Curated by EZYaan · 5 days · 17 places
Paris in 5 Days: Romantic Itinerary for Indian Couples & First-Timers
Paris is every Indian couple's bucket-list city — and it is easier for vegetarians than its reputation suggests. This 5-day plan covers the Eiffel Tower at sunset, a Seine cruise, the Louvre and Orsay, the Palace of Versailles and Montmartre, at a pace that leaves time for cafés and evening walks. It includes pure-veg and Jain-friendly restaurants near Gare du Nord, Schengen visa advice for Indians and the money and timing tricks Parisians use.
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- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Best time
- Apr – Jun, Sep – Oct
- Budget
- ₹1.3L – 2L per person
- Visa
- Schengen visa required
Day by day
Paris itinerary: day by day
A realistic pace with travel times built in — open the interactive trip for maps, photos and directions.
7th arrondissement
Lifts take you up the Eiffel Tower; the Trocadéro walk and the evening cruise are relaxed.
Eiffel Tower
The iron icon of Paris, with views from three levels.
Heads up: Book timed tickets online, especially for the summit
Trocadéro Gardens
Terraced gardens with the classic view of the Eiffel Tower.
Seine evening river cruise
Cruise past illuminated landmarks along the Seine.
1st arrondissement
Two major museums and a walk up the Champs-Élysées; 284 steps to the Arc's roof (lift for those who need it).
Louvre Museum
The world’s largest art museum, home of the Mona Lisa.
Heads up: Closed on Tuesdays; timed tickets must be booked online
Tuileries Garden
Elegant formal gardens between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde.
Musée d’Orsay
Impressionist masterpieces inside a grand former railway station.
Heads up: Closed on Mondays
Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées
Napoleon’s triumphal arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées.
Versailles
Versailles' palace and huge gardens — rent a golf cart or take the little train.
Palace of Versailles
The dazzling royal palace of Louis XIV and its vast gardens.
Heads up: Closed on Mondays; book a timed palace entry
Le Marais
Historic quarter of mansions, boutiques and Paris’s best falafel.
Montmartre
Montmartre is hilly; take the funicular up to Sacré-Cœur.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
Gleaming white basilica crowning the hill of Montmartre.
Heads up: Watch out for “friendship bracelet” sellers at the base of the steps
Place du Tertre
Artists’ square in the heart of village-like Montmartre.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Iconic department store under a spectacular stained-glass dome.
Palais Garnier (Opéra)
Opulent 19th-century opera house that inspired The Phantom of the Opera.
Moulin Rouge
The world’s most famous cabaret beneath its red windmill.
Heads up: Book ahead; minimum age 6, smart dress
Île de la Cité
Short walks between Île de la Cité sights and the Luxembourg Gardens.
Notre-Dame de Paris
The great Gothic cathedral, beautifully restored and reopened.
Sainte-Chapelle
A jewel-box chapel with walls made almost entirely of stained glass.
Heads up: Timed tickets; security queues can be long
Luxembourg Gardens
Beloved Left Bank gardens around the Luxembourg Palace.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Paris
Days 1 – 5
Near the Eiffel Tower
Our pick: Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel
Vegetarian & Jain food
Vegetarian & Jain food in Paris
Paris's "Little India" around Gare du Nord and La Chapelle has pure-veg South Indian restaurants; Le Marais has excellent French vegetarian and vegan food.
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis (near Gare du Nord)
Saravanaa BhavanJain food
Pure-veg South Indian food with Jain dishes marked on the menu.
Rue Cail, La Chapelle
Krishna Bhavan
Long-running, budget-friendly pure-veg South Indian restaurant in Little India.
Le Marais
Le Potager du Marais
Vegan French bistro — try classic French dishes made fully plant-based.
How to ask: Say "Je suis végétarien(ne), sans viande, sans poisson, sans œuf" (I am vegetarian — no meat, fish or egg). At Indian restaurants say "Jain".
