Paris Birthday & DC Trip

February 20–28, 2026 · Chicago → Paris → Washington DC → Chicago

Quick Reference

DateHighlightsKey Times
Thu 2/20Depart ChicagoUA987 6:45 PM
Fri 2/21Arrive Paris, gentle exploreLe Maxan 7:30 PM ✅
Sat 2/22Left Bank, Sainte-Chapelle, Seine Cruise, Eiffel TowerSainte-Chapelle 1:30 PM ✅ · 🏃 Run
Sun 2/23Montmartre, Galeries Lafayette, Passages🏃 Run
Mon 2/24🎂 Louvre, Cartier, L'ArômeLouvre 9 AM ✅ · Cartier 3 PM ✅ · L'Arôme 7:30 PM ✅ · 🏃 Run
Tue 2/25Fly to DCUA914 11:40 AM
Wed 2/26Work — 🎂 Her BirthdayBirthday dinner
Thu 2/27Work
Fri 2/28Work, fly homeCall 11 AM EST · UA1325 2:30 PM

Flights & Seat Guide

OUTBOUND
UA987 · ORD → CDG
Thu Feb 20, 6:45 PM → Fri Feb 21, 9:55 AM · Boeing 787-8
PARIS → DC
UA914 · CDG → IAD
Tue Feb 25, 11:40 AM → 2:30 PM EST · Boeing 787-8
RETURN
UA1325 · IAD → ORD
Fri Feb 28, 2:30 PM EST

Best Premium Plus Seats (787-8)

Layout: 2-3-2 across rows 20–22 (21 seats). 38" pitch, 6" recline.

Pick: Row 21, seats A & B — window pair with full underseat storage, away from galley noise. Second choice: Row 20 A&B (extra legroom, but bags go overhead at takeoff).

Avoid center section (D, E, G) — has a middle seat between you.

Thursday, February 20

Chicago → In transit

Morning
Normal workday
Confirm Le Maxan for tomorrow. Check in for UA987 online.
12:00 PM
Light, protein-heavy lunch
No caffeine after noon.
3:30 PM
Leave for O'Hare
Allow 90 min for security/travel to Terminal 1.
5:00 PM
Arrive ORD Terminal 1
Light dinner at airport.
6:45 PM
✈️ Depart UA987 to Paris CDG
Execute sleep strategy. Set watch to Paris time at boarding.

Friday, February 21

Arrival Day · 42°F / 6°C, overcast, 40% rain · Steps: 8K–10K

⚡ Cardinal rule: DO NOT NAP. If you nap, you crash at 4 PM and reset to Chicago time.
9:55 AM
Arrive CDG
Passport control, collect bags.
~10:30
🚕 Taxi to Hyatt Paris Madeleine
24 Blvd Malesherbes, 75008 📍. ~45 min. €56 flat rate. Use official taxi queue only.
11:15
Arrive hotel
Drop bags with concierge. Freshen up. Change into walking clothes.
11:45
Walk the neighborhood
Place de la Madeleine 📍. Browse Fauchon and Mariage Frères (legendary tea house). Pick up macarons, chocolates, or a tin of tea. 🚶 Directions
12:30
🍽️ Lunch
Recommendation: Café M at hotel. You just got off an overnight flight — keep it easy.
1:30 PM
Walk to Place de la Concorde
Obelisk, fountains, views toward Champs-Élysées and Tuileries. 🚶 Directions
2:15
Stroll Jardin des Tuileries
Open 7:30 AM–7:30 PM in winter. Central allée. Stay awake, don't overdo it.
3:00
Check into room
Shower. 20 min MAX rest on bed — set alarm. Do NOT fall asleep.
3:45
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Window-shop luxury boutiques. Hermès, Lanvin, and more. Right outside your hotel.
5:00
Return to hotel
Change for dinner. Coffee OK now — grab one from Café Nuances (sleek specialty roaster, 10 Rue de la Trémoille) or Café Fino (newer third-wave spot, 59 Rue des Mathurins — right by the hotel). You need to make it to dinner.
6:00
🥂 Pre-dinner champagne
Bar 228 at Le Meurice 📍 (5 min walk) or La Chinoiserie at your hotel. 🚶 Directions
7:30
🍽️ Dinner: Le Maxan ✅
3 Rue Quentin Bauchart 📍. ~15 min walk or quick taxi. Chic French bistro near George V. €50–70pp with wine. 🚶 Directions
9:30
Return to hotel
Melatonin at 9 PM. In bed by 10 PM.
Friday Lunch Options
Café M (hotel)
French brasserie · €20–35pp · Walk-in
La Maison de la Truffe
Truffle-focused · €35–55pp · 5 min walk · Walk-in
Café de la Paix
Classic Parisian brasserie · €30–50pp · 12 min walk · Walk-in
Rec: Café M at the hotel. Seasonal lunch menu, quality produce, zero energy wasted navigating.

