Paris, france
Attractions Guide

The French capital of Paris is a massive city with many iconic attractions, including striking monuments and world-class museums. Many of the streets within the city's center are lined with lovely historic homes and buildings, making exploring Paris on foot a very enjoyable and perhaps even romantic experience.

A majority of the city's most popular and iconic attractions can be found near the Seine River, which runs through the center of Paris.

Paris Attractions Requiring Advanced Reservation

For several of the most iconic attractions in Paris it's necessary to book tickets in advance, usually at least one week before your visit. In order to ascend the Eiffel Tower and take in the amazing views from it, you'll need to make an advanced reservation.

The Eiffel Tower is the city's most iconic monument, which is located along the Seine River, reaching a height of over 1,050 feet (320 m). In order to visit the top of the tower you'll need an advanced reservation to take the elevator up.

There are several options to choose from for which floor you'd like to visit of the Eiffel Tower, but the most expensive one gives you access to the top floor as well as the floor below. From the top you can enjoy incredible far-reaching panoramic views over much of Paris.

In front of the Eiffel Tower is the long finely landscaped Champ de Mars park, a perfect place to walk around and enjoy views of the tower from below.

Another iconic Paris attraction is the magnificent Arc de Triomphe, a massive monument commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate the people lost during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. This famous arched monument towers 164 feet (50 m) above the round-about below.

If you'd like to climb the stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and take in excellent views over the city, you'll need to find the somewhat hidden Arc de Triomphe Entree Nord-Ouest entrance, located on the northwestern side of the traffic circle.

Champs-Elysees Boulevard

The Arc de Triomphe sits at the western end of the famous Champs-Elysees, a grand avenue hosting many giant upscale shops and cafes. The Champs-Elysees is the top shopping destination within Paris.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

In the middle of the Seine River is Ile de la Cite island, the historical city of Paris. Here you'll find the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris, an elegant medieval structure showcasing elaborate gothic architecture.

The Notre Dame's stunning architecture and gargoyles inspired Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, which was later adapted into the popular Disney movie. Be sure to see the church's striking interiors, as well as the even more impressive backside of the cathedral.

Sainte-Chapelle

Also on the island is the lavish 13th century Sainte-Chapelle, a former royal chapel. This chapel contains one of the world's foremost collections of medieval stained glass windows within its extremely ornate and finely decorated interiors.

Conciergerie

Adjacent to the chapel is the Conciergerie, which along with the chapel make up an historic royal palace used by the Kings of France until the 14th century. Afterwards the Conciergerie was converted into a fortress and later a prison used during the French Revolution. This elegant fortress now serves as a museum on the French Revolution and even has Marie Antoinette's prison cell on display.

At the eastern end of the vast and beautiful Tuileries Gardens is the most popular art museum in the world, the Louvre Museum. This vast museum is housed within the 16th century Louvre Palace, a former royal residence of the kings of France.

The Louvre Museum is so massive that it would be difficult to see the entire museum's collections in one day. The main exhibits of the museum include artifacts and sculptures from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome; along with an enormous collection of fine art, sculptures, and decorative arts spanning many time periods. The museum's most famous piece is Da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting.

Place de la Concorde Plaza

At the eastern end of the Champs-Elysees avenue is the grand Place de la Concorde, a massive square with the towering ancient Egyptian Obelisk of Luxor at its center. This obelisk is over 3,000 years old and is covered in hieroglyphics, with a gold-covered tip.

Tuileries Gardens

Adjacent to the Place de la Concorde are the famous Tuileries Gardens, a massive 17th century formal garden which sits along the Seine River. Amongst the gardens you'll find elegant statues and fountains, as well as many carnival rides and games.

Orangerie Museum & Le Palais Royal

Within Tuileries Gardens you'll find the popular Orangerie Museum, hosting a large collection of 20th century impressionist and post-impressionist European art, including several of Monet's water lily murals.