Before you fly
Visa, flights & money: Paris from India
Visa for Indians
Schengen visa via VFS Global for France: confirmed hotels, flights, insurance (€30,000+ cover), bank statements and ITRs. Book the earliest appointment you can for summer.
Flights from India
Air France and Air India fly direct from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to Paris CDG (about 9–10 hours).
Money & payments
Currency is the euro (EUR, about ₹95). Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; small bakeries may have card minimums, so carry a few euros.
SIM, eSIM & apps
Buy a Europe eSIM before you fly or an Orange/SFR/Bouygues SIM in Paris. The RATP and Bonjour RATP apps show metro routes and tickets.
Plugs & power
Type E/C sockets, 230V. Slim two-pin plugs fit; thick Indian three-pin plugs need an adapter.
Time difference
France is 3 hours 30 minutes behind India in summer (4 hours 30 minutes in winter).
Visa and entry rules change. Always confirm on the official embassy or government website before you book.
Costs and month-by-month timing: read our Paris travel guide
Insider tips
Paris insider tips: money savers, local secrets & what to avoid
Save money
Free museums on the first Sunday
Many Paris museums, including the Musée d'Orsay, are free on the first Sunday of the month (reservations may still be needed).
Save money
Buy a Navigo Easy card
Load metro tickets onto a Navigo Easy card instead of paper tickets, or use the Bonjour RATP app on your phone.
Save money
Tax refund on shopping
Spend over €100 in one store on the same day and ask for a détaxe form; validate it at the airport PABLO kiosks before check-in.
Local secret
Say "Bonjour" first
Always greet shopkeepers and waiters with "Bonjour" before asking anything — it makes a real difference to service.
Local secret
The Eiffel Tower sparkles on the hour
After dark the tower sparkles for 5 minutes every hour — the Trocadéro or Pont de Bir-Hakeim are the best free viewpoints.
Best timing
Louvre at opening, not on Tuesdays
The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. Book the 9 AM slot and head straight to the Mona Lisa before the crowds.
Best timing
Versailles is closed on Mondays
Tuesday is its busiest day. Go on a Wednesday or Thursday morning and visit the gardens last.
Avoid this
Friendship bracelets and petitions
At Sacré-Cœur and near the Eiffel Tower, people tie "free" bracelets or ask you to sign petitions, then demand money. Keep walking.
Avoid this
Pickpockets on Metro Line 1
Line 1 and the RER to Versailles are pickpocket hotspots. Use a cross-body bag and keep phones out of back pockets.
FAQs
Paris trip FAQs for Indian travellers
How do Indians get a visa for Paris?
Indians need a Schengen visa applied through VFS Global for France, with bookings, bank statements, ITRs and travel insurance (minimum €30,000). Apply 2–3 months ahead for summer travel when appointments fill fast.
How much does a 5-day Paris trip cost from India?
Roughly ₹1.3–2 lakh per person excluding flights, covering a central hotel, museum and Eiffel Tower tickets, Versailles and a river cruise. Return flights from Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru usually cost ₹50,000–90,000.
Where can vegetarians and Jains eat in Paris?
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and Rue Cail near Gare du Nord ("Little India") have pure-veg South Indian restaurants such as Saravanaa Bhavan, which marks Jain dishes. Le Marais has French vegetarian and vegan bistros.
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
If you visit the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe and Sainte-Chapelle in a few days, yes. You still need to reserve time slots for the Louvre and Versailles.
When is the best time to visit Paris?
April to June and September to October bring mild weather and gardens in bloom. July and August are busy and some small restaurants close for holidays.
Interactive trip
Make this Paris trip yours
See every stop on the map with photos, hotels and travel times — then add it to your trips and change anything.
Open the interactive tripTravel guide
Paris: cost, visa & best time
Budgets in ₹ for every style, the best months to go and what Indians need before flying.
Read the guide