathedral, Notre Dame, is gorgeous and worth seeing. It’s free to enter. The museum pass allowed us to go up into the bell towers to get some amazing views of the city. It’s 387 steps (there is no elevator) to the top of the South Tower. There is a separate entrance to visit the towers located outside of the cathedral, on the left-hand side.
Sacre-Coeur
Sacre-Coeur is a gorgeous church in the Montmartre area of Paris. It’s situated on the top of a hill with gorgeous views of the city. The inside is spectacular and it’s free to enter. They have installed a small cable car up the many stairs leading up the hill to the church; Mom and Dad loved skipping the stairs! You can use one of your Metro pass tickets for the cable car.
Jardin du Luxembourg
My sister and I had a leisurely stroll through the Jardin Du Luxembourg gardens which is a beautiful public space with the loose dirt and gravel paths so indicative of Paris. It is free and easy to get to on the Metro and if you’re lucky, you can find the small-scale Statue of Liberty!
Restaurants
Montparnasse 1900
We did a special dinner for our parents at the Montparnasse 1900; it was fantastic. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was like you were thrown back in time into 1920s Paris. The interior was all Art Deco and the service was wonderful.
Au Petit Creux
We also ate at the Au Petit Creux around the corner from the Sacre Cour Basilica. This has some of the best beef bourguignon we have ever had and really good crepes!
Odette Paris
Odette Paris is a famous cream puff bakery and coffee shop in the Latin Quarter. It was delicious. The Latin Quarter, just south of Notre Dame, is a quaint area of the city, worth checking out, where a medieval monastery and the Sorbonne (University of Paris) are located.
Hotel
We stayed in Montparnasse which is outside the city center. We could walk to an underground station but it was long and the ride took a long time to get to the city center. I suggest trying to find something closer to the action, especially if you’re spending 5 days in Paris.
Transportation
We mostly used the underground metro and trains. The Metro system is wonderful in Paris and pretty easy to figure out. It is totally worth buying a booklet of 10 tickets or a pass that lasts a certain amount of days, depending on the length of your stay. The Metro passes won’t work for the rail line to Versailles – for that you must get a TRAIN ticket, not a subway ticket. The zones are pretty clearly marked and the ticket takers can help you. Buy a round trip train ticket to Versailles, just don’t lose it like my mother did!
5 Days in Paris Travel Tips:
Museum Pass – Get the Museum Pass if you’re going to be hitting a lot of the monuments. It is totally worth not having to buy individual tickets wherever you go it and even helps with lines in some places. If you’re planning to spend 5 days in Paris, this will be worth it.
Safety – There are a lot of street vendors and gypsies in such a large city; just be aware of your purse and if someone asks you to read something or sign something, don’t.
Language – Most speak English in the city center and touristy spots, but try to speak a little French because they appreciate it.
Tipping – Tipping is not really necessary unless it was really good service.
Other Paris travel guides you might like:
Paris, France – 3 Days in Paris: Experience Paris City Life
Paris, France – 4 Days in Paris: Discover the Art & Charm of Paris
Follow the rest of Lorelei, Heidi, Anneleis, Cassie & Ron’s Europe trip here:
London, England – Must See Spots in London
Lucerne, Switzerland – From Sunrise to Sunset in Beautiful Lucerne
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – One Day in Amsterdam is Enough to Fall in Love with it
Save this info for later? Pin it!
