Paris, October 12–16, 2026 — a relaxed plan for two within €1,800 The budget works if you secure a room for no more than €900 total, including tourist tax. This plan gives Musée d’Orsay the most time, adds architecture and a second free art museum, and leaves afternoons open for cafés and rest. Assumptions: private double room with an en-suite bathroom; standard adult admission; simple breakfasts and lunches; moderate alcohol spending. All times are Paris local time. Official information was checked on September 12, 2026; hotel availability and restaurant tables are not confirmed. 1. Trip overview Suggested accommodation areas: Area Why it fits Trade-off Port-Royal / southern Luxembourg Best overall fit: garden access, neighborhood cafés and direct RER B airport connection Some attractions require a short bus or metro journey Denfert-Rochereau / eastern Montparnasse Useful alternative when comparing room prices; direct airport train Farther from the Seine Odéon / Saint-Germain Convenient for Orsay and central exploring Choose only if the total hotel price fits the cap The itinerary assumes a hotel within about 5–10 minutes of Port-Royal station. Request a quiet room and confirm luggage storage. Transport: buy one Navigo Weekly Pass, zones 1–5, per person. Your dates fall within the same Monday–Sunday week. At €32.40 each, it covers the CDG RER B journeys plus metro, buses and other covered local transport. Use compatible individual phones or €5 Navigo Découverte cards; the weekly pass cannot be loaded onto Navigo Easy. Official weekly pass, Découverte card. Plan seated breaks every 45–60 minutes. Walking estimates below include museum galleries and station approaches; airport walking is less predictable. 2. Daily itinerary Monday, October 12 — arrival and Luxembourg Garden Priority: settle in. Estimated city walking: 2–3 km, plus airport walking. Morning: arrive at CDG at 11:00. Allow roughly 90–120 minutes for immigration, baggage and finding transport; actual processing can vary. Afternoon: take RER B toward Paris, leaving at Port-Royal. Allow approximately 75–90 minutes from the airport arrivals area to your hotel, including waiting and terminal access. A hotel arrival around 14:00–15:00 is a planning estimate. Have a late lunch, check in when permitted, and rest for an hour. Around 16:30: visit Luxembourg Garden for 45–60 minutes, using the chairs for a proper seated pause. Published garden hours for October 1–15 are 07:45–18:45. Official garden hours. Evening: an easy neighborhood dinner around 18:30–19:00, followed by an early night. Optional: a brief café stop on the way back. If arrival runs late, move the garden to Friday. RER B normally runs frequently during the day, but terminal access adds time: Terminal 1 requires CDGVAL, while Terminal 3 involves a walk from Roissypôle. Official airport connections. Tuesday, October 13 — Musée d’Orsay Priority: Impressionist art and the museum’s architecture. Estimated walking: 3.5–5 km. Morning: breakfast around 08:30. Allow 30–40 minutes by public transport from the hotel area, including walking. Aim for a 10:00 timed admission. 10:00–12:45: explore Orsay at an unhurried pace. Prioritize the Impressionist galleries and the central sculpture hall, with a seated break between them. Choose a few rooms you most want to see instead of trying to complete the museum. Afternoon: lunch nearby for an hour. If you feel fresh, take a 20–30-minute riverside stroll near the museum. Return to the hotel by approximately 15:00–15:30 for downtime. Evening: casual dinner close to your accommodation. Optional: extend the riverside stroll toward Pont Royal, keeping it short. Orsay opens Tuesday 09:30–18:00 and closes Mondays. Standard timed admission is currently €16 per adult; advance online booking is recommended. Reception-area renovations are underway, so check the entrance instructions before visiting. Official visit information, prices, official ticketing. Wednesday, October 14 — Notre-Dame and the Seine Priority: architecture. Estimated walking: 3–4.5 km. Morning: breakfast, then allow 20–30 minutes to reach Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame using RER B and walking. Target a cathedral visit around 10:00, allowing 60–75 minutes inside, plus entry time. Afternoon: lunch in the Latin Quarter. Spend 45–60 minutes enjoying the nearby riverfront and exterior views of Île de la Cité, followed by a seated coffee break. Return to the hotel around 15:00. Evening: relaxed local dinner; no additional sightseeing commitment. Optional: cross to the western end of Île Saint-Louis for a short look around. Skip it if queues have already made the day tiring. Cathedral entry is free, with optional free reservations. Wednesday’s published hours are 07:50–19:00. The reservation page gives inconsistent advance-release wording, but its main guidance says slots open a few hours before visiting; check while in Paris that morning. Services can affect visitor access. Official cathedral website, free reservations. Thursday, October 15 — Petit Palais and your special dinner Priority: art, decorative architecture and a memorable meal. Estimated walking: 3.5–5 km. Morning: breakfast and a 35–45-minute public-transport journey to Petit Palais. Visit the permanent collection from approximately 10:15–12:00, allowing time to appreciate the building and courtyard. Afternoon: lunch nearby. If dry, walk about 10–15 minutes toward Pont Alexandre III for river and architectural views, then take transport back. Protect roughly 15:00–17:30 for hotel rest. Evening: aim for 18:30 dinner at La Coupole, in Montparnasse. Allow 20–30 minutes to get there and about two hours for dinner. Request a quieter table: it is a substantial, potentially lively brasserie. Optional: the bridge stroll; omit it if you prefer longer in the museum. Petit Palais opens Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00. The permanent collection is free and normally requires no reservation; paid temporary exhibitions are outside this plan. Museum website, RATP visitor information. For La Coupole, budget €140 for two, choosing dishes and drinks within that ceiling. This is an allowance, not a fixed menu quote. Its published menu includes several mains around €24–29; verify your intended meal cost before reserving. Official menu, hours and reservations. Friday, October 16 — a gentle morning and departure Priority: an unhurried airport journey. Estimated city walking: 1.5–2.5 km, plus airport walking. Morning: breakfast, packing and checkout. Leave luggage with the hotel if confirmed. Enjoy 45–60 minutes in Luxembourg Garden or a nearby café. Afternoon: have an early lunch around 11:30. Collect luggage and leave the hotel around 13:00, aiming to reach the correct CDG terminal around 14:30–15:00. Evening: 18:00 departure. The budget includes a modest airport snack, but no full airport dinner. Optional: one last pastry stop close to the hotel. On October 16, the garden’s published hours change to 08:00–18:15. Official hours. Follow your airline’s check-in deadline if it requires earlier arrival. 3. Budget EUR, total for two adults sharing one room, four nights. Hotel and meal figures are spending allowances, not confirmed quotations.