3 Days in Paris Series: From the Eiffel Tower to the Arch de Triomphe - A Daily Guide to Eating, Drinking, and Sightseeing
Paris, France
For most people, visiting Paris is a dream come true! So we wanted to put together a guide that gives you the opportunity to eat, drink, and see the City of Lights without wasting time on the planning part. This three day journey will take you all around Paris and will hopefully leave you with happy bellies and beautiful memories.
After your morning croissant, Day 1 will take you through a journey starting at none other than the Eiffel Tower. After your perfect Parisian lunch on Rue Cler (and dessert of course at Aux Merveilleux de Fred. YUM ) take a walk through some of Paris’ most beautiful, and larger than life, monuments as you cross over Pont Alexandre III to the most recognized street in Paris, the Champs-Élysées. Here you will have an option to check out Paris’ other most recognized monument, the Arc de Triomphe.
Your evening stroll takes you back down the famous street and into Paris’ oldest garden, Jardin des Tuileries where you can capture a great picture during the Magic hour (and potentially look out for the Red Ghost of Tuileries!). If your sweet tooth kicks in again, don’t worry, Angelina’s Cafe is right around the corner. If you’d rather a glass of wine (or two if you are more like me), we’ve got you covered at Le Pas Sage.
Feeling French and free, walk down one of our favorite market streets in Paris, Rue Montogueil, before dinner tonight (which you have plenty to chose from). Finally, cap it all off at Experimental Cocktail Club and start looking forward to tomorrow! À demain! 😘
We hope you find this guide useful!
Buy us a coffeeIt’s about that time right? You’re in Paris…you need a glass of wine in your hand. It’s about a 20 minute walk (it makes the wine taste that much better I promise) over to Le Pas Sage Bar à Vin. When you get there you’ll see the restaurant on the left hand side and the wine bar on the right hand side. Pop in for a glass, carafe, or hell a whole bottle and maybe some light bits. Le Pas Sage is a great spot for dinner too, just make sure you book in advance.
(Click to See More on Le Pas Sage)
We never leave you hanging without a nightcap, so what makes today any different? You actually have two choices tonight. You can booze it up at Experimental Cocktail Club or if you are a craft beer lover (comme moi) and have been desperately missing out on your IPAs, then head over to Hoppy Corner. We hope you enjoyed your Day!
(Click to See More on Experimental Cocktail Club)
It’s Worth the Wait. I Promise!
Pizzeria Popolare
Paris-2E-Arrondissement, Île-de-France, 75002, France
We have lots of back up options for dinner on this day as Pizzeria Popolare is always busy. So busy in fact that I have only been once because the lines are always around the corner. It’s one of the many delicious restaurants from the Big Mama Group which as you can see, has a pretty major following around town. Reservations are not accepted so go early (they open at 6:30pm) or be prepared to wait.
If you aren’t feeling Italian, or the line, here are some other suggestions around the neighborhood. If you can snag a reservation at Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie, Frenchie, Verjus (prix fixe menu), or Ellsworth you won’t be disappointed. If you want to just stroll in a causal spot, you can try L’Escargot back on Rue Montorgueil, and of course, it goes without saying that you must try the escargot!
(Click to See More on Pizzeria Popolare)
We are all about those market streets today. After starting your day on Rue Cler, you’ll end it (kind of) here on Rue Montorgueil, another wonderful market, and mostly pedestrian, street in Paris. It's actually our favorite of all the market streets. Feel free to grab a snack, coffee, or another drink. The night is young mes amis!
(and if you decide to bear the line at Pizzeria Popolare, our recommended dinner spot for tonight, you may want to stop into the oldest pastry shop in Paris, Strohrer. The pastries are truly fit for a king (Louis XV to be exact.)
(Click to See More on Rue Montorgueil)
There is just something about these Parisian gardens, don’t you think? Originally named for the tile factory which previously stood in it’s place, the gardens of the Tuileries Palace, as it was known historically, was built by Queen Catherine de Medici during the late 1500s. Whether you are making a visit to the Louvre or just out for a stroll, the Tuileries Gardens is the perfect spot to watch the sun setting behind the Eiffel Tower in our opinion.
As you enter the gardens (pst. there is also a clean bathroom on the right hand side (€.80)) there will be a set of stairs on your left hand. Walk up those stairs and you will have a great shot of the Eiffel Tower and possibly the Roue de Paris (the big ferris wheel) depending on what time of year you are visiting. If you are ready for a snack, the famous Angelina Tea House is right around the corner and worth a visit if it’s your first time in Paris.
PS. Did you know that the Tuileries Garden's is said to be haunted? That's right, The Red Ghost of Tuileries lurks around. Afterall, It is the oldest park in Paris, there is bound to be a ghost or two!
(Click to See More on Jardin des Tuileries)
You can either walk down the Champs-Élysées 30 minutes to Place de la Concorde or hop back on the metro, Line 1, where you got off at Charles de Gualle - Étoile and take it 4 stops to Concorde. Now you are in Place da la Concorde, the largest square in Paris. Any guesses as to what this area is famous for historically? Public executions during the French Revolution! And that giant obelisk you see in front of you? You know, the one that looks Egyptian? Well it is! It was a gift from the Egyptian government to France in the 19th century. Fun fact, the obelisk once marked the entrance to the Luxor Temple. Today it kind of marks the entrance to something else…the Jardin des Tuileries! Up next!
