Sightseeing in Paris
Photograph: Anthony DELANOIX via Unsplash
1. Eiffel Tower
Imagine the gaping hole in the Parisian skyline (and our hearts) if all 18,000 metal
parts of Gustave Eiffel’s jaw-dropping monument had been taken down at the end of
the 1889 World Fair as originally planned. Thankfully, this elegant Parisian icon is still
standing and poised for selfie opportunities galore. You can ascend to different
levels of the 300-metre structure - though bear in mind the very utmost part is
closed at certain times of the year. When it's open though, there's a cosy salon up
there to gaze at the whole of Paris from. Be sure to check the tower from afar in the
evening too, when for ten minutes on-the-hour 20,000 flashbulbs light the tower.
Come on, we know it looks a bit like a pylon, but you can't really do Paris without it
You just canttTime Out
2. Arc de Triomphe
Attractions
Ternes
Sure, it's older and shorter than the Eiffel, but what's wrong with old and short things?
Number two on your must-see-in-Patis list has to be the Arc de Triomphe. It’s a regal
reminder of a time when Napoleon Bonaparte ruled the roost, proudly standing its
ground as the roar of traffic whirs around its stone buttresses. In the Arc's museum,
you can learn about its 200-year-old history through interactive screens before jetting
up to the roof, where gorgeous views of the city await. You're pretty close to some
good shopping streets when done, too, Again, its the Arc de Triomphe people. That's
as Paris as Paris gets, save the Eiffel, of course.Shutterstock
3. Chateau de Versailles
Things to do
Paris et sa banlieue
Despite its location on the fringes of Paris, it would be sacrilege to overlook
Versailles, one of the most lavish buildings on the face of the earth. Making a full day
of it is essential - wander through the ornate state apartments, marvel at the pink
marble palaces tucked away from the pomp of the court, and check out
Marie-Antoinette's digs: a deliciously twee and saccharine chocolate box of a house
located on a fairy-tale farm. Outside the chateau gates the Académie du Spectacle
Equestre run elaborate shows of tightly choreographed theatrics on horseback which
is well worth your time too. | mean, this place. Look at the size of it, the width. Such a
gaff. The garden too. It's quite the way to spend a day in the capital4, Galeries Lafayette
Shopping
Department stores
Chaussée-d'Antin
Few cities are as synonymous with style, flair and fashion as Paris. And if you are in
Paris to pick up designer duds, make a beeline for the Galeries Lafayette, a sprawling
shopping mecca where you can lose hours to retail therapy. Come for Dior and fine
wine, and stay for the drop-dead gorgeous domed roof, which looks particularly
exquisite at Christmas when there's a tree laden with fairy lights underneath it. Xmas
shopping is never chicer than it is here. When you've filled your bags, fill your
stomach too, there ate great food options. Just as you'd expect in prime France. Like
Petrossain Caviar, and La Cave at Lafayette Gourmet (wine galore).
