5 days in Paris - Notre-Dame's tower, Madeleine church, Quartier Latin, Versailles

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5 Days in Paris

Day 1

Start in Paris's chronological heart, on Île de la Cité. Climb up Notre-Dame's tower for a panoramic city view (and helpful landmark orientation); then head over to neighboring Île St-Louis to wander the atmospheric streets and drink in the back view of the mighty cathedral. (A stop for Berthillon ice cream is also inevitable, even if it is before lunch.) Go back to Île de la Cité to see the stunning stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle. For a Seine-level view of the city, go to place du Pont Neuf at the far end of the island to catch the Vedettes du Pont Neuf boat tour. Cross the Pont au Change to the Châtelet métro station to catch Line 1 to the Champs-Élysées; if you'd like to walk most of the broad avenue, get off at the Franklin-D.-Roosevelt stop. If not, get off at George V (near the top) or Charles de Gaulle Étoile (by the roundabout) and head to the Arc de Triomphe. From the top of the arch there's a great view of the "star" of avenues. If platinum-card shopping is on your list, head to avenue Montaigne, which branches off the Champs. Otherwise, hop back on the métro at the Charles de Gaulle Étoile station and take Line 6 to the Champs de Mars Tour Eiffel station to see one more monument. The graceful iron giant is especially romantic at twilight or after dark, when the tower is illuminated and the city view from the top becomes a sea of twinkling lights. Be here on the hour to see the extra-bright light display.

All the major sights on this tour are open daily.

Day 2

It's time to brave the Louvre; start early to avoid the worst of the crowds. After lunch dip into the Tuileries park, then double back on rue de Rivoli and stroll through the arcades and garden of the Palais-Royal. Next take rue St-Honoré west, window-shopping on your way past the place Vendôme, toward the Madeleine church. Catch the métro's Line 12 at the Madeleine stop and zip north to the Abbesses station. Take the elevator up to ground level, step out from underneath the Art Nouveau canopy, and you'll be in Montmartre -- a funky, lively neighborhood that'll clear away any remaining museum fatigue. Explore the winding, hilly streets, catch the city view from the plaza in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, and settle into a bistro or café.

This is fine any day but Tuesday, when the Louvre is closed. Many shops are closed Sunday.

Day 3

Start the morning admiring the Impressionists in the Musée d'Orsay; arrive early to avoid the crowds. In the afternoon head west along the quais, passing the Assemblée Nationale (the French parliament), to the Pont Alexandre-III, an ornate Belle Époque bridge. Above you gleams the dome of the Église du Dôme in the Hôtel des Invalides; this is where Napoléon's buried (in half-a-dozen coffins). From the Invalides it's just a short walk to the Musée Rodin, where you can pair sculpture viewing with time in the beautiful gardens. Continue east toward the enormous church of St-Sulpice. To wind down, take a walk (or claim a chair) in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Or from place St-Sulpice you can take métro Line 4 a few stops into Montparnasse.

This won't work on Monday, when the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée Rodin are closed.

Day 4

Devote the morning to the Quartier Latin, wandering the cobblestone streets, rifling through the offerings of the bouquinistes (the open-air book vendors by the Seine), and peeking into bookstores and churches. Visit the Musée National du Moyen-Age to see the unicorn tapestries, pay your respects to the great at the Panthéon, then loop back toward the Seine to see the dynamic facade of the Institut du Monde Arabe (also a good place to stop for tea). Take the pont de la Tournelle to cut across the Île St-Louis to the Rive Droite and Marais neighborhood. Here you'll find a cluster of terrific museums (the Picasso, the Carnavalet, and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, in particular), evocative architecture, and a buzzing street scene. The elegant place des Vosges is a good place to relax. If modern art's your thing, go farther west to the Centre Pompidou.

Closings make this a problem on Monday (Institut du Monde Arabe, Musée Carnavalet) and Tuesday (Musée National du Moyen-Age, Centre Pompidou, Musée Picasso).

Day 5

To get a sense of the splendor in which French royalty lived, spend most of the day visiting Versailles.

This is fine any day but Monday, when the château and other sights are closed.

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Paris Attractions: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe (Arc of Triumph), The Seine Cruise, Notre Dame and L'Île de la Cité, Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Orsay Museum (Musée d'Orsay), The Pompidou Centre, The Cluny (Musée National du Moyen Age), The Picasso Museum, The Conciergerie, Montmartre, The Paris Cemeteries, Military Museum, The Panthéon, Views of Paris


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