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Apr 23, 2025

Paris in a Day: The Perfect 1-Day Paris Itinerary

Intro

How can one day in Paris summarise all that this glorious city has to offer?

It is the question that visitors to the city of love have been asking for years. And although it is impossible to capture the whole essence of Paris in just one day, all whilst exploring its key sights, as any good tourist would do, our guide on how to spend one day in Paris will show you the major highlights, whilst still retaining that absorption of local culture, atmosphere and Parisian lifestyle that everyone comes here for.

Sights visited in this blog:

Don’t think we can visit all that in one day? Read on to discover our perfect 1-day Paris Itinerary!

If you're looking for more tips, itineraries, and insights into Paris, check out our social media!

Morning

1. Maison d’Isabelle

  • First things first is some breakfast, or “little lunch” as it is called in French, at the famous Maison d’Isabelle, known for its award-winning croissants. After an unsurprising small queue, we find ourselves faced with rows upon rows of glowing golden pastries, mounds of fluffy warm bread, and expertly and lovingly crafted classic French desserts such as a tarte tatin. Any reasonable person would be expected to purchase and pocket something sweet for later, and we are no exception.

2. Notre Dame

  • Then, with bellies bursting with buttery, flaky croissants, we head to the recently renovated and reopened Notre-Dame. Built in the 12th Century, this icon on the Parisian landscape fell into disrepair following the French Revolution when many components were desecrated. The 1831 publication of Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre-dame” sparked a restoration project which brought her back to life and she was eventually designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1991. Following the devastating fire in 2019, supporters of the church leapt into action, and a painstaking and careful renovation project brought it back to all her former glory.
  • For those who feel the new, shiny white interior is too much, we like to say that it is like stepping back in time. Far from it being “too modern”, Notre-Dame is now presented to us almost exactly as she would have been upon her first unveiling in the 12th century. Instead, we should marvel that the architecture and masonry of that time were as complex and intricate as anything that could be produced today. So, in the early hours of our one day in Paris, we invite you to step through history at a place of worship that welcomes 20 million people each year and has stood the test of time.
  • We feel that Notre Dame is best first thing in the morning. If you’re lucky, the soaring voices of the congregation reverberate around the aisles as you tread gently around the periphery. The first glimmer of light begins to creep through the stained glass windows, falling raindrops of pure bright light and illuminating the awe on the faces of the few people who have got up early enough to experience the magic with us. Because at the end of the day, Notre Dame is not just a tourist attraction; it is a place of worship that has welcomed people through its doors for 816 years. To get up early enough to witness this is far more special than the slow shuffle and camera clicks that will materialise by midday.

Elevenses

3. Shakespeare & Co.

  • Just opposite Notre Dame, nestled in a little cobbled street, lies Shakespeare & Co. Founded in 1951 as an Anglophone bookshop, the founder, George Whitman, paid homage to the legacy left by Sylvia Beach, who established her store of the same name between 1919 and 1941. The original store became a bustling meeting place for famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the current store has welcomed many Beat poets and writers such as Allen Ginsberg. 
  • Now not only a bookshop but a delightful place for us to nibble on a glorious selection of baked goods, sip a coffee and gaze upon the façade of Notre-Dame across the Seine. If you come in springtime, you might just catch the iconic little cherry tree that perches outside the storefront, adorning the ground with delicate pops of pink.

4. Louvre & Tuileries

Now fully recharged, it is time for us to tackle the gargantuan pinnacle of art and culture. The Louvre.

The small jutting-out pyramid accurately reflects the tip of the iceberg that is concealed within: over 35,000 pieces of art and 500,000 objects and displays spread out in 60,600 m2 (652,000 sq ft) of museum.

Only slightly daunting, right?

  • So, on that thread, we would suggest our Must-sees of the Louvre guided tour, which will guide you around the back routes and staircases to witness the top ten most famous and impressive works of art on display, with a guide who will share the history of each piece, its significance and a history of the Louvre itself which originally started out as a fortress. After the tour, you can stay as long as you like and explore the rest of the museum at your own pace. However, if you have one or more specific interests, we can also take you on a Private guided tour of the Louvre in which our guides and their encyclopaedic knowledge can talk to you about any specific piece or area you are interested in!
  • Upon departing, step out of the Carrousel du Louvre into the Tuileries Gardens, commissioned by Catherine de’Medici after moving into the Louvre when it was a palace. With panoramic views that sweep back to place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe, and side views of the top of the Eiffel Tower, a quick stroll can’t be amiss.

