We took a chance.
We had a work trip in Florence, Italy, and were prepared to book flights back to JFK the day it was over—until something caught our eye: a flight with a 24-hour layover in Paris.
We knew it would be rough. It would be a challenge, and we knew people would probably call us crazy. But before I could really think it through, that flight was booked.
I had previously been to Paris, so I was feeling optimistic about what the itinerary could look like. My main goal was to see something new and experience a different side of the city.
With only 24 hours in Paris, we had to be intentional about how we spent them. I wasn’t trying to squeeze every landmark into a single day or race across the city just to say we’d seen it all. Instead, I wanted to revisit a few places I’d missed on my previous trip, wander through neighborhoods that felt a little more local, and experience Paris without constantly checking the time.
And somehow, one day felt like enough.
Our Paris Itinerary at a Glance
Our schedule shifted a little throughout the day, but this was roughly how we spent our 24-hour layover in Paris:
8:00 AM: Plane lands at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
10:00 AM: Drop off bags at the hotel. They stored our bags for us with no fee before we checked in!
10:15 AM: Explore Luxembourg Gardens
10:50 AM: Visit Notre-Dame
12:00 PM: Sainte-Chapelle
After Sainte-Chapelle: Crêpe break
Early afternoon: Wander through the Latin Quarter
3:00 PM: Make our way to Palais Garnier by Metro
4:00 PM: Metro toward the Champs-Élysées
5:00 PM: Eiffel Tower photo stops
6:00 PM: Sunset cruise along the Seine
7:00 PM: See the Eiffel Tower sparkle
8:00 PM: Explore Montmartre’s streets
8:30 PM: Dinner in Montmartre
10:00 PM: Head back to the hotel before our 8:00 AM flight
The next day…
5:00 AM: Grab a cab to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Can You Really See Paris in 24 Hours?
Yes.
To me, seeing a city isn’t about checking every landmark off a list. It’s about getting a feel for its rhythm, noticing the little moments, and leaving with a sense of what makes that place feel like itself.
You certainly can’t see everything Paris has to offer in one day, but with a little planning, you can experience more than you might expect.
Know Before Your Paris Layover
Length of layover: 24 hours
Airport: CDG
Where we stayed: Welcome Hotel
Getting around: Walking, Metro, taxis, and Uber
Best advice: Book Sainte-Chapelle in advance, we lost about an hour waiting in line
Total cost: About $358 per person, excluding airfare
Our travel style: Fast-paced, but with enough time to wander, eat, and actually enjoy Paris
Is a 24-hour Paris layover worth it? For us, absolutely. You won’t see everything, but with a well-planned route, you can experience several of Paris’s most iconic sights, explore a few neighborhoods, eat very well, and still have time for some spontaneous wandering.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Welcome Hotel in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. We were walking distance to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Latin Quarter, Sistine Chapel, and many picturesque shops.
My friend and I split a room, which came out to around $130 each (around 115 euros). Paris is expensive, so we did the best we could. Visiting in February, away from Valentine’s Day, also helped with pricing.
Could we have stayed somewhere cheaper? Absolutely. But with only 24 hours, location mattered. We didn’t want to save money on the hotel only to spend more time and money getting everywhere else.
Learn More For Your Trip
Getting Around Paris
Our day got off to a less-than-perfect start when our checked bags didn’t appear after landing. We were coming from a work trip, so traveling with carry-ons only wasn’t really an option.
After about 45 minutes of waiting, our luggage finally arrived.
With time already ticking, we grabbed a cab to the hotel. It came out to roughly $35 each (around 31 euros), and we did the same for our early-morning return to the airport.
It wasn’t cheap, but with such limited time in Paris, the time saved was worth it. We had planned to take public transportation (RER B suburban train) at least one way, but timing was not in our favor. The train runs every 10 minutes and takes about 40 minutes to get to the station by Notre-Dame. It’s around $16 USD (14 euros) one way. However, to avoid running across the airport and train delays, we opted for the cab.
For the rest of the day, we relied mostly on our feet and the Metro. With only two rides planned for the Metro (to Palais Garnier from the Latin Quarter and then to the Champs-Élysées), buying individual tickets made more sense for us than investing in a day pass. To understand the math, the individual ticket is $2.86 (2.55 euros). The Metro pass ranges from $13.80 (12.30 euros) to $36.35 (32.40 euros) depending on if you get the day pass or the week pass. Therefore, we choose the most budget-friendly option.
A Quiet Start in Luxembourg Gardens
After grabbing pastries and hot chocolate at Café de Flore, we walked to Luxembourg Gardens, digging into croissants and strawberry tarts as we hustled. The pastries were flavorful, huge, and cured my sweet tooth. However, considering how much popularity this shop has picked up, I’m sure we could have found a cheaper option. We each paid $13 (about 11 euros).
