Here's how to see the top sights in Paris, and get a real taste of Parisian life, in only three days (here are maps of Paris):

Day 1

Follow the itinerary for One Day in Paris.

Day 2

Go to the Ile de la Cité for a look at the Towers of Notre-Dame, then to the Palais de Justice to admire the the splendid Sainte Chapelle and the gloomy Conciergerie, then explore the Latin Quarter and the Invalides before taking the Métro to the Trocadéro station for a walk downhill from the Palais de Chaillot to the Eiffel Tower and Champ-de-Mars.

Day 3

Go to Montmartre to see the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur and the artist-filled Place du Tertre.

Choose a few more of Paris' excellent museums for visits. There are dozens. The one(s) you choose can be dictated by your own tastes, but I'd recommend the Musée d'Orsay, the Carnavalet (the museum of the history of Paris) and, depending upon the exhibitions, the displays in the Grand Palais or the Centre Georges Pompidou.

Centre Georges Pompidou

Just as important, you'll have more time to spend people-watching in Parisian cafés, and in nice restaurants at dinnertime.

If you favor palaces over museums, plan a quick half-day visit by RER suburban train to Versailles. More...