Day one: the river and the great collection
Start on the Île de la Cité before crowds build. Walk around Notre-Dame, continue across the Pont Neuf and follow the Seine toward the Louvre. The Louvre is enormous, so choose a wing or a short route before entering. Allow two to three hours rather than attempting the entire collection. Timed admission is usually the sensible choice, especially from April through October.
Lunch in the first arrondissement can be expensive, but a fixed-price midday menu often offers better value than dinner. Expect roughly €18–€30 for a useful two-course menu, while a casual bakery lunch can stay under €12. In the afternoon, cross to the Tuileries and continue to Place de la Concorde. At sunset, climb toward Montmartre for Sacré-Cœur and broad city views. The steps are busy; the quieter streets around Lamarck–Caulaincourt make a better return route.
Day two: left-bank character
Begin in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, then walk through the Luxembourg Gardens. The area is polished and pricier, but its bookshops, galleries and cafés make it ideal for a slow morning. The Musée d’Orsay is a strong alternative to the Louvre: its compact former railway setting makes an excellent half-day, particularly for Impressionist collections. Buy a timed ticket and keep the rest of the afternoon flexible.
For dinner, look beyond the most photographed streets. The 11th arrondissement around Oberkampf and Rue de Charonne has bistros, natural-wine bars and modern French cooking. Reserve for Friday and Saturday nights. A realistic mid-range dinner is €35–€60 per person before drinks. Nightlife starts late: cocktail bars fill after 21:00, while live music and clubs often become lively closer to midnight.
Day three: choose your Paris
If you have a third day, choose one theme. Fashion shoppers can begin at the Marais and continue to Canal Saint-Martin; food-focused travellers should explore Marché d’Aligre and nearby bakeries; art lovers can spend the morning at the Centre Pompidou or Musée de l’Orangerie. The covered passages near Grands Boulevards offer a rainy-day route through independent shops and cafés.
Paris is not cheap, but the city’s free pleasures are substantial: parks, bridges, church interiors, neighbourhood walks and riverside picnics. A Navigo Easy card or contactless ticket simplifies public transport. Avoid packing more than two timed attractions into one day. The best Paris weekend usually contains one unplanned hour in every neighbourhood.