How to Spend Twenty-Four Hours in Paris: A Jam-Packed Itinerary
My Ultimate Guide to Spending Twenty-Four Hours in Paris
Late last year, while on a weeklong trip to London, I visited Paris for twenty-four hours. While it is physically impossible to do everything I wanted to, I made sure to fir in the main things at the top of my list. I wanted to write this blog post to give you all the tips + tricks I used to plan out my 24 hrs in Paris.
I, for one, found planning a trip to London very overwhelming as there is just so much to see. Then fitting in Paris added another layer to that. I knew I wanted to write a blog post detailing my trip with some tips + tricks I learned along the way that will hopefully help you plan your trip to Paris.
The Train Ride
The Eiffel Tower
Versailles
The Train Ride
We boarded the Eurostar around 3 pm on a Tuesday to get to Paris from London. If I had to give one tip for riding the Eurostar, it would be to arrive as early as possible. We arrived almost two hours early and still were scared (even with pre-booked tickets) we would not board in time. The line was wrapped around, and the wait was long. Luckily, we made it on the train right before they stopped boarding.
We booked our tickets for the Chunnel through this website. We booked three months in advance at around 80.00 a piece for the three of us. As the train ride took approximately 2 hrs and 16 mins, I did sleep most of the way. The ride was very smooth, and there is tons of space around for bags, etc. I would recommend if going on an overnight stay in Paris, just lightly packing a bag to carry.
The Eiffel Tower
We arrived in Paris at 6:50 pm and immediately booked an Uber upon stepping out into Paris to head to the Eiffel Tower. We had pre-booked our Eiffel Tower tickets through this website. The tickets cost 28.42 (US Dollars.) These tickets gave us access to the first and top floors.
After the 5-minute walk from where our Uber dropped us off, we arrived under the tower. Once you arrive at the entrance you go through a security screening and are then allowed access to the grounds right under the Eiffel Tower. Since we went at night, we were able to see the tower lit up which it does after sunset every hour on the hour. It lasted about 5 minutes. I would highly recommend going at night. It is so amazing to see the tower as it sparkles against the Paris night sky. On another note, we also went at the end of October, and I would totally recommend bringing a heavier jacket as it was quite cold.
We had a few minutes to spare before our ticket time, so we visited the gift shop on the grounds where I purchased a few souvenirs. When it was our time to go up we loaded into the large elevator and were carriedaway to the first floor stop. The view was beautiful, and there are two levels at the first stop for you to view out over Paris.
After walking around the first floor, we loaded back into the elevator to go to the top. The view is AMAZING from here. It is extremely high and enclosed with fencing. aI do not know if I recommend for those scared of heights. Once at the top the view looking out over the River Seine is worth the trip alone.
Below I am attaching some images fgrom my time visiting the Eiffel Tower.
Versailles
Our main reason for visiting Paris was to see Versailles. After our time at the Eiffel Tower, we loaded into another Uber and headed to Versailles. It was about a 30-minute car ride to our hotel- the Waldorf Astoria at Versailles. The hotel was stunning and had an amazing view of Versailles from our window (pictured in the slideshow below.) The staff was very accommodating, and I enjoyed my complimentary free glass of wine as well as yummy chocolate croissants for breakfast.
After a much-needed night of sleep, we woke up early to head to Versailles. Our hotel was about a fifteen-minute walk from the Palace. We had also pre-booked our tickets for Versailles at the official website at 21.00 a piece. We booked the passport tickets for 9 am right at opening which allows you to access the entire estate. Arriving and getting is super easy. I definitely recommend going right at opening as the line was short and it took less than ten minutes to get inside. We also went during the week on a Wednesday which could have added to the smaller amount of people there at the time.
Once inside you are free to roam the Palace. You are allowed access to the rooms including where Marie Antoniette lived (which is breath taking.) You roam the halls and are truly amazed by the beauty and grandeur. Arguably the most famous part of the palace, the Hall of Mirrors, was my favorite part. Since it was early in the morning on a weekday during an off season, the hall was practically empty which allowed for some amazing pictures.
After touring the Palace, we then stepped out onto the grounds (which are massive.) We had been advised before that the best way to see the grounds was to rent a golf cart. You see the stand for golf carts as soon as you step outside. It cost 25.00/hr, and it defiantly helped us get around quickly and efficiently. They even give you a map to help you be sure of where you are going. You cannot book these in advance so make sure to head to the stand when you step outside. In some areas you do have to park and walk if you want to see specific buildings, etc. For example, Marie Antoniette's cottage estates are a little further back, and you cannot reach them on golf cart you have to walk. The grounds are MASSIVE, and I highly recommend this as the best way to see them.
Overall, Versailles was such a highlight of my trip, and I absolutely loved walking around the palace and touring the grounds via golf cart.
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