Paris

Café terraces, grand boulevards and art at every turn.

Paris is made for wandering: along the Seine, through the lanes of Montmartre and Le Marais, and into museums that hold some of the most famous works of art ever made. Then a long dinner, naturally.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to October. Language: French. Currency: Euro (EUR).

Did you know?

The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair.
The Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world.
Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened in December 2024 after its restoration following the 2019 fire.

Things to do in Paris

Eiffel Tower (Observation tower): The Eiffel Tower is a lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France.
Louvre Museum (Art museum): The Louvre is a national art museum in Paris, France.
Bastille (Castle): The Bastille Saint-Antoine, often referred to simply as The Bastille was a medieval fortress in Paris.
Arc de Triomphe (Sight): The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often simply called the Arc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France.
Montmartre (Hill, free): Montmartre is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement.
Centre Georges Pompidou (Museum): The Centre Pompidou, more fully the Centre national d'art et de culture Georges-Pompidou, also known as the Pompidou Centre in English and colloquially as Beaubourg, is a building complex in Paris, France.
Palais Garnier (Opera house): The Palais Garnier, also known as Opéra Garnier, is a historic 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France.
place de la Concorde (Square, free): The Place de la Concorde, originally the Place Louis XV, and later the Place Louis XVI, is a public square in Paris.
Panthéon (Church, free): The Panthéon is a monument in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Champ de Mars (Square, free): The Champ de Mars is a large public greenspace in Paris, France, located in the seventh arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the southeast.
Les Invalides (Sight): The Hôtel des Invalides, commonly called Les Invalides, is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a
Musée des Arts et Métiers (Science museum): The Musée des Arts et Métiers is a museum in Paris that houses the collection of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, which was founded in 1794 as a repository for the preservation of scientific instruments an
Luxembourg Palace (Palace): The Luxembourg Palace is at 15 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Jardin du Luxembourg (Park, free): The Jardin du Luxembourg, known in English as the Luxembourg Garden, colloquially referred to as the Jardin du Sénat, is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Petit Palais (Art museum): The Petit Palais is an art museum in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Bois de Vincennes (Park, free): The Bois de Vincennes, located on the eastern edge of Paris, France, is the largest public park in the city.
La Madeleine (Church, free): The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, less formally called La Madeleine, is a Catholic parish church on Place de la Madeleine in the eighth arrondissement of Paris.
Grand Mosque of Paris (Mosque, free): The Grand Mosque of Paris, also known as the Great Mosque of Paris or simply the Paris Mosque, located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, is one of the largest mosques in France.
Catacombs of Paris (Museum): The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries in Paris, France, which hold the remains of more than six million people.
Bataclan (Theatre): The Bataclan is a theatre located at 50 Boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Palais Bourbon (Palace): The Palais Bourbon is the meeting place of the National Assembly, the lower legislative chamber of the French Parliament.
Place de la Bastille (Square, free): The Place de la Bastille is a square in Paris where the Bastille Prison once stood, until the storming of the Bastille and its subsequent physical destruction between 14 July 1789 and 14 July 1790 during the French Revol
Place Vendôme (Square, free): The Place Vendôme, originally the Place Louis-le-Grand, and later the Place Internationale, is a public square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the Église de l
place Charles-de-Gaulle (Square, free): The Place Charles de Gaulle, historically known as the Place de l'Étoile, is a large road junction in Paris, France, the meeting point of twelve straight avenues including the Champs-Élysées.
Château de Vincennes (Castle): The Château de Vincennes is a former fortress and royal residence next to the town of Vincennes, on the eastern edge of Paris, alongside the Bois de Vincennes.
Opéra Bastille (Opera house): The Opéra Bastille is a modern opera house in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France.
place des Vosges (Square, free): The Place des Vosges, originally the Place Royale, is the oldest planned square in Paris, just before the Place Dauphine.
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (History museum): In France, the National Museum of Natural History is the national natural history museum of France and a grand établissement of higher education part of Sorbonne University.
Louvre Palace (Palace): The Louvre Palace, often referred to simply as the Louvre, is a palace located on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, occupying a large expanse of land between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Au
Folies Bergère (Theatre): The Folies Bergère is a cabaret music hall in Paris, France.
Musée Marmottan Monet (Art museum): The Musée Marmottan Monet is an art museum in Paris, France, dedicated to artist Claude Monet.
Musée Picasso (Art museum): Musée Picasso Paris is an art gallery located in the Hôtel Salé on the Rue de Thorigny, in the Marais district of Paris, France, dedicated to the work of the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.
parc Monceau (Park, free): Parc Monceau is a public park situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, at the junction of the Boulevard de Courcelles, Rue de Prony and Rue Georges Berger.
