Though we recommend spending longer than just 24 hours in Paris, sometimes busy schedules simply don’t allow it. Fortunately, even just a single day in the City of Love can be unforgettable.
So, how do you make the most of your trip in one of the world’s most captivating cities? We’ve tapped those who know how to do it best – the world’s best luxury travel concierges – for their exclusive recommendations.
“In a city as saturated with ‘must-sees’ as Paris, exclusivity and calm are the key currency,” says Christina Seredzinsky, founder of sensory-led luxury travel concierge Séntire. She believes the role of a good concierge is “less a scheduler and more a curator – someone who understands what it is the client wants to experience and how to match that feeling, rather than fitting everything impressive into a constrained amount of time.”
Whether you’re hopping on the Eurostar trip from London for a spontaneous escape, making the most of a transatlantic layover, or simply looking to savor the essence of Paris in a flying visit, consider this your guide to the perfect 24 hours in the French capital.
What is there to see and do in Paris? Top concierges weigh in
Where to stay in Paris
If you only have one night in Paris, it’s paramount that you book into the best of the best. And for those prioritizing privacy, several advisors point to Cheval Blanc as the top address.
Located inside the former Samaritaine department store, the hotel puts guests within walking distance of the Louvre and the Marais. Jules Maury, head of Scott Dunn Private, and Séntire’s Seredzinsky both praise the hotel’s views, overlooking the Seine and Pont-Neuf.
Cheval Blanc also boasts the longest infinity pool in Europe, as well as “the best amenities,”according to Maury, including Dior make-up bags and Cheval Blanc Candles. If you’re bringing the family but fancy some romantic downtime, there’s also complimentary childcare from 2-7 pm every day.
See also: The Best Luxury Hotels and Suites in Paris
For one of the city’s buzziest hotels, Alycia Papadopoulos, travel advisor at private travel members’ club Le Chéile, recommends the Grand Suite at the newly opened L’Aventure Hotel, which guests have been staying at since March this year. The hotel is an Art Deco townhouse in the 16th Arrondissement, designed by interior icon Vincent Darré, and is boutique, with just 15 rooms and suites.
The hotel is located in the heart of the Arc de Triomphe district, and at night, they pull back the velvet curtain to a private in-house club, which hosts a roster of international DJs and performers. To ensure privacy, the hotel cannot be booked on traditional platforms and functions similarly to a private members’ club.
For a historic stay, Papadopoulos’ top pick is the Coco Chanel suite at the Ritz Paris. Not only is the suite a beautiful tribute to the hotel’s history, but as a guest, you get access to some great cultural programming – learn from a world-renowned pastry chef in a private workshop and discover how to make French pastries like the Paris-Brest, enjoy a private tasting with the hotel’s director of sommellerie, or book a tour of the the highly guarded subterranean wine cellar – normally closed to the public.
How to spend the perfect morning in Paris
Papadopoulos recommends starting your day in Paris with a private couture viewing in your suite to ensure you’re ready to explore the city in style. “A dedicated personal stylist from a flagship fashion house on Avenue Montaigne will curate a wardrobe selection of current-season couture, delivered directly to your dressing room before the boutiques even open their doors.”
Then, it’s time to explore all the culture the city has to offer. For Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato, whose great-grandfather was an art dealer in Paris, there is no better way to tap into the city’s creative energy than moving through all its little galleries. “We have a particular soft spot for the Musée Rodin,” he adds.
Papadopoulos also suggests a private, curator-led walk-through of the Pinault Collection at the Boirse de Commerce, giving you the chance to view world-class contemporary masterpieces in near-total solitude.
For something more unusual, Papadopoulos advises organizing a private reading room session with a cheloef conservator at the oldest public library in France, home to manuscripts and books dating back to the 17th century. “You will view exceptionally rare, centuries-old leather-bound books under the soft, golden light of the library’s historic reading lamps, entirely insulated from the city’s noise.”
And for those who want to see the classics – the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, and the Musée d’Orsay, Original Travel co-founder Tom Barber recommends tapping up a top travel agent to “arrange out-of-hours or exclusive access to parts not open to the public. Think rooftop tours, hidden basements, and behind-the-lock-and-key rooms,” she says.
Maury also suggests leaning into the exclusive access available to concierges to arrange itineraries such as an after-hours tour of the King and Queen’s State Apartments, private libraries, and secret hidden passages with the expertise of a historian or art guide. “We can privatize the Louvre at various times after hours, or arrange a private backstage and VIP tour of the Palais Garnier to explore the costume workshops and meet former ballet dancers.”