Lunch

5. Cafe Danton

  • Now we've got the mental excursion out the way, its time to recharge our batteries before heading on our sightseeing afternoon. There is no better way to soak up the ultimate French café culture than at Le Danton, just a stone's throw from the famous Odeon Theatre. With its retro red booths, lacquered wooden panelling and friendly staff, this place feels like you're stepping back in time. You’ll find yourself surrounded by the hubbub of French chatter, men in business suits, families, grandparents with their grandchildren, couples, and retirees meeting for their weekly lunch, anyone and everyone is welcomed into this little bistro.
  • After a croque monsieur and a glass of wine for just €10, followed by a delicious dessert, it is time to head to the base of the Eiffel Tower for our next stop.

6. Boat Cruise

  • Despite what you might think, the best view of Paris is not from the Eiffel Tower. For starters, you can't see the main attraction…the Eiffel Tower! No, the real best view is actually from the sparkling Seine. With the Bateaux Parisiens cruises, which leave every hour from the base of the Eiffel Tower, you’ll find yourself gliding along one of the most iconic waterways, hearing tidbits of information about the historical city, as you gaze upon their impressive façades. This excursion is also a great way to get a feel for where everything in Paris is…and a chance to rest your feet and soak in some rays at the same time.

Afternoon

7. Le Moulin de la Vierge

  • Now is our chance to grab a little something from a beautifully quaint and hidden gem of the Paris boulangerie world that we stumbled across when visiting the Eiffel Tower. Just a 15-minute walk down the Seine towards the Invalides, where Napoleon’s tomb is buried (worth a visit but equally as nice to look at from the outside if you don’t have the time), is nestled Le Moulin de la Vierge.
  • This unassuming and incredibly local feeling boulangerie houses a gorgeous painted tile ceiling, with ornate mirrors and decorations around the room. Resting atop a carved wooden countertop lies our prize: freshly baked goods. A modest selection, but produced with care, which you can taste in every bite of these sumptuous snacks. And, if you fancied taking a small slice of this secret haven home with you, a collection of artisanal and homemade jams call from the other side of the room.

8. Sacre Coeur & Montmartre

Freshly pastried-up, it's time to make the trek on the metro to the part of Paris not visible from the Seine, but no less important: Montmartre.

  • A favourite haunt of struggling artists, theatre folk and the bohemian aesthetic, Montmartre remains one of the very few areas that shows what Paris looked like before Haussman’s renovation of Paris in 1853, which gave us the iconic honey coloured five storey façades with zinc roofs and chambres des bonnes. As we discovered on our recently opened CanCan dancers’ tour of Montmartre, the artists at the time were less than impressed with this gentrification of their city, and their dance styles reflected that with some rather humorous moves…
  • The cherry on top of Montmartre is the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, originally proposed in 1870 as a way to boost Parisians’ morale following their defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. It was designed by Paul Adabie and was selected from among 77 design proposals. Construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914.
  • Exploring the inside of the church is a must, if only for the huge golden mosaics hovering overhead. If a more unique and less busy view of Paris takes your fancy, try paying the €8 to head up into the domes of Sacre-Coeur for an uninterrupted view that also lets you clamber amongst the buttresses and gargoyles of the basilica.
  • Afterwards, we recommend merely taking a stroll around Montmartre to soak up the atmosphere, obviously starting with the splendour of the views from the top of the steps, if you’re lucky you might get treated to a performance from a musician on the steps, whose melodies float through the crowds and mingle with the glowing rays from the sunset. On your travels, see if you can find the artists’ square, a sneaky view of the Eiffel Tower from between some trees, and the Montmartre vineyard.

Evening

9. La Boite aux Lettres

  • With sunset swift approaching and a full day of sightseeing complete, it is time for one more beautifully classic French meal for you to feast upon. Tucked down a small cobbled street, not five minutes from Sacre-Coeur, you will find the unassuming La Boîte aux Lettres. The sprawl of people out the door, sitting with glasses of wine in the sun, are the only things giving it away as a little Parisian secret. Get there early enough to avoid the evening rush and let yourself get seated by attentive staff prepared to offer you the best seasonal food Paris has to offer, for incredibly good prices too. The mint and pea parmesan risotto melts in your mouth, the fish is fried to flaky perfection, and the steak au poivre makes you want to lick the plate.

There is no better way to finish your very French, very busy, perfect day in Paris.

10. Moulin Rouge

  • And, if you feel like expending yet more energy and soaking up those last drops of culture, why not meander down to Pigalle from Montmartre and while away the hours at Moulin Rouge? Created in 1889 to bring the extravagance of the circus to Montmartre, it became a favoured spot of young artists, whose glamorously detailed posters drew the cabaret international renown.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog! We are a small Paris-based tour guide company that prioritises a boutique personal experience where we can share our passion for our heritage and community with every individual that joins us. If you'd like to take a tour then head over to our website for an unforgettable trip to the city of lights. Also, check out our social media @memories.france for everything you could need to know for coming to Paris, from how to use the metro to coffee shops closest to each major monument, there is something for everyone!

Felicity, Siobhan & the Memories France Family

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