Must-sees · France · CDG
What to do during a layover in Paris?
A few hours between flights at Charles-de-Gaulle? That is plenty of time for a terrace coffee, a walk along the Seine or a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower. Here are our ten favourite ideas, with exact directions for each.
Before heading into town
First question to ask yourself: how much time do you really have? Between leaving the aircraft, checks, travel and returning to the boarding gate, a six-hour layover quickly becomes three hours of freedom. Our calculator works it out for you.
Plan my layover with LAYOVO01 · Landmark · walk · 50 min–1 hr 5 min from CDG
Notre-Dame and the Île de la Cité
- A quick look
- 20 min–30 minForecourt and quays, without going inside
- Take your time
- 45 min–1 hrInside the cathedral, with a reservation
- Price
- FreeThe towers are visited separately, with a ticket.
For a first encounter with Paris, it is hard to do better. Step off the RER, cross the bridge… and Notre-Dame’s façade appears, gleaming white since its restoration.
You do not need to go inside to enjoy it: walk around along the quays, on the square Jean-XXIII side, to see the apse and the new spire. And if your layover allows, you can visit the cathedral for free.
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront45 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 35 min–40 min → Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
- 5 min
DirectionsTaxi56 € for a drop-off on the right bank, 65 € on the left bank
02 · Neighbourhood · panoramic views · 1 hr–1 hr 15 min from CDG
Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur
- A quick look
- 30 min–45 minForecourt and views over Paris
- Take your time
- 1 hr 30 min–2 hrLanes, place du Tertre and basilica
- Price
- FreeDome and funicular cost extra.
Montmartre is picture-postcard Paris: steps, cobbled streets and, at the very top, a view over the rooftops that will make you forget the flight.
Climb to the Sacré-Cœur forecourt, catch your breath overlooking the city, then wander into the lanes towards place du Tertre if time allows.
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront40 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 29 min–34 min → Gare du Nord
- 2 min → Barbès
- 2 min → Anvers
- 10 min
DirectionsTaxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
03 · Museum · architecture · 1 hr–1 hr 15 min from CDG
The Louvre, outside or inside
- A quick look
- 30 min–45 minPyramid, courtyards and Tuileries
- Take your time
- 2 hr–3 hrA selection of galleries, including security checks
- Price
- 22 € or 32 €France/EEA or non-EEA rate; outdoor areas are free.
Good news: the pyramid, Cour Carrée and gardens can be visited without a ticket. That alone is worth the trip.
Want to go inside? Choose two or three galleries before arriving instead of trying to see everything. The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace… or simply whichever wing catches your eye.
Louvre tickets and guided tourson GetYourGuide
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront45 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 33 min–38 min → Châtelet – Les Halles
- 15 min
DirectionsTaxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
04 · Museum · Impressionists · 1 hr–1 hr 15 min from CDG
The Musée d’Orsay
- A quick look
- 15 min–20 minFaçade and quay, without going inside
- Take your time
- 1 hr 30 min–2 hr 30 minA focused visit to the collections
- Price
- 16 €Online (14 € on site); free admission depending on eligibility.
A former station, an enormous clock and some of the world’s finest Monets, Renoirs and Van Goghs: Orsay is the ideal museum for a layover.
Smaller than the Louvre, it is easy to explore in two hours. Do not miss the view of the Seine through the clock face on the 5th floor.
Orsay tickets and guided tourson GetYourGuide
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront50 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 35 min–40 min → Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
- 2 min → Musée d’Orsay
- 3 min
DirectionsTaxi65 € (left-bank flat fare)
05 · Panoramic views · photography · 1 hr 15 min–1 hr 30 min from CDG
The Eiffel Tower, from Champ-de-Mars to Trocadéro
- A quick look
- 45 min–1 hrChamp-de-Mars, pont d’Iéna and Trocadéro
- Take your time
- 2 hr–3 hrAscent, depending on the ticket and queues
- Price
- Free outside2nd floor: 14,80 € by stairs, 23,50 € by lift; summit 36,70 €.
You do not need to go to the top to have your “Eiffel Tower” moment. Head to Champ-de-Mars, walk beneath the tower, cross pont d’Iéna… and turn around when you reach Trocadéro.
