Paris in 3 days: the optimised itinerary

Three days is the ideal length for a first trip to Paris: enough to see the big must-sees without rushing, too short to improvise. The classic mistake is zigzagging from one end of the city to the other and losing hours in transit. Our itinerary does the opposite: each day stays focused on one area, and you string together the sights on foot as much as possible. The prices quoted are the official individual ticket rates, checked in January 2026.

Day 1: Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro, Seine & Champs-Élysées

A "postcard" day on the west bank. Everything is walkable or one métro stop away, around the Eiffel Tower — Trocadéro — Champs-Élysées triangle.

• Morning — Eiffel Tower (€45 to the summit). Arrive for opening (9.30am): it is the quietest time. Go up to the summit, then back down to the 2nd floor for the panoramic view. Allow 1½ to 2 hours.
• Late morning — Trocadéro & gardens. Cross the Pont d'Iéna for the finest view of the Tower from the Trocadéro esplanade (free). Obligatory photo, then a lunch break in the neighbourhood.
• Afternoon — Seine river cruise (€18). Board at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for a 1-hour boat trip: Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Conciergerie glide past from the water. Perfect for resting your legs.
• Late afternoon — Champs-Élysées & Arc de Triomphe (€13). Walk up the world's most beautiful avenue to the Arc de Triomphe; climb to the terrace for sunset over the 12 avenues.
• Evening — the Eiffel Tower sparkle. Head back to the Champ-de-Mars after dark: the Tower sparkles for 5 minutes on every hour. Free and magical.

Travel: almost all on foot; one métro stop (line 6 or 9) between Trocadéro and the Champs-Élysées if needed. Entries for the day: 45 + 18 + 13 = €76.

Day 2: Louvre, Tuileries, Orsay, Île de la Cité

A "masterpieces" day along the Seine, from the Louvre to Notre-Dame. Follow the blue thread of the right bank down to the Île de la Cité, once again almost entirely on foot.

• Morning — Louvre Museum (€22). The world's largest museum: you cannot see it all, so pick a route (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Napoleon III apartments) over 2 to 3 hours. Opens at 9am.
• Midday — Tuileries Garden. Exit on the Tuileries side to have lunch or picnic among the ponds (free), drifting gently up towards the Concorde.
• Afternoon — Musée d'Orsay (€16). Cross the Seine on the footbridge: Orsay and its Impressionists (Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh) in the former railway station. 1½ to 2 hours. Tip: the great clock on the 5th floor offers a superb view.
• Late afternoon — Île de la Cité. Follow the quays to the Sainte-Chapelle (€13) and its stained glass, then the neighbouring Conciergerie (€11.50). Finish in front of Notre-Dame (forecourt free).
• Evening — Latin Quarter. Cross the bridge to Saint-Michel: back streets, bookshops and bistros for dinner without taking the métro again.

Travel: entirely on foot along the Seine (about 3 km over the day). Entries for the day: 22 + 16 + 13 = €51 (Conciergerie optional, +€11.50).

Day 3: Montmartre, then Versailles OR the Marais

A morning in Montmartre, then two options depending on your mood: the royal escape to Versailles, or a relaxed end to your trip in the Marais.

• Morning — Montmartre (free). Climb the hill for the Sacré-Cœur (free entry), the Place du Tertre and its painters, and the view over all of Paris. Allow 2 hours wandering the back streets.

Option A — Versailles (the royal day)

• Afternoon — Palace of Versailles (Passport €27). From Paris, take the RER C to "Versailles Château Rive Gauche" (≈ 40 min). The Passport gives access to the palace, the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens and the Trianon estate. Set aside at least 3 to 4 hours there.
• Evening — back to Paris. Direct RER C; dinner in your neighbourhood.

Option B — The Marais (Paris at strolling pace)

• Afternoon — the Marais. From Montmartre, métro line 12 then 8 (≈ 25 min). Picasso Museum (€14) or Carnavalet Museum (the history of Paris, free), the Place des Vosges, and the shops and cafés of the Village Saint-Paul.
• Evening — the Seine banks. Head down towards the Hôtel de Ville and the Île Saint-Louis for a final evening with no travel.

Travel: Option A, 40 min each way on the RER C (covered by a Navigo zones 1-5); Option B, 2 métro stops. Entries for the day: Versailles €27 or the Marais €14 (Picasso).

What it costs: individual tickets vs pass

Let's add up the entries for all 3 days, transport included. We keep the Versailles option on Day 3 (the most complete scenario) and the official 2026 rates:

On this itinerary, the 3-day Turbopass (~€130) saves €60 to €100 depending on the sites you add, transport and skip-the-line included. The tipping point is reached on Day 1: Eiffel Tower + cruise + Arc + transport (≈ €100) almost pay off the pass on their own, and everything you visit after that becomes "free".

Which pass should you choose for this itinerary?

This itinerary mixes museums, monuments, the Eiffel Tower, a cruise and transport — the profile that favours an "all-in" pass rather than a museums-only pass. Here is the trade-off:

To decide between the four Paris passes (Turbopass, Museum Pass, Go City, Passlib'), we lined them up side by side in the full Paris pass comparison. And if your trip is shorter, we ran the same exercise for a 2-day weekend in Paris.