Top 15 Interesting Places to Visit in Paris
If you were to ask 10 people what one of their most-desired vacation spots
would be, the chances are that at least eight of them would say Paris.
With 15.7
million arrivals in the hotels of France’s capital city charted in 2012, the
city is undeniably a popular tourist spot and many people from all walks of life
with a wide variety of interests flock to "La Ville Lumière" – the City of
Lights. Paris is arranged into 20 arrondissements, and with its extensive array
of sights to see, visiting this great city should be planned out in advance
whenever possible so you not only have time to see everything that you want to
see before leaving for home, but also so that you don’t get lost in between the
places of interest. Though Paris has countless parks, shops, museums and other
things to do, there are fifteen attractions that stand out above the rest,
whether it’s for historical or cultural reasons, and while in this great city
you should make it a point to try and see them all.
15) Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is probably the one thing that you think about when you
envision Paris, and undoubtedly it is one of the most famous landmarks in this
beautiful city. Built in 1889 for the World Exhibition, this tower stands 984
feet and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city; even if you don’t take
time out of your schedule to visit the tower itself in the city’s seventh
arrondissement you’re guaranteed to see it. It’s inexpensive as far as tourist
attractions are priced, so it won’t put a dent in your touring budget if the
whole family buys tickets to go all the way to the top. There are lifts as well
as stairs to the second floor, and if you’re adventurous or want some exercise,
you can also climb the 704 steps to the very top of the tower to get one of the
most beautiful views of the City of Lights you’re likely to find. It’s open
year-round as well, even in cases of inclement weather, and with hours as late
as midnight during the summer months, you’ll easily be able to find time to make
your way to the top of this cultural landmark no matter what your touring
schedule is.
14) Musée du Louvre
Located within the city’s first arrondissement and at the geographic center of
Paris, this expansive museum is one of the most famous in the world, and its
entire art collection is housed within a repurposed palace – fitting, since
you’ll feel as rich as royalty when you walk through its three wings of vast,
decorated halls. The Louvre’s collection totals over one million, with about
35,000 on display, including some of the most famous works of art you’ve
probably ever studied, such as Michelangelo’s Dying Slave sculpture and the
ever-famous Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci. It’s recommended that any
art history student, general history enthusiast, and even casual tourist not let
their trip to Paris be considered complete without a visit to the Louvre, and
those who have visited recommend taking at least a day, if not more than that if
your time and budget allow, to experience all it has to offer. There is an
admission fee, however it is inexpensive and the museum offers free admission on
the first Sunday of each month in addition to free tickets available for certain
proofs of entitlement. Touring the rooms is made easy by an app available to
download for self-guided audio tours in addition to an introductory tour for
first-time visitors, offered in English. For those visitors to Paris fluent in
French, guided lecture tours covering a specific theme, period, or artist are
available as well. This should definitely be on your list of things to do.
13) Place de la
Concorde
If you’re headed to locations all over Paris, chances are you’ll pass through
this area without fully realizing it at least once or twice. Place de la
Concorde is an octagonal town square-type area located in the eighth
arrondissement that holds a reputation as the largest city square in Paris. It
spans almost 22 acres and sits at the eastern end of the champs-Elysées. The
square itself was built in 1772, and history enthusiasts will love standing on
the same spot that played such an integral role in the French Revolution. Place
de la Concorde was the historical center point of the revolution and has
actually undergone a few name changes, most notably the Place de la Révolution
when it was seized by the revolutionary government; it was at that same time
that the feared guillotine was erected in the square and is the grisly execution
site of the famed rulers Louis XIV and his wife, Marie Antoinette. Today, it has
gone through many design and decorative changes and now offers a beautiful view
of many statues and fountains for visitors to look at as they walk through it,
in addition to the Luxor Obelisk decorated with hieroglyphics detailing the
reign of pharaoh Ramses III that was given to the French by the Egyptian
government in 1833.