Saturday, February 22

Left Bank, Sainte-Chapelle, Seine Cruise · 44°F / 7°C, partly cloudy · Steps: 12K–14K · 🏃 Run #1

7:00 AM
🏃 Run #1: Tuileries–Concorde Loop
~5K. Hotel → Tuileries → Concorde and back. Flat, beautiful.
7:45
Shower, dress
Layer up: sweater + coat + scarf. Compact umbrella.
8:30
Breakfast at Café M
Included with Globalist status. Take your time.
☕
Morning Coffee Options
Near Left Bank route: Coutume Café 📍 (pioneer of Paris specialty coffee, 47 Rue de Babylone) · Shakespeare & Co. Café 📍 (next to the bookshop, great flat white) · Café de Flore (classic, for the experience)
9:30
Metro to Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Metro 12 from Madeleine (direct, 10 min). Start on the Left Bank.
9:45
⛪ Notre-Dame Exterior & Île de la Cité
Notre-Dame de Paris 📍. See the stunning restoration (reopened Dec 2024). Walk the Île de la Cité, peek at the exterior. 🚶 Directions
10:15
📚 Shakespeare and Company
37 Rue de la Bûcherie 📍. Legendary English bookstore across from Notre-Dame.
10:45
Luxembourg Gardens
Luxembourg Gardens 📍. 15-min walk south. Medici Fountain, Senate building. Morning light is lovely.
11:30
Walk through Saint-Germain
Galleries on Rue de Seine. Coffee at Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots — legendary hot chocolate.
12:15
🍽️ Lunch
Recommendation: Bouillon Racine 📍 — Art Nouveau interior from 1906. Duck confit, onion soup. Excellent value.
1:15
Walk to Sainte-Chapelle
10 min from Bouillon Racine. Allow time for security screening. 🚶 Directions
1:30
⛪ Sainte-Chapelle ✅
Sainte-Chapelle 📍. Timed entry 1:30 PM. €22/pp. 1,113 stained glass panels. Afternoon sun illuminates the western rose window beautifully. 30–45 min inside.
2:15
Wander Latin Quarter
Rue de la Huchette, Rue Galande. Odette choux pastries if you want a snack.
2:45
Metro to Eiffel Tower area
Metro 4 from Cité → Line 6 to Bir-Hakeim. Or taxi ~€12. 🚇 Directions
3:15
🗼 Eiffel Tower viewing (pre-cruise)
Walk from Bir-Hakeim. Cross Pont d'Iéna for the iconic Trocadéro view. Photos while daylight is good.
4:00
🚢 Seine River Cruise
Bateaux Parisiens, Port de la Bourdonnais 📍. 1 hour. ~€18/pp. Heated lower deck. Notre-Dame, Louvre, Musée d'Orsay. Golden hour timing.
5:00
Post-cruise Trocadéro
Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour after dark. Time for 6 PM sparkle if energy allows.
5:45
Return to hotel
Metro 9 from Trocadéro to Saint-Augustin. Freshen up.
7:30
🍽️ Dinner
Rec: Les Komplices 📍 — wine bar + seasonal tapas. 7-min walk. Curated wine list. 🚶 Directions
9:30
Return to hotel
Jetlag may still be lingering. Don't push too late.
Saturday Lunch Options (Latin Quarter)
Bouillon Racine
Belle Époque brasserie · €20–30pp · 3 Rue Racine 📍 · Walk-in OK at 12:15
Le Comptoir du Panthéon
French bistro · €15–25pp · Walk-in
Odette
Choux pastry (snack) · €5–10pp · Walk-in
Saturday Dinner Options (near hotel)
Les Komplices
Wine bar + tapas · €40–60pp · 55 Rue des Mathurins 📍 · Book ahead
Le Bouchon et l'Assiette
Bistro, seasonal French · €35–50pp · 127 Rue Cardinet 📍 · Book ahead

Sunday, February 23

Montmartre, Markets, Covered Passages · 40°F / 4°C, cloudy, 50% rain · Steps: 12K–14K · 🏃 Run #2

