London and Paris in One Trip: The Paris Half

London and Paris are two hours and a quarter apart by Eurostar, from St Pancras to the Gare du Nord, which makes them the easiest two-capital trip in Europe. The question is not whether to combine them but how to split the time. Most first-timers give London the bigger share of a week, and the table further down shows the splits that work. This page explains the split and gives a Paris itinerary designed around the Eurostar.

The Paris half starts at the Gare du Nord. Day 1 is Montmartre, ten minutes from the station, and the Canal Saint-Martin. Day 2 is the island, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Louvre. Day 3 is the Eiffel Tower, a cruise on the Seine and the Musée d'Orsay, finishing in time for an evening train back to London, or for the next leg of your trip.

On this route the arrival day is Day 1: a morning Eurostar from London arrives before lunch and leaves the afternoon free for Montmartre. If your train arrives in the evening, start the three days the next morning. The Louvre closes on Tuesdays and the Orsay on Mondays.

We earn a commission when you book through partner links on this page. It never changes the price you pay. See our affiliate disclosure.

This route at a glance

Tickets to book before you fly

Book the Eurostar first, then the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre around it. Prices for the Paris tickets start at the figures shown, per person.

Arriving at the Gare du Nord

The Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, one of the busiest stations in Europe. Follow the signs for the metro: line 4 runs south to the Île de la Cité and Saint-Germain, line 2 runs west to Montmartre, and the RER B and D run to the center. Taxis wait outside the main entrance; ignore anyone offering a ride inside the station.

If you are staying near Montmartre or the canal, drop your bags at the hotel and start Day 1 straight away. If your hotel is on the Left Bank, take line 4.

• Buy metro tickets at the machines in the station, not from people in the hall.
• Keep an eye on your bags in the station and on the metro platforms.
• Montmartre is two stops from the Gare du Nord on line 2.

Day 1: Montmartre and the Canal Saint-Martin, from the Eurostar

Arrive on a morning Eurostar and have lunch near the hotel. In the early afternoon, ride two stops on line 2 to the foot of Montmartre. The Musée de Montmartre, in the oldest house on the hill, holds the studio where Renoir painted and gardens above the vineyard; it is the best introduction to the village of artists.

Climb to the Sacré-Cœur for the view and walk through the Place du Tertre, then come down by the Place des Abbesses and its Art Nouveau metro entrance.

In the evening, take line 2 east to the Canal Saint-Martin, where iron footbridges cross the water and young Parisians gather in the bars along the quai de Valmy. It is a relaxed first evening, ten minutes from the Gare du Nord.

Stops in order

1. 14:30 · Musée de Montmartre: Renoir's studio and gardens
   12 Rue Cortot, 75018, Paris
2. 16:00 · Sacré-Cœur: basilica free, the view
   Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018, Paris
3. 16:45 · Place du Tertre: painters' square
   Place du Tertre, 75018, Paris
4. 17:30 · Place des Abbesses: the metro entrance
   Place des Abbesses, 75018, Paris
5. 19:30 · Canal Saint-Martin: canal-side bars
   Paris

The numbers for this day

💡 Pro Tip

Take an early Eurostar

The first trains from London arrive in Paris in the late morning. Taking one turns the travel day into a half day in Paris; an afternoon train arrives too late for anything but dinner.

Pro tip by: Alesia Vakula

Travel expert and itinerary planning specialist

If it rains: The museum and the basilica are indoors; the canal bars have covered terraces.

Day 2: Notre-Dame, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Louvre

Spend the morning on the Île de la Cité. Notre-Dame is free to enter; at 10:00, the Sainte-Chapelle opens its upper chapel, fifteen tall windows of medieval glass, and the ticket includes the Conciergerie next door.

Have lunch near the Pont Neuf and enter the Louvre at 13:30 with a guide, who takes you to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory in two hours. After the tour, walk out through the Tuileries for the evening light on the Place de la Concorde.

If you came from London, compare: the Louvre and the British Museum are both former royal collections, but the Louvre was a palace first, and its rooms show it.