This is where you will get THE photo. And if you really have time to spare, the 2nd floor already offers spectacular views.
Eiffel Tower tickets and tourson GetYourGuide
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront50 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 35 min–40 min → Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
- 8 min → Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel
- 5 min
DirectionsTaxi65 € at the foot of the tower, 56 € at Trocadéro
06 · Sightseeing · on the water · 1 hr 5 min–1 hr 20 min from CDG
A cruise on the Seine
- A quick look
- 20 min–30 minWalk along the quays, without a boat
- Take your time
- 1 hr 30 min–2 hr1 h on board, including the wait for departure
- Price
- 20 €Adult fare with Bateaux-Mouches; occasional online offers.
After hours in a cabin, nothing beats sitting down and watching Paris drift by: the Louvre, Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower… all in an hour, without walking.
Just one rule: once the boat leaves, you cannot cut the trip short. Check the next departure time before committing.
Compare Seine cruiseson GetYourGuide
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront50 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 35 min–40 min → Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
- 6 min → Pont de l’Alma
- 8 min
DirectionsTaxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
07 · Neighbourhood · wandering · 1 hr–1 hr 15 min from CDG
Le Marais and place des Vosges
- A quick look
- 30 minA circuit of place des Vosges
- Take your time
- 1 hr–2 hrWandering through the neighbourhood’s streets
- Price
- FreeCafés and shops cost extra.
Le Marais is all about wandering: historic mansions, designer boutiques and place des Vosges, arguably the most beautiful square in Paris.
Settle beneath the arcades or in the garden at the centre of the square. Here, the pleasure lies in planning nothing except your return time.
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront45 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 33 min–38 min → Châtelet – Les Halles
- 4 min → Saint-Paul
- 7 min
DirectionsTaxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
08 · Dining · a Parisian break · 50 min–1 hr from CDG
A bistro break near Châtelet
- A quick look
- 20 min–30 minA coffee on a terrace
- Take your time
- 1 hr–1 hr 30 minA proper meal, depending on service
- Price
- 20–40 €Per person for a meal; drinks depend on the venue.
What if your layover were simply a proper Parisian lunch? A checked tablecloth, a daily special, a coffee on a terrace: sometimes, that is the best plan of all.
Around Châtelet and Les Halles, choose somewhere a few streets from the RER. This is the most direct stop from CDG, making it the simplest for getting back.
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront45 minBook a ride Taxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
09 · Heritage · outside Paris · 1 hr 5 min–1 hr 20 min from CDG
Saint-Denis Basilica
- A quick look
- 15 min–20 minFaçade and forecourt
- Take your time
- 1 hr–1 hr 30 minRoyal necropolis and stained glass
- Price
- 17 €Necropolis and Fabrique de la flèche; free admission depending on eligibility.
The best-kept secret for CDG layovers. Saint-Denis Basilica houses the tombs of the kings of France beneath Gothic stained glass filled with extraordinary light.
Closer to the airport than central Paris, it is also far less crowded. Ideal if you want a proper visit without the crowds.
Saint-Denis Basilica tourson GetYourGuide
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront25 minBook a ride Public transportTicket €14
- 10 min
- 29 min–34 min → Gare du Nord
- 5 min → Saint-Denis
- 15 min
DirectionsTaxiMetered fare, outside the Paris flat-fare zone
10 · Walk · a quiet break · 50 min–1 hr 5 min from CDG
A walk along Canal Saint-Martin
- A quick look
- 30 minLocks and footbridges
- Take your time
- 1 hr–1 hr 30 minA walk with a coffee break
- Price
- FreeAny refreshments cost extra.
Iron footbridges, locks, plane trees and waterside cafés: Canal Saint-Martin is the Parisians’ Paris.
No ticket, no queue, no itinerary. Walk along quai de Valmy as far as your time allows, then turn back.
How to get there from CDG
Straight to the door, no transfersPickup at CDG and destination prefilled · price shown upfront40 minBook a ride Taxi56 € (right-bank flat fare)
A good habit: leave some breathing room
The best layover is the one that gets you back to the airport relaxed, rather than the one with the most sights. Choose what appeals to you, check traffic before leaving and keep your return time in mind. Paris will still be here next time.
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