Things to do and see in Paris

09 June 2021

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Friendly disclaimer! We want to be as accurate as possible, but given these challenging times, we urge you to recheck that the venues are open when you decide to visit.

 

Few cities evoke a sense of romance as Paris does. Tracing a rich cultural history with some of the most iconic writers and artists rising to their heights in the city’s hallowed corners, Paris continues to fuel the imagination of her travellers till today. Call her the ‘City of Love’ or the ‘City of Light’, her moods shift from gritty to sophisticated, from Haute Couture to punk. There is always something new to discover in Paris, in the midst of all the legendary sights and museums.

La Tour Eiffel

This iron tower is the very symbol of Paris itself, and it attracts nearly seven million visitors each year. The tower was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Exposition to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. It towers over the city at 324 metres and weighs over 10,000 tons, making it both an imposing monument and an engineering marvel.

 

Useful Info:

  • Location: Parc du Champ de Mars, Paris
  • Website: www.toureiffel.paris
  • Timings: Daily 9am–12:45am 
  • How to reach: Bus 82, 42: “Tour Eiffel”. Metro line 6: “Bir-Hakeim”. Metro line 9: “Trocadéro”.

Tour Montparnasse

The 689-foot tall Montparnasse Tower, also called the “Tour Maine-Montparnasse”, is Paris’ only skyscraper, standing at 59 storeys tall (plus 6 underground levels). The fastest lift connects the ground floor to the 56th floor, at an altitude of 643 feet in just 38 seconds (or 19 feet per second). The top floors and the terrace are only accessible by stairs and provide breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

 

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Cheese and Wine Workshops

Immerse yourself in the art of making cheese in Paris. Every workshop here, is followed by an amazing cheese and wine tasting and teaches you, after making the cheese yourself, how to pair the right kind of cheese with the respective and most suitable wine. Absolutely a great experience for gourmets.

 

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Fondation Louis Vuitton

The 689-foot tall Montparnasse Tower, also called the “Tour Maine-Montparnasse”, is Paris’ only skyscraper, standing at 59 storeys tall (plus 6 underground levels). The fastest lift connects the ground floor to the 56th floor, at an altitude of 643 feet in just 38 seconds (or 19 feet per second). The top floors and the terrace are only accessible by stairs and provide breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

 

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Muse du Louvre

The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world, famous for its many masterpieces: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, art by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio and many more. The main entrance is covered by the 21-meter-high glass Pyramide de Louvre. The French government has collected the 35,000 paintings, sculptures and artefacts that inhabit its endless halls over the past five centuries, and the collection boasts Assyrian, Etruscan, Greek, Coptic and Islamic art, as well as antiquities dating from prehistory to the 19th century.

 

Useful Info:

  • Location: Musée du Louvre, Paris
  • Website: www.louvre.fr
  • Timings: Mon, Thu, Sat–Sun 9am–6pm, Wed, Fri 9am–9:45pm
  • How to reach: Metro line 1, 7: “Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre”


Sacré-Cœur Basilica 

The Sacré-Cœur Roman Catholic basilica sits atop the Montmartre hill, the highest point of the city, offering an wonderful panoramic view of Paris as it extends southward. The church was inaugurated in 1914 and is named after, and dedicated to, the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It contains more than 500 statues and its iconic status makes it a regular sight on film.

 

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Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe was erected by the Emperor Napoleon in 1806, and standing tall at 50 metres (164 feet), it is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. Located at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of Champs-Élysées, the arch honours those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

 

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Château de Versailles

The town of Versailles is a wealthy Parisian suburb and municipality, located 20 kilometres outside the city. In the 11th century Versailles was merely a country village enveloping a castle and the church of Saint-Julien. Today it is mostly known for the lavish Chateau de Versailles, which served as home to King Louis XIV and summer palace to Napoleon. It also saw the historic signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 in the now legendary Hall of Mirrors.

 

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Seine River Cruise

Boat cruises on the Seine embark at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and take you through the heart of the city where you can admire the prestigious monuments and landmarks of the city and the stunning architecture from bridge to bridge and bank to bank. To learn history along the way, plug in your audio guide and choose your language (there are 13 languages available). Come back at night for another tour, and it will be a different Paris before your eyes, yet just as magical.

 

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Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris

With its 10 million yearly visitors, Notre-Dame was the most visited site in Paris until a devastating fire ravaged its significant part in April 2019, suspending visits inside until further notice. The structure of the building itself was preserved, as well as most works of art that used to be contained inside (these are now temporarily stored elsewhere). The place has always been the religious centre of the city: the Celts considered the grounds sacred, the Romans built a temple here, the Christians, a basilica, and the last religious structure before the Notre-Dame cathedral was erected was a Romanesque church. The Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame, finished in 1345, is a tectonic masterpiece. The massive structure is 128 meters (420 feet) long and has two 69-meter-tall (226 feet) towers.

 

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La Seine

The river Seine flows 776 kilometres through northern France, and offers a great opportunity to become familiar with many of Paris’ impressive monuments while enjoying a boat ride through the heart of the city. A romantic cruise for couples, or a fun-filled ride for the whole family, just sit back on the water and enjoy the scenic setting of Paris. Most boat lines offer similar itineraries and are equipped with an audio announcement system, as the multilingual guides provide commentary on the passing sights in several different languages.