Stops in order

1. 9:00 · Notre-Dame Cathedral: free entry
   6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II, 75004, Paris
2. 10:00 · Sainte-Chapelle: with the Conciergerie
   8 Boulevard du Palais, 75001, Paris
3. 12:15 · Pont Neuf: lunch nearby
   Place du Pont-Neuf - Christo et Jeanne-Claude, 75001, Paris
4. 13:30 · Louvre Museum: guided entry
   Pont du Carrousel, 75001, Paris
5. 16:30 · Tuileries Garden: the walk to the Concorde
   113, 75001, Paris

The numbers for this day

💡 Pro Tip

Pay with a card everywhere

Unlike London, Paris still has the odd café that prefers cash for small amounts, but cards are accepted almost everywhere, including contactless on the metro gates with a Navigo Easy card loaded with tickets.

Pro tip by: Alesia Vakula

Travel expert and itinerary planning specialist

If it rains: The three monuments are all under cover, so the day survives bad weather; in the evening, hop on line 1 at the Louvre instead of walking back.

Day 3: The Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise and the Orsay

Day 3 begins on the Trocadéro esplanade and continues up the iron staircase or lift at the first slot. The second floor shows you the whole city, from the Sacré-Cœur of Day 1 to the Louvre of Day 2.

At noon, board a one-hour cruise from the pier at the foot of the tower. It passes the Orsay, the Louvre and the islands, and it is the most restful hour of the three days.

After lunch, take the RER C to the Musée d'Orsay for the Impressionists, then ride line 4 or the RER B back to the Gare du Nord for an evening Eurostar. Check in for the Eurostar well before departure: passport and security checks take time.

Stops in order

1. 9:00 · Trocadéro Gardens: the photograph
   Paris
2. 9:30 · Eiffel Tower: second floor
   5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007, Paris
3. 12:00 · Bateaux Parisiens pier: one-hour cruise
   Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007, Paris
4. 14:30 · Musée d'Orsay: the Impressionists
   1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007, Paris

The numbers for this day

💡 Pro Tip

Leave your bags at the Gare du Nord on Day 3

Check out in the morning and leave your bags at the hotel or a luggage service near the station, so that you can see the tower and the Orsay without a suitcase and collect it on the way to the train.

Pro tip by: Alesia Vakula

Travel expert and itinerary planning specialist

If it rains: A wet Day 3 is easy: the boat deck is glazed, and the afternoon is spent inside the Orsay anyway.

Leaving Paris by Eurostar or plane

For the Eurostar, arrive at the Gare du Nord with plenty of time for passport control and security, which come before boarding. The departure area is upstairs, at the side of the station.

If you fly onward instead, the RER B runs from the Gare du Nord to Charles de Gaulle in about half an hour.

• Allow extra time for Eurostar passport and security checks.
• The RER B links the Gare du Nord with Charles de Gaulle.
• Allow plenty of time for an international flight.

Which day goes where

The 3 days can be swapped around. Use this table to keep every sight off its closing day.

How to split a week between London and Paris

The right split depends on how long you have and which city you are most curious about. The table shows the splits that work for most first-time visitors.

💡 Pro Tip

Fly into one city and out of the other

An open-jaw ticket, into London and out of Paris or the reverse, saves you the return Eurostar and half a day of travel. It is often no more expensive than a return to one city.

Pro tip by: Alesia Vakula

Travel expert and itinerary planning specialist

London first or Paris first?

• London first suits travelers from North America: the time difference is easier to absorb in an English-speaking city.
• Paris first suits travelers who want to end on a quieter note in London, or who fly home from London.
• Avoid Sundays for the Eurostar if you can: trains are busiest on Friday and Sunday evenings.
• Book the Eurostar early: fares rise as the train fills.

Whichever order you choose, the three Paris days above work the same way: they start at the Gare du Nord and end close to it.

More Paris routes

• 3 days in Paris: the classic route, if you start in Paris rather than at the Gare du Nord.
• 4 days in Paris: for the 8-day split.
• One week in Paris: if Paris wins the argument.
• 2 days in Paris: for a very short Paris leg.
• Getting around Paris: metro tickets from the Gare du Nord.
• Montmartre and beyond: staying close to the Eurostar.
• All the 3-day routes, by theme