Paris Weekend Packing List: Travel Light for a 72-Hour Celine Dion Concert Break

For Londoners, Paris is one of the easiest European cities to turn into a long weekend, and if Céline Dion is the reason for going, even better.

With the French capital just a Eurostar journey away from London St Pancras, a concert trip can easily become a 72-hour Paris break by train or plane from one of London's many airports, with enough time for sightseeing, shopping, dinner and drinks alongside the main event.

But packing for three days isn't always as straightforward as it sounds.

You need comfortable clothes for exploring the city, something special enough for seeing Céline, shoes capable of surviving thousands of steps and enough beauty and travel essentials to last the weekend. And ideally, you want to fit the lot into one cabin-sized case.

More than half (56%) of city breaks last just one to three nights, while rising airline baggage charges are giving travellers another incentive to pack light and avoid checking in a suitcase.

So, what should actually make the cut?

Nick Gaskin, Sales & Marketing Director at IT Luggage, says the biggest mistake travellers make is packing for situations that are unlikely to happen rather than thinking realistically about what they'll be doing while they're away.

“For a short trip, smart packing makes everything easier. One of the most common mistakes is packing for every possible scenario, instead of packing for the trip you’re actually taking. A long weekend in Paris calls for comfortable, versatile essentials that work from morning sightseeing to evening plans.

“If you’re travelling for a concert, plan your outfit before you leave rather than packing several different options. Wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket on the plane and leave a little room in your case for anything you might want to bring home from the show.”

So, for London Daily News readers thinking about combining Céline Dion with a Paris mini-break, here’s how to make 72 hours work from one case.

Start with your Céline outfit

Let's be honest, this is the outfit that matters.

Seeing Céline Dion in Paris calls for something a little more special than your average night out, but that doesn't mean sacrificing half your luggage allowance for something you'll wear for just a few hours.

As Gaskin suggests, decide what you're wearing before you leave London rather than throwing several potential concert outfits into your case.

Choose one statement piece and combine it with clothes that can be worn again.

A great top teamed with jeans or tailored trousers can work for the concert, while the same trousers can be worn the following day with a more casual top.

Accessories can also transform a relatively simple outfit without taking up much space. Jewellery, a scarf or a small evening bag can add some glamour while leaving room for the essentials.

And remember to check the concert venue's bag policy before travelling. Major venues can impose strict restrictions on the size of bags allowed inside.

Wear your bulkiest clothes

Whether you're taking the Eurostar or flying from London, one of the easiest ways to create extra space is to wear the biggest items you're taking.

Coats, jackets, jeans, boots and chunky trainers can swallow up a surprising amount of room in a small case.

Gaskin recommends wearing your bulkiest shoes and jacket while travelling rather than packing them.

If you're leaving from St Pancras, you can simply take your coat off once you're on the Eurostar, while still keeping all that valuable space free inside your luggage.

Paris is not the place for uncomfortable shoes

Paris might be one of the fashion capitals of the world, but it's also a city where you can rack up thousands of steps without really noticing.

A morning exploring Montmartre, an afternoon around the Louvre and Seine and dinner in Le Marais can leave your feet complaining before you've even reached the concert.

Wear your most comfortable shoes while travelling and think carefully before adding another pair.

If you want something smarter for the evening, make sure they're lightweight and, most importantly, shoes you've worn before.

A Céline Dion weekend isn't the time to discover your beautiful new shoes give you blisters.

Make every outfit work twice

Versatility is the secret to getting three days into one case.

Think three tops, two bottoms and one versatile jacket, then build your outfits around them.

Your concert trousers should work with a daytime top. Your sightseeing jeans should be smart enough to wear out for dinner. Your jacket should work with almost everything else you've packed.

Lay everything out before putting it into the case.

If you can only imagine wearing something once, ask yourself whether it really deserves the space.

Check the Paris weather before you leave London

Packing for every possible weather scenario is another easy way to end up with far too much luggage.

Check the Paris forecast shortly before travelling and plan accordingly.

Layers give you much more flexibility than filling your case with heavy jumpers. A lightweight knit or cardigan can be worn over a T-shirt during the day and under your jacket when temperatures drop in the evening.

If rain is forecast, a compact umbrella or lightweight waterproof layer is likely to prove far more useful than another outfit.

Cut down the toiletries

You don't need your entire bathroom cabinet for 72 hours.

Decant shampoo, conditioner, cleanser and other essentials into travel-sized bottles, take minis or use the toiletries supplied by your hotel.

Do the same with make-up.

Once you've decided on your Céline concert look, pack the products you know you're actually going to use rather than taking several different options.

If you're flying rather than travelling by Eurostar, check the current liquids and security rules at both airports before leaving home.

Make room for a portable charger

One of the smallest things in your case could turn out to be one of the most important.

Your phone is likely to contain your Eurostar or flight ticket, hotel reservation, restaurant bookings and concert ticket, while also doubling as your camera and map.

After a full day of navigating Paris, taking photographs and uploading to social media, your battery can disappear surprisingly quickly.

A portable power bank takes up very little space and could save you from watching Céline walk onto the stage while your phone flashes 1%.

Don't be fooled by compression packing

Packing cubes and compression bags can be brilliant for organising a small case and making better use of the space available.

But there is a catch.

Compression makes clothes smaller. It doesn't make them lighter.

If you're flying, you still need to stay within your airline's baggage allowance, regardless of how easily you've managed to close the case.

Use compression to organise your luggage, not as an excuse to take another five outfits.

Leave the 'just in case' wardrobe in London

The extra dress in case somewhere unexpectedly fancy appears. Another jumper in case it gets freezing. A third pair of shoes because you might change your mind.

We've all done it.

And most of those items usually arrive back home untouched.

For a 72-hour break, pack for the trip you're actually taking, just as Gaskin advises.

If you can't identify when you're likely to wear something, take it out.

And if you genuinely forget something important, you're in Paris. There are plenty of shops.

Leave room for Céline

Finally, resist the temptation to fill every last centimetre of your it luggage case before you've even left London.

Whether it's Céline Dion merchandise, a little Parisian shopping or a box of macarons for the journey home, chances are you'll come back with more than you arrived with.

For Londoners, Paris is close enough to make a 72-hour break feel easy but far enough away to feel like a proper escape.

And if Céline Dion is waiting at the other end, that's a pretty good reason to pack light, head for St Pancras and turn one concert into a weekend in Paris.