Even on an early February morning, the gardens were full of life: Parisian runners making their rounds, bundled-up locals reading on benches, and people simply enjoying the crisp morning air.
Yet there was still a quietness to it all.
Without the crowds we’d encounter elsewhere in Paris, we could slow down, wander the paths, and take in a more everyday side of the city.
Revisiting the Paris I Missed
Notre-Dame Cathedral
We didn’t have time to spend hours inside museums, so we were strategic about our sightseeing.
Notre-Dame had been closed during my previous trip to Paris due to construction from the fire in 2019. Therefore, this time, it was high on my list. From Luxembourg Gardens, we were close enough to walk. It was just under 10 minutes at our pace.
We practically ran to the entrance, hoping to beat the crowds.. We did not.
Luckily, admission to the cathedral is free, and once we stepped inside, I was glad we had waited. Looking up at the restored stonework and stained glass—and seeing the excitement on visitors’ faces—made finally experiencing it feel even more special.
Is Sainte-Chapelle Worth It?
From the Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle was only a short walk away.
I had regretted skipping it on my first trip, when my budget-traveler mindset convinced me the admission price wasn’t worth it. This time, I paid the $25 (about 22 euros). We had not booked tickets in advance, so we were stuck in a long line. Even in early February, we waited about an hour.
If I were doing this itinerary again, I would absolutely book Sainte-Chapelle in advance. When you only have 24 hours in Paris, an hour spent waiting in line makes a difference.
Once inside, stained glass glowed in nearly every direction, stretching toward the ceiling as sunlight poured through each panel. Photos and videos simply don’t capture how luminous it feels in person.
Would I pay to see it again? Probably not. But am I happy I experienced it once? Absolutely.
I think everyone should experience Saint-Chapelle once in their lives – it truly is stunning. But it is not the type of attraction that requires a second visit.
Later, after exploring the Latin Quarter, we stopped at Palais Garnier. Instead of committing hours to an art museum, we could step inside, admire the gilded details and painted ceilings, and then head right back into the city.
For a quick 30-minute stop and about a $12 ticket (about 11 euros), it delivered the perfect dose of Parisian opulence. However, if you are spending more than 24 hours, this is a place that may be worth skipping if you have time to experience other art museums.
A Quick Stop at Palais Garnier
Later, after exploring the Latin Quarter, we stopped at Palais Garnier. Instead of committing hours to an art museum, we could step inside, admire the gilded details and painted ceilings, and then head right back into the city.
For a quick 30-minute stop and about a $12 ticket (about 11 euros), it delivered the perfect dose of Parisian opulence. However, if you are spending more than 24 hours, this is a place that may be worth skipping if you have time to experience other art museums.
Book a Tour
Getting Lost in the Latin Quarter
Paris is huge compared to many of the smaller European cities I’ve visited. Even on my first three-day trip, I felt like I was constantly running around.
After Sainte-Chapelle, we had worked up an appetite and headed for crêpes at La Crêperie. We shared a ham, egg, and cheese crêpe—perfect on a chilly day—and, of course, a classic Nutella and strawberry one. Our crêpes came out to about 13 dollars each (about 12 euros).
Then we gave ourselves time to simply wander.
We spent a lovely amount of time in the Latin Quarter, popping into boutiques, browsing the open-air bouquinistes along the Seine, and admiring the old-world Parisian architecture.
The neighborhood was busy, but it never felt overwhelmingly touristy. It had the energy of a city simply going about its day—people rushing to work, meeting friends, carrying groceries, and slipping into wine bars.
There was movement everywhere, but it felt lived-in.
For a little while, I even felt like I was blending in.
The Eiffel Tower at Its Most Magical
Seeing the Eiffel Tower shimmer against the night sky will never get old.
Before our Seine cruise, we wandered around searching for different views of the tower—from the Champs-Élysées, grand avenues, and quieter side streets. We took our time capturing plenty of photos and admiring its grand beauty.
Budget photo tip: A €2 baguette makes a surprisingly good Parisian photo prop.
Our evening cruise along the Seine, which cost about $20 per person (18 euros/person) was a highlight. We had arrived just 15 minutes early at the Port de la Bourdonnais.
Our cruise carried us past some of Paris’ most recognizable sights, but I found myself just as captivated by the quieter scenes along the riverbanks. Locals sat with books, couples wandered along the water, and friends gathered for picnics with bottles of wine between them.
Watching Paris settle into its evening felt like a glimpse into everyday life.
As our cruise was coming to an end, suddenly everyone around us started moving.
