4 Days in Paris: Take 3-Hour Lunches, Stroll in a Movie Setting, and Skip the Louvre

Whether you come for the haute couture, Michelin-starred meals, soaring Haussmann architecture, or more than 2,000 museums and monuments, among endless other draws, you could move to Paris and still be surprised and delighted by all it has to offer. I know I did. I called it home for nearly 10 years and throughout that time fielded inquiries left and right to the tune of “Where should I stay?” and “What should we eat?” from friends, their mother’s accountant, or their friend’s sister’s boss.

The advice I always start with? Let Paris come to you. In other words: Choose your own adventure. Don’t force yourself to wait in line at the Louvre if you’re not into Renaissance art. Don’t plan your day around the hottest table in town if the word gastronomy means nothing to you. (Although, if you’re going to broaden your horizons, this is the place to do it.) And if you’re into tours, plan around availability, then leave room for spontaneity, disco naps, and extra éclairs.

This four-day itinerary is purposely laid out over weekdays and the weekend to accommodate the city’s notoriously fussy opening and closing schedules. Profitez-bien—enjoy!

Day 1: Canals, Picasso, and Paris’s oldest square

Photo by steve estvanik/Shutterstock

Morning: Craft coffee and choux pastries

Shake off your jet lag with a mini caffeine and croissant crawl. First, order a coffee from the closest Noir, a chain in the city whose pink-forward cafés are proliferating faster than it takes to froth a cappuccino—and that’s a good thing. The coffee is top quality, and the atmosphere feels fresh.

Then head for the Canal Saint-Martin, where some of the best bakeries frame this bohemian enclave of the 10th arrondissement. Get a creamy choux pastry from Mamiche, a seasonal-flavored pinwheel from Du Pain et Des Idées, or something more exotic from Liberté, like a Tarte Bourdaloue with poached pears and caramel.

Afternoon: Boutique shopping and Picasso peeping

Cross through Place de la République—a large square with a central monument of Marianne (France’s post-Revolution personification) and the city’s hub for protests, parades, and other public events—to the Upper Marais neighborhood. Weekdays in this area are less crowded than weekends for shopping for French-designed brands such as Veja (vegan sneakers), Maison Labiche (embroidered hoodies), and Oh My Cream (serums, oils, and gels—oh my!).

For lunch, I’m partial to the chou farci (stuffed cabbage) pita sandwich at Miznon. If you’re still after sweets, try the whimsical confections of Tel Aviv–born Tal Spiegel at Abra. When the weather is nice, take your food to the Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, for a picnic and some people-watching.

Next, wander through the Picasso Museum, which is housed in a former hôtel particulier (mansion). It showcases some 5,000 pieces by the Spanish painter who spent 60 years in France. That may sound like a lot of art to view before you’ve unpacked or had a shower, but since the space is fairly small, it’s a perfect first foray into culture.

Evening: Classic dinner

If you’re after a quintessential French dinner experience in an old-timey atmosphere, Carette is the place to be, evidenced by the various accents you’ll overhear while waiting in line for a table. Take one inside, where the locals sit, for light, snackable (and predictable) fare (think pastries, sandwiches, or salads).

Or prove you’ve done your research by heading to your reserved table at Bistrot des Tournelles, which provides the same throwback vibe with higher-quality bistro plates like steak au poivre and artichokes tossed with hazelnuts and Parmesan.

Day 2: Museums, shopping, and a long lunch

Photos by Mistervlad/Shutterstock

Morning: Mansions and museums

Begin with a self-guided tour of Hôtel de la Marine, another “hotel” that’s not a hotel, but rather an ornate museum. Originally, it was the home of the Garde-Meuble, the office that managed all royal properties—including Versailles—and Marie Antoinette had an apartment here when visiting the capital. Thanks to cool GPS-enabled headphones, you can DIY through room after room of 18th-century French opulence.

From here, you’re positioned well for a walk through the Tuileries Garden up to the Louvre. You could go into the massive structure, originally built in the late 12th century as a fortress, to say “bonjour” to Mesdames Mona and de Milo. But doing so will eat up the rest of your day, especially if you don’t prebook tickets. (If you do go, best to book a private tour with a company like Context.)

Maybe seeing I.M. Pei’s pyramid outside is enough, though, and then you could pop over to the less-crowded, manicured gardens of the Palais-Royal instead, which are divine in spring and summer. The covered arcades here are lined with restaurants, cafés, and new boutiques such as Gift Shop, a store full of merch from popular citywide restaurants like Brasserie Lipp and Clamato that make for superb souvenirs.

Afternoon: Lunch tasting menu

The French are notorious for enjoying long, leisurely lunches, and a midday meal is ideal for diving into a tasting menu at a more digestible price than at dinner. You’ll have to commit to at least three hours and book ahead, but these two are wonderful options.

The modern Granite is tucked into a cozy, almost hidden room and offers contemporary French cuisine like verbena risotto or green shiso panna cotta with bergamot sorbet. And the gloriously restored relic La Tour d’Argent serves more classic dishes like hazelnut-crusted duckling and aged local cheeses in a grand, brightly lit space that overlooks the river.

Evening: Shopping in passages and light dinner

Take your food coma for a walk through some of the city’s covered, 19th-century passages, originally constructed to shelter the affluent residents during their walks on rainy days. “They’re full of curiosities,” says Maelle Tardif, concierge of Maison Proust, a boutique hotel in the Marais designed like the salons of the Belle Époque. “These historical gems are full of tea rooms and antique shops for an assured journey back in time,” she says. “Gallerie de Vivienne and Passage de Panorama have boutiques for collectors of old books and postcards.”

You’re probably not very hungry after such a big lunch, so this is the perfect evening to stop for some oysters (anywhere, depending where you wound up, but Le Collier de la Reine is a good pick if you also want to pair them with the city’s best fries). Or buy a mix of cheeses at any number of fromageries to have a DIY picnic.

