Generator Paris
Why we like it: A big hostel at Colonel Fabien, near the Canal Saint-Martin: dorms from €24 a bed, private and family rooms, café and a rooftop in summer.
From €24
View details
Duration3 nights
From MadridDirect flight to Orly or CDG
From BarcelonaDirect TGV · about 6 h 45 min
Best timeApril – June · September – October
Budget€350–600 pp excluding the journey
Getting aroundOn foot and by metro
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Friday at midday and return on Monday afternoon. Before leaving, book the slots for the Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Orsay, the Eiffel Tower and the Orangerie, and load your metro tickets on your phone or on the Navigo Easy card.
Friday
- 113:00Arrival in the Marais
From Orly, line 14 to Gare de Lyon and line 1 to Saint-Paul; from Charles de Gaulle, RER B to Châtelet and line 1; from Barcelona, the TGV drops you at Gare de Lyon. Leave your bags at the hotel.
- 216:00The Marais and the place des Vosges
A free two-hour stroll among 17th-century mansions to the place des Vosges, with its 36 brick-and-stone pavilions.
- 320:00Dinner at Le Train Bleu
The restaurant at Gare de Lyon, built for the 1900 Exposition, with its protected rooms. Two stops on line 1 from Saint-Paul. Book.
Saturday
- 19:00Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle
The Sainte-Chapelle first thing, with a reserved slot, €16. Notre-Dame, free; the towers, €16 with a reservation.
- 212:00Boat on the Seine
An hour with the Vedettes du Pont Neuf to the Eiffel Tower and back. €15 online.
- 313:15Galettes at the Breizh Café
On the rue Vieille-du-Temple, round the corner from the hotel: buckwheat galette and cider.
- 415:00The Louvre
Reserved slot, €22 for EU residents. On Saturday it closes at 18:00.
- 520:30Eiffel Tower at night
Lift to the second floor, €23.50, or to the top, €36.70. On the hour, every hour, the tower sparkles for a few minutes.
Sunday
- 19:15Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur
By funicular with a metro ticket. The basilica is free; the dome, €8.
- 212:15Lunch at the Bouillon Pigalle
Bistro cooking at bouillon prices, at the foot of the hill. At weekends it opens from 11:30.
- 314:00Musée d'Orsay
Direct line 12 from Pigalle to Solférino. The Impressionists on the fifth floor. €16 online; free for under-26s from the European Economic Area.
- 418:30Arc de Triomphe at dusk
The 284 steps up to the terrace above the Champs-Élysées. €16 from October to March, €22 from April to September; free up to age 18.
Monday
- 110:00The Water Lilies at the Orangerie
In the Tuileries garden, open on Monday. €12.50 online.
- 212:30Lunch at the Bouillon Chartier and home
The 1896 workers' dining room on the Grands Boulevards, with no bookings and non-stop service. Collect your bags and head for the airport or Gare de Lyon.
Three nights is just enough to see the essentials of Paris without spending the trip in queues. You arrive on Friday at midday, by air or train, and return on Monday afternoon. There are direct flights to Paris-Orly or Charles de Gaulle from Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Seville, Málaga and other Spanish airports, and from Barcelona Sants a direct TGV leaves for the Gare de Lyon that takes about six hours three quarters. Once there, you do not need a car: everything is done on foot and by metro, and the hotel is in the Marais, one stop on line 1 from the Louvre.
How do you get there?
| From | How | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia, Seville, Málaga | Direct flight to Orly | Metro line 14 to Gare de Lyon or Châtelet · €14 |
| Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga | Direct flight to Charles de Gaulle | RER B to Gare du Nord or Châtelet · €14 |
| Barcelona | Direct TGV from Sants to Gare de Lyon | Metro line 1 to Saint-Paul · €2.55 |
The Paris Région–Aéroports ticket, at €14, is valid for entering or leaving either airport by metro or RER. From Gare de Lyon, line 1 drops you at Saint-Paul, next to the hotel.
Where to sleep?
In the Marais, to walk to the Île de la Cité and have line 1 at the door. The three-star Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc is on the rue de Jarente, a quiet street next to the place du Marché-Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Paul metro; check-in is at 14:00, check-out at 11:30, and it stores luggage on the day you leave. If you want something special, Le Pavillon de la Reine is right on the place des Vosges, with a spa. On a tight budget, the MIJE Marais hostels, in old houses in the district, have rooms of 2 to 10 beds and breakfast included.
How to get around
On foot and by metro. A trip by metro, RER or train within Paris costs €2.55 with transfers; load it on your phone or on the Navigo Easy card. Line 1 links the Marais with the Louvre, the Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe; line 12, Montmartre with Orsay. Do not bring or hire a car.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Paris, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Paris
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Fly to Orly or Charles de Gaulle and take the metro into the centre
Paris is the easiest destination in France to reach by plane from Spain: there are direct flights from the main cities to Orly and Charles de Gaulle, and from both you reach the centre by public transport in under an hour. Don't hire a car: it is no use in the city, and if you want to go out to Versailles or Giverny there is a train.