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ADVERTISING5. Sacré-Coeur
Attractions
Montmartre
price 1 of 4
While the mosaics inside the beautiful 19th-century (1877 if you want the pub quiz
knowledge) basilica are tras jolies, the real reason you've scaled the hill (or taken the
funicular — if you're over 80 or feeling lazy) is to take in the sweeping vistas of the
city. Go in while you're there though, obviously. Also, when done gazing at the view
the cobbled, bistro-lined streets behind Sacré-Coeur are well worth exploring. Just try
to sideline the keyring-shaking touts. The entire area is oozing history, so why not
walk around the area? Actually, a fact for you, it was once considered among the
most rebellious neighbourhoods.6. Les Catacombes
Things to do
Walks and tours
Denfert-Rochereau
price 2 of 4
Deep beneath the Parisian streets lie the neatly stacked bones of around six million
people. It took them a whole 12 years to move all their bones. Quite the shift. As the
sign outside reads (in French) ‘Here lies the Empire of Death’ Which, you know, could
be considered dramatique. But yes, it makes for a pretty unnerving experience,
walking through this corridor of stacked skulls, You can tour a section of the
3,000km (1,864-mile) tunnel network — just make sure you wrap up warm, the
temperature in the tunnels is a cool 14°C. You'll be chilled to the bone otherwise.Photograph: Pixabay
7. The Louvre
Museums:
Art and design
Louvre
price 3 of 4
Yes, it's the home of the Mona Lisa (you might have to wait until the crowds disperse
to get an eyeful of Leonardo's gal and that enigmatic smile), and it's way smaller than
you'd think, so you're likely to get a selfie of a selfie with the painting. No bother
though, there are some 35,000 works of art and artefacts to explore at the Louvre, so
get your walking shoes on and start exploring. Whatever you do, don't try to do it all -
that would take days on end. Pick a few rooms you like the sound of, and spend time
properly savouring the treasures inside. Aimlessly wandering the corridors will leave
you too tired for anything. Choose the bits that sound good, and you'll absolutely
louvre it!Photograph: Traktorminze / Wikimedia Commons
8. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Attractions
Parks and gardens
Buttes-Chaumont
If you're looking for somewhere a little wilder and more free-form than the
neatly-trimmed bushes and gravelly paths of most Parisian parks, head to the Parc
des Buttes-Chaumont. Winding walkways, serene temples and roaring waterfalls
make this a paradise for the curious explorer. As the city’s fifth-biggest park, there's
no shortage of stuff to see and do — and while you're here, you'd be silly not to
indulge in the park's fabulous on-site food and drinks.9. Moulin Rouge
Theatre
Musicals
Abbesses
If it's glitz and glam you're after, dig out your sparkliest glad rags and sashay over to
the world-famous Moulin Rouge. Drinks will be flowing freely, the costumes
flamboyant and — naturellement — there'll be more high kicks than you can shake a
feather boa at. But don't think you can just rock up and catch one of the Moulin’s
spectacularly successful shows - book ahead (ike, months ahead) to avoid
disappointment. Go full Francais with a glass of champagne, you deserve it. Even if
it's just for getting a spot at the show. If you want to be a real Moulin Rouge head, do
the can-can there, it's where the modern can-can comes from. It was originally a
seductive dance though, so watch who you do it to!10. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Attractions
Ile de la Cité
If you know the Hunchback, you know the cathedral. After Victor Hugo's 1831 novel
“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’, Disney's plucky '90s movie brought the wonderfully
foreboding Gothic architecture of the historic icon (built between 1163 and 1345) to
a whole new generation. Even after the inferno that tore through the roof in April
2019, which millions watched unfold on screens worldwide, the Cathédrale
Notre-Dame still stands majestic on the lle de la Cité. On your next visit, look up at its.
timeless fagade and imagine its future — just how will they rebuild this sacred beast?
Visiting it now is also a sad but unique experience. "I saw it when it was being rebuilt”
youll say to the grandkids one day. For the pub quizzers among you, Notre-Dame de
Paris means ‘Our Lady of Paris’. Nice right?@ Juanede / Flickr
11, Montparnasse Tower
Attractions
Necker
price 2 of 4
The Eiffel Tower is such an essential part of the Parisian skyline - would you really
want a panorama of the city without it? Well, that's where Tour Montparnasse comes
in handy. The Montparnasse is 209-metre block of glass and steel with, crucially, a
fabulous viewing platform at the top. Within seconds of stepping into the lift you'll be
lapping up those city views — with the Eiffel Tower certainly included.
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12. Jardin des Tuileries
Attractions
Parks and gardens
Jer arrondissement
A gentle stroll through the vast gravelled paths in these gardens beside the Louvre
makes for the perfect antidote to a day of tourist jostling - whether on a chilly
winter's day with a coffee or in the blazing summer sunshine when you can grab an
ice cream and admire the perfectly coiffed hedges. If you want more art, somehow,
there's a handful of modern sculptures, including bronzes by Laurens, Moore, Ernst,
Giacometti, and Dubuffet's Le Bel Costumé.Photograph: Oliver Knight
13. Musée de l’Orangerie
Museums.
