Paris Key Attractions

France’s capital is not short on attractions and visitors will quickly fall in love with the city’s individual character, beautiful buildings, lifestyle and people. Attractions are well spread across the city, making planning your sightseeing itinerary essential; however, you will find the Metro provides easy and convenient links to most sites of interest.

Champs-lyses

This is Paris’ most prominent promenade, constructed in the 17th century. The road connects two of the city’s most significant attractions, Place de la Concord and the Arc de Triomphe. Visitors mainly come here to browse in shops that line the promenade, with everything from chain stores to designer outlets. While many people feel the Champs-Élysées has lost its attraction to commercialism, it is still one of the city’s must-sees for first time visitors.

Place de la Concorde

Situated at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées, this expanse square was built during the reign of Louis XV. The square is overlooked by the French Naval Ministry and the Hôtel de Crillon, two of the city’s fine architectural examples from this period.

Prior to the French Revolution, the square was used as a showground for the nobility to watch criminals being dismembered; however, it was here that the tables were turned when the revolutionaries renamed the square Place de la Révolution and a guillotine was set up, which was to end the lives of Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, Madame Elisabeth, Madame du Barry, Danton, Lavoisier and Robespierre among thousands of others. Today, the square houses the obelisk, given to France as a present from Egypt in 1829.

Eiffel Tower

Constructed of iron, this unique structure has grown to become one of Paris’ most loved monuments, despite significant opposition to the tower when it was first erected. Situated on the banks of the River Seine, the Eiffel Tower has now become a premier tourist hot spot and it was once the tallest structure in the world, while still ranking as the city’s tallest structure.

Designed by Gustave Eiffel, the tower is 300 metres (986 feet) high and provides excellent views across the city. It was built as the entrance for the 1889 World Fair as a temporary structure; however, the building was never torn down after, partly because it became useful as a communications transmitting tower. Those who are brave enough to travel up the tower will find two restaurants.

The Louvre

Acclaimed as being the world’s largest museum, the Louvre contains some of the most prized artistic works to be found anywhere. Formerly a palace, the buildings have been used as a museum since the time of the French Revolution, with the later addition of the Louvre Pyramid in the central courtyard.

Among the museum’s most well-known works are Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, while there are also pieces by Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian and Poussin. There are also extensive collections of sculpture, architecture, furniture and historical artefacts.

Sacr Coeur

Built on Montmartre butte, the basilica is a popular spot for people to congregate at in the evenings to soak up buskers’ music and people watch while taking in the views across the city. Work on the Roman Catholic church began in 1884, after the architect, Paul Abadie, won a competition with his design. Constructed from travertine stone, giving the church its white appearance, the basilica has elements of both Romano and Byzantine styles.

Place Pompidou

While the Louvre is undeniably Paris’ artistic gem, the Pompidou Centre in Place Pompidou is the city’s heart of contemporary art. Centre Georges Pompidou houses a public library and the National Museum of Modern Art, which contains over 50,000 works of art, of which only a limited selection is on display. The building itself is controversial, resembling something of a factory with its external piping and escalator, while the square itself is a popular spot for street performers.

Notre Dame

This 12th century Gothic masterpiece famously featured in ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ by Victor Hugo, which in actual fact helped to save the building from destruction by drumming up support for its restoration. Located on the Île de la Cité, visitors can also catch impressive views of the back of the cathedral from the River Seine. The cathedral contains some impressive stained glass windows and a huge organ.

Arch de Triomphe

Located at the western end of Champs-Élysées, the triumphal arch stands at 51 metres (165 feet) tall. Its construction was instigated by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 to commemorate the victory at Austerlitz. The neoclassical arch incorporates works by many of France’s most prominent sculptor of the time, while the inner walls list the names of the generals who fell in the battle. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes the central place beneath the arch, commemorating those who died in the World Wars. 

Museums

Aside from the Louvre and the National Museum of Modern Art, housed in the Pompidou Centre, the city offers a wide array of other museums that will catch the interest of its visitors. Art is the primary theme of the city’s museums, with the Picasso Museum (Musée Picasso), Rodin Museum (Musée Rodin) and the Museum of Montparnesse (Musée du Montparnasse) being among the most popular. The latter museum chronicles the artists who lived in this cultural quarter of the city at the turn of the 20th century.