Paris in 4 Days: A Core Route from the Eiffel Tower to Montmartre

Paris: Why Four Days Works So Well

Paris can look like a city where the sights are scattered everywhere, but in practice it divides neatly around the Seine into the Left Bank, the Right Bank, and the hill to the north (Montmartre). Try to cram the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and the Louvre into a single day by staring at a map, and you end up spending all your time in the Metro.

Four days is just enough time to group Paris's highlights by neighborhood and see them without rushing. Spend day one arriving and exploring nearby, dedicate days two and three each to one axis (the Eiffel Tower area, then the Louvre and Île de la Cité area), and save day four for Montmartre plus a morning before you head out. That flow is the most stable.

Rather than listing sights like an encyclopedia, this guide focuses on a day-by-day route scenario that a first-time visitor can follow step by step: "which days, in what order, and how you move between places." If you want broader Paris information, use the city guide alongside this.

Day 1: Arrival, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées

It depends on your arrival time, but assuming you land in the afternoon, an easy first day works well in this order: hotel check-in → the Arc de Triomphe → the Champs-Élysées, taking it slow on foot. You'll still be carrying flight fatigue, so the key is not to overdo the first day.

From the airport to the city

• Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): About 40-50 minutes to the city center on the RER B line. A one-way fare is roughly 11-12 euros. If you have a lot of luggage, the airport bus (Roissybus) or a taxi (flat rate of about 55-62 euros) are alternatives.
• Orly Airport (ORY): The Orlybus or a tram-Metro transfer takes about 30-45 minutes to the city.

The Arc de Triomphe

Built to commemorate Napoleon's victories, the Arc de Triomphe is a symbol of central Paris. Climb the stairs to the viewing platform and you can see the whole star-shaped plaza where 12 avenues radiate outward at a glance. Admission to the platform runs about 13-16 euros.

The Champs-Élysées

Running from the Arc de Triomphe toward Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées is Paris's signature avenue, lined with cafés and shops. Stroll slowly to soak up the mood of your first day, and it's a good spot to wrap up the evening lightly at a nearby bistro.

Day 2: The Eiffel Tower, the Seine, and the Orsay

Day two ties together the Left Bank of the Seine around the Eiffel Tower, the image that comes to mind when you think of Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay, and a Seine river cruise all line up along the water, so you can fill the day fully just by walking or taking short Metro hops.

Morning: the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro

The classic spot for an Eiffel Tower photo is Place du Trocadéro, across the river, where the entire tower fits head-on into the frame. From there, cross the bridge to the Champ de Mars park beneath the tower. Fares for the viewing levels vary by floor: roughly 11-14 euros for the mid-level by stairs and about 26-29 euros for the top level by elevator. It's very popular, so if you plan to go up, we recommend booking online.

Afternoon: the Musée d'Orsay

Housed in a former train station, the Musée d'Orsay is famous for its Impressionist collection. It's always crowded with visitors coming to see signature works by Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh, so a late-afternoon slot or timed-entry booking helps cut the wait. Admission is about 14-16 euros.

Evening: a Seine cruise

Board a Seine river boat (such as the Bateaux-Mouches) around sunset and the Eiffel Tower, the exterior of Notre-Dame, and the Louvre glide by one after another along the water. Watching the Eiffel Tower's lights sparkle on the hour from the river is often named a highlight of a Paris trip. The fare is about 15-18 euros.

• Getting-around tip: From the Eiffel Tower to the Orsay is a 25-30 minute walk along the riverbank, or one stop on the RER C line. If the weather is nice, walk and enjoy the riverside scenery.

Day 3: The Louvre, Île de la Cité, and Le Marais

Day three ties together the Right Bank of the Seine and Île de la Cité in the middle of the river, in this order: the Louvre → Île de la Cité (Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle) → the Marais district. All three connect within walking distance, making a route that's easy to handle in a day.