Day 3: Movie-scene neighborhoods and pharmacy shopping

Photo by Romain Buisson

Morning: Montmartre

Today, get up early to tackle two quintessential Paris neighborhoods, both of which appeared in popular films. First up is Amélie in Montmartre. This hilly quarter, which locals call “the butte,” will eventually lead you to the highest point in the city.

Get lost in the twists and turns of the area’s crooked cobblestone streets, where you may run into a mini vineyard, one of two remaining windmills, and the most charming, under-appreciated museum in Paris: the Musée de Montmartre. “It’s tucked away from the tourist masses that tend to flock to the Sacré Coeur and focuses on the history of the neighborhood as the capital of bohemian life in Paris and artists like Renoir who lived there,” says Alexandra Weinress, local and owner of gallery-tour company the Seen. “The gardens are beautiful, too, and offer a welcome respite from the bustling city.”

Afternoon: Saint-Germain-des-Prés and pharmacy shopping

Slowly wind your way down rue des Martyrs, stopping for a galette pastry or crepe at Breizh Café, a popular chain from Brittany that’s cornered the crepe market. (Ask for extra salted caramels on the way out!).

Now, hop on line 12 to cross the river underground into the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where much of the 2011 film Midnight in Paris was shot. Be like Owen Wilson and visit the Panthéon, where Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and other notables are buried. From April through October, climb the 206 steps to the rooftop for a panoramic view of the city.

No visit to Paris would be complete without popping into one of its many pharmacies, and nearby on Rue du Four is the Holy Grail for French remedies, toiletries, and more: Citypharma. “You can’t go to Paris and not stock up on skincare essentials!” says Melanie Masarin, founder of the nonalcoholic aperitif Ghia, which is available at the Marais concept shop Merci. “[Citypharma] carries every brand, often at great discounts. The Skinceuticals Vitamin C and all the products from Avene are so much more affordable there. It’s like the Ikea of French pharmacies.”

Evening: A stand-up dinner

For dinner, mosey over to one of chef Yves Camdeborde’s popular stand-and-snack spots, such as L’Avant Comptoir de la Terre (for duck foie gras skewers and oxtail croquettes) or L’Avant Comptoir du Marché (for pork with beetroot and salmon with nori). In either case, chunks of butter sit on the bar and menu items hang from the ceiling.

If you literally can’t stand anymore and had the foresight to commit to a booking, stay on this side of the river for Ambos. Here, you’ll taste what happens when a French chef works with (and marries) a Venezuelan chef—and both spent time in Thailand. (Hint: good things, as showcased by seasonal desserts such as chocolate ganache with tamarind ice cream.)

Day 4: Weekend markets, spa, and swanky cocktails

Courtesy of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

Morning: Marché Bastille

If your final day is a Sunday, start with a walk through the market at the foot of the Bastille monument in the 11th arrondissement. Each neighborhood has a marché (market) that’s open on specific days of the week, but Sundays at the Marché Bastille really is “its own ecosystem,” says Jane Bertch, owner of La Cuisine Paris cooking school and author of the memoir The French Ingredient and popular Substack Prompts From Paris. “You get a sense of these not just being a place to buy produce, but they are the heart of each neighborhood,” she says.

The earlier you arrive, the better for interactions with sellers. You’ll find plenty of fresh breads, cured meats, savory pastries, shucked oysters, and vats of ratatouille or beef bourguignon on offer. Take in the sights and sounds, and sample, sample, sample.

Afternoon: Spa time

Many shops and restaurants are closed on Sundays, so it’s a great opportunity to take a break yourself by splurging on self-care at the Ritz Club and Spa in Place Vendôme.

Bring a book, maybe some headphones, and stay awhile. Whether or not you get a treatment, there’s also a gym, saunas, and steam rooms, as well as an indoor pool surrounded by plush electric loungers. From here, you could order a €62 Caesar salad and other posh refreshments.

Evening: Cocktails and a mystery meal

Let’s assume you can’t get into Hemingway Bar at the Ritz post-treatment. No stress. Continue to indulge with a final nuit à Paris cocktail at the nearby Rosewood Hôtel de Crillion’s Bar Les Ambassadeurs. This dark and sultry high-ceilinged salon is open to guests and nonguests. With its frescoes, gilded moldings, and chandeliers, it’s the swankiest spot for a tipple in town and potential celebrity sightings. (Madonna and Taylor Swift have stayed at this hotel.)

For something no less cool, but significantly less formal, book the mysterious, chef’s choice carte-blanche tasting menu at Comptoir de Vie. Past dishes have included roasted duck breast in molasses and inventive, molecular cocktails such as a heated barrel-aged sake with carrot cordial topped with ponzu.

Where to stay: Paris hotels

Paris has no shortage of excellent hotels. Two of my personal favorites are:

Photo by Vincent Leroux

Le Grand Mazarin

Le Grand Mazarin has whimsical, art-driven decor like lobster-patterned wallpaper, plus an underground pool and an inner courtyard; both feature frescoes. There’s also a bustling Eastern-European restaurant called Boubalé, where shared plates blend various flavors of the Jewish diaspora.

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Courtesy of Hoy Paris

Hoy

Hotel Hoy Paris delivers a dose of wellness with your sightseeing. There’s an on-site yoga studio and a terrific vegan restaurant called Mesa, where Saturday and Sunday brunch is a standout. Order a decadent stack of pancakes covered in praliné alongside a healthy juice or “Green Dream” smoothie.

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Need more inspiration for your trip? Check out the full list of our Paris travel resources and stories, including articles about the best hotels in Paris.

This article was originally published in 2024 and most recently updated on March 26, 2026, with current information.