Are you planning a trip to the French city of love and don't want to miss the most important places in Paris? Then in this article, you will find everything you need to know for your trip. I will introduce you to the 15 most popular places to visit in Paris, give you all the information about prices and opening times, and give you tips on where to buy tickets for the individual attractions and activities.
1. Eiffel Tower
The Parisian landmark, La Tour Eiffel, kicks off my list of must-see attractions in Paris. No matter how many times you have been to the French capital, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is simply a must on a city break.
Eiffel Tower info & tips
Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 7th arrondissement, Paris
Stop: U6 Bir-Hakeim (Metro) / RER C Champ de Metro – Tour Eiffel
Opening hours and prices: can be found directly on the homepage Tour Eiffel Paris.
Special features: When choosing a ticket for the Eiffel Tower, you have to choose between the stairs and the elevator. The tickets are tied to a time slot. Admission ends approximately one hour before closing
Light Show: After dark until 1am every hour on the hour
Standing 324 meters tall, this 19th-century ironwork of art is simply awe-inspiring and one of the most visited landmarks in the world. If you take the metro to the Eiffel Tower, in good weather you should get off at the La Motte-Picquet – Grenelle (U6, U8, or U10) stop or the École Militaire (U8) stop and take a leisurely stroll through the Champ de Mars Park to the Eiffel Tower. Alternatively, you can get off at the Bir-Hakeim (U6) stop, which is closer. From there you have reached the Eiffel Tower after a walk of about 600 meters. If you want to climb the landmark, you need a ticket, which you should buy online in advance to avoid long waiting times. You can choose between tickets that give you either access to the first and second floors or also to the top. You also have to decide whether you want to take the stairs or the elevator. On the first floor, visitors will find a glass floor and an interesting cultural trail through the history of the tower, on the second floor the Jules Verne restaurant, and at the top of the Eiffel Tower Gustave Eiffel's office and a champagne bar take hours.
Light show at the Eiffel Tower
After dark, another special highlight awaits you at the Eiffel Tower: every hour on the hour, the tower is illuminated with a romantic light show for five minutes with 20,000 lights. Find a nice spot and enjoy the view of the glittering Eiffel Tower - a moment that will be unforgettable! But be careful: taking photos or sharing photos of the illuminated Eiffel Tower is strictly forbidden. The reason is that the Eiffel Tower illumination is copyrighted as a work of art. But there is nothing wrong with a snapshot for your private collection.
From the Palais du Trocadéro in the Jardins du Trocadéro park on the opposite side of the Seine, you have a great view of the Eiffel Tower and can take unique souvenir photos. If you want to admire the nightly light show from here, you should definitely come in time to secure a good seat!
2. Louvre
The Musée du Louvre should not be missing from any list of the most popular Paris attractions. The important art museum exhibits world-famous works such as Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", the "Venus de Milo" or "Liberty Leading the People", to name just a few of the treasures that visitors can marvel at in the Louvre.
Louvre info & tips
Location: Rue de Rivoli, 1st arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U1 Louvre – Rivoli / U1 & U7 Palais Royal Musée du Louvre
Opening hours: Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays, Fridays and every first Saturday of the month 9 a.m. to 9.45 p.m., closed on Tuesdays, December 25, January 1 and May 1
Official home page: Louvre Museum Official
Special features: entry is from 6pm to 9.45pm on the first Saturday of every day day of the month for all visitors free of charge. Entry to the Louvre is free for all young adults under the age of 26 every Friday from 6pm to 9.45pm.
