The Wandering Adventurer

A week in Paris is where the city really opens up — enough time for the essential icons (the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles) and enough breathing room for the things a 3-day trip can’t fit: a day trip to Monet’s gardens at Giverny, a slower wander through Le Marais and Canal Saint-Martin, and — if you’re traveling with kids or just want the detour — a day at Disneyland Paris.

Here’s a day-by-day 7-day Paris itinerary, with hotel picks by neighborhood and booking links for the big attractions and day trips.

📢 Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Expedia and Viator. If you book through our links, The Wandering Adventurer earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting independent travel content!

🏨 Where to Stay for This Itinerary

For a full week, a central, walkable base matters even more than on a shorter trip — you’ll be coming back to your hotel more often, and a good location saves time every day.

• Splurging? Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection — on Rue de Rivoli facing the Tuileries Garden, a short walk to the Louvre and central to nearly every day in this itinerary.
• Boutique pick: Hotel Bel Ami — in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, walking distance to the Musée d’Orsay and well placed for the slower evenings a week-long trip allows.
• Best value: Le 20 Prieuré Hotel — in the 11th arrondissement, close to Canal Saint-Martin and Le Marais for the Day 4 neighborhood exploration below.

🏨 See our full Paris Hotel Guide for more options at every budget →

🗓️ Day 1: The Islands, the Left Bank & the Eiffel Tower

Start at Notre-Dame on Île de la Cité and go inside the restored cathedral — entry is free, and an optional free time slot booked on the cathedral’s official website can cut your wait. Then wander Île Saint-Louis for a slower, quieter feel. Head into the Latin Quarter for lunch away from the riverside tourist spots, then spend the afternoon at the Musée d’Orsay — smaller and less overwhelming than the Louvre, and a great first-day introduction to Impressionist Paris. Finish at the Eiffel Tower: go up if you’ve booked a ticket, or stay on the Champ de Mars for sunset and the tower’s sparkling lights, which run for five minutes on the hour after dark.

💡 Insider Tip: If you don’t want to go up the Eiffel Tower, a picnic on the Champ de Mars still gives you classic tower views without an admission ticket. If you do want to go up, buy tickets on the official Eiffel Tower website.

🎟️ Book a Seine River Evening Cruise with Champagne as an evening alternative — a one-hour cruise past the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Louvre with a glass of champagne, wine or a soft drink.

🗓️ Day 2: The Louvre & the Grand Sweep to the Arc de Triomphe

Arrive at the Louvre at opening with a timed ticket from the official Louvre website or a guided tour. Choose two or three collections or must-see areas — the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Egyptian antiquities — rather than trying to cover the entire museum. Walk through the Tuileries toward Place de la Concorde, then up the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe — climbing to the top gives you a great view down the boulevards radiating out from L’Étoile. End the day with dinner in Le Marais.

💡 Insider Tip: Skip the tourist restaurants directly on the Champs-Élysées — walk a few blocks off the main avenue for better food at a lower price.

🎟️ Book a Guided Louvre Masterpieces Tour — see the major works with a guide and get context without trying to navigate the whole museum yourself. Museum entry is included.

🗓️ Day 3: Versailles & Montmartre

Take the RER C to Versailles (about 40 minutes) and arrive at opening with a timed ticket from the official Palace of Versailles website. The gardens are worth as much time as the palace itself if the weather’s good. If you’re mainly visiting the palace and gardens, head back to Paris in the late afternoon and climb (or take the funicular) up to Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre for sweeping city views, then wander the neighborhood’s steep, cobblestone streets. If you want to explore the Trianon estate as well, let Versailles take most of the day and save Montmartre for another evening.

💡 Insider Tip: The palace is closed on Mondays. In Montmartre, Place du Tertre is worth a look but overpriced for a meal — the bistros a block or two away are better value.

🎟️ Book a Guided Versailles Tour from Paris — round-trip coach transport from central Paris and a guided visit, so you don’t have to sort out the train or the palace tickets yourself.

🗓️ Day 4: Le Marais, Canal Saint-Martin & Père Lachaise

This is the slower, neighborhood-focused day a 3-day trip can’t fit. Spend the morning wandering Le Marais’s historic streets and Place des Vosges, then walk past the Centre Pompidou. The main building is closed for a major renovation until 2030, but you can still see its inside-out exterior on your way through. In the afternoon, walk or take a canal boat along Canal Saint-Martin, a more residential side of Paris with cafés, waterside walks and neighborhood restaurants. If you’re interested in literary and cultural history, spend an hour at Père Lachaise Cemetery, the resting place of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and Édith Piaf.