Also next to the Louvre is Le Palais Royal, a former royal palace featuring a small beautiful garden and a very unique and photogenic art installation consisting of checkered columns.

Sacre-Couer Basilica

North of Central Paris is one of the city's most iconic attractions, the gorgeous Sacre-Couer, an extremely elaborate white basilica hosting stunning views overlooking Paris.

Saint-Denis Cathedral

Much further north of Paris in the suburb of Saint-Denis is the beautiful 12th century gothic Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis. This striking medieval cathedral is the burial place of nearly all of France's kings.

L'eglise de la Madeleine Church

Directly north of the Place de la Concorde is another Pantheon-like structure, L'eglise de la Madeleine church, a neoclassical landmark structure lined with towering columns, topped with multiple massive domes. The church's interior is extremely opulent and ornate.

Pantheon

Just south of the Ile de la Cite is the grandiose neoclassical Pantheon building, with its incredibly extravagant and ornate interiors. Be sure to see the inside of the truly majestic structure, whose exterior was modeled after the ancient Pantheon of Rome. The Pantheon was originally built as a stately church and now serves as a grand mausoleum for important French citizens.

Luxembourg Gardens

Nearby the Pantheon are the majestic Luxembourg Gardens, a picturesque park containing fine gardens with many fountains and sculptures. The park surrounds the stately Luxembourg Palace, a former royal residence which now serves as the French Senate headquarters.

Paris Catacombs

South of the Luxembourg Gardens you'll find an extremely popular attraction, the Paris Catacombs. This vast network of underground tunnels contains over 6 million human skeletons on display. The tunnels of this ossuary were originally ancient stone mines.

Montparnasse Tower

You can enjoy some breathtaking panoramic views over Paris from the nearby Montparnasse Tower, which soars 690 feet (210 m) above the ground. The observation deck at the top of the tower also hosts incredible views of the Eiffel Tower, with the Champ de Mars directly in front of it.

Palais Garnier

Further north from Tuileries Gardens is Palais Garnier, a highly embellished opera house with incredibly grandiose interiors. Prior to the construction of the Sydney Opera House, the Palais Garnier was said to be the most recognizable opera house in the world. Be sure to visit this extravagant structure, which is open for guided and unguided tours.

Pont Alexandre III Bridge

Just west of the Place de la Concorde you can admire the picturesque Pont Alexandre III, a lovely bridge adorned with grandiose copper and bronze sculptures, as well as elegant street lamps. This is highly regarded to be the most beautiful bridge crossing the Seine River.

Musee d'Orsay

Just across the river from the Tuileries Gardens is the renowned Musee d'Orsay museum of contemporary art, housed in a vast 19th century train station. This art museum is among the largest in Europe, hosting a prominent collection of fine European art from the 19th and 20th century, including masterpieces by artists such as Van Gogh and Monet.

Fine Art Museums

If you're a fan of the famous artist Claude Monet, be sure to visit the Marmottan Monet Museum, which contains an incredible collection of Monet's works, alongside prominent works of other Impressionist artworks. The museum is located west of the Eiffel Tower near the Bois de Boulogne park.

Paris also hosts one of the best Picasso museums in the world, the Picasso National Museum, which hosts an extensive collection of over 5,000 of the famous artist's works. Interestingly, the museum also houses Picasso's expansive personal art collection.

Adjacent to the Les Invalides complex is the popular Rodin Museum, showcasing the famous sculptor's works within a posh 18th century mansion. The museum also features a small fine garden.

Modern/Contemporary Art Museums

Located north of Ile de la Cite island and east of the Louvre is one of Paris's most popular museums, The Centre Pompidou, which is France's national museum of modern art. The building housing the museum is a very unique high-tech industrial-like structure and is one of the museum's main draws.