The most famous museum in the world is located not far from the Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries in the rooms of the Palais du Louvre, the former residence of French kings from the 14th century. The glass pyramid, which has become one of the city's landmarks since it opened in 1989, will catch your eye from afar. I recommend that you buy tickets for the Louvre online before your visit, the museum is not only one of the largest but also one of the most visited in the world, so those who decide spontaneously can expect a waiting time of up to two hours. At the information desk, which is located directly below the glass pyramid, you can get maps that you can use to find your way around the museum and find the various works of art better. To get an even better understanding, I recommend the audio guides or a guided tour of the Louvre. The trails are also great, on which you can be guided through the art museum, depending on your thematic interest. In addition to the permanent exhibits, you can also look forward to changing exhibitions in the Louvre that deal with a wide variety of topics or epochs. As you can see, there is a lot to discover in the Louvre. Be sure to allow at least three to four hours for the visit.
With just a few clicks you can easily buy your tickets for the Louvre and the Musée de l'Orangerie online.
Art lovers should not only visit the Louvre but also the nearby art museum Musée de l'Orangerie, which exhibits works by Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.
3. Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral
Let's get to the Paris attraction that's been making the saddest headlines lately: Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, or Notre Dame for short. A devastating fire on April 15, 2019, burned down the roof structure of one of the most famous churches in the world. A sight that shocked the world and resulted in numerous expressions of condolence and appeals for donations.
Notre Dame info & tips
Location: Île de la Cité, 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 4th arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U4 Cite
Viewing: It is not yet clear when the reconstruction of Notre Dame will begin and whether the cathedral will ever be able to be visited again without restriction.
Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, the cathedral stands on an island in the middle of the Seine, the Île de la Cité, which is said to be the oldest part of Paris. Notre-Dame Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The two stone towers that survived the fire are particularly impressive. The crossing tower, on the other hand, which had stood out above the huge naves since 1859, unfortunately, Notre Dame fell victim to the fire.
As the Notre Dame Cathedral is in danger of collapsing, it cannot currently be visited from the inside. A visit to the Île de la Cité during your sightseeing is still worthwhile - take a look at the venerable church from the outside and then make a detour to the Sainte-Chapelle, which is only about 800 meters from Notre Dame.
4. Sacre Coeur de Montmartre
One Paris attraction that I particularly like is the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmartre.
Sacré-Coeur info & tips
Location: 35 rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 18th arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U4 Château Rouge / U2 Anvers
Entrance fees basilica: free
Basilica opening times: daily 6 a.m. to 10.30 p.m
Crypt entrance fee: 3€
Dome opening hours: May-September daily 8.30am-8pm, October-April daily 9am-5pm
Special features: No guided tours are offered, instead you can download a free audio guide or purchase a small guide for €5.
The white church, which towers high above the 18th arrondissement in the Artists' Quarter of Montmartre, is a real visual highlight but is also convincing in another respect. From up here you have a gigantic view over Paris. But first things first: if you come to Montmartre on the U2 metro line, you can get off at the AnArtists'vers station and take the Funiculaire de Montmartre up to the basilica. Entry to the beginning of the 20th century completed Sacré-Coeur Basilica is free, so be sure to peek inside before you climb the grand staircase of 237 steps alongside scores of other tourists and locals to enjoy the views over Paris. If you are lucky, you can enjoy live music or other performances that the artists offer you in good weather. With a glass of French wine in your hand and the sounds of the musicians in your ears, the evenings at the Sacré-Coeur are particularly unforgettable.
Next to the famous basilica is the smaller St. Pierre de Montmartre, which is one of the oldest churches in Paris. Have a look!
5. Montmartre
However, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica is not the only highlight that Montmartre has to offer. Once here, be sure to stroll through the lively bohemian quarter, order a café crème in one of the many French bistros, browse the vintage shops for a souvenir, and watch the performers on Place du Tertre. Maybe you even want to have your portrait taken? In the past, world-famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne have lived in Montmartre, so the chances of meeting a future star painter are not bad.
A stroll through the bohemian quarter of Montmartre
Other places of interest in Montmartre are the Cimetière de Montmartre cemetery, home to hundreds of cats, the Moulin de la Galette, the last of the twelve mills in Montmartre, the Marché aux Puces de St. Ouen flea market, which takes place here on weekends, as well as the Varieté Moulin Rouge®, which I will present to you in more detail in another section of my Paris sights.