Musée Rodin (Art museum): The Musée Rodin of Paris, France, is an art museum that was opened in 1919, primarily dedicated to the works of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Church of Saint-Sulpice (Church, free): The Church of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic church in Paris, France, on the east side of Place Saint-Sulpice, in the 6th arrondissement.
Musée du quai Branly (Art museum): The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is an art museum located in Paris, France.
Guimet Museum (Art museum): The Guimet Museum is a Parisian art museum with one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art outside of Asia which includes items from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Tibet, India, and Nepal, among oth
Musée de l'Orangerie (Art museum): The Musée de l'Orangerie is an art gallery of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings located in the west corner of the Tuileries Garden next to the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Church of Saint Eustache (Church, free): The Church of St.
Chaillot Palace (Palace): The Chaillot Palace is a building atop the Chaillot Hill in the Trocadéro area, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Palais de Tokyo (Museum): The Palais de Tokyo is a building dedicated to modern and contemporary art, located at 13 avenue du Président-Wilson, facing the Trocadéro, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.
Le Chat Noir (Theatre): Le Chat Noir was a 19th century entertainment establishment in the bohemian Montmartre district of Paris.
place de la République (Square, free): The Place de la République is a square in Paris, located on the border between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements.
Olympia (Concert hall): The Olympia is a concert venue in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France, located at 28 Boulevard des Capucines, equidistant from La Madeleine, Paris and Opéra Garnier, 300 metres north of the Place Vendôme.
Musée de Cluny (Art museum): The Musée de Cluny, officially Musée de Cluny-Musée National du Moyen Âge, is a museum of medieval art in Paris.
place Louis-Lépine (Square, free, hidden gem): The Place Louis-Lépine is an elongated square in the 4th arrondissement of Paris on the île de la Cité.
Museum of National Archives (Museum, hidden gem): The Musée des Archives Nationales, formerly known as the Musée de l'Histoire de France, is a state museum of French history operated by the Archives Nationales.
Musée de la Magie (Museum, hidden gem): The Musée de la Magie, also known as the Musée de la Curiosité et de la Magie and the Académie de la Magie, is a private museum located in the 4th arrondissement at 11, rue saint Paul in Paris, France.
square du Vert-Galant (Park, free, hidden gem): The Square du Vert-Galant is a small, triangular park pointing downstream located at the western tip of the Ile de la Cité, next to the Pont Neuf, in the First Arrondissement of Paris.
Saint-Denys-of-the-Sacrament Church (Church, free, hidden gem): The Church of Saint-Denys-de-Saint-Sacrament is a Roman Catholic church located in the Marais quarter, at 68 Rue de Turenne in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, France.
Chapelle Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne (Church, free, hidden gem): The Chapel of Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne, also known as the Sorbonne Chapel, is a chapel at the Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter of Paris, France.
place de la Contrescarpe (Square, free, hidden gem): The Place de la Contrescarpe is a square in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.
Synagogue Don Isaac Abravanel (Synagogue, hidden gem): The Synagogue Don Isaac Abravanel, also known as the Synagogue de la Roquette, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the XIe arrondissement of Paris, France.
Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord (Theatre, hidden gem): The Bouffes du Nord is a theatre at 37 bis, boulevard de la Chapelle, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris located near the Gare du Nord.
place Blanche (Square, free, hidden gem): The Place Blanche in Paris, France, is one of the small plazas along the Boulevard de Clichy, which runs between the 9th and 18th arrondissements and leads into Montmartre.
Salle Favart (Opera house, hidden gem): The Salle Favart, officially the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique, is a Paris opera house and theatre, the current home of the Opéra-Comique.
Christuskirche, Paris (Church, free, hidden gem): The Christuskirche is the church and parish of German Protestants in Paris.
Théâtre de Paris (Theatre, hidden gem): The Théâtre de Paris is a theatre located at 15, rue Blanche in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.
Théâtre de l'Œuvre (Theatre, hidden gem): The Théâtre de l'Œuvre is a Paris theatre on the Right Bank, located at 3, Cité Monthiers, entrance 55, rue de Clichy, in the 9° arrondissement.
Church of St Odile (Church, free, hidden gem): Sainte-Odile is a Roman Catholic church located in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, at the northwest edge of the city.

Where to eat and drink in Paris

Le Relais de l’Entrecôte, Saint-Germain: One dish only: steak-frites with the famous secret sauce.
Bouillon Chartier, Grands Boulevards: French classics in a Belle Époque dining hall since 1896.
Le Train Bleu, Gare de Lyon: Gilded 1901 restaurant inside a railway station.
Café de Flore, Saint-Germain: The Left Bank café of Sartre and de Beauvoir.
Moulin Rouge, Pigalle: The original cabaret, with the can-can since 1889.
Septime, 11th arrondissement: Relaxed, inventive cooking; book well ahead.
L’As du Fallafel, Le Marais: The Marais’ famous falafel pitta.
Le Comptoir du Relais, Saint-Germain: Bistro classics from a pioneer of the bistronomy movement.
Eskal, Paris: Alexandre Chambat’s globe-trotting gastronomic menu.
Nonno San, Saint-Germain: The Kobo group’s new restaurant in the 6th.

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