Growing up, I attended a French school in the D.C. area and learned to speak the language fluently. Consquently, I've visited Paris many times over the years and have become very familiar with the city. A couple of years ago, my mother-in-law had me arrange a one-week trip May trip to Paris and its environs for her and her girlfriends (as well as myself). It ended up being a much better value for the four of us to rent a spacious flat at Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, through a fantastic agency called Paris Vacation Apartments. We will never forget the memories spent living in our amazing apartment where we could stroll to our favorite wine, cheese, pastry and markets of the Marais. Below are itineraries and resources I gathered for a trip that covers some popular and off-the-beaten track activities. I included the week days since some activities like flea markets and museums are closed on certain days, but much of its order can be mixed and matched. This is a pretty active and ambitious schedule, so don't feel obligated to try to achieve it all. I also have a version in pdf format with detailed listings, so feel free to contact me if you're interested in me emailing you one.. Enjoy!

SUGGESTED ITINERARY

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY (ARRIVAL)

• Arrive early in the morning to Place des Vosges apartment to settle & unpack. Nap for an hour or two.
• Grab lunch in the Marais then walk south through the neighborhood's trendy shops off Rue des Frangs Bourgeouis, making left on Rue du Renard to Hotel de Ville (City Hall).
• Walk along the Seine towards the Louvre and Place de la Concorde or hop on metro when you're tired of walking.
• Visit the Eiffel Tower and enjoy dinner near the famous Champs Elysees (often overpriced) or near your hotel.

• Take a Cityrama l'Open Bus Tour to familiarize yourself with the city and hop on and off at major sites like Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur. I recommend the Paris Grand Tour in the morning and later the Monmartre Grands Boulevards Route.
• In the afternoon at Monmartre and the Moulin Rouge in the seedy Pigalle area. Try to explore the meandering streets below the foot of the Sacre Coeur. There are lots of fabric and notion shops and further west some funky locally owned shops with more unique finds than the the tourist trap souvenir stores near the top of the famous church. Beware of pick pockets at the stairs of the hill!
• After a long day of site-seeing, stop to pick up some fruit, wine, and cheese at a nearby market to enjoy back at the hotel as a snack. Nicolas is a good chain store for wine with a very helpful staff. 

 

DAY 3: FRIDAY – LEFT BANK

• Head early to Orsay Museum on the left bank to enjoy impressionist masterpieces housed in an old train station.
• Grab lunch and explore St. Germain and the Latin Quarters. 
• Stop to pick up some of Paris' best macaroons or pastries at Pierre Hermé near St. Sulpice Church. Head south and enjoy your goodies in the majestic Luxembourg Gardens.
• Enjoy dinner and drinks in the lively Bastille/Oberkampf neighborhoods. My favorite hole-in-the wall cafe is Ave Maria's. Arrive early if you want to snag a seat for dinner or go later to hang out at the bar.

  

DAY 4: SATURDAY – LOUVRE & LAFEYETTE

• Grab a a sweet, early breakfast near the Louvre at the salon-style Angelina. Their famous, rich, decadent hot Chocolat l'Africain is touted as the best hot chocolate of Paris.
• Arrive to the Louvre next to beat the crowds. It's quicker to buy entrance at the gift shop in the lower back entrance. Don't try to see the whole museum in a day or you'll get fatigued. Instead, take a few hours to see the typical highlights like Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory then explore another wing that interests you.
• If you have an hour to spare, head to the end of the Tuileries to visit Monet's water lily room-size paintings of Les Nympheas at l'Orangerie.
• Hop off on Boulevard Haussman near Madeleine/Place de l'Opera area to head into Galeries Lafayette, Paris' most famous department store. Locate the gourmet section on the third floor (ask somebody, there are two adjoining buildings and it's a little confusing). It has a great food selection for souvenirs, but also offers some great prepared take-out food that can be enjoyed on top of the mall's roof while admiring a view of Paris. If weather is bad, grab a tasty sandwich, soup or salad down the street at Cojean.
• Take the metro to Les Halles area to peruse the neighborhood's busy streets or check out the modern art at Centre Pompidou.

 

DAY 5: SUNDAY – FLEA MARKET & CATACOMBS

• Spend the morning perusing one of southern Pari's best flea markets, Porte des Vanves. 
• If you have time and feel energetic, explore the creepy catacombs.
• Spend the afternoon at your leisure. If you're feeling energetic, take the metro back north and stroll through the food filled streets of Rue Mouffetard. Other options include walking along Canal St. Martin, enjoying the park at Bois de Boulogne. 
• Head over to the nearby Marais' historic Jewish Quarters on Rue des Rosiers for dinner. Sunday is the day after the Sabbath and there's an air of festivity as the community comes out to socialize. My favorite falafel meal can be had at Mi Va Mi followed by mint tea.
• If you're in the mood for contemporary and installation art after dinner, wander over to Palais de Tokyo near the Tour Eiffel. It's open until midnight.

 

DAY 6: MONDAY – CHARTRES DAY TRIP

• From Gare Montparnasse, take one of the regular trains for a 1 hour 15 minute trip to the medieval town of Chartres.
• From the station, you can walk several blocks to the Chartres Cathedral, famous for it's vivid, intricate stained-glass windows. Don't miss the labyrinth and garden in the back!
• Explore the town and return to Paris in the afternoon.
• An alternate day-trip in the spring could be to visit Monet's home and garden, Giverny, by train.

 

DAY 7: TUESDAY – VERSAILLES

• Grab an RER C train out of Paris to Versailles.
• From the station, it's about a 5-10 minute walk to the royal Palace of Versailles. Note it is free to roam the palace's parks and gardens, but there's a fee to enter the palace structures and take a tour. If you're not on a strict budget, it's worth taking a group tour of at least the main palace to learn a bit about French history and the artifacts decorating the ornate rooms.
• There are plenty of restaurants in town a couple of blocks away from the palace grounds if you get hungry.
• Return to Paris in the afternoon and finish any last minute shopping or enjoy taking a night tour on the Bateau Mouch to bid farewell to the City of Lights.

DAY 8: DEPARTURE

• Please note that Charles de Gaulle airport can be very hectic. Give yourself AT LEAST 3 hours to check in your luggage and get through the numerous security checkpoints.

  

TIPS

• METRO: The easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to get around the city is by metro. If you're going to ride it frequently, it's more economical to buy a 10-pack "carnet." They also offer a special multi-day passes that are economical if you're going to be riding it a lot every day. If you don't mind riding the metro with you're lugguage and making a a transfer or two, it's also the cheapest way to get from CDG airport to the center of the city.
• ETIQUETTE: The French have the incorrect reputation for being rude and unhelpful to foreigners. If you enter a store and say "bonjour" to the salespeople and make an effort to be pleasant and polite, you will get the same in return two-fold.
• WALK & EXPLORE: The best way to get to know Paris is to walk and explore the city. Don't be scared to venture off the main avenue or to go in a shop or cafe that interests you. 
• EDIBLE SOUVENIRS: A wonderful souvenir for you or friends is hand-made jam by Christine Ferber. Personally, I think her strawberry flavor is divine with chunks of Alsace berries. In Paris, her jams are only sold in the Gourmet section of Galeries Lafayette and Pierre Herme stores. I also like to bring back chocolate assortments in the signature brown and turquoise boxes from the chain chocolatier,  Jeff de Bruges.
• STREET ART: Don't forget to admire Paris' art outside of its museums. There are some very cool pieces by street artists worth a gander while you're exploring an arrondissement.