6. Palace of Versailles
Another sight in Paris that I can recommend to you is the Palace of Versailles, which invites you on a journey to royal times about 20 km from the city center.
Palace of Versailles information & tips
Location: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles
Stop: RER C Gare de Versailles Château Rive Gauche / Bus 171 Chateau De Versailles
Opening times: in the low season from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., in the high season from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m
Specifics: Admission to the gardens and park is free on days without a fountain show.
Official Home Page: Palace de Versailles
Once built as a small hunting lodge, the Palace of Versailles was built by King Louis XIII. and later converted into a magnificent pleasure palace by his son Louis XIV. Until the beginning of the French Revolution, Versailles was the exuberant seat of kings, today the building functions as a museum and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You should definitely take a whole day to visit the Palace of Versailles, the complex is simply huge. The castle building with the mirror gallery, the magnificent salons, the chapel, and the king's apartments will surely leave you in awe before you continue through the magnificent park that surrounds the castle, which is one of the largest in Europe. Don't miss the Petit Trianon, built for Madame de Pompadour, one of Louis XV's mistresses. The pleasure palace was the favorite retreat of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, who was executed on the Place de la Concorde.
Another attraction at the Palace of Versailles is the Fountain Show, which takes place on weekends from April to the end of October. To be able to attend the show, you have to buy an extra ticket. If you have the Passport Ticket (20€), you can visit the show at no additional cost. It is best to buy your tickets online in advance.
7. Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile
Where the Avenue des Champs-Élysées meets the Place Charles de Gaulle, there is a multi-lane roundabout in the middle of which you will find the next Paris attraction, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, in the English triumphal arch of the star.
Arc de Triomphe info & tips
Location: Place Charles de Gaulle, 8th arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U1 Argentine or George V / U6 Kléber
Opening hours: January 2-31 March and October 1st to October 31st. December daily 10am-10.30pm, April 1-30. September daily 10am-11pm, closed on January 1st, May 1st, July 14th, November 11th, and December 25th.
Built, in the early 19th century, this Parisian landmark was designed by Napoleon, who wanted to memorialize himself and his victories with the monument. Although Napoleon abdicated before it was completed, the Arc de Triomphe is still a symbol of glory today. Many state celebrations are held here and the Tour de France ends year after year on the roundabout.
Via an underpass, you come to the Place Charles de Gaulle, on which the triumphal arch stands. Before heading up to the viewing platform on the Arc de Triomphe, you should take a look at the ornate reliefs that adorn the almost 50-meter-high arch. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame are also located under the triumphal arch. Two war memorials commemorating those who died in World War I.
Unfortunately, guided tours on the Arc de Triomphe are only available for registered groups. You will receive a leaflet with the most important information at the entrance. To get to the observation deck you have to take the stairs, the elevator is reserved for people with reduced mobility. The effort is worth it: from up here you have a great view of the Champs-Élysées and the other eleven streets that branch off from the Arc de Triomphe in a star shape, and the Eiffel Tower can also be easily spotted from up here.
The waiting times at the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile are usually not long, but you can also order your ticket online at no extra charge to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Official home page
8. Avenue des Champs Elysees
The next sight in Paris starts at the Arc de Triomphe, so you can easily combine the two highlights. A stroll along the Champs-Élysées, which is almost two kilometers long, is a must because you have only really been in Paris once you have walked along the most famous boulevard in France. There is a hustle and bustle on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the shop windows of luxurious brands invite you to stroll and marvel and restaurants and cafés invite you to linger.
As you continue along the tree-lined boulevard towards Place de la Concorde, you will soon find Le Palais de L'Élysée, the Élysée Palace, on your left. This is the official residence of the President, currently Emmanuel Macron. Opposite the Élysée Palace, you can see the Grand Palais. This imposing building was specially built for the 1900 World's Fair. Today, like the neighboring Pétit Palais, it serves as a state museum that offers interesting temporary exhibitions.