7:00 AM
🏃 Run #2: Parc Monceau Loop
~5K. 10-min jog north to Parc Monceau. 4 laps around perimeter. Gorgeous Corinthian columns.
7:45
Shower, dress warmly
Montmartre = higher + windier. Extra layer.
8:30
Breakfast at Café M
☕
Montmartre Coffee Picks
Grab a specialty coffee en route: KB Coffee Roasters 📍 (bottom of Montmartre, they roast their own) · Beans on Fire 📍 (local favorite near Sacré-Cœur) · Bonne Montmartre 📍 (Norwegian-style specialty, open Sundays 8AM–5PM)
9:30
Metro to Montmartre
Metro 12, Madeleine → Abbesses (direct, 10 min). Paris's deepest station, Art Nouveau entrance.
9:45
Walk up to Sacré-Cœur
Rue Lepic past windmills. 15 min climb or funicular (€2.50).
10:00
⛪ Sacré-Cœur Basilica
Sacré-Cœur 📍. FREE. Enormous Christ mosaic. Views across all of Paris. 20–30 min.
10:30
Wander Montmartre (until noon)
Place du Tertre, Rue Cortot, vineyard, La Maison Rose. Bakeries on Rue Lepic.
12:00
🍽️ Lunch
Rec: Le Coq Rico 📍 — legendary roast chicken on Rue Lepic. (Opens at noon.)
1:00
Metro/walk to Opéra area
Metro 12 back to Madeleine, or walk downhill through SoPi (30 min). 🚇 Directions
1:30
🏬 Galeries Lafayette
40 Blvd Haussmann 📍. Art Nouveau dome is spectacular. FREE rooftop terrace with 360° Paris panorama.
2:30
Opéra Garnier exterior
Self-guided tour ~€15/45 min if interested. Grand Staircase is extraordinary.
3:30
Return to hotel
Rest, warm up, hot drink.
4:30
Covered Passages (rain backup)
Passage des Panoramas (1799), Jouffroy, Verdeau. Glass-roofed arcades, vintage shops.
6:00
🥂 Apéro at hotel
La Chinoiserie lounge happy hour. Champagne and nibbles.
7:30
🍽️ Dinner
Rec: Keep it light. Café M at hotel or room service. Save energy for Monday.
Sunday Lunch Options (Montmartre)
Le Coq Rico
Rotisserie, poultry · €35–50pp · 98 Rue Lepic 📍 · Book ahead
Hardware Société
Brunch, Australian-French · €20–30pp · 10 Rue Lamarck 📍 · Walk-in, may queue
Pink Mamma
Italian · €25–35pp · 20bis Rue de Douai 📍 · Book ahead (TheFork)

Monday, February 24 🎂

Birthday Celebration: Louvre, Cartier, L'Arôme · 46°F / 8°C, partly cloudy · Steps: 12K–14K · 🏃 Run #3

🎂 The big day. Two fixed commitments: Louvre at 9 AM, Cartier at 3 PM. Everything else orbits these.
6:30 AM
🏃 Run #3: Quick Seine Out-and-Back
~4K. Short — packed schedule today. Seine quay to Pont Alexandre III and back.
7:15
Shower, dress smartly
Cartier today. Nice sweater/blazer, good shoes.
7:45
Breakfast at Café M
Early and efficient — Louvre awaits.
☕
Coffee Near the Louvre
Télescope 📍 (5 Rue Villedo, opens 8:30 AM — grab one before the Louvre) · Café Kitsuné 📍 (Palais Royal courtyard, opens 9:30 AM — save for after the Louvre)
8:30
Walk to the Louvre
20 min through Tuileries, or Metro 14 (Madeleine → Pyramides, 4 min). 🚶 Directions
9:00
🏛️ Louvre Museum ✅ (9 AM – 12:30 PM)
Louvre Museum 📍. Timed entry 9 AM. Arrive 10 min early. Pyramid entrance.
Louvre Strategy (3.5 hours)

Priority route:

