Visit order
Louvre, a break, then the garden
Choose your gallery priorities before arriving. After the museum, take a meal break and add the Tuileries only if the weather and your energy suit a walk.
Plan your Louvre visitFrance / Destination guide
Paris.
Art first. Leave room for the city.
Start with a focused Louvre visit, then give the rest of Paris time to unfold. Choose the ticket service you need and keep room for a riverside walk and a proper break.
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A first visit
Our suggestion: 3–4 days
Start exploring
The Louvre, one collection at a time
Plan around
Tuesday museum closure
Plan the sequence
Paris in one or two days
Build your first Paris day around one confirmed museum booking. These are flexible planning suggestions, not a timed tour.
One or two days
A museum day and a rooftop day
For one day, make the Louvre the main commitment. With two days, consider the Arc de Triomphe rooftop as a shorter second-day visit, leaving time for the neighbourhood and a meal. Check weather and access before booking.
Plan the Arc de Triomphe visitRain or children
Shorten the route, keep the interest
In rain, allow extra time for arrival and entrance checks. With children, choose a small set of artworks and a break; an indoor museum visit still involves substantial walking.
The Paris edit
Explore Paris
Ticket guideParis Ticket guide
Eiffel Tower
An ascent through Eiffel Tower viewing levels, with summit access by elevator in this option and separate security checks to allow for.
Allow: 2–3 hours, including arrival time
5 min readRead the guide
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Louvre Museum
Choose a few must-see works and leave time to explore at your own pace.
Allow: Our suggestion: 3–4 hours
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Palace of Versailles
Plan a full estate visit around your palace entry time, then compare the Passport with a guided option and allow for substantial walking.
Allow: 4–6 hours on site, plus travel
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Musée d’Orsay
Explore nineteenth-century painting and sculpture in a former railway station; reserve time for favourite galleries rather than rushing through everything.
Allow: 2–3 hours; longer with exhibitions
5 min readRead the guide
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Seine River Cruise
Compare two sightseeing boat operators by departure pier, commentary and duration; standard river cruises do not include dinner or monument entry.
Allow: 1–1¼ hours cruising, plus boarding
5 min readRead the guide
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Arc de Triomphe
Choose rooftop admission first. Add a cruise only if its timing and departure point fit your day.
Allow: Our suggestion: 60–90 minutes, plus queues
7 min readRead the guide
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Sainte-Chapelle
Visit the royal chapel for its stained glass; compare combined Conciergerie admission with a guided chapel visit before booking.
Allow: 45–60 minutes; longer with Conciergerie
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Palais Garnier
Explore the opera house’s grand staircase and gilded foyers on a daytime visit; auditorium access depends on theatre activity.
Allow: 1–2 hours
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Paris Catacombs
Follow the public underground ossuary route with an audio guide, or choose an English guided visit with clearly listed additional access.
Allow: About 1 hour; longer with a guide
5 min readRead the guide
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