Paris Itinerary for a Second (or Third) Timer

You’ve seen the Eiffel Tower already, visited the Louvre, and walked the Champs-Élysées . Here are some ideas for what to do in Paris if you’ve already been to the City of Light for a leisurely visit. (This is a great itinerary if you plan to visit in the off-season as well, as it can be used even in the not-so-sunny months!)

Itinerary Tips

The French eat later than Americans, which means restaurants often don’t open until later. Some spots will be open prior to serving dinner and just serve drinks. Also beware that many bars, restaurants, and even shops are closed on Sundays, and sometimes Mondays, even in tourist areas. If you plan to do a day trip, Sunday would be a great day to plan for this, and dinner reservations would be ideal to avoid a prolonged search for an open restaurant.

Where to Stay

While staying in St. Germain or near the Louvre is popular for first-timers, if you’ve hit the main tourist sites before it’s a fun experience to try out a new neighborhood. Explore a new arrondisement that’s still walking distance to the action but allows for seeing new streets and trying new local spots.

Budget Reco: Moxy Paris Bastille – Part of the Marriott portfolio, the Moxy is an affordable hotel that’s great for those looking to be near the action. Those familiar with the Moxy brand will know what they’re getting into here – smaller rooms with minimal amenities, and a focus on cool common space like a large bar that doubles as reception. They keep the important perks – like unlimited free water and coffee – and also have a pretty good breakfast buffet that will kick off your mornings. (If you want to switch it up though the nearby café Back in Black has excellent breakfast.)

Luxury Reco: Hotel des Grands Boulevard – This boutique hotel is one of our favorites in Paris, and can be quite affordable in the off season. It’s slightly north of the main hot spots, but an easy walk (and walkable from Gare du Nord if you arrive by Eurostar). It has a delicious restaurant and two cocktail bars, one of which is on the rooftop. The mid-mod décor is elegant without feeling stuffy. This spot is 4 star luxury but feels classier than some of the dated luxury hotels nearby.

Things to Do

Our recommendation for what to do in Paris is pretty simple: eat, drink, shop. (More on each of those below.) But if you need to break it up, we recommended these fun activities:

Musée Carnavalet – You’ve already been to the Louvre, and maybe the Musée D’Orsay, so on your next trip to Paris check out this smaller French history museum in the Marais district, that also happens to be free. Recently renovated and re-opened in 2021, the museum is spread out across two historic Parisian mansions and is like walking through French history. 

Perfume workshop at Molinard – What can be more Parisian than creating your own custom scent? Molinard is a classic french perfumery that not only sells their own scents, but offers workshops so that you can make your own to bring home. They’ll also give you a certificate and keep your scent on file so that if you run out you can order more to ship to you. We loved this workshop so much, we’ve done it twice (and saw a number of locals also participating – men and women). There are two locations in Paris, as well as in several other cities across France. Book in advance here.

Where to Shop

Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen – Dating back to the 1870s, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen is the world’s oldest flea market, although really it’s a network of several markets joined together. This is a unique shopping experience when you can walk through a giant labyrinth of antique stalls – everything from rare artifacts to furniture to jewelry to art. It’s the ultimate place to bring home a souvenir. (Some larger pieces can be shipped to the U.S.)

This is a great activity for a weekend, as hours are limited during the week. (The market opens at 10am but we found some stalls don’t open until closer to 11am.) To get there you’ll take the metro 4 line north to the last stop, then walk north until you reach the market. There are plenty of vendors on the outskirts selling knockoffs and some sketchy looking items, so walk past them into the heart of the market. It’s easy to get lost, so we recommend keeping their official map handy, linked here. Our favorite market was Vernaison, so don’t miss it! If you want a more detailed guide, here’s a great guide from Culture Trip.

L’Atelier d’Amaya – This demi-fine jewelry store has customizable pieces that are both classic and stylish at the same time. They have several locations throughout Paris (and France) and is the perfect stop for a wearable souvenir.

Pharmacie du Forum Des Halles – France’s largest pharmacy is inside Les Halles, the former food market that is now an underground shopping center. This is a great spot to stock up on French skincare items. (Citypharma on the Left Bank is also a tourist hot spot, but can have long lines.)

La Grande Epicerie de Paris – This specialty food store is a foodie’s dream (and comes recommended by Ina Garten herself, as well as several world-renowned chefs). It’s accessible from  both the street and the department store Le Bon Marche and is my new must-shop for every trip to Paris. All the French goodies have their own aisle – mustards, jams, chocolates, packaged pastries. For an extra euro they will even vacuum seal your butter for you so you can bring back some famous Beurre de Baratte as a souvenir.

