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Top things to see in Paris
Paris is a beautiful and cultural city, very walkable, with great sights and it has been a source of inspiration for many writers, artists, and filmmakers.
Here a list of the TOP things to see and do not MISS!
THE EIFFEL TOWER
Perhaps, the greatest reason why you should visit the Eiffel Tower when in Paris is because it represents the city. Yes, Paris is home a number of architectural wonders, including beautiful chateaus and museums, but the Eiffel Tower is the most well-known of them all. When it opened in 1889, the Eiffel Tower sported a reddish-brown color. A decade later, it was coated in yellow paint. The tower was also yellow-brown and chestnut brown before the adoption of the current, specially mixed “Eiffel Tower Brown” in 1968. Every seven years, painters apply 60 tons of paint to the tower to keep her looking young. The tower is painted in three shades, progressively lighter with elevation, in order to augment the structure’s silhouette against the canvas of the Parisian sky.
Because it’s so busy, I suggest to plan ahead and book the ticket for a tour, so that your experience with this great icon of Paris and France goes as smoothly as possible, for kids and adults alike! On this page, you’ll find all the practical information and links you need for a well-planned visit that will guarantee an unforgettable, hassle-free experience!
With two floors (one open-air and another indoor), you can take a stroll and enjoy the views by day or night. There are 3 restaurants and at the very top, a Champagne Bar offers the ultimate indulgence.
The three restaurants are:
– Le Jules Verne
Some 400 feet above Paris on the second floor of the south pillar of the Eiffel Tower, Chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurant carries a Michelin star, so guests expect to be as impressed by the food and service as they are by the view. Unsurprisingly, there’s a price tag – around $250 per person – attached to the Experience, the name given to the five- or six- course dinner tasting menu. Alternatively, spend a bit less and see the City of Light by day during a three-course lunch, served weekdays only. The good news is that pre-selected wine pairings are included, and guests can skip the long lines for Eiffel Tower admission. Named for the 19th-century French science fiction writer, Le Jules Verne is a coveted space with 120 seats, providing unsurpassed views for those lucky enough to get a window table. There are no guarantees, however, as these tables are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
-58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant
One floor down, Chef Alain Soulard’s Eiffel Tower dining experience at 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant is less formal than Le Jules Verne. Come with or without a reservation. Furnished in minimalist style with an open kitchen, 58 Tour Eiffel puts a smaller dent in the wallet – lunch begins at about $50 per person. At midday, this is a family restaurant where orders are delivered in chic metal picnic baskets. By night, the room is transformed into a brasserie where children are welcome. Two seatings at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. start at about $100 per person inclusive of a bottle of wine. A costlier premium menu gets a guarantee of a window table overlooking Trocadero, the preferred view. Take a peek at Paris from above through the glass floor on the first floor.
–Buffet Tour Eiffel and Macaroon Bar
Pizza, sandwiches and hot dogs are the casual sort of food served at three Buffet outlets on the esplanade, first floor and second floor of the Eiffel Tower. Counter service and wrapped items from the supermarket-style chiller are quick and easy for a bite on the spot or on the go. Open weekdays only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. For those with a sweet tooth, Macaroon Bar is the second-floor spot to find those delicate French pastel cookies.
LOUVRE MUSEUM
Louvre now houses more than 460,000 objects and 35,000 artworks. Some iconic works include ‘The Raft of the Medusa,’ ‘Venus di Milo,’ ‘The Coronation of Napoleon’, and ‘Liberty Leading the People.’ Its collection is spread across eight departments – Egyptian antiquities, Near Eastern antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculpture, Decorative Arts, Paintings, Prints, and Drawings.
I suggest to visit the Louvre at night too as the Louvre pyramid at night shines like a beacon, its futuristic architecture contrasting the heritage buildings surrounding it. You can witness this beautiful sight on a Louvre night tour, especially during winter and autumn when nightfall is earlier in the day.
Getting To The Louvre
By Bus – You can find multiple bus stops within 200m of the Louvre entrance; you can take these buses – 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95
By Metro – The nearest metro stations are Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre (160m from Louvre) on Line 1 and 7, and Pyramides (400m from Louvre) on Line 14.
There are three entrances for individual ticket holders to enter the Louvre.
1. Pyramid Entrance: This is the main entrance to the Louvre. Look out for “avec billet” (with ticket), and get into the line. You will be allowed to enter after a brief security check.
2. Richelieu Passage Entrance: This is the closest entrance for Headout Ticket holders ( Louis the XIV’s Equestrian Statue, located in front of the glass pyramid at the Louvre)
3. Carrousel du Louvre entrance: This entrance is past the underground shopping center, near Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. For those coming via metro, this is the closest entrance.
Click here for the official website.
CATHEDRALE NOTRE DAME DE PARIS
Immortalized by Victor Hugo in one of his most famous novels, this medieval edifice combining primitive Gothic and radiant Gothic styles impresses visitors with its majestic architecture and the wealth of artworks inside, such as the magnificent rose windows in the transept that are among the biggest in Europe.
