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Paris for couples in two days

For a first trip to Paris together, base yourselves near Luxembourg-Montparnasse and give the city two full days. Spend one on the Left Bank and by the river and the other in Montmartre. Choose a museum and an unhurried meal around those walks, and keep a covered alternative for rain.

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Things to do together

Choose one long walk and one indoor visit each day, leaving time to sit down together. The Luxembourg Garden and Montmartre work well for outdoor time. A museum or the covered Galerie Vivienne gives you a way to change plans when it rains.

  • For a relaxed, low-commitment date, walk through the Luxembourg Garden and stop by the Medici Fountain. Garden closing times change through the year, so check the day before going.
  • For a view and a neighbourhood walk, start at Abbesses and climb towards Sacré-Cœur. This is a hill with steps. Choose the museum or arcade option if a climb is unwelcome.
  • For art indoors, choose either the Musée d’Orsay or the Louvre and reserve a timed entry. The Louvre closes on Tuesdays and Orsay on Mondays, so swap your days when needed. Both museums close on 1 May and 25 December. The Louvre also closes on 1 January. Check the date before you book.

Sources: Jardin du Luxembourg: opening hours, Paris and romance: Montmartre and the Left Bank, Galerie Vivienne: visitor information, Hours and admission, Visit the Musée d’Orsay

A two-day Paris itinerary for two

Use the Luxembourg-Montparnasse area around Notre-Dame-des-Champs as your base. This example assumes two full days on the ground. Reverse the days or move the museum if the weekly closing day falls on your visit.

Allow at least two full days for this exact route. With only one full day, keep day 1 and save Montmartre for another visit. On a Monday, swap the closed Orsay for a Louvre visit or the covered gallery after checking their opening times.

  • Start day one at the Luxembourg Garden, then walk north through Saint-Germain towards the Seine. Have lunch before visiting the Musée d’Orsay. Finish with a riverside walk and dinner near your base. Book Orsay on its official ticket site and check its current entrance arrangements.
  • For day two in Montmartre, take Métro 12 from Notre-Dame-des-Champs towards Mairie d’Aubervilliers to Abbesses. Walk uphill towards Sacré-Cœur, then take time for lunch around Abbesses. Return by the same line and choose dinner near your hotel, or reserve a table in Montmartre before travelling back.
  • If rain changes day 2, take line 12 to Madeleine and continue on foot to Galerie Vivienne near the Palais-Royal for a covered stroll, or book a museum visit instead. The stretches between the station, gallery and hotel are outdoors. Check opening times. Cafés and shops have their own hours.

Sources: Jardin du Luxembourg: opening hours, Visit the Musée d’Orsay, Paris and romance: Montmartre and the Left Bank, Metro line 12: map and service updates, Metro line 12 map, Galerie Vivienne: visitor information, Hours and admission

Dinner near the Left Bank base

For a relaxed dinner near the example base, compare two Montparnasse brasseries. Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse at 59 Boulevard du Montparnasse serves a changing menu and does not take reservations. It gives you flexibility, but allow for a possible wait if you have a fixed evening plan.

For an evening with a table arranged in advance, La Rotonde at 105 Boulevard du Montparnasse publishes an à la carte menu and asks guests to reserve by telephone, rather than online. Check the current menu, prices and opening hours with the restaurant. Ask the restaurant to confirm the table and time.

For either choice, check current dishes and allergen or dietary requirements directly. Compare what you both intend to order, including drinks, rather than relying on a per-person estimate.

Sources: Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse: address and reservations, Bouillon Chartier: indicative daily menu, La Rotonde Montparnasse: menu and booking, La Rotonde Montparnasse: contact

Where to stay

For the itinerary above, the Luxembourg-Montparnasse area gives you the garden and Métro 12 as practical anchors. Choose a hotel around Grands Boulevards for the covered passages and Palais-Royal, accepting a different journey back from the Left Bank. Choose the 7th near the Eiffel Tower if being close to the landmark matters more than starting each day by Luxembourg Garden.

Compare the address against your arrival station and final evening plans. A room advertised by hotel name alone does not promise a particular view, balcony or bed configuration.

Sources: Le Six in Luxembourg-Montparnasse, Grands Boulevards Experimental location, Rooms and suites, Metro line 12: map and service updates

Getting around Paris

For the example base, Métro 12 links Notre-Dame-des-Champs with Solférino for the Musée d’Orsay and with Abbesses for Montmartre. Walk the final stretch and check station access and service works for your dates.

  • A Métro-Train-RER ticket covers a rail journey with permitted rail connections. A bus or tram journey uses a different ticket. Do not assume a change between bus and métro is included in the same ticket.
  • If you use Navigo Easy, each of you needs a separate pass to travel together. Check the ticket or pass that fits the actual journeys you intend to make.

Sources: Metro line 12: map and service updates, Metro line 12 map, Visit the Musée d’Orsay, Transport tickets for a Paris stay, Navigo Easy: one pass per traveller

Getting from the airport to the base

From Charles de Gaulle, an RER B train towards central Paris can take you to Luxembourg. Walk from the station to your hotel or arrange the last leg for your luggage and mobility needs. Check that your selected train serves Luxembourg, as works can change the journey.

From Orly, take Métro 14 towards Saint-Denis Pleyel to Madeleine, change to line 12 towards Mairie d’Issy and alight at Notre-Dame-des-Champs. Walk the remaining distance to your hotel. These examples depend on normal service. Check the operator’s route planner and the last connection for your arrival time.

  • For these rail journeys, the Paris Region Airports ticket is one option unless you already hold a suitable pass. It permits rail connections without exiting the network and does not cover buses or trams. Airport and ordinary Métro-Train-RER tickets cannot be stored together on the same Navigo Easy support.
  • Use separate compatible cards or devices for your airport tickets and ordinary rail tickets if you need both on the same day. To load an airport ticket on a card or phone already used for Métro-Train-RER tickets, use up those tickets at least two hours beforehand. To load a city rail ticket after using the airport tickets on the same card or phone, wait more than two hours.

Sources: RER B: map and service updates, Metro line 14: map and service updates, Metro line 12 map, Paris Region Airports ticket and conditions, Conditions for Paris Region Airports rail tickets, Conditions for Métro-Train-RER tickets

Put the route first

Set aside the time and money for the museum or dinner you most want to share. Then confirm the connection from your station or airport and the last stretch to your room. Use the photo guide to choose a stop close to your route.

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