Paris, France is one of the most fascinating and romantic cities in Europe and tourists visiting this wonderful city will find that things to see and do are almost limitless. Known as the ‘City of Light’, the beauty of Paris is overwhelming and its architectural and artistic heritage combine with undeniable appeal and world-class tourism to make any visit an unforgettable experience.
Together with French unique gastronomy and way of life Paris remains of the most visited city of the world.
We have listed below a few among the main attractions that Paris offers, you can find out more directly on the Paris Tourist office website.
Within Paris
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Needless to describe the Eiffel Tower ... This monument stands as the symbol of Paris.
Though it is very well known, it remains a not-to-be-missed monument ; the Eiffel Tower stands 324 m tall, and weighs 10,100 tons. Created in 2 years, 2 months and 5 days, it was built for the universal exposition of 1889 at which time it was the tallest building.
Initially critized by some French leading artists and intelectuals, it was originaly doomed to be disassembled ; but then it has been reused to the 1900 universal exposition and the parisians probably get use to it.
Did you known that Gustave Eiffel engraved on the tower the names of 72 French scientists, how many of those do you know ?
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Louvre Museum it also well know as it is the world's largest art museum. It features, over 70,000 square meters an outstanding collection from prehistory, Ancient Egytian to Impressionism paintings and modern art.
Located in the very center of Paris, the Museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, which originally was built during 12th century to server as French Kings household.
In 1983, the Grand Louvre plan was started to renovate the building which was then the Finance Ministry. This plan features the construction of the glass pyramid that has been widely critized for not fitting with the Louvre palace architecture style. Surely it quickly became a symbol of the Museum.
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The "Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile" is also one of the most famous monuments in Paris, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of Place formerly named "Star square" due to the juncture formed by its twelve radiating avenues all at 30 degrees.
Inaugurated in 1836, the Arc de Triomphe has an overall height of 50 metres on the top which you can enjoy the great panoramic sight over the Champs-Élysées.
Interestingly, beneath the Arc lays the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I which features the first eternal flame of Europe
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Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on the "island of the city" in the very center of Paris, is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. Its numerous sculptural decorations, its enormous and colorful rose windows along with its impressive dimensions of 128 meters of length with vaults over 30 meters make it cannot-to-be-missed monument.
Built between 1160 and 1260, Notre-Dame Cathedral is also well-known after Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
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The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, is perhaps less known than Notre-Dame Cathedral while it is the second most visited monument in Paris. Located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in Paris, its parvise offers a quite extraordinary view of Paris skyline.
The neighbourhood is also well known for polical reasons, as it were the heart of a revolutionary uprising in 1871, as well as for aristic reasons when famous painters, such as Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir and Matisse lived there due to the low rents.
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Housed in the former Orsay railway station, the Orsay museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It features the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.
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The City of Science and Industry is the biggest science museum in Europe; it is devoted to promote science and science culture.
Among its notable features, one can visit the movie thearter inside the huge geodesic dome composed of 6,433 for a size of 36 metres and the "bioclimatic facade" is made of three greenhouse spaces each 32 metres high, 32 metres wide and 8 metres deep.
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Where stood Paris's central fresh food market, les halles is a modern shopping mall, mostly built underground, whose large 2.5 hectares Canopy has just been inaugurated in 2018.
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Near Les Halles, the Museum known in English as the Pompidou Centre was designed in the style of high-tech by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano and features largest museum for modern art in Europe.
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A bit further
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Located about 20km southwest from Paris, conveniently connected to the RER C that runs approximatively every 20 minutes, the Palace of Versailles is the second-most visited monument in the Paris Region.
This UNESCO World Heritage site, is very famous for the 63,154 square meters Palace, that features especially, among its 2,300 rooms, the ceremonial Hall of Mirrors, the jewel-like Royal Opera, and the royal apartments.
Surely you will not miss the 93 hectares gardens and the numerous fontains both designed by André Le Nôtre that host intimate royal residences such as the Grand and small Trianon.
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Food and Life style
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French Gastronomy
Comming in Paris and not enjoying the French gastronomy would certainly mean missing the most of it.
Paris features a wide range of restaurant that will allow you to get a taste of all French celebrated regional dishes ... among which Burgundy snails and frog legs are to try.
Though Paris is quite an expansive city, a meal can start from 15€ and may go up to 30€ (or even way more in the best restaurant).
Don't miss to try the wide range of French wine, from Burgundy, Bordeaux or Alsace.
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Paris life by Night
Do not miss the famous "Quatier latin" which, as the home of numerous of higher education establishments besides the university, has a terrific night life.
This area also hosts the well known Panthéon and the Sorbonne University than opened in 1257 making it one of the oldest in Europe
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