Two days in Paris what to do and see on the weekend

Two days in Paris what to do and what to see in the French capital.

My name is Łukasz, and together with my fiancée Anetka, I will take you on a short, 2-day trip to Paris. However, before that happens, I need to explain how I ended up on this lovely blog.

We travelled to Paris by plane. It may seem obvious, but I’m mentioning it because it was our first-ever flight. I’ll also add that our main goal was Victoria’s communion, whom we greet warmly here. We had planned to spend over 3 days sightseeing, but illness, which struck Anetka (tonsillitis), revised our plans to 2 days.

Two days in Paris, public transport in Paris

On-site, we got around using public transportation. We purchased a Paris Visite card at the nearest RER station, which allowed us to travel around the city by metro, underground trains (RER), as well as trams and buses. However, I recommend purchasing Passlib Official Paris City Pass and explore Paris your way with a flexible and personalized Paris Passlib, the city’s official pass.

We mainly relied on the first two modes of transport. The card for one person for 3 days in zones 1–3 cost us several dozen euros and, as it turned out later, enabled us to move smoothly and quickly around the city. You can also get around the city using Hop-On Hop-Off buses.

Paris welcomed us with a scorching 32-degree heat. It’s worth mentioning right from the start that the city is excellently signposted (airport, metro, streets). So, without worrying about getting lost, you can head to Paris. It’s advisable to arrive during the day, as late at night there may be issues with underground transportation (RER).

The main tourist attractions, in our opinion, are also very well protected. You can’t enter anywhere without passing through security gates – this also applies to the metro. If you value your safety, it’s better not to venture into the Saint-Denis district and the area around the Barbès-Rochechouart metro station and the nearby Gare du Nord station, especially after dark.

I found such information on the Internet, and it was later confirmed on-site by friends living there. We stayed in the Anthony district and felt safe even in the middle of the night.

Two days in Paris, day one

We began our city exploration from the Opera Garnier. Emerging from the depths of the Parisian metro (Auber station), the magnificent opera house immediately catches the eye. Built in 1875, the Opera Garnier, in our opinion, resembles a slightly more opulent version of the Lviv Opera House (of course, I’m referring to its pre-war condition) and is much larger. Why this comparison? We have a great fondness for opera houses, which, in our opinion, possess something unique. We then proceeded to the adjacent Galeries Lafayette.

Even with empty pockets, one can feel why Paris is known as the world capital of fashion. The best and, of course, the most expensive brands are within reach here. However, our main interest lay on the 7th-floor rooftop terrace, where you can enter for free and enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Paris, with the aforementioned Opera as the focal point.

Continuing our stroll through the narrow streets of Paris, admiring, among other things, the statue of Joan of Arc, we arrived at the former royal palace, which is now the most famous museum in the world – the Louvre Museum.

Two days in Paris, the Louvre in Paris is a unique art museum

The Louvre is a unique place that is worth seeing and dedicating even a whole day to. However, due to time constraints, we decided to only view it from the courtyard – of course, completely for free, which still took us over an hour. After a short break, we headed across one of the many beautiful bridges to the other side of the Seine.

Strolling past souvenir and antique stalls and admiring the Seine, we made our way straight to Notre Dame Cathedral.

The extraordinary Gothic cathedral is, in my opinion, one of the four places that, alongside the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and of course, the Eiffel Tower, you must see in Paris. This iconic place is known, among other things, from the novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, and is a temple of exceptional beauty.

Just a kilometre from the cathedral is the Pantheon. A massive building modelled after the Roman Pantheon. Formerly a temple, and for over 130 years, a mausoleum. It is here that one of the most distinguished Polish figures, Maria Skłodowska-Curie, rests. We reached the doors of the Pantheon, but could only admire it from the outside, as it was temporarily closed to tourists.