On the Avenue des Champs-Élysées you will not only walk past the shops of world-famous designers but also the famous Varieté Lido. The theater is one of the most famous in all of Paris and is famous for its phenomenal costumes and stage shows. Perfect if you want to crown your city trip with a great show.
9. Musee d'Orsay
On the site of a former train station is the next of the top sights in Paris that I would like to introduce to you.
Musée d'Orsay info & tips
Location: 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 7th arrondissement, Paris
Stop: RER C Gare Musée d'Orsay / U12 Solférino
Opening times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 9.30am-6pm, Thursdays 9.30am-9.45pm, closed on Mondays, May 1st and December 25th
Special features: Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month
Official page: Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is located on the Seine, opposite the Jardin des Tuileries, which also houses the Louvre Museum and the Musée de l'Orangerie. So how about taking a museum day and discovering many of the great masterpieces along the way? I can not only recommend this to you on rainy days.
The train station, which was opened at the beginning of the 20th century for the World Exhibition, is a listed building and has been used as a unique museum since 1986, where you can admire works by Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh, among others. The unique works of Claude Monet and other Impressionists can also be found on three levels in the Musée d'Orsay. So allow at least two hours for the visit.
There is a combined ticket that gives you entry to the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie.
10. Catacombs Paris
For most of us, Paris is the city of love and romance, but how about a little contrast program in between?
Catacombs Paris info & tips
Location: 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 14th arrondissement t, Paris
Metro: U1 or U6 Denfert-Rochereau
Opening hours: daily 10am-8.30pm, closed on Mondays
Special features: Be sure to pack a jacket! It can get cold 20 meters underground.
Did you know that there is a network of quarries about 300 kilometers long under the city that was temporarily used as burial places for deceased Parisians? You can even visit these catacombs in Paris today. But beware: Small children and people with weak nerves should rather avoid the trip to the realm of the dead.
The Catacombs de Paris is certainly the most macabre of Paris attractions, because here, at Place Denfert-Rochereau, you descend 130 steps and reach the resting place of around six million Parisians. Not all of the catacombs in Paris are open to the public and it is strongly discouraged to explore the underground mazes without a guide. It is said to have happened more often that people got lost here and never saw the light of day again. Nevertheless, daring people are drawn to illegal entry again and again. I strongly advise you to take a guided tour of the publicly accessible parts, which stretch over a distance of 1.5 km. In order to avoid long waiting times, you should take care of tickets for the Catacombs of Paris in advance.
11. Pere Lachaise Cemetery
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From the subterranean realm of the dead to the above-ground: Le Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, which opened at the beginning of the 19th century, is a park-like cemetery that is popular with visitors because of its unusual burial sites.
Père Lachaise info & tips
Location: 8 Boulevard de Ménilmontant, 20th arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U2 or U3 Pere Lachaise
Entrance fees: free
Opening times: March-October: daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the latest, October-March: daily from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. at the latest
Special features: There are five different entrances that you can use to get to the cemetery
In addition to the graves of Parisian citizens, many well-known personalities were buried in the Père-Lachaise Cemetery, including the philosopher Comte, businessman Armand Peugeot, composer Frédéric Chopin, writer Oscar Wilde and musicians such as Jim Morrison and Edith Piaf. But one resting place seems to have appealed to many visitors in particular - the grave, or rather the statue of the journalist Victor Noir, which is on the grave. The reason for the many visitors is not entirely youth-free. They caress and touch the clearly visible swelling in the statue's lumbar region. Women in particular are hoping for increased fertility and sexual activity. Another popular - far less salacious - photo opportunity is the Crématorium du Père Lachaise, built in the late 19th century in Neo-Byzantine style.