Morning: the Louvre

Boasting one of the world's largest collections, the Louvre is impossible to see even in a full day. For a first visit, it's realistic to plan a 2-3 hour route focused on the key works, such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Admission is about 22 euros, and since the glass pyramid entrance gets crowded, it's better to book online and enter at your reserved time.

Afternoon: Île de la Cité

Cross the river from the Louvre and you reach Île de la Cité, the birthplace of Paris. Take in Notre-Dame Cathedral mainly from the outside after its fire-recovery work, and pair it with Sainte-Chapelle (admission about 11-13 euros), known for its beautiful stained glass. The nearby Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, is also a photo spot.

Evening: Le Marais

Packed with concept shops, cafés, and falafel stands along its narrow lanes, the Marais district is great for a stylish Paris evening. Stroll around Place des Vosges and wrap up dinner with falafel or at a bistro.

Day 4: Montmartre and Departure

On your last day, a stable setup is to tour the hill of Montmartre in the morning and head to the airport in time for your flight. Avoid moving far with heavy luggage, and keep the morning schedule light.

Morning: the hill of Montmartre

Perched on a hill in northern Paris, Montmartre is famous as the neighborhood of artists.

• The Sacré-Cœur Basilica: A church with a striking white dome; from the plaza in front of its steps, the city of Paris spreads out below you. Admission is free.
• Place du Tertre: A small square where street artists who paint portraits gather.
• A walk through the lanes: With hilly streets, stairways, and cozy cafés strung together, just walking gives you scenery worthy of a painting.

Getting to the airport

For international flights, arriving at the airport 2-3 hours before departure is safe. Tax refunds, checking your baggage, and security screening all take more time than you'd expect. CDG is fairly far from the city, so add in the RER travel time (about 40-50 minutes) and plan with plenty of margin.

If You Have Extra Time: A Day Trip to Versailles

If you can stay even a day longer than four days, or you're returning to Paris, a day trip to the Palace of Versailles is worth adding. Between the lavish palace interior, the Hall of Mirrors, and gardens that stretch beyond sight, it's a big outing that needs half a day to a full day.

• Getting there: Take the RER C line to Versailles Château Rive Gauche station, about 40-50 minutes, then it's a little over a 10-minute walk from the station to the palace.
• Admission: A combined palace-plus-gardens ticket runs roughly 20-30 euros, varying with the season and whether the fountain show is on.
• Tip: Set out early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The gardens are so vast that comfortable shoes are essential.

If you add Versailles, it's best to move either Montmartre or the Orsay from the 4-day route above to another day to spread out the load.

Paris Transport and Budget Guide

The backbone of getting around central Paris is the Metro (subway). The network is dense, so most sights are close to a station, and just entering your origin and destination in the Google Maps app gives you transfers and fares, so there's little to worry about.

Transit tickets

• The Navigo Easy card: A rechargeable transit card that's more convenient than single paper tickets and less prone to loss. You can load multiple single fares onto it.
• Single ticket (t+ ticket): About 2.10-2.50 euros for a single Metro or bus ride. If you ride several times a day, it's better to load a batch of them onto the card.
• Airport connections: CDG and Orly are in separate fare zones, so they differ from city tickets. Check your one-way arrival and departure tickets in advance.

Rough 4-day budget (per person)

• Airfare: Roughly 800,000-1,500,000 KRW depending on the season (wide variation by direct/connecting flights and timing)
• Lodging: 300,000-800,000 KRW for 3 nights (hostel to mid-range hotel)
• Food: 40-70 euros per day
• Transport: 8-12 euros per day
• Admissions and shopping: Varies widely by person, but allow 100,000-200,000 KRW to be comfortable

Since your real-world costs shift with the exchange rate, it's a good idea to check the euro rate before you leave and set your budget accordingly. If you want to pull scattered information together into one plan, start by creating a Paris trip itinerary in myTravel. Enter your destinations and dates to get a draft organized day by day, then match it against the route in this article and fine-tune it to your taste.