Almost our entire boat rushed to the top deck just in time to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at 7:00 PM.
For a few minutes, everything seemed to stop. Thousands of lights flickered against the dark sky, reflecting off the Seine as we watched from the water.
I lowered my phone so I could just stand there and admire.
Montmartre: A Different Side of Paris
There’s something romantic about simply wandering through this neighborhood.
It feels like a completely different Paris from the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower. Its tiny shops, hilly roads, and noisy restaurants make Montmartre feel like the perfect real-life movie set.
We really wanted to make it to this quaint section of Paris, so we made the trek.
To save time, we decided to Uber to Montmartre and back to the hotel. The Ubers were approximately $40 each (around 35 euros) for one way. The total of both Ubers came out to $80 (71 euros). Had we thought about this more, we may have taken the Metro, but it was what made sense in the moment.
We found ourselves popping into any small shops that were still open, browsing postcards, wine, and trinkets as we made our way through the neighborhood.
Seeing the colorful buildings under the dim streetlights and passing couples who were slightly tipsy on wine felt so French in the best possible way. We walked past the Sacré-Cœur and couldn’t help but laugh when we had to shine our phone lights to get a glimpse of it.
At this point, our stomachs were growling, so we settled on Bouillon Pigalle for dinner.
After spending the entire day on our feet, we each ordered a glass of white wine and a creamy French onion soup. We also shared escargots in a buttery sauce before finishing with a giant chocolate mousse for dessert.
The meal came out to about $15 each (13 euros each)—a surprisingly inexpensive end to a very full day.
Know Before You Go
- Paris is huge. If you only have 24 hours, don’t expect to see everything. Pick a few priorities and leave room to actually enjoy them.
- Budget a little more than you think you’ll need. Paris can get expensive quickly, especially once you add transportation, attractions, cafés, and last-minute convenience costs.
- Eat away from the Eiffel Tower. Restaurants right around major tourist attractions tend to be more expensive, so walking a few blocks farther can usually mean better value and a more local experience.
- Don’t let cold or gloomy weather ruin the day. Cooler weather can mean fewer crowds and make some of Paris’s busiest streets much more enjoyable to explore.
- Make an effort with local etiquette. A simple “bonjour,” “merci,” and polite greeting when entering shops or restaurants can go a long way.
- Don’t skip the Eiffel Tower just because someone calls it overrated. I’ve seen it twice, and watching it light up over Paris still feels pretty magical.
What We Didn’t Try to See
With only one day in Paris, something had to give. We skipped:
- The Louvre
- The inside of the Eiffel Tower
- Musée d’Orsay
- The Paris Catacombs
- A Moulin Rouge show
- The Palace of Versailles
Rather than spending hours inside one museum or attraction, we focused on experiences that allowed us to keep moving: exploring different neighborhoods, trying Parisian bites, finding landmarks we had missed before, and spending as much time as possible out in the city.
Between my two Paris trips, I haven’t seen the Musée d’Orsay, Paris Catacombs, or attended a Moulin Rouge show. These are all experiences I’ll save for my third trip!
However, the Palace of Versailles, going up the Eiffel Tower, and exploring the Louvre – I’ve done those. And while I’d love to see the inside of the Louvre a second time, it didn’t make sense to spend 3-4 hours in each of these attractions. We kept the trip practical.
If any of those attractions are at the top of your personal Paris bucket list, your 24-hour itinerary may look completely different—and that’s okay.
How Much Our 24-Hour Paris Layover Cost
Our approximate cost per person was:
Flights: Covered by work
Hotel: Welcome Hotel = $130 (115 euros)/person
Transportation (Ubers, Metro, and cabs): Airport cabs ($70) + two Ubers ($40) + Metro ($6) = $116 (103 euros)/person
Attractions: Sainte-Chapelle ($25) + Palais Garnier ($12) + Seine River cruise ($20) = $57 (51 euros)/person
Food: Café de Flore + La Crêperie + baguette + Bouillon Pigalle = $43 (38 euros)/person
Total cost: $346 (€307) per person, excluding flights.
Keep in mind that our flights were covered by work and we split the cost of our hotel room. Your total could vary significantly depending on where you stay, how you get around, and which attractions you choose to visit.
Would I Do This Again?
Absolutely.
If you’re already traveling, take the opportunity to see somewhere new whenever you can, even if it means sacrificing sleep and spending the day on your feet.
A 24-hour layover in Paris will put your mind and body to the test. You’ll be tired. You’ll probably walk more than you planned. And you won’t have time to see everything.
But that’s also part of the fun.
Twenty-four hours was enough time for me to really feel the essence of Paris.
I’d call that a layover well spent.
–Sarah Klepack