Marin Montagut – This tiny shop has already had some Instagram fame for its handmade souvenirs. With adorable ceramics and artsy keepsakes, this place is worth browsing for something unique. Note, it’s closed on Sundays.

Where to Eat & Drink

 Au Rocher de Cancale – [For dinner] This historic café was founded in 1804 and has some to-die-for onion soup, perfect to warm up in the winter months. Make a reservation ahead of time to sit upstairs and avoid the bar crowd downstairs.

Pink Mama – [For dinner or brunch] This is a restaurant that is often all over social media for its looks, but the food alone makes this spot worth returning to. Part of Big Mamma restaurant group, which has a number of fantastic locations throughout Paris (and other cities in Europe), the Italian spot has several floors of beautiful décor and delicious bites. Make a reservation for brunch or dinner and request to sit on the top floor if available. Afterwards, head down to the basement to their speakeasy called “No Entry.” You’ll find it just before the bathroom door with a sign stating “No Entry” that looks like a refrigerator. [Bonus tip: If you’re in need of some pre-dinner drinks, Buvette is a short walk away and opens early.]

The Little Red Door – [For drinks] Named one of the “World’s Best Bars” this hidden gem has a creative, seasonal cocktail menu that is always evolving. Friendly bartenders and unique cocktails make this a must-visit in the Marais.  Tip: the red door is a fake, so you’ll enter to the left of it.

O Chateau – [For wine] This is a hidden gem that we stumbled upon in the Marais by accident. It’s open early and offers fantastic wine tastings (25 Euro for 3 wines) and a plate of Parmesan that we’re still dreaming about.

Full Itinerary

I’ve been to Paris many times, so here is the itinerary for our most recent visit of what we did. We also traveled in the off-season, in January, when the weather was cold and gray, so this itinerary is perfect for any season.

Be sure to check out our France page for a map of ALL recommendations.

Day 1 – Arrive

• Walk towards Rue Crémieux, famous for its un-Parisian paint job (no taking photos). Continue towards Ground Control for lunch, a food hall in an old train station. 
• Walk back along Promenade Plantée (the path along abandoned train tracks that the High Line in NYC was modeled after). Stop at Le Petit Souk (toy store) on way back.
• Shopping in the Marais at Merci department store and Bonton toy store.
• Stop by Marché des Enfants Rouges (oldest market in Paris) for a snack or just to browse.
• Drinks at The Little Red Door.
• Dinner Options: Le Mary Celeste, Creperie Suzette, Chez Janou, OR wine & cheese on the Seine

Day 2

• Breakfast in hotel
• Les Puces de Saint-Ouen – world’s oldest flea market 
• Lunch at La Recyclerie, a cafe in an old train station-turned urban farming space
• Metro to Les Halles for shopping
• Pharmacie du Forum Des Halles (France’s largest pharmacy) for skincare items 
• Maison du Monde for home goods
• Cooking supplies stores at: E. Dehillerin, A.Simon, La Bovida Magasin Les Halles
• Wine at O Chateau
• Dinner Reservation at Au Rocher de Cancale (historic cafe, get the french onion soup)

Day 3

• Breakfast at Back in Black
• Carnavalet Museum (free, permanent collection doesn’t need advanced ticket)
• Walk south to the left bank
• Stop at Notre Dame along the way to see newly reopened cathedral. 
• Optional stop for a drink at Freddy’s or Maison Sauvage.
• Wander through Jardin du Luxembourg on way to Marin Montagut (handmade souvenirs, closed Sundays) 
• Shopping at Le Bon Marche Rive Gauche
• Visit Ina Garten’s favorite shops:
  • La Grande Epicerie (spices), attached to Le Bon Marche
  • Barthélémy (cheese), 
  • Hugo & Victor Pâtisserie, 
  • Poilane bakery closed Sundays 
• Optional stop at Chapon chocolate mousse bar
• Dinner Options: 
  • Le Récamier (via Ina, famous restaurant known for souffles)
  • Café de Flore (Ina’s favorite for omelette and champagne)

Day 4

• Breakfast at Holybelly (American-style diner)
• Perfume workshop at Molinard (reservation required)
• Shopping Galeries Lafayette, Zara Home
• work way up to Montmartre for views and to browse street art
• Pre-dinner drinks at Buvette
• Dinner Reservation at Pink Mamma
• Nightcap at No Entry

Day 5 – Depart