The below route takes you around the big six sights of Paris: Notre Dame, the Louvre Pyramid, the Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur.  It can be done in about 2 hours if you rush, 3 hours comfortably but can take most of the day if you want to enter any of the locations mentioned.

The journey starts in front of Notre Dame where the nearest metro stop is St Michel-Notre Dame (on RER B & RER C) and ends in Montmartre near Anvers (Line 2).  In total you would need 4 metro tickets plus up to 4 extras to cover travel to the start from your hotel/station, the Montmartre funicular and the return to your hotel/station.  It may be better value to buy a Mobilis day card.  Anyway, fasten your seat belts and head to the square in front of Notre Dame:

(1) Start Point: The square in front of Notre Dame

Top Sight Number 1: Start at Point Zero, in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. This is the point where all roads to Paris are measured from and is the heart of the city.  The first settlers lived on the island the cathedral has become the spiritual heart of France.  Sadly, the inside of the cathedral will be closed for some years but the outside is still impressive.

(2) From Notre Dame to the Louvre

From here, with Notre Dame in front of you, turn left down Rue d’Arcole and over Pont d’Arcole.

Pass in front of the Hotel De Ville de Paris – location of many a battle during the revolution and often seen as an alternative political powerhouse to the President.  At the far side of the square, look up Rue du Renard you can see one side of the Centre Pompidou (if you are interested in seeing it closer then it is a 10 minute detour from here). 

Now drop down in to the Metro, taking Line 1 towards La Défense for 2 stops to Louvre Rivoli.  (You could instead walk along the banks of the Seine for about 12 minutes).  Exit the metro using exit 1, cross over the road and walk through the back entrance to the Louvre and the Court Carée.

Top Sight Number 2: You will now come to the Louvre Pyramid, the second of our big 6. If you look out from the Pyramid, heading west, in many ways you see a synthesis of 19^th and 20^th Century France.  From Royalty (the Louvre Palace) to Empire (the Arc de Triomphe du Carousel, the Champs Elysees and the Arc du Triomphe); then from coping with the world wars (the memorial to the unknown soldier under the Arc de Triomphe) to economic growth with the development of business in the 1980s (La Defence and its Grande Arche in the distance).  Ancient to modern France can be seen in a line in front of you.

(4) From the Louvre to the Champs Elysées

With the Pyramid and Louvre behind you turn right towards Rue to Rivoli and the Palais Royal (if you have time the courtyard of the Palais Royal is a fun courtyard, particularly with kids). Go through the arch in the building, turn right along the side of the museum on Rue de Rivoli.

Enter the metro at Palais Royal Musé du Louvre.  Take Line 1 again towards La Défense for 5 stops to George V.  Exit the metro using exit 1.  You have now reached the third of our big 6.

Top Sight Number 3: The Champs Elysées is one of the most famous boulevards in the world. It is rarely frequented by Parisians today but its width, posh shops and collection of cafés make it a destination that most tourists want to visit at least once.

(5) Along the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe

From here, walk west along the Champs Elysées towards our fourth (and very obvious!) visit.

Top Sight Number 4: At the top of the boulevard is the Arc de Triomphe – where all roads in Paris seem to lead to and all the cars congregate. It is impressive and, entering via the metro underpass, it is worth going up the monument as the views are over Paris including the Eiffel Tower.

(6) Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower

You may be in rush to our next visit of the big 6: go underground and take metro line 6 towards Nation for 3 stops and get off at Trocadéro. Exit using exit 1.  Come out of the metro a few metres on the left is a view point.

Top Sight Number 5: It’s been made into countless models and features in nearly every advert for Paris but the Eiffel Tower is impressive when you stand in front of it. Take photos and if you have time, you can walk down to it but it is best if you have booked tickets in advance if you want to actually go up the tower.

(7) Eiffel Tower to the Sacré Coeur

From here it is an easy metro ride to one of the other big sights of Paris: Sacré Coeur and Montmartre. Return to Trocadéro and take line 6 towards Charles de Gaulle – Etoile.  Get off at the end of the line – 3 stops.

Change to line 2 towards Nation for 9 stops.  Get off at Anvers and exit via exit 1.  Cross over the road and head up Rue de Steinkerque.  At Rue Saint Pierre you can either take the furnicular or the stairs to the top.

Top Sight Number 6: The view from Sacré Coeur is impressive and looks out across the city though you can’t actually see the Eiffel Tower from here but you can spot many of the places you have just walked past. The cathedral is only about 100 years old but is impressive in its own way though I find the streets around it a little overfull with tourists.  After one more look at the city you have rushed around, you can either explore Montmartre or return to Anvers to head to your hotel or elsewhere in the city.

(8) The End – or the start of further exploration

And there it is, a little breathless but that has got you around Paris efficiently so you have all the photos you need for your album.  But there’s plenty more out there so check out my travel tips for Paris and guides about where to drink and where to eat.