Art and design
er arrondissement
price 2 of 4
What with the crowds, the queues and the painfully slow map navigation, sightseeing
in Paris can be stress-inducing stuff - but at least you can find some respite among
the mellow hues of Monet's ‘Nymphéas’ (water lilies) paintings, which wrap around
two white oval-shaped rooms of the Orangerie. It's worth it, you know it is. When else
are you going to go there? There's also Modigliani, Rousseau, Matisse, Picasso and
Derain around the place, so you know, yeah, you basically need to go don't you?Time Out
14. Canal Saint-Martin
Things to do
Walks and tours
Canal Saint-Martin
While you might not necessarily know it, you may well have already seen or heard
about the Canal Saint-Martin. Loads of Amélie was filmed here. Edith Piaf sang about
it a lot. Sisley’s got his famous ‘View of the Canal Saint-Martin’ in the Orsay. And it's
easy to see why the canal is such a muse: the place is teeming with quirky
establishments and peculiar personalities. It's perfect for a chilled late-afternoon
stroll - not least because there are fewer better Paris experiences than grabbing a
biére or bite to eat and sitting down at the water's edge. Trés heureux, indeed.a=
Ss
Photograph: Kiev.Victor
15. Musée d’Orsay
Museums:
Art and design
7e arrondissement
price 2 of 4
Here you'll find Delacroix, Corot, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Gauguin, Monet, Cézanne
and van Gogh - and that's to name just a few of the huge names within the Musée
d'Orsay. The third most esteemed gallery (after the Louvre and Pompidou) in an
art-mad city, before the Orsay opened in 1986 as a collection specialising in art
produced between 1848 and 1914 it was actually a train station. These days, it's also
perfectly placed for a romantique post-exhibition stroll down the Seine.Music
Music venues
Chaussée-d'Antin
price 3 of 4
Opera fans are in safe hands in the lavish surroundings of this 2,000-strong
auditorium. Arrive early to marvel at the false ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964
and saunter down that grand staircase like you're royalty. Opulent and grandiose, this
place will transport you back to the days of 19th-century Haute société ~ and that's
all before you even sit down to enjoy its stellar programme of opera, ballet and
theatre, Don't ike opera? Who cares, you're in Paris. Dust off the suit and pretend!Museums
Art and design
4e arrondissement
price 3 of 4
Its playful nursery school colours, exposed pipes and exterior escalators make the
Centre Pompidou ~ designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers ~ one of the
best-known sights in Paris. If modern art's your bag, you're in for a treat, because this
place holds more of it than anywhere else in Europe, Name the artist and there's.
something here, you know, assuming they're good and modern. Certain parts are free
entry.Attractions
Cemeteries
Pare-Lachaise
Like much Parisian architecture, Pere-Lachaise cemetery is incredibly photogenic.
Winding cobbled pathways lead you between leafy trees and ornate headstones. It's
dead nice. Tourists flock here because of the famous names buried here - Jim
Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Proust, Balzac ~ but it’s a pretty place to wander in its own
right. In fact, we've made a to help plot your route through the cemetery.
Its a strangely fun time, cruising among the dead.Shopping
Boutiques
In 1969, hoary French crooner Joe Dassin released ‘Les Champs-Elysées’, a perfect
slice of cheesy French chanson whose lyrics go, ‘in the sunshine, in the rain, in the
dark or in the day, all you need’s on the Champs-Elysées’. The song captured the
avenue's status at the time as one of the most fashionable streets in Paris. Today it
remains as such, with big-name brands like Levi's, Hugo Boss and, er, Marks &
Spencer all headquartered here. Come armed with cash and plenty of it. Of course,
you can pop over to that triumphant arc at the top. Hell of a roundabout, that,jessica Orchard
20. Shakespeare & Company
Shopping
Bookshops
Quartier latin
While the original Shakespeare & Co was once frequented by Ernest Hemingway and
other famed 1930s bohemians, the new shop (which opened in 1951 on the Left
Bank) has a cherished reputation of its own. Here you'll find tome-lined passageways
and irresistibly enchanting alcoves - this is a place that has inspired writers, readers
and bibliophiles for decades. Our advice? Bring a spare suitcase. You'll almost
certainly find yourself hauling home half a bibliothéque’s worth of literary goodies.