(Click to See More on Place de la Concorde)
This is an optional excursion as it’s a 25 minute walk down Champs-Élysées. Alternatively, you can hop on the Metro, line 1 at Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau and take it 3 stops to Charles de Gualle - Étoile for a total of 15 minutes to the Arc. The Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI. An eternal flame burns in memory of the dead who were never identified. It is one of the most famous monuments in Paris after the Eiffel Tower and also has one of the best views of this beautiful city. As you stand at the top of the 164ft. monument (but be prepared to climb the 284 steps) you can clearly see how all the avenues come together at the Arc. You can also get a pretty killer shot of the Eiffel Tower from up there!
(Click to See More on L'Arc de Triomphe)
As with Pont Alexandre III, The Grand Palais and Petit Palais were constructed for the 1900 World’s Fair. Serving as a military hopsital during WWI and later a truck depot during the Occupation of France in WWII, both these magnificent structures serve as present day museums and exhibition halls. While you are in Paris, take a look at what exhibits are being showcased and pop inside for a visit!
(Click to See More on Grand Palais)
Connecting Les Invalides to the infamous Champs-Élysées, Pont Alexandre III is quite obviously the most extravagant bridge in Paris. As with the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, Pont Alexandre III was built for the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris. The construction of the bridge was built in a way to ensure there was no obstruction to the views of Les Invalides and Champs-Élysées. Don’t be surprised if you see photographers, models, and brides and grooms strolling along as Pont Alexandre III is a famous spot for wedding photos and editorial shoots.
(Click to See More on Pont Alexandre III)
Whether or not you went up the Eiffel Tower, you have probably seen the prominent golden dome of Les Invalides sitting high at 351ft. tall from numerous places in the city. Les Invalides is more than just that gorgeous dome though. It’s a complex of buildings housing several museums relating to France’s military history as well as a hospital and retirement home for war veterans which still operates today. It’s most famous for being the resting place of Napoleon.
(Click to See More on Les Invalides)
Energy Bar or Meringue. What’s the Difference?
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Paris, Île-de-France, 75007, France
After lunch comes…well dessert of course. When you see the beautiful chandelier you know you’ve come to the right place. Indulge in a few mervelleux cakes (two pieces of delicate meringue with a cream filling and shavings on the outside) before heading out for a walk around town.
(Click to See More on Aux Merveilleux de Fred)
Paris loves it’s market streets and if anyone is playing favorites, Rue Cler may take the cake. This mostly pedestrian cobblestoned street right around the corner from the Eiffel Tower transports you to a tiny village in the south of France. With fragrant cheese shops, fishmongers and their daily catch, and cute cafe after cute cafe, you could eat, drink, and get your shopping done in one place. But with any populated area, prices reflect the popularity and tourist traps are way too many. That’s why we love Le Petit Cler (from the team behind the famous La Fontaine de Mars, where Obama dined awhile back!). The food is always exquisite and the service is wonderful. If it’s a sunny afternoon, try to get a table on the patio.
(Click to See More on Le Petit Cler)
As you continue down Rue Saint Dominique, make sure to snap a shot of the Eiffel Tower behind the storefronts as you curve around the block. Once you get to Champ de Mars (the big lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower), you will need to follow the signs for entry as you can no longer walk right up to the Eiffel tower like you could a few years ago.
Personally, we do not recommend going up the Eiffel Tower. I know, I know, that sounds crazy, I promise we have a reason! You see, after spending hours in the manic shuffle to the top, your pictures will be missing something epic. The Eiffel Tower itself!
But we know that visiting the top is usually on everyone's lists while in Paris, and of course that is totally okay! Just be prepared and if you do decide to skip the top, head over across the bridge to Trocadero (roughly a 15 minute walk) where you will have one of the best shots of this iconic monument. (Pst. A great alternative to the Eiffel Tower is visiting the Arc de Triomphe which provides a fantastic view of all the avenues and the Eiffel Tower itself! You will have the option to visit later on this Day).
If heading up is a must, hopefully you have pre purchased your tickets online or purchased these Viator skip the line tickets; however, if you decided to just wing it, you can purchase tickets at the ticket office. Please note that if you are visiting during peak season you will wait in several (long) queues. Check out this helpful guide on visiting the Eiffel Tower.
PS. While this guide has you at the Eiffel Tower in the morning, if you do plan on going up, we prefer going around sunset to see the City of Lights come alive!
(Click to See More on The Eiffel Tower)
Ahhh Rue Saint Dominique. How I love thee. There is no shortage of bakeries on this iconic 7th arrondissement street so feel free to shop around. We chose Le Moulin de la Vierge because we have never had a bad experience there. Also, If visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower is part of your agenda today, make sure to grab a few extra goodies for later, there is no need to be hangry in the City of Lights!