Paris in 3 Days the Wanvela Way

Why we treat Paris as 3 days, not 5

72 hours is the time Wanvela allots to the Paris segment of most European trips. Clients ask why not five days. The answer, five days in Paris for a Thai traveler who's been there 2–3 times before is too much, and three days, well paced, feels complete without rushing.

Day 1 - Arrival and the Right Bank

Morning flight into CDG. A 45-minute private transfer to Le Bristol Paris on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, check-in before 1pm is something we always arrange in advance.

After 30 minutes of rest, we walk to Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries, then aperitif at Café Marly on the Louvre courtyard, 4 to 5 hours, just enough that jet lag doesn't bite.

Dinner at Le Bristol, Restaurant Epicure, 3 Michelin stars, which we always book six weeks ahead. If clients prefer something more casual, we book Lapérouse on the Seine.

Day 2 - Versailles and a long lunch

Morning with a private guide to Versailles, we start at 8:30 to enter before the 10:00 group tours. Three hours in the palace and gardens, the Hall of Mirrors at 9am is empty enough to photograph.

Back in Paris for lunch at Drouant, 130 years of bourgeois cuisine, in the 2nd arrondissement. Afternoon walking the Marais, Place des Vosges, the Du Pain et des Idées bakery, open since 1875.

Day 3 - Left Bank and farewell

Morning croissants at Café de Flore (we're not fans of Les Deux Magots), then Musée d'Orsay, Wanvela books skip-the-line tickets every time. 2.5 hours is exactly right.

Lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais by Yves Camdeborde, a classic bistro that holds up no matter how many times you visit.

Before departure, dinner at Septime by Bertrand Grébaut, or Frenchie if clients want contemporary. Flights typically leave CDG 22:00–23:00.

"Paris the Wanvela way isn't Paris where you do everything. It's Paris where we choose to do only the best." - CAN

The hotels we use

In order of preference:

1. Le Bristol, flagship choice, the Garden Suite at premium price but worth it
2. Hôtel de Crillon, Place de la Concorde, the Karl Lagerfeld lobby renovation is striking
3. Le Meurice, Tuileries view, Belle Époque lobby grandeur

Wanvela-specific tips

• Skip going up the Eiffel Tower, view it from Trocadéro or Pont de Bir-Hakeim, more beautiful.
• Louvre, enter via the Carrousel, not the pyramid (shorter queue).
• Don't go to Champs-Élysées after 5pm Friday or Saturday, too crowded.
• If you have an extra 4 hours, Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day, light through stained glass beats Notre-Dame.

Wanvela's Paris segment works well as the opening of a 7–10 night France trip including Provence and the Riviera, we design rail-and-car logistics to flow smoothly between cities.