5 Amazing Must-See Destinations in Paris
Disclosure: In our articles, we independently choose products and services to feature that we think you'll find useful. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of our links, we may earn a small commission.There are so many places to visit in Paris, that trying to fit them all into one article would be impossible. Instead, here are 5 of the most iconic places in Paris, starting with the Eiffel Tower.
Destination 1: Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower)
This is perhaps the most iconic structure in all of France. Millions of people all over the world immediately think of the Eiffel Tower when they hear about anything having to do with France. As of 2015, the Eiffel Tower gets the most paid visits of any man-made monument in the world, at almost 7 million a year. To this day, the Eiffel Tower is the largest structure in France, and the 8th tallest structure in Europe.
The Eiffel Tower was built in the 1889 for the World’s Fair exhibition. It has three levels you can ascend, getting different panoramic views of the city from each. You have to pay to ascend the structure. There are elevators that take you to the top, but you must pay more. If you are an adult over the age of 25, and are willing to ascend all 704 stairs on an hour trek (each way), then tickets cost 7 €, and less for every age group below that. If you want to take the elevator, they cost 11 € for the same age group.
Fun Fact: The Eiffel Tower was originally red, and then was painted yellow a decade later. Today it is a specific shade of brown known as “Eiffel Tower Brown”.
Destination 2: Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum)
The Louvre Museum is the world’s largest Art Museum. It was originally the Louvre Palace, when work was started on it in the 12th century. It remained the royal palace of France until 1682, when Louis XIV chose Versailles as his palace and gave it over to the Royal Artists as their official palace. It would change hands a few more times, until in 1791, during the French Revolution, it would be converted into a public art museum, which it is to this day.
Louvre tickets aren’t cheap, costing 15 € in person, or 17 € online. Lines, however, are generally very long. If you wish to skip the line, you can buy a ticket for a skip the line tour. Some of these tours are time specific, others will take you through the whole city of Paris, and others are just guided tours of the museum, but the one thing they all have in common is that they are all expensive. The cheapest of these tours starts at $40, and the prices go up depending on how much of a guided tour you want.
Fun Fact: All 4,000 of the pieces of the Louvre were removed secretly before the Nazis invaded France during World War II. All of the art work was secretly hidden in chateaus across France until the end of the war to prevent the Nazis from confiscating them.
Destination 3: Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph)
This destination is completely free. You can walk up to it, see it, and learn about the history of it for free. The Arc de Triomphe was built between 1806 and 1808 by Emperor Napoleon I of France, although it wasn’t completed until 1836.
Fun Fact: The space dedicated to the Arc de Triomphe was almost given to a huge, three story tall, elephant-shaped building.
Destination 4: Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart)
Sacré-Cœur is perhaps the most iconic cathedral in Paris (besides Notre Dame). Its beautiful spires and amazing views of Paris are not rivaled by any other building in all of Paris. If one wants to see a beautiful building and have a great view of the city at the same time, Sacré-Cœur is a must-see.
Warning: Pictures are not allowed inside the Cathedral.
Fun Fact: Construction on Sacré-Cœur was entirely privately funded by donations from citizens, although the land was seized by the government. It cost over 7 million francs to build, and took 44 years from 1875 to 1919 to build.
Destination 5: Montmartre (Mount of the Martyr)
Montmartre is a hill near Sacré-Cœur, and is the historic home of Parisian Artists during the “Belle Epoque” (literally “Pretty Epoch”). Today, although many artists do not live on Montmartre, many continue the tradition of painting and selling their artwork on the streets of Montmartre.
For the feeling of walking through historic Paris, one cannot miss walking through Montmartre. You can buy guided tours of walking through Montmartre, or you can simply explore and find your own way through the area.
Fun Fact: Montmartre was originally named Mons Martis, or Mars Mountain, because it was where all of the rich Parisians lived. Eventually the name was changed to Montmartre, Mount of the Martyr.
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Additional Resources to Help you Plan Your Trip:
(Disclosure: The book links below go to Amazon. If you buy a book, we may receive a small commission.)
Book: DK Eyewitness Travel Paris
Book: Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Walking Guide
Book: Frommer’s Easy Guide to Paris
Book: The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris
Book: Eating and Drinking in Paris
Book: Eyewitness Travel Phrase Book French
Book: French Phrase Book with Audio
Book: Rick Steves’ French Phrase Book and Dictionary
Article: https://travel.usnews.com/Paris_France/Things_To_Do/
Article: https://www.france-hotel-guide.com/en/blog/must-see-paris/
Kyle is a staff writer at Plan and Organize™ as well as our marketing coordinator. An undergraduate student at the University of Florida, Kyle enjoys writing about business, education, DIY, history, astronomy, and other science topics. In his free time, Kyle enjoys chess, astronomy, bird-watching and sci-fi.
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