12) Champs-Elysées
A famous avenue stretching from the Place de la Concorde to the Place Charles de
Gaulle on the other side of the Arc de Triomphe the Champs-Elysées is arguably
one of the most famous streets in Paris. On the west end of this street there
are cinemas, theatres, cafés and luxury shops, including the Théâtre Marigny and
the Grand Palais. The Théâtre Marigny was built to house a panorama in 1883, and
has since been repurposed as a home for opera and other types of musical theatre
– try and catch a show here while you’re in Paris if you can. The Grand Palais
is a historic exhibition hall, housing a police station in its basement as well
as a science museum, the Palais de la Découverte. Chanel regularly hosts many of
its fashion shows here, and the Palais was the home of the 2010 World Fencing
championships. On the end of the street nearest to the Place de la Concorde,
walking along the Champs-Elysées will allow you great opportunity to look at the
Jardins des Champs-Elysées, which is one of the most beautifully arranged
gardens and impressive fountains in the city. It’s known as "la plus belle
avenue du monde" – "the most beautiful avenue in the world" – and is one of the
key places to visit as part of any trip to Paris. If you like high-end retail
shops then you can pick up some new clothes while you’re walking along this
beautiful, bustling street.
11) Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 and completed in 1836, this arch is another
great piece of history in Paris that you should make it a point to go see before
your trip is over. It’s engraved with the names of generals who commanded French
troops of Napoleon’s armies and, when you get close enough to look at it, the
sculptural style and detail in the carving on its surface is truly exquisite. If
you don’t want to climb, though, heading to the top for the view you get
probably isn’t for you; 40 steps and no option of a lift await you. If you’re in
Paris over the summer holidays, the best day to visit Arc de Triomphe is on July
14: Bastille Day, historically remembered as the beginning of the French
revolution. A parade trails up the Champs-Elysées that leads to this arch, and
it’s something to make sure you don’t miss – it’s located on the borders of the
eighth, sixteenth and seventeenth arrondissements of the city.
10) La Conciergerie
Another of the must-see places to visit for the history enthusiast, this
landmark is best seen on the same day as a walk through Place de la Concorde to
get the full effect of studying landmarks related to the French Revolution. A
repurposed palace just like the Louvre, it was a prison during the revolution,
and, while it has been decommissioned and no longer serves that purpose, it is
still viewable as a historical monument, including cells reconstructed to look
like the ones that condemned prisoners spent their last days in. Marie
Antoinette is one of the most famous prisoners ever housed here, and the cell
she was kept in during the days leading up to her demise has been made into a
chapel at the request of Louis XVIII. The Women’s Courtyard and "Grooming Room"
of the palace can be visited during tours as well as Marie’s chapel, named
Girondins’ Chapel. While only a small portion of it is accessible to the public
(the rest is used for Paris law courts) it’s definitely worth visiting.
9) Musée d’Orsay
Housed in a repurposed train station in the seventh arrondissement, located
right across from the Musée du Louvre, this museum has an artistic collection
spanning the 19th century up to 1914, including paintings, sculptures,
photographs and other objects d’art given to the museum from several other
museums’ collections. If Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists are some
of your favorites, this is the museum for you to visit while you’re in Paris;
Monet, Manet, Van Gogh and Degas paintings populate the halls of this museum.
It’s a must-see for Paris visitors interested in the Impressionist movement, or
for anyone wanting to see an example of old Parisian architecture.
8) Notre Dame de
Paris
Located in Paris’s fourth arrondissement, this cathedral has been called "the
religious center" of Paris and sits in the heart of the city, so wherever it is
that you’re travelling should put you right on track for making your way to this
important religious site. Even if you are not a practitioner of the Roman
Catholic faith, it’s still an enriching part of any Paris visit to pay Notre
Dame a visit, whether it’s sitting in for one of its services (almost all of
them are in French, though, so if you care about understanding them it’s best to
make sure you’re fluent) or having a guided tour that lasts about one hour.
Architecture enthusiasts will love to even look at the outside of this grand
building – the arched exterior supports, called flying buttresses, surround the
outside of the theatre and are very unique. During the time that Notre Dame was
constructed, it was one of the first buildings in the world to use these kinds
of supports. It utilizes thin walls characteristic of the Gothic art style and
the gargoyles all over Notre Dame’s water spouts are almost universally famous.
