Paris for two weeks

Two full weeks to explore Paris in depth, from the Gothic spires of Île de la Cité to the cobblestone lanes of Montmartre, with day trips that reach well beyond the city limits. The itinerary opens on Île de la Cité with Sainte-Chapelle's stained glass and the Conciergerie, then moves to the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe before a full day at the Palace of Versailles and its sprawling gardens. Midweek days are devoted to the Louvre, the Rodin Museum beneath the gilded dome of Les Invalides, and the bohemian cafés of the Latin Quarter and Le Marais, where the Picasso Museum and Carnavalet Museum sit tucked behind 17th-century façades. Day trips lead to Monet's water-lily gardens in Giverny, the half-timbered streets and soaring cathedral of medieval Rouen, the royal necropolis at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, and a day of rides at Disneyland Park. The pace is balanced — mornings at major sites, afternoons free for wandering neighbourhood markets or sitting in Luxembourg Gardens. Some major museums close on Tuesdays, and Versailles closes on Mondays, so checking schedules in advance saves disappointment.