Museum Pass window: Wed Nov 25 – Sat Nov 28 — 4 consecutive days. Louvre on Wednesday (least crowded weekday, closed Tuesdays). Orsay on Thursday (closed Mondays). Keeps busiest attractions on quietest days.
London
Sun
22
Nov
Arrive
Arrive London Heathrow · 7:10 AM Easy
- Check in to hotel · rest and recover from overnight flight
- Rest and recover from overnight flight · nap if needed
- Afternoon: gentle walk if you feel up to it — Covent Garden or South Bank are easy and low-pressure
- Late afternoon: find a classic pub for an early supper · no rushing
Mon
23
Nov
London
London — one full day Moderate
- Morning: placeholder — add what interests you (National Gallery? Borough Market? A walk along the Thames?)
- Lunch break somewhere you can sit and watch people
- Afternoon: placeholder — keep it light, you're heading to Paris tomorrow
- Dinner near hotel · early night
- Meet up with Mom + Marlene here if timing works
Eurostar → Paris
Mon/Tue
23–24
Nov
Travel
Eurostar · London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord Easy
- Depart St Pancras · arrive Paris ~2.5 hrs later · time TBD once booked
- Check in to apartment from 3 PM · Rue Croix des Petits Champs
- Evening: pick up bread, cheese, and wine from a nearby shop · eat in
- Mandy + Millie arrive today as well
Paris
Tue
24
Nov
Arrive / Wander
Arrival Day · No Plans Easy
- Check in from 3 PM · unpack · breathe
- Wander the Palais Royal gardens — literally outside the front door
- Café Kitsuné · Palais Royal garden
- Stroll toward the Seine if energy allows · no agenda
- Dinner: find a bistro nearby · nothing fancy · people-watch
- Early night
Wed
25
Nov
Pass Day 1 · Montmartre
The Louvre · Early Morning · Montmartre Evening Moderate
- Arrive at opening (9 AM) · head straight for the Mona Lisa before crowds build, then explore at your own pace
- Allow 2.5–3 hrs · don't try to see everything
- Late morning: café break in the Tuileries · sit, rest feet
- Early afternoon: home · nap before evening
- Late afternoon: metro to Abbesses · walk up the hill to Sacré-Cœur · soak in the view over Paris at dusk
- Place du Tertre · artist studios
- Moulin Rouge area · the boulevard and the building are worth seeing without a show
- Dinner in Montmartre · find a quiet side-street bistro · this is the neighborhood for it
- Metro home from Blanche or Pigalle — quick ride back
Thu
26
Nov
Pass Day 2
Musée d'Orsay · Impressionism Easy
- Morning: Musée d'Orsay — Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir · allow 2.5 hrs · the building itself is stunning
- Lunch at the Orsay café · Seine views
- Afternoon: Tuileries garden · Orangerie if energy allows (Monet's Water Lilies · covered by pass · ~45 min)
- Home by 4–5 PM · rest feet
- Evening: pastries from Stohrer or a nearby boulangerie · eat in
Fri
27
Nov
Pass Day 3 · Tower
Easy Day · Eiffel Tower at Dusk Easy
- Morning: slow start · coffee and pastry at home or Télescope · no rush
- Late morning: Sainte-Chapelle (covered by pass · 45 min · stunning stained glass) · on Île de la Cité near Notre-Dame
- Lunch: grab something from Rue Montorgueil · eat outside or take back to the apartment
- Afternoon: nap · rest feet · save energy for the evening
- Dusk (~5 PM): Eiffel Tower · elevator to summit · stay for the 9 PM light show if you're not too tired
- Late dinner near the tower or back in the 1st arr
Sat
28
Nov
Pass Day 4
Fontainebleau Day Trip Moderate
- Train from Gare de Lyon · ~40 min · depart mid-morning
- Château de Fontainebleau · stunning royal apartments · far fewer crowds than Versailles · allow 2 hrs inside
- Lunch in Fontainebleau town
- Short walk in the forest if feet allow · or sit by the château gardens
- Back to Paris by late afternoon
- Dinner in or a nearby bistro
- Alternative: Versailles instead if the group prefers · same train line · longer day
Sun
29
Nov
Day Trip
Bruges Day Trip (Anna + Mandy) Easy
- Early train from Gare du Nord → Brussels → Bruges · arrive ~10 AM · mostly sitting — good rest for the feet
- Wander the medieval canals · Markt Square · chocolate shops · cobbled streets
- Lunch: moules-frites at a canal-side café · Belgian beer if you're up for it
- Christmas Market opens this week · city is lit in the evenings
- Most regular shops closed Sundays · tourist shops, chocolate, and cafés all open · not a shopping day, just a wandering day
- Return train · back in Paris by 8–9 PM
- Light supper at home
Mon
30
Nov
Latin Quarter
Latin Quarter · Le Marais · Last Day Moderate
- Morning: Latin Quarter · wander the medieval streets · Shakespeare & Company · Notre-Dame (free reservation the evening before)
- Lunch: café in the Latin Quarter · croque-monsieur or a crêpe
- Afternoon: Le Marais · Place des Vosges · gallery windows
- Late afternoon: falafel on Rue des Rosiers · legendary · very cheap · eat standing up
- Home by 5–6 PM · pack · early night · checkout at 11 AM tomorrow
- Dinner nearby
✦ Bonus ideas
- Musée de Cluny — medieval art museum · the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are extraordinary · covered by Museum Pass · ~90 min · right in the Latin Quarter
- Père Lachaise Cemetery — Chopin, Édith Piaf, Oscar Wilde · beautiful and atmospheric · metro from the Marais · ~1.5 hrs
Tue
1
Dec
Departure
Checkout · Fly Home Easy
- Apartment checkout by 11 AM
- Coffee and croissant before leaving
- CDG departure: AA 7220 departs 11:30 AM · transfer LHR · arrive SEA 4:55 PM
- CDG is a large airport — allow extra time for the terminal walk