- Getting thereParis-Orly (ORY), to the south…
- Getting aroundMetro, RER and bus with…
- Where to stayGenerator Paris, a 15–20 minute…
- Services€14 airport ticket, from a…
Getting there
- Paris-Orly (ORY), to the south: metro line 14 drops you at Châtelet or Gare de Lyon
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), to the north: the RER B stops at Gare du Nord, Châtelet and Saint-Michel
- The Paris Région–Aéroports ticket costs €14 per journey, from either airport
Getting around
- Metro, RER and bus with the €2.55 ticket or loaded onto your phone
- On foot between the Louvre, the Île de la Cité, the Marais and Saint-Germain
- Taxi from the airports, at a fixed fare to the centre
Where to stay
- Generator Paris, a 15–20 minute walk from Gare du Nord, if you arrive on the RER B
- Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc, next to Saint-Paul, on line 1 from Châtelet
Services
- €14 airport ticket, from a machine or on your phone
- Luggage storage at the accommodation for your departure day
Paris Is Done Without a Car
Don't bring a car: parking is expensive and the metro goes everywhere. You arrive by plane or TGV, stay near a direct line and walk between districts.
110–180 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHôtel Jeanne d'Arc and Le…
- Getting aroundMetro and RER with a…
- EatingBouillons for cheap, fast meals
- ServicesGare de Lyon, for the…
Where to sleep
- Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc and Le Pavillon de la Reine, in the Marais
- MIJE Marais or Generator if the budget is tight
Getting around
- Metro and RER with a €2.55 ticket or a phone pass
- RER B to Charles de Gaulle and metro line 14 to Orly, €14 a journey
- On foot from the Louvre to the Marais and from Notre-Dame to Saint-Germain
Eating
- Bouillons for cheap, fast meals
- Bakeries for breakfast, such as Du Pain et des Idées
Services
- Gare de Lyon, for the Barcelona TGV
- A boat on the Seine for the first day
Palaces, Gardens and Dinners by Reservation
Choose the district before the hotel: the Marais for strolling at night through quiet squares, Saint-Germain for cafés and bookshops.
From €450per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepLe Pavillon de la Reine…
- Getting aroundTaxi or ride-hailing from the…
- EatingLe Train Bleu, at the…
- ServicesTimed museum tickets, bought before…
Where to sleep
- Le Pavillon de la Reine, inside place des Vosges
- Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Getting around
- Taxi or ride-hailing from the airport
- Seine cruise at dusk
Eating
- Le Train Bleu, at the Gare de Lyon
- Book starred restaurants weeks ahead
Services
- Timed museum tickets, bought before travelling
- Cruise with dinner from the Pont Neuf or the Pont Alexandre III
Paris with a Backpack and Little Money
Accommodation is the expensive part; the rest can be cheap. Many museums are free for under-26s resident in the EU, the views from Montmartre cost nothing and the bouillons feed you for under €20.
30–60 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepGenerator Paris, beside the Canal…
- Getting aroundOn foot and by metro…
- EatingBouillon Chartier and Bouillon Pigalle
- ServicesFree on the first Sunday…
Where to sleep
- Generator Paris, beside the Canal Saint-Martin, beds from €24
- MIJE Marais, right in the historic centre
Getting around
- On foot and by metro; a single ticket costs €2.55
- From Orly, metro line 14 for €14
Eating
- Bouillon Chartier and Bouillon Pigalle
- Bread and cheese for a picnic on the Seine or in the Luxembourg
Services
- Free on the first Sunday of the month at Orsay
- Louvre free on the first Friday of the month from 18:00, except in July and August
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a carin styleif you're backpacking
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
MIJE Marais
Why we like it: Three non-profit hostels in old Marais houses, next to Saint-Paul metro, with breakfast included, 24-hour reception and beds in rooms of 2 to 10.
Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc Le Marais
Why we like it: A three-star hotel on rue de Jarente, a quiet street in the Marais beside place du Marché-Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Paul metro.
Le Pavillon de la Reine
Why we like it: A 56-room and suite hotel inside place des Vosges, with its own garden, a spa with hammam and jacuzzi, and free private parking.
Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris
Why we like it: A grand 1910 hotel on boulevard Raspail, between Art Nouveau and Art Deco, restored by Wilmotte and reopened in 2018 with a spa, brasserie and bars.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Paris
Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards
What to order: eggs with mayonnaise, leeks vinaigrette and the dish of the day.
No reservations · open every day from 11:30 to midnight
Bouillon Pigalle
What to order: classic French bistro cooking at bouillon prices.
22 boulevard de Clichy · open every day · you can book a table on the website
Breizh Café Le Marais
What to order: a savoury buckwheat galette and a salted-butter crêpe for dessert.
Book on the website · vegetarian options available
Le Train Bleu
What to order: a dish with sauce or carved at the table, or just a coffee at the bar if you are short of time.
Book only on its website or TheFork · open every day
Takeaway and markets
Du Pain et des Idées, Canal Saint-Martin (10th)
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Book everything sold by time slot before leaving home: the Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Orsay, the Eiffel Tower and the Orangerie. In high season, the good slots run out days ahead.
We'd skip it
Change the days if your getaway falls on a Tuesday, when the Louvre and the Orangerie close, or on a Monday for Orsay.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to go by air or by train?
From Madrid and the rest of Spain, by air: there are direct flights to Orly and Charles de Gaulle. From Barcelona, the direct TGV takes about 6 h 45 min and leaves you in the centre, at Gare de Lyon.
How do you get from the airport to the centre?
From Orly, on metro line 14; from Charles de Gaulle, on the RER B. The ticket costs €14.
Are three nights enough?
For the essentials, yes: the Île de la Cité, the Louvre, Montmartre, Orsay and the Eiffel Tower. With five, add Versailles.
How much does it cost?
Between €350 and €600 per person excluding the flight or train: three nights in a double room, meals, metro and tickets, which add up to about €150.
Do you need a car?
No. Parking in Paris is expensive and the metro goes everywhere.