  1. Mona Lisa — Denon Wing, 1st Floor, Room 711. Go FIRST.
  2. Winged Victory of Samothrace — Denon Wing staircase.
  3. Venus de Milo — Sully Wing, Ground Floor.
  4. French Crown Jewels — Apollo Gallery. Often overlooked.
  5. Napoleon III Apartments — Richelieu Wing, 1st Floor. Most visitors miss them.
  6. If time: Egyptian antiquities or Italian Renaissance paintings.
💡 Cold inside in winter — keep a layer on. Richelieu café is less crowded. Download Louvre app.
12:30
Exit Louvre
12:45
🍽️ Birthday Lunch
Rec: Café Marly 📍 — under the Louvre arcades, looking at the Pyramid. Steak tartare & croque-monsieur are excellent.
2:15
Walk to Place Vendôme
15-min walk from Tuileries area. 🚶 Directions
3:00
💎 Cartier Appointment ✅
23 Place Vendôme 📍. The flagship Vendôme boutique — the historic heart of Cartier. Birthday gift. 45–60+ min.
4:15
Post-Cartier celebration walk
Through Place Vendôme, down Rue de la Paix toward Opéra.
4:45
Return to hotel
Rest. Freshen up for dinner.
6:00
Get dressed for dinner
The fancy dinner night. Dress up.
6:45
🥂 Pre-dinner champagne
Bar 228 at Le Meurice 📍, or Hemingway Bar at the Ritz 📍.
7:30
🎂 Birthday Dinner: L'Arôme ✅
3 Rue Saint-Philippe du Roule 📍. 8-min walk. Modern French, Michelin rec. Tasting menu €90–130 + wine pairings. 🚶 Directions
10:30
Return to hotel
What a day.
🎂 Birthday touches: Call L'Arôme 2–3 days before — mention it's her birthday (actual birthday Feb 26, celebrating early in Paris). They'll prepare a dessert. Stop at Pierre Hermé (4 Rue Cambon) 📍 for macarons as a surprise.

Tuesday, February 25

Last morning in Paris → Fly to DC · 43°F / 6°C

✈️ UA914 CDG 11:40 AM → IAD 2:30 PM. Leave hotel by 8:30 AM.
6:30 AM
🏃 Run #4: Farewell (optional)
Short 3K to Place de la Concorde and back.
7:00
Shower, final pack
Pack Cartier purchase carefully in carry-on.
7:30
Breakfast at Café M
Last Parisian breakfast.
8:30
🚕 Taxi to CDG
Pre-arrange night before. €56 flat rate.
11:40
✈️ Depart UA914 to Dulles
8h 50min. Arrives 2:30 PM EST.
2:30
Arrive IAD
~4:15
Check into DC hotel
Unpack work clothes. Quick refresh.
5:00
Short walk near hotel
20 min outside helps reset body clock.
6:30
🍽️ Light, early dinner
9:30
Bed
Melatonin at 9 PM. Sharp for work tomorrow.

Wednesday–Friday, February 26–28

Washington DC · Work Days

WEDNESDAY, FEB 26 — 🎂 HER ACTUAL BIRTHDAY
6:30 AM
Wake up
7:00
🏃 DC Run: National Mall (optional)
~5K. Lincoln Memorial → Reflecting Pool → Washington Monument → Capitol.
9–5
Work (business casual)
7:00 PM
🎂 Birthday dinner
Make it special. Le Diplomate 📍 or Fiola Mare 📍 would be fitting.
THURSDAY, FEB 27
9–5
Work
6:00 PM
Pack for departure
7:00
🍽️ Dinner — final night
FRIDAY, FEB 28
7:00 AM
Breakfast, check out
8–10:45
Work / morning meetings
11:00
📞 1-hour work call (10 AM CST)
12:30
🚕 Taxi to Dulles (~45 min)
2:30
✈️ Depart UA1325 to Chicago
DC Dinner Options
Founding Farmers
Farm-to-table American · $30–45pp · 1924 Pennsylvania Ave 📍 · Walk-in
Le Diplomate
French brasserie · $40–55pp · 1601 14th St NW 📍 · Book ahead
Fiola Mare
Italian seafood · $50–70pp · 3050 K St NW 📍 · Special occasion
Duke's Grocery
Upscale pub · $20–30pp · 1513 17th St NW 📍 · Casual, quick
RPM Italian
Italian, Chicago-connected · $40–55pp · 650 K St NW 📍 · Book ahead

Transportation

CDG ↔ Hotel

Taxi: €56 flat rate to Right Bank (8th arr.). 45–60 min. Use official queue only.

Metro Strategy

Navigo Easy card + digital tickets (€2.50 each). Hotel is 3 min from Saint-Augustin (Line 9), 5 min from Madeleine (Lines 8, 12, 14). Day pass (€12.30) on heavy transit days.

Key Metro Lines from Hotel
  • Line 8 (Madeleine): Concorde, Invalides, École Militaire
  • Line 12 (Madeleine): Concorde, Montparnasse, Abbesses
  • Line 14 (Madeleine): Pyramides (Louvre), Châtelet
  • Line 9 (Saint-Augustin): Champs-Élysées, Trocadéro
When to Taxi vs. Metro

CDG ↔ Hotel → Taxi (€56)

After 10 PM → Taxi/Uber (€12–20)

Eiffel Tower → Metro 8 or 9 (€2.50)

Louvre → Walk 20 min or Metro 14

Montmartre → Metro 12 to Abbesses

Rain + tired → Uber (€10–18)

Jetlag Strategy

Paris is 7 hours ahead of Chicago (CST → CET).