The best restaurants to enjoy lunch in Paris
For lunch in Paris, advisors recommend either booking into fine dining or leaning into the relaxed brasserie vibe of the city. For the former, Papadopoulos rates Michelin-starred Monsieur Dior by Yannick Alleno. “Request the private dining salon for ultimate discretion,” she adds.
Seredzinsky advises booking at Langosteria, the Milanese seafood institution’s Paris outpost on the seventh floor of Cheval Blanc – for its “Italian cuisine and rooftop terrace, with views sweeping from Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower.”
For something more classically Parisian, she suggests the courtyard at Hôtel Costes. “The terrace has long been a discreet spot for people-watching over traditional French food,” she adds. When he’s in Paris, Marchant sits down at Le Fontaine du Mars, his “all-time favorite spot” for a traditional French long, unhurried lunch. “Chequered tablecloths, a killer coq au vin, and a chilled French red to go with it is my advice,” he says.
How to enjoy an afternoon in Paris
For the afternoon, Papadopoulos recommends pulling out all the stops – jumping into a luxury car to the closest helipad. From there, “a short but scenic flight over the French countryside” awaits, which should drop you off at a family vineyard for a private tasting.
If you’re open to leaning into Parisian life, Marchant recommends dipping a toe in the city’s flea markets after lunch – after all, Paris’ Marché aux Puces is the world’s largest antiques and second-hand market.
“The Puces can feel overwhelming at first, set up more like a collection of micro-villages than a single market, and the scale catches people off guard,” he warns. “But that’s the whole point: it’s fine to get a little lost and let yourself treasure hunt without a plan. My advice is simply to wander and enjoy,” he says.
“You’ll move from vintage stalls to vendors selling incredible jewelry, and then stumble into somewhere like the Marché Serpette at the higher end for 20th-century finds. Marché aux Puces de Vanves is a different mood, more casual, and brilliant for vintage décor and secondhand books, but the same rule applies: take your time.”
Where to eat in Paris for dinner
Whether you’re after a grand French dining room, a classic Parisian institution, or something slightly more exotic, the city’s restaurant scene offers something for all.
For those chasing the most sought-after reservations, several travel advisors point to Hakuba inside Cheval Blanc, the intimate two-Michelin-star omakase restaurant led by chef Takuya Watanabe, which Papadopoulos credits as “one of the city’s most sought-after reservations.”
Also inside the hotel is Arnaud Donckele’s Plénitude, which, according to Papadopoulos, is a “three-star masterpiece that represents the pinnacle of modern French luxury. And arguably one of the toughest reservations to secure in Europe.” Maury also credits one-Michelin-star Septime and Nhome for excellent Parisian fine dining.
Seredzinsky recommends Sushi Park Paris, the Paris outpost of chef Peter Park’s cult Los Angeles restaurant, beneath Saint Laurent’s Rive Droite boutique on Rue Saint-Honoré, and the “fashion crowd’s reservation of the moment.”
For classic French dining, Papadopoulos suggests Le Gabriel, the acclaimed three-Michelin-star restaurant from Chef Jérôme Banctel, or the iconic Epicure at Le Bristol, which has held a three-star status since 2009 and reopened in 2024 under executive chef Arnaud Faye. For a typical brasserie, Maury suggests stopping by Benoit or Chez Monsieur.
For an evening rendezvous, Barber puts forward Le Grand Véfour, adding it “showcases exactly why this city has one of the best food scenes in the world.” If you’re not sure what to order, he suggests Le Grand Véfour’s signature scallops with seared celeriac.
If lowkey isn’t really your thing, Maury recommends tapping into one of Scott Dunn Private’s exclusive experiences, consisting of a private dinner at Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors, with the option to dress in period costume and bring a photographer along.
How to spend an evening in Paris
Post-dinner, Marchant recommends cocktails at either Le Bar des Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon or the Hemingway Bar. “Both carry that spirit of grandeur and creativity that defined Paris in the 1920s,” he says. “Hemingway, one of my favorite writers, was a regular at both, and they’re the kind of places where you feel that history rather than just being told about it.”
Alternatively, you can end the perfect Parisian evening with a private midnight descent into a highly guarded, historic wine cellar, where clients can “sip rare vintages alongside a master sommelier, surrounded by liquid history under the soft glow of candlelight,” reveals Papadopoulos.
For art and history lovers, she points towards private after-hours viewings of the Louvre or Versailles, or an exclusive, midnight tour of the Maison Belle Epoque, where you can view Europe’s largest private collection of French Art Nouveau, or descend into the Eden Cellar to “view the oldest vintage champagne bottle in existence.”
