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How to Spend 36 Hours in Paris

June 23, 2019 by Gwen Leave a Comment

Updated on June 18th, 2021

Our trip to Europe this summer did not initially include Paris.  We only knew what days we needed to be in Italy for a wedding and that we wanted to go to Switzerland.  Everything else was decided by the fact that we scored super cheap flights from Boston to Paris and Rome to Boston through Kiwi.com.  Due to our timeline and family commitments, we only had about 36 hours in Paris.  We crammed as much as possible into those 36 hours and we’d like to help if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Do:  Take a Tour (or Two)

Our top tip for maximizing your 36 hours in Paris is to take a tour or two.  We took two tours and would highly recommend both! We did the Montmartre Food Tour with Secret Food Tours and the “Paris in a Day” tour with Walks.  Both tours were a really great value and allowed us to get so much more out of our short visit than we would have alone. Check out our post on our Paris food tour!

Chocolate at Maison Georges Larnicol
Pastry at Au Levain d'Antan
Cheese at Butte Fromagere
Meats at Gaudin Jacky

You forget how much time you spend in indecision about where to eat, what to eat, which form of transportation to take, or whether something is “too far to walk”.  With tours, you have someone with local knowledge. Someone who knows that at this time of day it’s better to take this metro line or that you should probably take the elevator at this stop because it’s 12 flights of stairs to the top.  

A good guide can find you great places to eat even in the most touristy places, make you interested in history and architecture and can tell a good joke. They manage crowds for you and they are just excited to show you their city as you are to be there.  Violette with Walks checked every single one of these boxes. She was incredible and on a return trip, Andy and I would hire her again in a heartbeat.

Do:  Have Lunch in the Open Air

This doesn’t have to mean being crammed shoulder to shoulder with other people in an outdoor cafe.  Stop at a bakery, a fromagerie, or a small grocery and grab the makings of lunch and bring it to a park!  A picnic in Paris? What could be more romantic? A picnic is also a great opportunity to participate in one of my favorite pastimes, people watching!

Andy enjoying coffee during our 36 hours in Paris

After a recommendation from Violette, we grabbed lunch at Eric Kayser, which was very close to the Louvre.  The food was great and to my delight, the bakery was filled with locals. We ate at one of their bistro tables outside and took a few snacks to sit by the Louvre Pyramids and watch tourists taking ridiculous photos.

Do:  Use Public Transportation

We were shocked by how easy it is to use the Paris metro.  It is often faster than a taxi or rideshare due to the overwhelming traffic in Paris. The trains are very frequent, we are talking like every 2-3 minutes. Don’t stress if you just miss one.

We use the Google Maps app when outside the US because I love the public transport option and the satellite view. Google Maps gave us easy-to-follow instructions on when to get on and off and changing trains was very easy. There are maps all over the stations and on the trains.

The metro runs on a ticketed system.  Keep your ticket.  At some stations, you need to use it to exit and fines are pretty hefty if you can’t produce your ticket when asked. You can buy day long passes or you can purchase tickets in bundles. We bought a pack of ten and that got us through.

A few words of caution:

  • While the stations are not necessarily the cleanest, we have been told that it is getting better.  If you are easily offended by the smell of urine, I would recommend a different method of transport.  I personally didn’t think it was that bad.
  • Some of the stations have a lot of stairs, like over 100 steps to the top.  Specifically, the Abbesses station is known for this, but there are lifts or escalators in most stations but if accessibility is a concern check out the RATP website for station-specific information.
  • Paris, like most major cities, has pickpockets.  Be aware of your surroundings. Metro trains can be crowded and that can make it easier to fall victim.  Just remember, as of this writing, fanny packs are back!

Do:  See a Sunrise

We did this on accident but it was one of my favorite parts of our trip to Paris.  Super exhausted after our travel day and food tour, we fell asleep at 7 pm. This meant we were wide awake at 3:30 am.  After attempts to fall back asleep failed, we gave in and took an uber to Trocadero. Watching the sun rise over the Eiffel Tower should be on everyone’s bucket list.  Go put it on there. We’ll wait.

Other places that would be great for watching a sunrise would include Sacre-Coeur, the Louvre, and Notre Dame. The latter is currently inaccessible but may still be worth it.

Tips for photographing sunrises:

  • Use a Tripod
  • Use longer shutter speeds
  • Don’t forget to step away from the lens and enjoy the moment

Do:  Wear Comfortable Shoes

Do as I say not as I do.  During our 36 hours in Paris, we walked 32,462 steps, 15.23 miles, and 74 flights of stairs. Thank you Apple Watch for this lovely data. I thought it was a great idea to get a new pair of my favorite Sperry sneakers before our trip and only wore them once before we left.  This was a terrible, terrible mistake. I should have just brought my broken-in pair.

Bring and wear comfortable shoes.  Remember that Paris is a very stylish city and you may want to avoid your workout shoes.

Don’t: Try to Do It All

There is absolutely no way you will be able to see or do it all.  Give up on that dream. Set your expectations within reason and listen to your, most likely, jetlagged body and brain when it says to call it quits.  Make a list of your must-sees and stuck to it!

The Louvre Pyramids in Paris
The Eiffel Tower in Paris
A cafe in Montmartre area of Paris

This was our Must Do List:

  • Visit the Eiffel Tower
  • Visit the Louvre
  • Take a Food Tour
  • Eat Fresh Baguettes
  • Eat Macarons
  • Try Fois Gras
  • See Notre Dame
  • Eat at an Open Air Cafe
  • Eat Croissants Minimum Twice a Day
  • Conduct an Entire Conversation in French
  • Take a Boat Cruise on the Seine

The only item on this list that did not happen was trying Fois Gras.  We didn’t prioritize it, in fact, I may have been actively avoiding it. It was really Andy’s wish list item. We made everything else a priority, which is why it happened!

Don’t: Waste Time in Lines

Most of the major attractions in Paris have a skip the line option.  The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, and the Catacombs all offer skip the line options.  We had skip the line for both the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower with our Walks tour and it saved us so much time!!  It took about one minute to clear security and be in the lobby at the Louvre and about 5 at the Eiffel Tower. If you compare that to the 2-3 hour wait that the Louvre was seeing on the day of our visit it’s really worth the extra money!

Don’t: Eat Hotel Breakfast

Don’t eat hotel breakfast could be paired up with our “eat lunch outside” tip.  Visit a local bakery grab a few croissants and eat them while walking the streets.  Yes, you will make a mess of yourself, but you only have 36 hours in Paris! You don’t have time for stale cereal or fruit that was past its prime 2 days ago.

My third croissant in 36 hours in Paris

Don’t:  Feel Like You Have to Eat Fancy Dinner

Confession time.  We only ate one meal at a cafe or restaurant during our 36 hours in Paris.  Everything else was street food or odds and ends at shops. We regret nothing.  If Michelin stars are your jam, go for it!  We are just as happy with a crepe from a cart outside the metro station.  Nutella is a perfectly acceptable dinner!

It took me ten years to convince Andy to return to Paris and now we are already planning a trip back! I promise it will be for more than 36 hours next time!

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