A trip to Paris is always a good idea, isn’t it? So, when I heard that my friend and her family were visiting from Poland, I had the perfect excuse to organise another trip to the French capital. With Colmar, Strasbourg and the Schwarzwald also on our itinerary, however, we only had time for one day in Paris. But one day is always better than none.
So, how do you make the most of one day in Paris? My answer is simple: walk.
Our Paris walking itinerary covered around 22 kilometres, taking us from one iconic landmark to the next. I don’t think I need to list them all, we all know the famous sights that make Paris one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Instead, I’ll share why exploring Paris on foot is, in my opinion, the best way to experience it.
Whenever I visit a big city, I always choose to walk. It’s the easiest way to discover hidden streets, beautiful cafés and little corners that most visitors miss. I explored London the same way, as well as Bangkok and many other cities around the world.
Thankfully, France’s high-speed trains make day trips incredibly easy. We caught an early TGV from Strasbourg and arrived at Gare de l’Est at around 8.40 am, just as Paris was beginning to wake up. Naturally, before starting our Paris walking itinerary, we stopped for a proper French coffee. After all, what better way is there to begin one day in Paris?
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Walking around Paris all day with three children isn’t for everyone. But everyone was excited to be there, so we happily took on the challenge. Best of all, not a single person complained.
One day in Paris
After a delicious Parisian coffee, we made our way to the Louvre Museum, the first stop on our Paris walking itinerary. Even though it was still early, the queue to enter had already grown incredibly long. Luckily, we had all agreed to admire the Louvre from the outside. With only one day in Paris, spending hours inside a museum simply wasn’t an option.
After taking our first photos, we continued along the Champs-Élysées towards the magnificent Arc de Triomphe. It’s one of the most touristy walks in Paris, but also one that every visitor should experience at least once.
My last visit to Paris was in 2020, during the pandemic, when the streets were unusually quiet. This time, the city felt completely different. The crowds had returned, cafés buzzed with life, and tourists once again filled the streets. You can read about my previous trip to Paris here: Summer in Paris – enjoying the Parisian lifestyle.
Of course, everyone wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. Even though I’ve admired it many times before, it still leaves me in awe every single time. Did you know it remains the tallest structure in Paris? Not bad for one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
So, let’s keep walking…
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The Paris Walking Itinerary continues…
It was a very hot day, so for the final part of our Paris walking itinerary, we headed towards Notre-Dame through the shaded streets instead of following the river. We may have missed some of the beautiful Seine views, but at least we stayed cool. I lost count of how many litres of water and Coca-Cola we drank that day.
One thing we quickly discovered was that finding a public toilet in a city like Paris isn’t always easy. More than once, we ended up buying an overpriced juice just so we could use the facilities at a café or bistro.
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And so…
It was a big day, our one day in Paris. By the end of it, we were all exhausted from walking the streets of the French capital, but we were also incredibly happy to have experienced so much in just one day. Somehow, though, the kids still had enough energy for one last stop at a playground.
When I asked them what they had enjoyed most about Paris, they all gave the same answer: “The train ride and the Eiffel Tower.”
I think I have to agree.
We did miss one place on our Paris walking itinerary. the beautiful Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Paris is a much bigger city than many people realise, and even after walking more than 22 kilometres, it was simply too far away to fit into our day. As much as I love exploring cities on foot, hopping into a taxi every now and then can help you cover a lot more ground without missing some of the city’s highlights.
In fact, that’s exactly what I did on my next one day in Paris. Read: Springtime in Paris – fun times with my cousins.
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My week with Ania
The day after our one day in Paris, we were all happy to slow down, relax by a local lake and do absolutely nothing, for at least a few hours.
That evening, however, we visited a Notre-Dame that I personally find much more impressive than the one in Paris. We all agreed that the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Strasbourg is simply breathtaking. What an incredible masterpiece of medieval architecture!
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It was a busy week with my friend Ania and her family, but it was absolutely wonderful. Ania is my oldest friend from childhood. We were just nine years old when my parents moved from Poland to Germany, leaving her behind.
It meant so much to have them here and to show them this beautiful part of Europe. I already can’t wait for their next visit—and perhaps another one day in Paris. Or maybe even two? After all, there is still so much more to discover in this beautiful city.
À bientôt!
(post 181)