We ended our first day of exploring Paris by relaxing in the Luxembourg Gardens. There is also an impressive palace there, which has been the seat of the French Senate since 1799. It’s the perfect place to gather your thoughts, where many French people relax. It’s perhaps the most peaceful place in the whole of Paris, and we’ll definitely be back there again.

Two days in Paris, day two in Paris and what we did in the French capital

We started our tour at the Arc de Triomphe. Simply set your sights on the “Charles de Gaulle Étoile” station, and you can easily reach it by metro or RER train. The Arc de Triomphe is also a place you can’t ignore. It was built to honour the soldiers who fought for France in the Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolution.

The Arc de Triomphe stands at 51 meters tall, and inscribed on it are, among other things, the names of Polish cities commemorating Napoleonic victories, as well as the names of Napoleon’s officers, including 7 Poles. You can enter the arch by paying just under 10 euros for a regular ticket.

The Arc de Triomphe stands in the heart of one of the most famous roundabouts in the world; the Place Charles de Gaulle. It’s worth observing how vehicles navigate around it. I’ll also mention the method of parking in the city, known as “parallel parking,” and the large number of motorcycles and scooters on Parisian roads.

After taking some photos in the beautiful sunshine, we hopped on the metro and travelled three stops to find ourselves in the heart of the Champs-Élysées. The Champs-Élysées, as mentioned, is the most important Parisian avenue, connecting the Arc de Triomphe with the Place de la Concorde (Concorde Square).

Walking through the Élysée Garden, we reached the aforementioned Place de la Concorde. At its centre stands an Egyptian obelisk, over 3000 years old, brought here in 1831. Place de la Concorde also has a dark past; once, a guillotine stood here.

Our next brief stop was at two remarkable buildings: the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais. These halls and museums were built for the 1900 World’s Fair. We admired them from the outside and then headed to the nearby Pont Alexandre III.

This bridge is very richly decorated and, in our opinion, is the most beautiful bridge we saw in Paris. We crossed to the other side of the bridge, admiring Les Invalides from afar, and then headed to the nearby metro station to disembark two stops away near the Champ de Mars – the gardens leading to Paris’s biggest tourist attraction.

Two days in Paris, Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower made a gigantic impression on us. Here, opinions may differ; it’s an architectural masterpiece that, on the other hand, doesn’t have much practical use. However, considering the times in which it was built and the meticulousness with which it was constructed, it’s an engineering work of art for me.

We managed to avoid standing in long ticket queues (about 15 minutes), and after purchasing tickets, we waited for the elevator, which first goes to the first (57 m) and second level (115 m). Then, after transferring to the main elevator, you can go up almost to the very top, located on the 3rd level (276 m).

The cost of such a ticket is 17 euros. You can climb to the second floor by stairs, and even Aneta wanted to do it, but my fear of heights kicked in, and I quickly discouraged her from doing so. While the tower itself may be controversial, the view from its highest level is breathtaking.

From the Eiffel Tower, we went, crossing the bridge over the Seine and passing through the tiny Place du Varsovie (Warsaw Square), to the Trocadero Square. It consists of gardens, a viewing platform, a palace, and a fountain. It’s renowned for its beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower. Here, we concluded our exploration of Paris. We returned once again to the vicinity of Notre Dame (to the south of the Cathedral) to buy souvenirs and have a French dinner.

We had plans to visit Pigalle Square with the Moulin Rouge and the summit of Montmartre with the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

Instead, we visited a friendly doctor who really helped Aneta in her fight against tonsillitis. I’ll leave the legends for Michał, who will surely check them out. Paris is the capital of fashion, culture, and love. And for the sake of the latter reason alone, it’s worth visiting.

Paris facts, information, and curiosities from the capital of France

• Remember to book accommodation as close to the attractions that interest you as possible. Sightseeing will be easier and more enjoyable.
• There are over 170 museums in Paris.
• The oldest café in France is located in Paris. This is Le Procope, founded in 1686.
• The first public film screening took place in Paris in 1895.
• Mona Lisa, a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most frequently viewed paintings in the world.

Polish version