Pont Neuf

Pont Neuf (New Bridge) is, ironically, the oldest bridge over the river Seine in Paris. Its construction dates back to the 16th century, and the iconic bridge stands today at 278 meters (912 feet) long and 28 meters (92 feet) wide, connecting the Ile de la Cité with either side of the Seine.

 

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Champs-Élysées

This iconic promenade is nearly two kilometres long and goes all the way from Place de la Concorde to Place Charles de Gaulle, bookended by the Arc de Triomphe and the Musée de Louvre. It is a lovely walk on any day of the year, and it is the place to be during times of celebration, be it the French National Day or New Year’s Eve. In the month of July the final stage of the Tour de France takes place right on this very street.

 

Useful Info:

  • Location: Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris
  • How to reach: Station “Concorde” (metro line 1, 8, 12). Station “Charles de Gaulle – Étoile” (metro line 1, 2, 6, A). Station “Franklin D. Roosevelt” (metro line 1, 9).



Musée d’Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay was originally a railway station, and the building itself demands a visit. But it holds a mesmerizing collection of mainly French paintings, sculptures and photography, including the world’s largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, with works from artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir and Monet.

 

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Montmartre

Montmarte is one of the most popular historic areas in Paris, with the Sacré-Cœur Basilica its beacon atop the 130-metre Montmartre hill, the highest point in Paris. It is famous for the cafés and studios of many great artists, such as Dalí, Monet and Picasso, and it is easily recognizable as the filming location of the movie “Amélie”. Other famous places in the area are the Moulin Rouge and Lapin Agile, downhill to the southwest, in the red-light district of Pigalle.

 

Useful Info:

  • Location: Montmartre
  • How to reach: Metro line 2: “Blanche”, “Pigalle”, “Anvers”. Metro line 12: “Abbesses”.



Le Marais

Le Marais is a historic district situated on the Right Bank of the Seine, spread across the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements. This is a trendy district with beautiful architecture dating back to the 17th century. Now home to a vibrant LGBTQ community, it is famous for its many museums, art galleries and historic sites, such as Paris’ oldest square, Place des Vosges, the site of Victor Hugo’s former residence.

 

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Disneyland Paris

If you can be drawn away from the magical allure of the city, venture to a different type of magic at Disneyland Paris. The resort consists of two parks, Disneyland Park, which consists mainly of the usual rides, restaurants, cafés and tons and tons of shops, and Walt Disney Studios, which has cinemas and stages on top of that. Wander down Main Street USA, explore exotic sceneries in Adventureland, or visit your favourite and most beloved characters at Fantasyland. Adventure and wonder await at Disneyland Paris, especially if you have kids, but not exclusively. Tons of fun is waiting to be had by visitors of all ages.

 

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Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde is a massive 84,000m² square located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. It holds historic importance for several reasons: the liberation struggle during World War II brought many battles to Place de la Concorde; during the French Revolution, over a thousand people were beheaded here, many of them famous: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and revolutionary Robespierre, just to name a few. The site is dominated by the 24-metre Obélisque de Luxour, one of Cleopatra’s needles – a gift from Egyptian viceroy Mohammed Ali to Louis Philippe.

 

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Centre Pompidou

The Centre George Pompidou is a vast postmodern and high-tech architectural space that hosts the Musée National d’Art Moderne (the largest modern art museum in Europe), as well as a large public library and a centre for music and acoustic research. Its construction was controversial, as it was necessary to demolish the emblematic market that stood at that location at Les Halles, and it was initially despised by many Parisians for its unusual architectural aesthetic, which many thought clashed with the city’s classical and sophisticated style.

 

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Père Lachaise Cemetery

Père Lachaise is the largest cemetery in Paris and reputed to be the most visited in the world. It is a huge and peaceful park and the final resting place of many Frenchmen and foreigners who have enriched French life over the past 200 years: Edith Piaff, Oscar Wilde, Camille Pissarro, Marcel Proust, Molière, Max Ernst, Maria Callas and Jim Morrison, to name just a few.

 

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Jardin du Luxembourg

The garden of the French Senate is also the second largest public park in Paris, a recommended place to relax and savour the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the rich palace garden. This is one of the most interesting places in the city to people watch, where you will encounter frolicking families, strolling students, runners, rushing politicians, pickup chess matches and lovers holding hands.

 

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Cité nationale de l’histoire de l’immigration 

One of Paris’ lesser known gems, the Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (formerly the Musée des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie) is not as popular as Orsay or Louvre, yet it is definitely worth a visit. Here you can find a mix of world-class exhibitions of African and Pacific art, and there is an excellent tropical aquarium in the cellar.

 

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Paris Catacombs

The Catacombs are at once fascinating and eerie. Walk down the many steps to experience this spooky underground place. Here you will find the osseous remains of almost 6 million people, moved to this location from an old cemetery.

 

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Pantheon

This neoclassical building in the Latin Quarter was modelled after the Pantheon in Rome. The crypt below is the final resting place of numerous writers, philosophers, poets and scientists, such as Rousseau, Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Louis Braille and Marie Curie.

 

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Parc Montsouris

Parc Montsouris is one of four large public parks built by Emperor Napoleon III at the cardinal points around the city. The large lake, the cascade and the extensive lawns make it a favourite among locals in any weather.

 

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