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I have been to Paris so many times, and though I love to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower from the place Le Trocadero, I also know there is so much more to see. Paris is full of history and French culture. Here is a little list of things you don’t want to miss next time you visit this beautiful city.
Le Louvre
This is obviously the most famous museum in the world. I was told it would take about 6 months to look at every exhibit for 5 minutes. There is so much to see there, I could probably stay all day. Of course you have to see the small Mona Lisa, and if you’re not into arts you can also visit the apartments of Napoleon, see the mummies in the Egyptian antiquity section, or walk through the nice stores and restaurants just outside the museum. They’re also Les Tuileries, one of those famous Paris parks, right outside the pyramid. It is such a fun place to be! To buy tickets for the Louvre, click here. To buy tickets for the Louvre with an audioguide, click here. To buy tickets for a priority entrance and see the Mona Lisa, click here. To buy tickets for the Louvre museum and a Seine river cruise, click here. Tips: Do not use the main entrance by the Pyramid! It’s always full of people and the lines are long. Instead go through the metro station with the line 1 or 7 called Station palais royal - musée du Louvre, then follow the Carrousel exit. It will take you where the stores are. Also try not to bring many bags, or you’ll have to stay in line so they can check your bags. One last tip: go early in the morning, right when the museum opens. It won’t be as full of tourists inside and you’ll be able to see the exhibits.
Les champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe
Les champs-Elysees is a very long and large avenue where there are so many things to see. It is mainly full of chic restaurants and stores, like luxury cars (showrooms), perfumes, LaFayette (a famous french mall), Apple store, luxury clothing brands... Do you like macarons? Then you have to go to Laduree, a pastry shop known for their good macarons. If you want a recommendation for a good restaurant you should try La Brasserie L’Alsace. The Arc de Triomphe is the world’s second largest triumphal arch. It represents the war victories of Napoleon and it took 30 years to build. If you want to go under it, you will have to go through the metro line 1 where you will also find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is the most famous monument of Paris, and is worth visiting. To get skip-the-line tickets click here.
The Place Vendome
At the end of les Champs-Elysees is La Place Vendome. If you're looking for the most famous, yet the most high-end stores in Paris, you're at the right place. You will find stores like Chanel, Rolex, Bvlgari, Dior, and others. Even if you can't afford anything, it's such a beautiful place to visit. The place Vendôme is also famous for the large column in the center, in commemoration of the battle of Austerlitz (Napoleon).
Musee d’Orsay
Are you a fan of Monet or Van Gogh? Then you will appreciate this art museum, one of the biggest in the world. It is full of paintings like Starry night over the Rhone or the Whistler Mother's. The museum is also known for the huge clock as it used to be a train station. Just so you know, the clock is only accessible on the last floor, so you'll have to walk through everything else before taking your famous picture. To get fast track tickets to the Orsay museum click here.
Montmartre
I feel like this one is one that people forget. You will have the most beautiful view of Paris from up there, better than on top of the Eiffel Tower! You can take a funicular, visit the basilica Sacre Coeur, the place of Tertre where you will find a market of artists, the Wall of Love… Just so you know, get some good walking shoes as you will walk a lot there and there are a lot of stairs. But it is so worth it! To access it, stop at the metro station Anvers. Also if you buy a day pass with the RATP (metro), it will pay for the funicular.
Les Invalides and the Army Museum
If you are like me and you are a big fan of history, especially WWI and WWII, you will love this museum. It is full of history artifacts. My favorite part is Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb in the Dome. It's the biggest tomb I have ever seen (for a man not that tall). There's also a cathedral, a collection of arms and armors, exhibitions about the Resistance during the war, among other things. It's a must see for history fans!
The Paris Opera (or Palais Garnier)
If you have seen The Phantom of the Opera then you should know that this opera was the one that inspired the story. It is such a beautiful place! You can visit it with a guide, or you can also attend their shows. For more info visit https://www.operadeparis.fr/en. By the opera there is a very typical Paris cafe called Café de la Paix. They have a very traditional Parisian menu and the decor inside is beautiful. We had the best croque monsieur there. Fore more info visit https://www.cafedelapaix.fr/en/. The Pont Neuf Again, it is one of those places that you typically see in movies that take place in Paris. It is the oldest and the third longest bridge of Paris. You will find a statue of Henry IV, and a beautiful view of Paris with the Eiffel Tower. I love going there just to take pictures of the Seine and the Bateaux mouches (the boats on the Seine). The Pantheon This monument is a large repository for famous French people like Mary Cury, Victor Hugo, and Voltaire. You can visit inside and also go all the way to the top for another beautiful view of Paris. This is another place to go if you like history! Plus it is such a beautiful monument located right next to La Sorbonne (a famous university) and the Luxembourg gardens, a great place for resting from the noise of the city. To buy a Pantheon Skip-the-line ticket click here.
The tourist shop street
The Rue d’Arcole, right next to Notre Dame de Paris, is THE street to go if you want to buy souvenirs. You will find everything there: little eiffel towers, shirts, paintings… Last time I brought my mother in law there, we stayed for hours going through all the shops and trying not to buy everything. This is the best place to find every souvenir you want from Paris. There is so much to see in Paris. I would say that a week should be enough to see most of it. Of course there is more to see as it is such a big city. Tell me in the comments what else someone who has never been to Paris need to see! More tips for you:
Thank you for @lesvisitesd_eli for the tips and the pictures! Go follow her on Instagram!
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AuthorMy name is Melanie Ashby. I am from France and I currently live in the US. Here are some tips about traveling to France from a French and an American perspective! Archives
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