I spent 72 hours in Paris – this is the ultimate three-day itinerary

The French capital offers a seductive mix of food, art and sightseeing. Here’s how to make the most of it in just a few days.

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Words by Claire Isaac for escape.com.au.

From perfect pastries, great shopping and secret bars to the famous galleries and museums that house some of the world’s best art, it’s a destination that always delivers.

And while three days just aren’t enough to see all of this metropolis, we’ll always have Paris – to visit again.

DAY 1: Morning

After a quick breakfast at our hotel, Hôtel Dame des Arts, we head to Notre-Dame, eager to experience this 862-year-old cathedral in all its glory.

We get there at 7.30am for the early mass and I’m glad we do – later in the day the queues snake around the Place Jean-Paul II, and I’m told by the vice rector, Guillaume Normand, that about 32,000 people come through each day.

It underwent an impressive restoration after the devastating fire in 2019. While the roof and spire collapsed, most of the main structure and many artefacts, relics and artworks were saved, but the work has been enormous and the cathedral only reopened in December 2024.

It’s sobering to think that it could have all been lost.

Lunchtime

For fashion, food and shopping, the medieval Marais district (spanning an area across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements) is a winner and just a 15-minute walk from Notre-Dame.

At Parcelles bistro I leave my squeamishness at the door and try the veal sweetbreads, which are surprisingly tasty.

However, it’s white asparagus season in France and, served with trout roe and lemon, that’s my favourite dish.

After lunch we dip into the wonderful Musée Picasso, housing the world’s largest public collection of Pablo Picasso’s work, before a quick shop at Merci, a fashion and design store loved by young Parisians, and Parle Moi de Parfum, a boutique from renowned perfumier Michel Almairac.

Afternoon

More art beckons and we head to the Pinault Collection at the Bourse de Commerce in the 1st arrondissement. Originally a wheat exchange and later the stock exchange, this gallery features astounding pieces from billionaire Francois Pinault’s private art collection.

The building is equally impressive with its rotunda and a huge circular fresco.

Evening

Our hotel’s concierge, Erwin, works magic and secures an impossible-to-get table at Racines in the 2nd arrondissement.

This Michelin-starred Italian eatery, hidden in one of Paris’s oldest covered passageways, is a real treat, and we feast on some delicious pastas and veal Milanese with broccoli before wandering back to the hotel for an early night.

DAY 2: Morning

Paris is turning on the weather, so we make the most of it, heading to the historic Jardin du Luxembourg. Inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, the gardens here were created for Queen Marie de Medici in 1612.

I pause on one of the chairs placed around the pond to enjoy the sun and watch the model boats, before wandering to the famous Medici Fountain and then to the Orangery. Then it’s back to the hotel restaurant Pimpan for a quick delicious lunch of grilled avocado with clementines.

Afternoon

Time for a walking tour around the Left Bank – guide Anthony takes us on a fascinating three-hour exploration from the banks of the Seine up to the Sorbonne, past the Pantheon and back down through the winding streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

There’s even a small detour to a spot fans of TV show Emily in Paris will find familiar – the Instagrammable square where Emily lives and where Gabriel has his restaurant. I can’t resist taking my own snap.

Evening

First up tonight it’s drinks at Cravan, a four-storey bar set in a 17th-century building in Saint-Germain. This place has it all – delicious cocktails and interesting food plus a host of glamorous Parisians to watch. I have a (very good) Martini and watch the passing parade.

Dinner is at nearby Bonvivant, a warm and inviting bistro where there’s a long list of natural wines on offer and a great menu – we have a starter of peas, ricotta and a confit egg that blows my tiny mind.

DAY 3: Morning

We cross the Pont Neuf to explore Paris’s Samaritaine department store. Closed for 15 years while it was renovated at a cost of €750m ($1.4 billion), it reopened in 2021 and is now owned by luxury brand LVMH.

The Art Nouveau building is spectacular, with Eiffel iron work, an amazing peacock frieze and a private apartment where one can book a VIP shopping experience. There’s also an impressive glass annexe on the Rue de Rivoli. Time for a little retail therapy.

Afternoon

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Louvre, the renowned art museum in the 1st arrondissement. We have booked online, so skip the long lines snaking around the glass pyramid here – but inside it’s crowded.

I can’t miss a chance to see the Mona Lisa, and nor, it seems, can thousands of others – the place is packed and it’s impossible to get close to the famous painting. Still, the Louvre always impresses, its 400-odd rooms filled with about 35,000 incredible works.

Evening

Dinner tonight is at Le Petit Lutetia, a traditional French brasserie on the border of the 6th and 7th arrondissements filled with frescoes, gold leaf and mirrored walls – apparently it’s one of the places to be seen (if you believe Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop).

Here I have the best escargots I have ever eaten, and a chance spotting of film director Wes Anderson makes this a night to remember. A fitting end to a memorable trip that only touched the surface of this illustrious city.