The climb to the top of the chapel is 387 steps spanning several spiral
staircases, but the climb is worth it for the spectacular views of the
cathedral’s most famous bell and many of the gargoyles. No matter the reason you
want to visit the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral or when you want to visit, you
should be able to find a time that fits in with your schedule - the cathedral is
free to visit and is open every day of the year from 8 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and
until 7:15 on Saturdays and Sundays.
7) Sacré-Coeur
Basilica
The name translates to "Basilica of the Sacred Heart" and is both a cultural and
historical monument built atop the highest point in Paris – in fact, at its
highest point it towers above the Eiffel Tower. It overlooks Montmartre,
providing an odd contrast at the time it was built to the rebellious, loose
morals of the artistic community. Similar to Notre Dame, even if you do not
practice Roman Catholicism, this is worth a visit both for its cultural
important to the Parisians and the beautiful architecture that it is comprised
of, a blend of Romano-Byzantine features as well as impressive equestrian
sculptures. The inside is even more awe-inspiring, with a giant mosaic,
exquisite stained-glass windows and a one-of-a-kind organ. The latest mass at
this basilica is usually around 10 p.m. nightly.
6) Montmartre
Translated to "mountain of the martyr", the name references the site of the
martyrdom of the first bishop of Paris, Saint Denis. Montmartre has been
officially designated as an historic district, and is popular amongst tourists
because it is one of the most colorful neighborhoods that Paris has to offer.
Since Napoleon III’s donation of all of the land to his friends pushed the
original Paris inhabitants out to city’s outskirts in the 19th century,
Montmartre was developed and came to be known as a place where the city proper’s
rules and regulations did not apply. It became a breeding ground for brilliant
minds, housing many artists like Picasso, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir.
Today, it retains much of the charm it held in antiquity, and offers tourist
spots like the Musée de Montmartre and the mansion directly behind it which was
once called home by Renoir, as well as a cemetery where many famous artists are
buried. The Place du Tertre is a square that you don’t want to miss if you are
interested in contemporary art, or even an artist yourself; many artists set up
their easels here on a daily basis and ask if they can paint your portrait,
creating a unique souvenir for you to keep from your trip. If your Paris trip
includes a bit of clubbing, Montmartre boasts a wide variety of nightclubs as
well.
5) Moulin Rouge
Undoubtedly you’ve heard the Moulin Rouge referenced in movies, songs or pop
culture, and rightly so – since it opened its doors it has set the standard for
nightclubs and cabarets. The "Red Mill" used to have a reputation as a getaway
for men to spend time with girls with loose morals; the fact that it’s located
inside Montmartre didn’t help that reputation at all. Henri Toulouse-Latrec
spent many nights here, and many of his works pay direct homage to it. If you
enjoy nightclubs, going to Montmartre and getting a table at the Moulin Rouge is
definitely something you’ll want to do; more than 100 performers call this club
their place of work, and while the club has lost its reputation as a brothel,
the shows are certainly bawdy and lewd enough to delight even the most
experienced of club-goers. Tables can be booked for the night and dinner is
served before each show, so it’s an all-night event.
4) Centre Pompidou
A feat of modern engineering as well as unique and modern art and architecture,
the Centre Pompidou is another museum that Paris is home to, located in the
city’s fourth arrondissement. What makes this building unique is that all of its
functional elements are on the outside of the building and color-coded: blue for
air, green for water, yellow for electricity, red for elevators, and gray for
corridors. One of the first buildings of its kind, the Centre Pompidou utilized
this odd architecture to free up space inside the building for the more
important things: the library and art collection. It contains a museum of modern
art and a library as well as a bookstore and a movie theatre. The library
contains 450,000 books and 2,600 magazines, making it a haven of enjoyment for
any visitor to Paris who enjoys reading. The first three floors of the building
are the library, but if you’d like to see the modern art collection of over
59,000 works, travel to floors four and five; the fourth floor containing works
from 1905 to 1965 and spans the artistic movements of abstract art, surrealism
and cubist art, and the fifth containing works created after 1945 including the
pop-art and figurative arts movements. The square directly in front of the
building (called "Place Beaubourg" or "Place Georges Pompidou" plays host to a
myriad of mimes, street performers and other sorts of entertainers.
