The Perfect One Week Itinerary for Paris & Champagne
Paris is always a good idea…and so is Champagne! While this wasn’t my first trip to Paris, it was my first time going back as a proper adult and wine enthusiast. With that being said, adding on a few days in Champagne wasn’t even a question for us! For this itinerary for Paris I didn’t use any kind of tour guide or travel company, I planned it all out myself. This was the length of time and order of traveling that worked best for us, but you could certainly start or end your trip in Champagne, or stay for longer (I already feel like I need to go back)!
Sample Itinerary for Paris & Champagne
Day 1-3: Paris; Tourist Attractions & Popular Spots
Day 3-5: Champagne; visiting alll the Champagne houses
Day 5-7: Paris; Gardens, Museums, Shopping
The first few days we were so excited to be there, we did a ton of walking and seeing all the sites. It was nice to kind of get this out of the way so that when we came back towards the end of the week we didn’t feel rushed and we could leisurely visit museums, go for walks and do some shopping. Keep reading for all of my Paris & Champagne tips and recommendations!
Where to Stay in Paris
These two hotels are the perfect places to stay for your itinerary for Paris. While these were on the pricier end, the service at both stays were incredible and we booked it through the AMEX system so we could get complimentary upgrades, early check ins, and other perks.
Hotel Alfred Sommier
Out of the two places that we stayed I think Hotel Alfred Sommier was my favorite. When I was researching places to stay, this one really caught my eye for a few reasons. The first is that it’s a five star hotel but it’s not $1000 a night, so that was a win. I also love the traditional Parisian style. I didn’t want to come to Paris and stay in a super modern and flashy hotel, I wanted something very quaint and traditional. This hotel used to be a family home, and it definitely had that comfortable vibe. This hotel is located in the eighth arrondissement which was a great location for us because it wasn’t super loud and touristy. We were able to walk to everything as it’s only a few blocks from Palais Garnier, a 10 minute walk to the Louvre, and close to other attractions.
We booked the Prestige Junior Suite which had a gorgeous balcony and spacious room.
Saint James Paris
The Saint James is a stunning hotel with just 48 rooms, tucked away in a very quiet area of Paris. The service was incredible, and each morning we had an amazing breakfast that was included. Even though the building isn’t super large, they still have a pool, sauna, spa, garden, and spacious rooms. We actually got a complimentary upgrade to a junior suite on the top floor. However, we opted to keep the original room we booked, which was the deluxe room, because we wanted a lower floor that had the super tall French doors and higher ceilings. My only negative comment about the hotel is that it isn’t near the major sites and busy areas of Paris, so you either have to walk farther, Uber, or take the metro.
Where to Eat in Paris
La Cabanon de la Butte
La Cabanon de la Butte was delicious! It’s located right by Sacré-Coeur so after you watch the sunset over the city, you can just walk one block to the restaurant. For our Paris itinerary, this location was also convenient because after dinner, we walked down the hills of Montmartre to see the Moulin Rouge show, we had bone marrow, escargots, beef bourguignon, and duck. Everything was *chef’s kiss*!
Millagro
After our happy hour near the Eiffel Tower, we came to Millagro for dinner. It’s just a 5 minute walk from the Eiffel tower so the location is great. The staff was super friendly and we were comfortable sitting at the bar! We had sea bass and scallops with a nice bottle of Chablis. The dishes were delightful!
Girafe
Girafe is the spot to go if you want lunch with a view. When we went in March and the terrace was undergoing a little bit of construction so we couldn’t sit outside. However, we were able to sneak out and take photos on the rooftop. Plus we were seated right next to a window which still had a beautiful view. This place is definitely pricey, but everything that we had was delicious and the staff was super friendly.
Coco Paris
In all my research and tick-tock videos everyone said to go to Coco Paris for a fun dinner. The staff was friendly, and the best part was the musician that would walk around and sing fun songs to the guests. I didn’t love the cocktails that I had until I ordered an espresso martini, which was pretty much the best one I’ve ever had. The food was pretty good but definitely on the expensive side. Not by any means the best in Paris you definitely go here for the ~good vibes~.