💡 Insider Tip: Canal Saint-Martin is made for a long, aimless afternoon — resist the urge to over-plan this day and just wander.

🗓️ Day 5: Giverny — Monet’s House & Gardens

Head out to Giverny, Claude Monet’s home for over 40 years and the inspiration for his water lily paintings — the Japanese Bridge and lily ponds look just like the canvases. It’s about an hour outside Paris by train to Vernon plus a shuttle, or by organized coach. Spend the morning at the gardens and house, have lunch in the village, and consider a stop at the nearby Musée des Impressionnismes before heading back to Paris for a relaxed evening in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

💡 Insider Tip: Monet’s House and Gardens is seasonal and closed in winter, so check its opening dates for your trip. It gets very busy in spring and summer, so go as early in the day as you can.

🎟️ Book a Giverny & Monet’s House and Gardens Half-Day Tour from Paris — round-trip coach transport and pre-booked admission take the logistics out of a trip that’s otherwise awkward to plan.

🗓️ Day 6: Disneyland Paris (Optional) or a Quiet Day in Paris

If you’re traveling with kids — or you just want a change of pace — Disneyland Paris is about 40 minutes from central Paris by RER A. The resort has two parks, Disneyland Park (home to Sleeping Beauty Castle and Pirates of the Caribbean) and Disney Adventure World, plus a nighttime show.

If theme parks aren’t your thing, use this day instead for the Paris Catacombs, a cooking class, or a slower second look at whichever neighborhood you loved most earlier in the week — by Day 6, you’ll have a good sense of where you want to linger.

💡 Insider Tip: Decide whether you want to visit one park or both before you buy your ticket, and check current opening hours and show schedules for your date.

🎟️ Book a Disneyland Paris 1-Day Ticket with Transport from Paris — park entry plus round-trip coach from central Paris, if you’d rather not navigate the RER.

🗓️ Day 7: Sainte-Chapelle, the Flea Market & a Farewell Dinner

Spend your last morning at Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité — its floor-to-ceiling stained glass is one of the most beautiful, and most overlooked, sights in Paris. If it’s a weekend or Monday, head to the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, one of the world’s largest flea markets, for a few hours of browsing antiques and vintage finds. If the flea market isn’t open on your Day 7, use the afternoon for more time in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Le Marais or another neighborhood you wanted to revisit. Spend your final evening wherever felt most like “yours” this week, and book a proper farewell dinner rather than rushing to fit in one more sight.

💡 Insider Tip: Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass is at its best in bright natural light, so check the weather when deciding when to go.

🧳 Making the Most of 7 Days

• Traveling with kids? Day 6’s Disneyland Paris and Day 1’s Eiffel Tower and Seine cruise tend to land better than long museum days — consider trimming Louvre and Musée d’Orsay time in favor of these.
• Not a big museum person? Pick either the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay, not both — that frees up an afternoon for more neighborhood wandering on Day 4 or 7.
• Visiting in winter? Daylight is short, so plan outdoor sightseeing earlier in the day and save museums, restaurants and evening activities for later. Giverny is closed in winter, so swap Day 5 for another day trip.
• Want another day trip? A week is enough time to swap Day 6 for the Champagne region or the Loire Valley châteaux instead of Disneyland Paris — see our best day trips from Paris.

❓ 7 Days in Paris FAQ

Is 7 days too long in Paris?

No. A week covers the major sights at a comfortable pace and leaves room for day trips to Versailles and Giverny plus slower neighborhood days.

Can you go inside Notre-Dame now?

Yes. The restored cathedral is open to visitors and entry is free. You can book an optional free time slot on the cathedral’s official website to reduce waiting.

Is the Centre Pompidou open?

No. The main Centre Pompidou building closed in September 2025 for a renovation expected to last until 2030, though you can still see the building from outside.

Is the Navigo Weekly Pass worth it for a week in Paris?

Only if your trip lines up with its Monday-to-Sunday validity and you’ll use public transport a lot. It’s valid for the calendar week, not seven days from purchase.

Which days are Paris museums closed?

The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, and the Musée d’Orsay and the Palace of Versailles are closed on Mondays. Plan your museum days around these.

This post contains affiliate links to Expedia and Viator. The Wandering Adventurer may earn a small commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.