3) Gare du Nord
This is another piece of history, opening in 1864 and continuing to operate
today. With a slew of high-speed trains, the Gare du Nord railway station is the
best way to go from Paris to other cities like London or Amsterdam, and with its
reputation as the busiest train station in Europe, it’s likely that you might
end up here without even intending to. With around 190 million travelers per
year, it’s bound to be busy when you’re there, so standing in line for a while
may give you an opportunity to look up and around and admire the impressive
architecture. If you go outside, the front façade of the building is decorated
by more than twenty statues and the history and meaning behind those statues is
very interesting – most of them represent destinations that trains go to
currently, or that they went to in the past. Doubtless if you ask any of the
workers within the station, they’ll be able to explain which one is which.
2) Jardin du
Luxembourg
This extremely popular Parisian park is located in the sixth arrondissement
close to the Sorbonne and spans about 55 acres in total. The mother of Louis
XIII, Marie de’ Medici, purchased the gardens in 1612 and were laid out in the
Italian style at her request; the gardens were remodeled in the 19th century
when the once-private park was opened to the public, but as you walk through the
gardens you can see that the original layout has been preserved. An octagonal
pond lies in the middle of the park, a beautiful centerpiece called the "Grand
Bassin".
If you are visiting Paris with your children, other attractions like a puppet
theater, pony rides, and a merry-go-round can be found within the park to
delight them. A beautiful thing about this park is that while it contains many
chairs, they are not stationary and can be picked up and moved by each visitor
to a place they want to sit in, making it a wonderful place to relax and unwind,
perhaps, in between visits to other Parisian landmarks; many stop here to take
in the beauty of the gardens while deciding where to go next. While you’re
there, though, stop to take in the beauty of the two fountains located within
the park as well – the beautiful Baroque masterpiece, Fontaine Médicis at the
northeast end of the park depicting Greek mythological figures and the Fontaine
de l’Observatoire depicting a globe supported by four women, each meant to
represent a continent. The Palais du Luxembourg, a former palace turned prison,
lies at the end of the park and houses the French Senate. Senate debates held
Tuesday-Thursday in the months of September-June are open for free public view,
so if that kind of thing interests you, make sure to stop by.
1) Les Catacombes de
Paris
This attraction is not for the faint of heart, but is worth a bit of your time
if you like history or things people might classify under the heading of
"creepy". The catacombs are a renovated section of Paris’s stone mines and house
the remains of about six million people. They are fairly far under underground -
the descent down to them is 62 feet and they are very dark, so make sure to
watch your step. Many who have decided to visit agree that they are very
beautiful; some of the bone arrangements are artistic, like a heart-shaped
outline in one wall and pillars in other rooms made of different types of bones.
It is extremely inexpensive as far as Parisian museums are concerned, and offers
audio guides in French, English and Spanish for the convenience of visitors.
Final Words
Paris is a perfect blend of history and art, a place where landmarks are valued
and all around, a great city to visit at any time of the year. Paris is an
especially wonderful city to visit for college students on trips due to the
amount of reduced price or free lodging and the variety of free or inexpensive
attractions and things to do within the city, so if you’re planning a
backpacking trip across Europe make sure to add Paris to your list. With a wide
variety of cultural centers, museums and beautiful historical landmarks, it’s
almost a guarantee that any visitor to this French city will find memories to
take home with them after their trip. It doesn’t matter if you are a pair of
lovebirds on your honeymoon and looking to see the sights, an enthusiastic art
history or history student, or just a lover of immersing yourself in cultures
other than your own, Paris should be a must-see on the list of anyone who enjoys
traveling.
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