Places to visit in Paris

Paris

There is no end to the sights to see in Paris because France’s capital city has so many monuments, museums and places to discover. Nestled where the Seine forms a loop, in the centre of the Parisian basin, the City of Light has an artistic and cultural history that is unrivalled in the world. It is also the world capital of fashion and luxury goods.

An ancient heritage

Its rich history makes Paris a capital for the past and the present. The city’s origins date back to ancient times and its history spans the centuries from the original Roman city of Lutetia to our 21st century, acquiring Gothic splendours and Haussman-style architecture in the process. Backed by its prestigious history, the capital offers an exceptional concentration of art and cultural treasures, with 180 museums and monuments. No effort is spared on tourism in Paris.

Museums

Paris is rightly proud of its world famous art, sculpture and decorative art collections. The illustrious names of Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Rodin or Picasso are represented there. While the capital’s fame is inseparable from the Musée du Louvre, other museums invite you to discover art from around the world (notably, the Musée Guimet and the recent Musée des Arts premiers) or more unusual collections (like the Musée des poupées). To share this extraordinary heritage with the greatest number, most Parisian museums are open on the weekend and the majority propose an evening tour once a week.

Monuments

Paris’ worldwide reputation for tourism is also tied to the beauty and number of its monuments, some of which have become symbols of the city, like the Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur. Each arrondissement of the city contains its own architectural treasures in the form of towers, churches, palaces, archways, bridges or fountains, bearing witness to 2,000 years of history. Every evening a special magic floats over the city when the lights go on around some 276 monuments. By illuminating these magnificent sights, the capital merits its nickname as the City of Light more than ever.

Paris is France’s cultural capital

Theatre, concerts, great art, photographic or sculpture exhibits, operas, street parties and festivals of every kind give a rhythm to life in Paris. Every year, Paris hosts literally hundreds of major events and you will be able to enjoy lots of exciting cultural events during your stay regardless of the dates. Paris also has the largest libraries in the ground, with the famous BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) and Centre Georges Pompidou.

The sights not to be missed

Paris would not be Paris without its Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées Avenue or the Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, immortalised by Victor Hugo in the “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. In our tour of the capital, we just have to mention the Opéra Garnier, the gold-leaf dome of the Invalides, the Latin Quarter with its Panthéon, Place de la Bastille and Place de la Concorde, Madeleine, the Marais quarter with the Place des Vosges or again Père Lachaise cemetery. Outside the city walls, two sights not to miss are the Château de Versailles and La Défense with its arch, two sights that allow you to measure the extent of the Parisian heritage from the days of the Sun King to the 21st century.