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Île-de-France, France

Paris Travel Guide

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre and Versailles — a 4-day route that pairs the City of Light's classics with its neighbourhood spirit.

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Currency

EUR €

Visa

A Schengen visa is required for many non-EU nationalities (ETIAS planned). Check your passport's specific requirements.

Best Season

April–June and September–October

Airport

CDG

Frames from the City

01Sample Itinerary

How to spend 4 days in Paris

Day 1

The Left Bank & the Eiffel Tower

🌅
Eiffel Tower
view
Buy your ticket online; late afternoon is ideal for the sunset illumination and photos from Trocadéro.
🌳
Champ de Mars
park
The lawn at the foot of the tower — the classic picnic spot with a full Eiffel view.
🎨
Musée d'Orsay
museum
Impressionist masterpieces (Monet, Van Gogh) in a former railway station; less crowded than the Louvre.
🏘️
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
neighbourhood
Historic cafés (Les Deux Magots) and bookshops; bistros for dinner.

Day 2

The Louvre & the historic centre

🎨
The Louvre
museum
Buy a timed-entry ticket online; seeing it all in one day is impossible, so pick your priorities. Closed Tuesdays.
🌳
Tuileries Garden
park
The classic French garden stretching from the Louvre to Concorde.
⛪
Île de la Cité & Notre-Dame
church
The cathedral reopened in 2024; nearby, the stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle.
🏘️
Le Marais
neighbourhood
Narrow streets, boutiques, falafel (Rue des Rosiers) and Place des Vosges.

Day 3

Montmartre & the north

⛪
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
church
A free panorama over Paris from the hilltop; go up by funicular or the stairs.
⛲
Place du Tertre
square
The painters' square — touristy, but the soul of Montmartre.
🏘️
Montmartre back streets
neighbourhood
Quiet lanes, the vineyard (Clos Montmartre) and the Amélie cafés.
🏛️
Opéra Garnier
history
A sumptuous interior and grand staircase; the area around it (the Galeries Lafayette dome) is free.

Day 4

Versailles & the grand boulevards

🏛️
Palace of Versailles
history
~40 min on the RER C; buy your ticket online for the Hall of Mirrors. Closed Mondays.
🌳
Gardens of Versailles
park
Vast gardens; musical fountain days, with bikes and boats to rent.
⛲
Champs-Élysées & the Arc de Triomphe
square
On the way back; a boulevard view from the arch's terrace.
🌅
Evening walk along the Seine
view
Pont Alexandre III and the illuminated Eiffel; an optional boat tour.

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02Budget

How much does a trip to Paris cost per person?

Economy01

€55–85/day (hostels outside Paris, boulangerie, free parks)

Mid-range02

Do you need a visa?

France: A Schengen visa is required for many non-EU nationalities (ETIAS planned). Check your passport's specific requirements..

Visa and transit rules can change; confirm the official consulate information before you travel.

Season

When to go?

April–June and September–October (mild weather, fewer crowds).

Regional identity runs deep: bouchons in Lyon (charcuterie boards, quenelle), ratatouille and bouillabaisse in Provence, cassoulet and duck in Bordeaux, Calvados and Camembert in Normandy. Dinner is 7:30–9:30pm, and small restaurants close between 2 and 7pm. Breakfast at the boulangerie (croissant + café) is standard, and apéritif culture starts around 6pm.

Turkish passport

France with a Turkish passport: visa & transit status

Visa status

A Schengen visa is required for many non-EU nationalities (ETIAS planned). Check your passport's specific requirements.. Official source for the current visa regime applied to Turkish citizens: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Transit / connection

An airport transit visa (ATV) may be needed via Schengen.

Some Schengen countries (Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain…) require Turkish citizens to hold an airport transit visa (type A / ATV) when connecting to a destination OUTSIDE Schengen.

Exemption: A valid Schengen visa (in some countries a valid US/Canada visa or residence permit) exempts you from the ATV. If your destination is itself in Schengen you will already hold a Schengen visa, so this connection is not a problem.

Official source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Last updated: September 2026. Visa and transit rules can change — before you apply or buy a ticket, confirm on mfa.gov.tr and with the relevant consulate.

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03Getting There

Airport

CDG

How to get to Paris

International flights typically connect via IST.

The TGV (SNCF) is Europe's best high-speed rail network — Paris–Lyon 2h, Paris–Marseille 3h, Paris–Bordeaux 2h. Within cities, the Paris metro is extensive (zones 1–5, Navigo card). The Côte d'Azur coast is linked by train (Nice–Monaco–Cannes). Renting a car makes sense for the Loire and Provence. The Eurostar runs from London, the Thalys from Brussels/Amsterdam.

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04Practical Tips

01
Book Louvre and Eiffel Tower tickets online at least a month ahead; in summer you'll otherwise queue for hours.
02
On the Paris metro use a Navigo Easy card (far cheaper than single tourist tickets).
03
Museums are usually closed on Monday or Tuesday (it varies by site).
04
If the bill says service compris (service included), tipping isn't required; small rounding is enough.
05
Versailles is very crowded in summer — go at the 09:00 opening or after 3pm.
06
Check the tide times for Mont Saint-Michel in advance (mont-saint-michel.com).

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