Exploring Paris on a Short Break

Exploring Paris on a Short Break is the perfect way to capture the city’s essence in just a few unforgettable days. The Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées, the Louvre, and all the places you simply must explore in Paris on a short break!

Are you captivated by Paris but only have a short time to explore one of the most enchanting capitals? Renowned museums and landmarks, Seine river cruises, shopping, and experiencing Paris at night: here are 5 walking ideas tailored to your preferences and interests if you're exploring Paris on a short break

1. The Fundamentals

he essentials

Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, the Louvre, Montmartre … What to explore on a short break to Paris

Start your day with a coffee on the Champs-Elysées, then enjoy a leisurely walk to the Eiffel Tower via avenue Marceau, passing by the famous flame of the Pont de l’Alma. From the top of the Tower, you’ll have an unobstructed view of Paris.

Next, board one of the river boats docked below and cruise down the Seine to Notre-Dame. After visiting the cathedral, it will be time for a lunch break.

The Louvre is just a half-hour away, ready to offer you a customized tour of the major artworks. As you depart, the day will be ending over the Pont des Arts footbridge, the Pont Neuf, and the Institut de France.

Cross the river and head to Odéon metro station, which will take you directly to the Butte Montmartre, where you can admire an exceptional panoramic view of the city and its monuments, illuminated at dusk.

2. Paris and its history

Arènes de Lutèce, rue Mouffetard, Latin Quarter, avenue de l'Opéra: a walk in the historic heart of Paris.

Here’s a way to travel back in time along the streets of Paris, all in the space of one day. Begin your journey in Roman times by visiting the Arènes de Lutèce. Weather permitting, don’t hesitate to move on to the Middle Ages with the musée de Cluny, and walk along the rue Mouffetard, the rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève and the rue des Ecoles that runs alongside the Sorbonne, the oldest university in Europe. Have some lunch in the Latin Quarter ,cross the river to the Sainte-Chapelle, a splendid example of Gothic architecture.

Past the tip of the Ile de la Cité and the quaysides, you’ll come to the Louvre, former residence of kings, whose perfectly balanced forms will take you into the Classical period. Close by, the avenue de l’Opéra unfurls one of the characteristic perspectives designed by Haussmann.

And from there, by taking the metro line (14), you’ll find yourself in a flash in the new district around the Bibliothèque de France. Audacity, immensity, elegance: you’re at the heart of contemporary Paris, ready to dine by the Seine River not far away.

3.Shopping

Chic boutiques, department stores, designer workshops: the best shopping addresses in Paris

Wake up slowly in a cosy Montmartre bistro to watch the sun climb over the rooftops of Paris: a unique sight. If you want to pick up a few souvenirs, there’s no better place to find them than here.After that come down from the hills and head for the Madeleine with its chic boutiques, the typical hustle and bustle of the Grands Boulevards and the magic of the Parisian department stores for an unforgettable shopping experience. All the big stores have cafes and restaurants, most usually offering a great view over the city.

Window-shopping is on the menu later in the afternoon-along the avenue des Champs-Elysées, avenue Montaigne or Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Minutes later, metro line 1 will have whisked you into the Marais district to explore the myriad fashion and design boutiques and to linger over dinner in this appealing area.

4. A Different Paris

From La Villette to the François Mitterrand library, a walk to discover a different, little-known part of Paris.

Make a start at La Villette by exploring the Cité des Sciences, its exhibitions and interactive centres. Once your brain cells have been exercised, take yourself for a walk along the Canal Saint-Martin and appreciate the opportunity to catch up on a former working-class area now newly fashionable. The banks of the canal are lined with cheerful bistros where you can stop for lunch.

Setting off from the place de la République situated a little further south, you will find yourself in Beaubourg and the Pompidou Centre in just a handful of metro stops, for a look at the latest must-see exhibition. Then drink in the special charm of the banks of the Seine River with a stroll as far as the Institut du Monde Arabe and, a little further on, bring the day to a close with dinner at the water’s edge at the threshold of the new ultra modern district around the National Library.

5.Bohemian Paris

Cafes from Montparnasse to Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Montmartre, here is artists’ Paris.

This version of Paris might no longer exist, but many locations still hold vivid memories of the artists who built their fame there. Start with a coffee in Montparnasse and visit the Musée Bourdelle, a small museum that captures the essence of Paris and its artists. The brasseries and iconic cafes of Boulevard Montparnasse will guide you to the gardens of the Observatoire.

As you make your way back through Luxembourg and the place Saint-Sulpice, you’ll arrive at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a hub of intellectual and artistic life in Paris. In one of its cafes, you might even have the chance to encounter your favorite writer ...

Bohemian Paris lives on in Montmartre, starting from the Odéon metro station. Memories of Picasso and Utrillo’s studios, the birth of cubism, cabarets, vineyards, popular songs, and painters in the place du Tertre … the scene is set, and night falls over the city.