Join Us in France Travel Podcast · Annie Sargent

One Day in Paris: How to See the Best of the City in 24 Hours, Episode 583

·58 min·3 clips

Rick says he finished the day with pastries, Bertillon ice cream, and a Seine boat ride from the Eiffel Tower.

1. Join Us in France Travel Podcast episode 583 centers on Rick McGurk's one-day Paris itinerary during a May 2024 business trip. 2. Annie Sargent hosts Rick McGurk, a repeat Paris visitor on his eighth trip, because he brings a tested short-stay route through the city. 3. The episode asks what can be done in Paris with limited time and how to avoid wasting a short layover or extra day. 4. Rick says he extended a Thursday business trip by one day, stayed Friday, and flew home Saturday instead of leaving after meetings ended around 4 p.m. 5. He and a colleague in the 16th arrondissement started with an Uber to Luxembourg Gardens, then walked to Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and Saint-Michel. 6. Rick describes Notre Dame as still scaffolded in May 2024 and notes that the construction displays made the renovations interesting to see. 7. He says Sainte-Chapelle had a long line near sunset, so he skipped it and kept moving. 8. Annie points out nearby options such as Shakespeare and Company, the Conciergerie, and the Arc de Triomphe for late hours. 9. Rick says the next day began at the Trocadéro with a croissant and a plan to use a hop-on-hop-off bus. 10. That plan failed because Paris traffic was brutal during Olympic preparation, with repeated stops of 25 to 30 minutes. 11. After abandoning the bus, he walked around the Louvre courtyard, Notre Dame, and Saint-Germain, then stopped for lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais. 12. He later bought pastries and sat at Square du Vert-Galant under the willow tree on Île de la Cité. 13. Rick then wandered through the Marais, passed the Hôtel de Ville, crossed to Île Saint-Louis, and stopped for Bertillon ice cream. 14. He made a 45-minute walk to the Musée de Rodin, where he found no crowd, no line, and time to sit in the garden café. 15. From there, he walked past Les Invalides, took a one-hour river boat tour from the Eiffel Tower, and bought a glass of white wine on board. 16. By the end of the day, Rick says he had logged over 32,000 steps and still reached the 16th for dinner at Brasserie Le Kleber and a final crepe stop. 17. Annie and Rick keep the tone practical, with route planning, timing, and transport choices taking precedence over storytelling flourishes. 18. The format alternates between Rick's itinerary and Annie's real-time corrections on Saint-Sulpice, the Orangerie, taxis, and layover strategy. 19. Listeners who like efficient Paris planning, walking routes, and museum shortcuts. 20. People wanting a relaxed overview or no interest in transit logistics.

As heard by us

A tight Paris day built around the Orangerie, a Seine walk, and a late brasserie in the 16th.

A Paris day with a clock on it stays grounded in what can realistically fit. Annie Sargent and Rick McGurk move through the Orangerie, a walk along the Seine, and a late brasserie finish in the 16th, so the day has a clear shape without pretending to do more than it can.

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Need a Paris day that actually fits into 24 hours?

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