Paris and Marseilles is a dream trip, perfect for summer. It mixes the best from big city action to the beaches of the Mediterranean, wine, food, and much more. So, if you have been dreaming of your perfect summer trip to France, look no further than my Paris and Marseilles Itinerary!
For this trip, I planned it around a concert that just so happened to fall during the week of Bastille Day, which is a celebration of a pivotal event during the French Revolution. Because of this, there was a lot of activity in the city and the prices were a bit higher, but it was amazing to see the energy of the city and the fireworks display at the Eiffel tower.
For the Marseilles part of our journey, we took the high-speed train from Paris and then rented a car. This was perfect for exploring outside of Marseilles and into parts of Provence and seeing some of the Roman ruins.
Paris and Marseilles Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Paris. Book a dinner at Madame Brasserie in the Eiffel Tower.
Day 2: We arrived on a Saturday, so on Sunday we headed out to Versailles. This is a good day to go because there are food markets from 7am – 2pm. Great for a quick bite or shopping.
Day 3: Visit the Foundation Louis Vuitton and surrounding gardens.
Day 4: Self guided walking tour of Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées.
Day 5: High-speed train to Marseilles and rent a car. Walk around the city during the evening.
Day 6: Sailing trip of the Calanques.
Day 7: Wine tasting and Roman Ruins.
Day 8: Headed to Verdon Gorge and rent an electric boat to drift through.
Day 9: Time to go home and count the money you no longer have 🙁
4 Days and 3 Nights in Paris
Paris is an enormous city so when planning your trip, take into account what’s important for you to see and what your goals are. Here is what we chose to do and where we stayed.
Arriving in Paris
The arrival process was so simple. We arrived at 1pm on Saturday and the immigration hall was easy and took less than 15 minutes. The process is automated with smart gates for many nationalities. We then got a taxi and were nearly on our way, except of course our driver crashed into another taxi while he was presumably showing off for us. After a little scuffle, we were on our way. You can easily take the train as well, which is not as easy as some European city subway systems, but still navigable even as an English speaker.
Where to Stay in Paris
We opted to stay in Montparnasse at the Pullman Hotel, which is essentially connected to a train station. This is a central part of the city which allows for walking (about 45 minutes to the Eiffel Tower) or easily taking the train to many attractions. E-bikes were also a great option for exploring the city and is the fastest way to get around. There are dedicated bike lanes and drivers are respectful of bikers.
What to do in Paris
There is so much to choose from when deciding what to do in Paris, so it’s up to your preferences on what you plan. Here is what I did and I would not change a thing:
Day 1: Paris
First and foremost, the Eiffel Tower. This is a must do and how you do it is up to you. I booked a 9:30pm dinner reservation at Madame Brasserie, which is on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. It was way higher than I thought it was going to be. Because the sunsets pretty late in Paris, this was the perfect timing to see the Eiffel Tower in daylight, watch the sunset while we dined on delicious French foods and wines, and then to see the tower lit up at night. It was an amazing evening and bonus points for a shorter elevator line to the second floor. Highly recommend doing this and booking a table that over looks the Seine River.
Day 2: Paris
What would a trip be to Paris if you skip Versailles? Actually, probably fine. This attraction was far too overcrowded in my opinion. If you are a French history buff, this might be worth going to, but honestly, there is probably a better use of your time, although the gardens are beautiful. The town itself is also quite nice and easily accessible from Paris. If you are able to make it there on a Sunday, there is a huge farmers market from 7am – 2pm, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers, cheese, and baguettes. Perfect for a lunch on the go.
Day 3: Paris
Foundation Louis Vuitton is a bit off the beaten track but is a beautifully designed building housing rotating exhibits from mostly modern artists. Tickets to this attraction also include the surrounding Jardins d ‘Acclimation.
Day 4: Paris
Finally, it is time to make the rounds of the “not to be missed” tourist attractions in Paris. We opted to do a self guided walking tour seeing the Arc de Triomphe and window shopping the designer shops on the Champs Elysees. We decided not to go into the Louvre, but instead walked through the outside of the museum at around 6pm and there were no crowds. It was a lovely time to see the Louvre Pyramids.
4 Nights and 5 Days in Marseilles
Marseilles may not be your first choice for the Cotes d ‘Azure, but it should be. It’s not as busy as Nice and is accessible to so much more than the beach. Read on to find out why you should add these stops to your Paris and Marseilles itinerary.
Getting to Marseilles from Paris
The train system in Europe does not disappoint and France is no exception. The high-speed train from Paris to Marseilles took just over 3 hours and was far quicker than driving. It was also comfortable and offered beautiful scenery of the countryside. As we got closer to our destination, lilac fields and sunflower fields could be seen from the window.
Once we arrived, we rented a car and we were on our way. This is optional of course, but in order to see all the good stuff Marseilles and Provence has to offer, I really think a car is necessary.
Where to Stay in Marseilles
There are so many options in Marseilles. We decided to stay in an Airbnb just outside of the city in Alluch, but my second choice was the Intercontinental in Marseilles. This will put in a prime location for exploring all Marseilles has to offer. The Airbnb worked for us in this case, because we ended up taking a few longer road trips and it was a nice to come home and cook a meal and chill in our private pool.
What to do in and around Marseilles
Like Paris, there are so many choices of what to do and what to see. Especially if you are planning on exploring the surrounding areas which could include Provence or the further up the coast. It really is up to you for what you would like to see, but here is what we spent our time doing and it was truly a great trip:
Day 1: Marseilles and Vicinity
One of the things we wanted to do was explore some of the ancient roman cities and ruins that are found in this area, but I also really like wine, so our first stop was in the Chateau du Pape for a tasting. We stopped at Chateau Fortia and the wines, specifically red wines, were delicious. Be sure to book this in advance. We then continued on to the Roman Theater in Orange which is still in use, Pont du Gard aqueduct in Avignon, and finished with a stroll around Arles, which is a beautiful little roman town with another well preserved theater.
Day 2: Marseilles and Vicinity
We decided to take in the Mediterranean coast with a sailing trip through the Calanques National Park. The water was cool, refreshing, and stunningly blue. Our trip made a lot of stops for swimming. Some of which you could swim into some of the caves. The rock formations were amazing and I cannot recommend this trip enough. It’s a little long, so be sure to bring ample sunscreen.
Day 3: Marseilles and Vicinity
Finally, we decided to take a 2 hour road trip to Gorges du Verdon which was an amazing experience. We rented an electric boat and floated through while sipping on our picnic of rose wine, cheese, and, of course, a baguette. After our leisurely boat ride, we drove along the scenic Route des Cretes and to the hillside village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. On the way back to Marseilles, a quick stop is warranted at Plateau de Valensole lavender fields.
Departure from Paris and Marseilles
While Marseilles has an airport, we opted to return the car and fly out of Nice because there was a direct flight back home. It was a 2 hour drive, but very easy to navigate. Overall, I loved this vacation more than I even thought I would. I do not speak any French AT ALL and I thought I was going to struggle, but it turned out just fine. Many people speak English and were very accommodating and if not, we were able to figure it out. The prices were higher than stateside, especially the tolls, so plan accordingly
In Conclusion: Paris and Marseilles Itinerary
If you are looking for the perfect summer trip, look no further than my Paris and Marseilles itinerary. It really is the perfect mix of city, beach, history, food, wine, and culture. Bonus points if you can sneak in Bastille Day in France!
If you like this trip, be sure to check out by other European itinerary for Italy!
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