12. Moulin Rouge®
Let's go back to the bohemian district of Montmartre. Here is the world-famous variety show with the red windmill, the Bohemian. Built at the end of the 19th century as an entertainment venue, the variety show is located in the heart of the Pigalle entertainment district. Here sex shops line up with strip clubs, ladies offer their services and numerous bars cast a spell over night owls.
The Moulin Rouge® has two shows every night, one at 9pm and one at 11pm. You can check availability and prices on the variety show's official website and order tickets directly online. Over 800 seats in different tiers are available to visitors here. If you want to dig deeper into your pockets, you can also enjoy a French dinner followed by a show at the Moulin Rouge. Prices for such an exclusive evening start at €185.
13. Place de la Concorde
The Royal Place de la Concorde, the Square of Concord, is the largest square in the city and should therefore not be missing from my list of the most important Paris sights. If you walk down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe, the first thing that catches your eye is the 22-meter-high obelisk. The impressive obelisk from Luxor was a gift from Egypt and has hung over the Place de la Concorde since 1836. Although it is the secret symbol of the square, you can discover other artistic buildings here. There are, for example, the eight statues in the magnificent fountain, which are allegories for the eight French cities e Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Brest, Nantes, Rouen, Strasbourg an,d Lyon, or the luxurious Hôtel de Crillon, in which the recently deceased fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld designed two suites.
Since the Place de la Concorde is in close proximity to other major sights in Paris, a short detour is a good idea. From here your tour can continue, for example, to the Louvre or to the next attraction, the Sainte-Chapelle.
14. Sainte Chapelle
The Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is not the only sacred building worth seeing on the Île de la Cité.
Sainte-Chapelle information & tips
Location: Île de la Cité, 8 Boulevard du Palais, 4th arrondissement, Paris
Metro: U4 Cite
Opening times: from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (in winter), to 7 p.m. (in summer); Exact opening hours can be found on the homepage
Specifics: The last entry is half an hour before closing.
If you are on the Seine island, which you can easily reach via several bridges, you should not miss a visit to the Sainte-Chapelle! As part of the Palais de la Cité, the former residence of French kings, the palace chapel built in the 13th century is one of the most beautiful sights in the French capital. Especially the chapel and the artistically designed windows will amaze you. 15 colorful and detailed decorated, 15-meter-high glass windows conjure up an almost magical atmosphere inside the church. If you would like to find out more about the illustrations on the windows, you can download a free app before your visit or immerse yourself in the history of the venerable church with an information sheet. Alternatively, you can also take part in a guided tour. Incidentally, important relics such as the crown of thorns and parts of the Jesus cross were temporarily kept in the Sainte-Chapelle, but are now stored in a different place together with the treasures of Notre Dame and can therefore unfortunately not be viewed.
You should allow about an hour to visit the Sainte-Chapelle.
Next to the Sainte-Chapelle is the Conciergerie, a magnificent Gothic-style building that was temporarily used as a prison for Marie-Antoinette, among others. It is best to get a combined ticket to visit both Paris sights.
15. Disneyland® Resort Paris
Disneyland® Resort Paris info
Location: Boulevard de Parc, 77700 Coupvray
Station: Eurostar, RER A or TGV Gare de Marne la Vallée Chessy
Disneyland® Park opening times: daily 9.30 a.m. - 11 p.m., opening times vary, you can find the exact times directly on the homepage
Opening hours Walt Disney Studios Park®: daily 09.30 a.m. - 11 p.m
Official Home Page: Disneyland® Paris
Special features: If you book into a Disney Hotel, you can enter the amusement park earlier. The "Magic Extra Time" runs daily from 8.30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Do you still feel like going on a very special excursion after sightseeing in Paris? Disneyland® Resort Paris, about 30 km east of the city, is the perfect end to my list of the top sights in Paris. Opened in 1994, the resort is one of the most popular and visited theme parks in the world where you can meet your childhood heroes. In addition to the fairytale-themed hotels, two theme parks await you on the huge site, Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney Studios® Park. In Disneyland® Paris alone you will find five themed countries as well as numerous shows and parades.