Les Invalides

Directly across the Pont Alexandre III Bridge near the Place de la Concorde is the vast Les Invalides complex of baroque buildings and courtyards. The complex hosts an array of important French military museums, as well as the Dome des Invalides church. This church houses the grand tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte along with other French war heroes.

Museum of Fairground Arts

Near the Seine River to the west of the Vincennes Woods is the incredible Museum of Fairground Arts, located within the Pavilions of Bercy. This museum hosts an amazing collection of historic amusement park rides and elaborate fairground pieces.

The Museum of Fairgrounds Arts's exhibits are very highly detailed, and some of the rides and games are operational. The museum is both beautiful and eery, making you feel as though you've stepped back in time to a 19th century fair. Be sure to make advanced reservations for this attraction, which can only be visited by pre-booking a tour.

History Museums

Quite close to Ile de la Cite you'll find the Cluny Museum - National Museum of the Middle Ages. This stunning castle-like mansion houses an important collection of medieval artifacts including tapestries, sculptures, antique furniture, and more. This lovely gothic building also houses the remains of the impressive 3rd century Gallo-Roman Baths.

To the east of the Pantheon is France's National Museum of Natural History, a massive institution housing countless exhibits, including several giant halls filled with various dinosaur and animal skeletons. The museum's most famous room is the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution, which showcases thousands of preserved animals within a colossal 19th century hall.

Grand Palais & Petit Palais

At the northern end of Pont Alexandre III and just west of Tulieres Gardens you'll find the opulent Grand Palais, a massive art nouveau style exhibition hall with ornate interiors. The Grand Palais hosts rotating exhibitions which are typically very important.

Directly across from the Grand Palais is the majestic Petit Palais, which houses exhibits in fine art, royal furniture, and fine decorative arts, set amongst lavish interiors.

Jacquemart-Andre Museum

Northeast of the Champs-Elysees is the strikingly lavish Musee Jacquemart-Andre, which houses an impressive European fine art collection within an extravagant 19th century mansion. Inside you'll find luxurious period-appropriate furnishings amongst the finely detailed interiors.

Quai Branly Museums

Just north of the Eiffel Tower is the unique Quai Branly Museum displaying an amazing collection of indigenous arts from around the world, housed within a stunning contemporary structure.

Vincennes Woods

On the eastern outskirts of Paris you'll find the expansive Vincennes Woods, an urban park containing vast woodlands and many trails. Just north of the park is the stunning 14th century Chateau de Vincennes, a towering castle-like structure surrounded by medieval walls. The chateau once served as a royal hunting lodge and later as a fortress; now it exists as an historic museum you can tour.

Plazas

Near the Picasso Museum you can admire Paris's oldest planned city square, the Place des Vosges, which is lined with upscale 17th century brick homes. This city square is quite picturesque.

Just north of Tuileries Garden is the Place Vendome plaza, surrounded by luxurious palace-like hotels. In the middle of the plaza is the Napoleon-era Colonne Vendome, a giant column with complex battle scenes carved into it.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

To the east of Sacre-Couer you might like to visit the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, a lovely park hosting cliffs, waterfalls, and even a suspension bridge spanning high above the park's giant pond.

Rene-Dumont Scenic Pathway

To the west of the Vincennes Woods is an amazing urban pathway along an historic elevated railway, the Coulee verte Rene-Dumont (or tree-lined walkway). This path passes through many parks and gardens with constantly-changing natural and urban scenery.

The Rene-Dumont Pathway starts near the Place de la Bastille (the site of the historic Bastille fortress which was burned down during the French Revolution) and continues uninterrupted almost all the way to the Vincennes Woods. The total one-way trail length for this scenic pathway is 2.9 miles (4.7 km).

La Defense Urban District

Further west is Paris's ultramodern business district, the La Defense urban area. Here you'll find extraordinary contemporary high-rise buildings and stunning architecture. The most notable structure of La Defense is the giant Grande Arche de la Defense, a striking geometric monument soaring 360 feet (110 m) above the ground.