Though perhaps a tad touristy, they’re famous for a reason! Below is a list of the top landmarks, monuments, and museums not to miss. For an authentic and true time in Paris, take a look at the Best Experiences Not to Miss in Paris.
Read on for the top landmarks, monuments and museums to see in Paris!
Landmarks/Monuments
Eiffel Tower
Basic, but a must. You can ride to the top, picnic in the park below, or just spot it from between buildings. Whatever floats your boat!
Arc de Triomphe
I’ll be the first to admit I fell in love with Paris when I climbed the 284 steps to the top at nighttime and was blown away by the view below. With the glittering city lights, it quickly became apparent to me why so many people had fallen in love with the city’s magic. For those who don’t want to kill their legs on the way up, you can also take an elevator to the mid-level and climb 64 steps to the top.
Notre Dame
Gorgeous and renowned, a visit to Notre Dame is paired well with wandering around the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine, and a 7 minute walk to Berthillon, Paris’s famous ice cream shop.
Read more on Notre Dame here!
Luxembourg Gardens
This is the perfect place for a run, a picnic, or just to people watch.
Pont des Arts
This bridge across the Seine is a famous site for hundreds of thousands of love locks — so many that the city has started removing up to 45 tons of the locks! To help out, perhaps prevent the temptation to attach a lock, but admire the preexisting ones.
Sacre Couer Basilica
Tear yourself away from the artists in Montmartre, and climb the steps to the top of the hill. The white basilica stands over the city, and catch fantastic views of Paris from the platforms.
Catacombs
Take a tour of the underground catacombs of Paris, which houses the remains of over six million people.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery
Located in the 20th arrondissement, this is huge cemetery with a wide range of areas to see. Notables buried here include Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Proust, and Gertrude Stein. Be sure to pick up a map at the entrance so you don’t get lost!
Montparnasse Cemetery
In the 14th arrondissement lies a quieter cemetery with the graves of France’s intellectual and artistic elite. Buried here are Charles Baudelaire, Guy de Maupassant, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.
Museums
The Louvre
Overwhelming in size and touristy, this is still one not to be missed!
Pompidou
Modern and eclectic, this is situated in a cool area with lots to do.
Musee de l’Orangerie
With large collections of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings.
Musee D’orsay
Originally a train station, this is one of my favorites with a gorgeous interior and interesting art. Be sure not to miss the view of Paris from inside the clock tower!
Musee Rodin
Complete with a beautiful garden, great for a summer’s day stroll or a contemplative rainy afternoon.
If you’ve been to Paris and think there’s other Must See items, let me know below!
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Great post on Paris! I visited Paris last year and loved it. There was just so much to see and do that I only saw a handful of places on your list. But next time I go, I don’t have to see all the tourist sites and really just site see.
We absolutely LOVE going to Paris… of course to see the Eiffel Tower. It obviously NEVER gets old to our kids. They love it!