Pre-Trip Preparation (Feb 17–20)

Tue Feb 17 (3 days before): Bed 30 min earlier. Bright light on waking. No caffeine after 1 PM.

Wed Feb 18 (2 days): Bed 1 hr earlier. 0.5mg melatonin at 8 PM. Hydrate 80+ oz.

Thu Feb 19 (1 day): Bed 1.5 hrs early. Melatonin 7:30 PM. Dinner by 5:30 PM. Screen time down after 7 PM.

Fri Feb 20 (departure): Morning sunlight. Protein-heavy meals. No caffeine after noon. Set watch to Paris time at airport.

On-Flight Sleep Strategy

When you board, it's 1:45 AM Paris time. Goal: sleep as much as possible.

  • Eat dinner before boarding. Skip plane dinner service.
  • After takeoff: 3mg melatonin, eye mask, noise-canceling headphones.
  • Target 5–6 hrs sleep. Max 1 glass of wine.
  • 2 hrs before landing: wake up, open shade, coffee, breakfast service.
⚡ Day 1 Rule: DO NOT NAP. Stay outside in daylight. Movement keeps you awake. Bed by 10 PM Paris time.

Packing

Paris (39–49°F, rain possible)

DC (47–58°F, milder)

💡 Roll birthday dinner outfit in tissue paper. Hyatt has a steamer if needed.

Reservations Tracker

Confirmed ✅

✅ L'Arôme — Birthday Dinner
Mon Feb 24, 7:30 PM · CONFIRMED
✅ Sainte-Chapelle Tickets
Sat Feb 22, 1:30 PM · CONFIRMED

Book Now 🔴

Le Coq Rico (Sun lunch)
Sun Feb 23, 11:30 AM · TheFork or call +33 1 42 59 82 89
Bateaux Parisiens cruise
Sat Feb 22, 4:00 PM · bateaux-parisiens.com

Book 1 Week Before 🟡

Les Komplices (Sat dinner)
Sat Feb 22, 7:30 PM · OpenTable or call
Le Diplomate (DC birthday dinner)
Wed Feb 26, 7:00 PM · OpenTable

Walk-in Friendly

Café M · Café Marly · La Maison de la Truffe · Bouillon Racine · Founding Farmers (DC)

Emergency Contacts

Hyatt Paris Madeleine: +33 1 55 27 12 34

US Embassy Paris: +33 1 43 12 22 22 (walking distance from hotel)

European Emergency: 112 · SAMU: 15 · Police: 17

Running Routes

Route 1: Tuileries–Concorde (~5K) — Saturday

Hotel → Madeleine → Rue Royale → Concorde → Tuileries allée → loop back along Seine side → hotel.

See: Madeleine church, obelisk, Tuileries sculptures, Louvre Pyramid. Gravel paths, almost no people at 7 AM.

Route 2: Parc Monceau (~5K) — Sunday

Hotel north → Parc Monceau → 1km perimeter × 4 laps + commute.

See: Corinthian colonnade, miniature pyramid, duck pond. Opens 7 AM.

Route 3: Quick Seine (~4K) — Monday

Hotel → Concorde → Seine quay west → Pont Alexandre III → return. Pedestrian-only path.

DC Route: National Mall (~5K) — Wednesday

Lincoln Memorial → Reflecting Pool → Washington Monument → Capitol → return. Stunning at sunrise.

Paris Etiquette & Money

Cultural Rules

"Bonjour" when entering ANY shop/restaurant. "Au revoir" when leaving. Non-negotiable.

Meals: Don't rush. Dinner = 2 hours. Ask for check: "L'addition, s'il vous plaît."

Bread: Goes on table (no plate). Tear, don't cut.

Water: "Une carafe d'eau" = free tap water.

Dress: Smart casual minimum. No shorts, flip-flops, or baseball caps at restaurants.

Money & Tipping

Paris: Euro (~$1.05–1.10/€1). Cards + contactless widely accepted. Carry €50–100 cash. Service included — leave €2–5 for great service, never 15–20%.

DC: Standard US tipping (18–20% restaurants, $1–2/drink, $2–5 hotel staff).

Last updated: February 15, 2026 · Paris Birthday & DC Trip 🗼