Our Paris day trip at a glance
Thursday 24 September 2026 · Manchester to Paris Beauvais
Arrived at Beauvais: 09:00
Departed Beauvais: 22:15
Total time between arrival and departure: 13 hours 15 minutes
That's 13 hours and 15 minutes from landing to our flight home — including airport formalities and the shuttle journeys to and from Paris. The Beauvais airport shuttle took around 90 minutes each way and cost €29 return per person, leaving roughly 10 hours 15 minutes between the two shuttle journeys before allowing for airport formalities. Our actual sightseeing time in the city was shorter still — but look how much we managed to fit in! 😂
Paris was never somewhere I was particularly bothered about visiting — until I went for the first time. Now it's somewhere I love and would happily return to again and again. On 24 September 2026, my sister and I flew from Manchester to Paris Beauvais for a day of sightseeing, walking and, as it turned out, quite a lot of pastries!
Follow our separate, self-guided Paris route →
From Beauvais to the Arc de Triomphe
The Beauvais airport shuttle to Porte Maillot took around 90 minutes and cost €29 return per person. We walked along Avenue de la Grande Armée towards the Arc de Triomphe. Our first stop was Bonjour Paris, at 36 Avenue de la Grande Armée. The hot chocolate was amazing, and the pain au chocolat was genuinely the best I've ever had!
At the Arc de Triomphe, I discovered you can actually go up to a viewing terrace. Considering how much I normally research my trips, I can't believe I hadn't realised. 🤦♂️😂 Another one for next time!
Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries and Louvre
We wandered down the Champs-Élysées towards Place de la Concorde, but it was closed off. We initially thought it was connected to a Céline Dion concert; the restrictions were actually related to preparations for a papal event. We carried on into the Jardin des Tuileries and sat beside the Grand Bassin Rond for a while before taking the obligatory photo at the Louvre pyramid.
A sunny break beside the Seine
From the Louvre we walked along the Seine towards Notre-Dame. The weather was lovely, so we sat beside the river for a while and just enjoyed being in Paris. Those quieter moments are every bit as good as ticking off the famous landmarks.
Notre-Dame and Shakespeare and Company
I've wanted to explore the inside of Notre-Dame for years, but it was closed to visitors ahead of the Pope's visit. So the Pope had managed to disrupt two stops in one day! 😂 At least we could admire the cathedral from outside.
We headed to Shakespeare and Company for a look around. It's something a bit different, and I liked that photos aren't allowed inside. It's worth a wander while you're nearby, especially as it's free, but I don't think I'd pay to visit.
The great Paris pastry comparison
Next was La Maison d'Isabelle. My sister had one of their famous croissants and said it was very good. I tried another pain au chocolat, purely for research purposes of course. 😂 It was nice, but Bonjour Paris still won! We missed having coffee and somewhere to sit, so we returned to the Shakespeare and Company area for a coffee break.
Taking the train to the Eiffel Tower
We started walking towards the Eiffel Tower, but after ten minutes realised a train would save us about 40 minutes. For a few euros, that was an easy decision. We boarded the RER C at Musée d'Orsay and got off at Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel.
This was my third time going up the Eiffel Tower, and I still love it. I've always climbed the stairs to the second floor — no point stopping after one level! 😂 My sister loved the views too. My lad once took the lift to the summit and described it as the worst lift he'd ever been in, shaking and wobbling all the way up. That hasn't exactly tempted me to try it!
Champ de Mars and the long walk back
We headed into Champ de Mars for more Eiffel Tower photos. One warning: some souvenir sellers around the tower can be pushy, trying to place items in your hands and then demand payment. If you don't intend to buy anything, don't accept it.
We walked all the way back to Porte Maillot. My sister couldn't decide what she wanted to eat, and by the time we'd reached the shuttle stop she'd settled on… McDonald's. After a day surrounded by French food! 🤣
Would I recommend Paris in a day?
Looking back, one of the best things about the day wasn’t just how much we managed to see, but how relaxed it all felt. We never felt rushed or like we were constantly watching the clock. We stopped for pastries and coffee, sat in the sunshine beside the Seine and took our time enjoying the city. Even with the long transfers from Beauvais, it felt like a proper day exploring Paris rather than a mad dash between attractions.
Absolutely. Beauvais is a fair way from the centre: our shuttle took around 90 minutes each way and cost €29 return per person, so allow plenty of time. Walk when you can, but use the train when it saves valuable sightseeing time. Check attraction closures in advance, and leave room for the occasional break beside the Seine.
Paris wasn't originally on my must-visit list, but it's become one of my favourite cities. I'll be back for Notre-Dame, that Arc de Triomphe viewing terrace and, most importantly, another pain au chocolat from Bonjour Paris. 😂
Want to recreate the day? Open the Paris self-guided route →