Located on the Ile-de-la-Cité, the cathedral’s towers, spire, and flying buttresses seem to magically spring forth from the Seine River and soar ambitiously towards heaven. The 70-meter-high cathedral was, for centuries, the tallest building in Paris. A masterpiece of French Gothic architecture, the Notre-Dame is one of the greatest monuments of the Middle Ages. Although it may look archaic when compared with modern landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the cathedral features a revolutionary medieval design.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral was founded in 1163 by King Louis IX (Saint Louis) and Bishop Maurice de Sully, who wanted to build a church that rivaled the Basilique Saint-Denis. It took almost 200 years and countless architects, carpenters, and stonecutters to construct the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The result is a perfection of Gothic design. Visitors marvel over the fabulously detailed facade and are awestruck by the enormous nave. The serene sanctuary is a soul-inspiring space. Ethereal light filters through magnificent stained-glass windows, and in the evening, the illuminated votive candles add to the spiritual ambience.
Unfortunately, due to the tragic fire (April 2019) that has destroyed portions of the Notre Dame Cathedral, it will be closed to tourists and worshippers until further notice.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE
The Arc de Triomphe is now dedicated to glory of the French army and honors important battles, generals and victories in France’s military history. You can visit the ground level of the arch for free. Take the underpass to access the arch.
Never attempt to cross the chaotic and dangerous roundabout from the Champs Elysées! To access the top, you can climb 284 steps, or take an elevator to the mid-level and climb 64 stairs to the top.
SACRE-COEUR
If you plan on visiting Montmartre, you probably also plan on visiting the Sacre-Coeur, which is also known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris or the Sacre Coeur Basilica, as you prefer.
The Sacre-Coeur now stands on top of the hill of Montmartre, but, before its construction, this place was already a place of worship. Indeed, paganism used to be practised, and gallo-roman temples were once built there in dedication to Mercure and Mars.
It’s the second highest point of the city, at a height of 130 meters. Both the dome and the bell tower is 91 meters tall so the total height of the Sacre-Coeur is of 213 meters above the sea level. Since the Eiffel Tower is 300 meters tall and the Montparnasse Tower is 210 meters tall, the Sacre-Coeur takes the second place in the highest points of Paris.
The architect Paul Abadie is the one who designed the Sacre-Coeur. The architectural style is romano-byzantine and was inspired by churches, like Saint Sofia in Constantinople and San Marco in Venice.
The Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris is open everyday from 6 am to 10.30 pm.
MOULIN ROUGE
The Moulin Rouge is the iconic Paris cabaret, easily recognizable with its red windmill on the corner of boulevard de Clichy and place Blanche, at the bottom of a hill in the Montmartre.
It was founded in 1889 by Joseph Oller (1839-1922) and Charles Zidler (1831-1897).
The Moulin Rouge offers a lively dinner with a glittering music-hall revue. Wild and colourful dance shows are performed by topless women dancing with whirls of feather boas, sparkles and sequins.
The official site for the Moulin Rouge has tickets which can be purchased online.
PALACE OF VERSAILLES
How to get to Versailles from Paris? By train you can take a “RER C” train from central Paris to within 5 minutes walk of Chateau Versailles, ending at station Versailles-Rive Gauche.
The Palace of Versailles was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI, located in the department of Yvelines, in the region of Île-de-France, about 20 kilometres southwest of the centre of Paris.
The Palace offers an incredible insight into French history, illuminating the lavish and ostentatious lives the former monarchs used to live.
The gardens of Versailles span across 800 hectares and comprise 200,000 trees, 50 fountains and a 5.57km canal.
Much of this was formerly woods and marshland but now in place of these is an extraordinary network of magnificent gardens.
They’ve been inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List for a reason.
The hall of mirrors was designed to celebrate the political, diplomatic, economic and artistic successes of France.
Though it seems quite a sight to behold, it was actually initially used as a passageway for courtiers and visitors. It was only used for ceremonies on exceptional occasions such as the masked ball for the wedding of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI.
Plan your visit and check the tickets here.
MUSEE D’ORSAY
The Musée d’Orsay houses the largest collection of Impressionist masterpieces. The museum is special because it houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world. You can peruse beautiful landscapes by the likes of Monet, Manet, Seurat, Van Gogh and Sisley to name just a few.
Another good reason to visit the Orsay Museum is the view over Paris that it offers. Actually, there are two spots in the museum to enjoy great views. The first is from the second floor: behind the great clock, you can have a beautiful view on the Seine river. It is such an amazing experience, to mix the modern-metallic-industrial side with the clock, and the large-colourful-panoramic side with the view of the river!
You can purchase ticket directly in the official website here.
WHERE TO SLEEP IN PARIS
DISNEYLAND PARIS
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