Comice
This Michelin star restaurant has a wonderful tasting menu that doesn’t break the bank. The Sommelier, created wonderful pairings with unique wines. The service was a little bit slow, but maybe they were short staffed the night that we went. The restaurant itself is really cute and the food was fantastic.
Matignon
If you’re looking for a party vibe during dinner, Matignon is your spot. We didn’t actually eat here, and I assume you don’t come for the food, although everything we saw looked delicious! We went for late night drinks and the vibe was lit with a DJ and tons of people. It would be a great spot to come for a later dinner and to make your way down to the discotheque afterwards.
Activities to Add to Your Itinerary for Paris
Paris is pretty much the most famous city in the world so I’m not going to write a full blog post on how you definitely need to visit the Louvre and see the Notre Dame, etc. etc. These are a few other activities we did, in addition to the touristy things, that I would recommend!
Moulin Rouge Show
Everyone always wants to see the outside of the Moulin Rouge actually seeing the show was so much fun! It was much more of a spectacle than I thought it would be. It’s also definitely not too inappropriate.. the only thing R rated about it are the topless dancers, but all of the dancing and costumes are so beautiful and classy. We didn’t do the dinner show but did get Champagne with our tickets at the 9pm show.
Visit the Famous Cafes
Before going to Paris, I wasn’t quite sure if we should even try to visit Café de Flore, and some of the other famous cafés that I’ve seen all over TikTok, or have seen from photos where famous writers and other famous people have frequented. I am happy to report that we actually really enjoyed visiting Café de Flore and we only had to wait outside for 10 minutes for a table. We also visited Carette where we pretty much got seated immediately. However, we didn’t go for the busy breakfast and lunch hour we just went in the afternoon for pastries.
Stroll Through Jardin du Luxembourg
I can’t recommend walking through the gardens of Paris enough. There are so many beautiful ones to stroll through, but in particular, I really enjoyed walking through Le Jardin du Luxembourg. They have little coffee stands where you can order a cappuccino and sit on the bench near the fountain or stroll around and look at the statues.
Happy Hour Near the Eiffel Tower
For happy hour one day, we walked over to the seventh around a small, and stopped in a wine shop and a fromagerie, and picked up a small cheese and charcuterie board and some Champagne. We then walked over and sat down on a bench right in front of the Eiffel tower. This was one of my favorite moments from the trip and I can’t recommend doing this enough.
Sunset in Montmartre near Sacré Coeur
Montmartre it’s such a neighborhood situated on a hilltop in Paris. Here you will find lots of art, music, cute shops, and bars to visit. It’s a bustling area during golden hour, especially on the steps of Sacré Coeur where you get a beautiful view of the city. We were able to stop in the famous la Maison Rose before sunset where we had an aperitif.
Shopping!
The Shopping Malls in Paris are something else… even if you don’t need to buy anything walk around Galeries Lafayette or La Bon Marche to get some fashion inspo, smells the perfumes and see the architecture
What to Pack for Paris
What you pack will depend on the season that you are visiting Paris. The very first time I went was in July and it was extremely hot. Keep in mind that not a lot of places have air conditioning! The most important thing is to be prepared for is a lot of walking. The city of Paris is very large, but it’s very walkable and that’s the best way to see things. Pack comfortable shoes!
This time around we visited at the end of March – early April. We had some days that were really warm and some days were cooler, so be sure to pack layers. I mainly packed pants, skirts, dresses, comfortable shoes, blazers, and a trench coat. If we ended up with rainy days my plan was just to purchase an umbrella when we got there!
Pieces I wore on the trip linked below from Like to Know it.
Champagne
For a full detailed breakdown of our visit to Champagne, check out the separate blog post: Planning a Weekend Visiting Champagne, France.
