The Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, stands 324 meters tall as the ultimate symbol of Paris. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, it was initially criticized as an eyesore and meant to be temporary, but its innovative iron lattice structure proved revolutionary. Over 7 million visitors ascend annually for panoramic views from three levels. The first floor features a glass floor, the second offers telescopes, and the summit includes Eiffel’s restored office. Evening sparkles every hour and gourmet dining at Le Jules Verne elevate the experience. It has welcomed over 300 million visitors and remains the world’s most visited paid monument.

The Louvre, the world’s largest and most visited museum, houses over 380,000 objects across 72,735 m², including masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the ancient Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace. Originally a 12th-century fortress, it became a royal palace before opening as a public museum in 1793 during the Revolution. The glass pyramid entrance by I.M. Pei (1989) marks its modern era. Collections span Egyptian antiquities to 19th-century European paintings, with highlights in the Denon, Sully, and Richelieu wings, plus lavish Napoleon III apartments.

Notre-Dame de Paris, a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture begun in 1163 and largely completed by 1345, stands on Île de la Cité as one of Europe’s finest cathedrals. Famous for flying buttresses, gargoyles, and magnificent rose windows (13th century), it hosted coronations, royal weddings, and Napoleon’s 1804 emperor crowning. Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel boosted preservation efforts. The 2019 fire destroyed the spire and roof, but meticulous restoration (completed December 2024) revived the interior’s grandeur, including cleaned stonework and rebuilt oak frame.

Crowning Montmartre at Paris’s highest point (130 m), the gleaming white Sacré-Cœur Basilica was consecrated in 1919 as a symbol of national penance after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War and Commune. Its Romano-Byzantine design with travertine stone that self-whitens in rain gives perpetual freshness. Inside, the vast Christ mosaic in the apse is one of Europe’s largest. The 300-step dome climb offers 360° panoramas rivaling the Eiffel Tower without crowds. The surrounding bohemian Montmartre district adds artistic charm.

Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate Austerlitz victory, the Arc de Triomphe was completed in 1836. Standing 50 m tall at the Champs-Élysées western end, it honors French soldiers with engraved battle names and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath (eternal flame rekindled daily). The rooftop terrace offers sweeping views down 12 radiating avenues. Intricate reliefs depict key moments like Departure of Volunteers (La Marseillaise).

Housed in the stunning Beaux-Arts former Gare d'Orsay train station (1900 World’s Fair), the Musée d'Orsay holds the world’s premier collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art from 1848–1914. Masterpieces include Monet’s Water Lilies, Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône and self-portraits, Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, and Degas’ ballerinas. The vast nave with glass roof and giant clock create a unique setting.

Consecrated in 1248 by Saint Louis to house Passion relics (including Crown of Thorns), Sainte-Chapelle is a High Gothic jewel renowned for 1,113 m² of 13th-century stained glass—15 towering windows depicting 1,130 biblical scenes in vivid blues and reds. The upper chapel’s soaring height and light create an ethereal atmosphere, while the lower chapel served palace staff. Hidden within the Palais de Justice, it survived the Revolution despite relic dispersal.

Originally a church dedicated to Sainte Geneviève (commissioned by Louis XV in 1758), the neoclassical Panthéon became a secular mausoleum during the Revolution. Its massive dome and portico modeled on Rome’s Pantheon dominate the Latin Quarter. The crypt houses France’s greatest: Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Marie Curie (first woman), and recently Joséphine Baker and Missak Manouchian. Foucault’s pendulum demonstrates Earth’s rotation.

Commissioned by Napoleon III and opened in 1875, the opulent Palais Garnier epitomizes Second Empire architecture with lavish marble grand staircase, gilded foyer, and Chagall-painted ceiling (1964) over the auditorium’s 1,979 seats. Designed by Charles Garnier, it inspired Phantom of the Opera (underground lake exists). Guided tours reveal mosaics, sculptures, and backstage areas.

Created in 1612 for Marie de' Medici, widow of Henri IV, these 23-hectare formal French gardens surrounding Luxembourg Palace (now Senate) are Parisians’ favorite green space. Perfectly manicured parterres, fountains, statues of queens, model sailboats on the grand basin, pony rides, tennis courts, and the Medici Fountain create timeless charm. Locals relax on iconic green chairs, read, or play pétanque.

A Seine cruise offers the most romantic perspective on Paris, gliding past illuminated monuments. Bateaux Parisiens, Vedettes du Pont-Neuf, and Bateaux-Mouches depart frequently, showcasing UNESCO-listed banks with Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and bridges like Pont Alexandre III. Evening dinner cruises include gourmet meals and live music.

The 1.9 km tree-lined Champs-Élysées, “world’s most beautiful avenue,” stretches from Place de la Concorde to Arc de Triomphe. Extended in the 17th century, it became fashionable in the 19th with luxury shops, cafés, and theaters. Today flagship stores (Louis Vuitton, Cartier), cinemas, and festive Christmas markets draw crowds.

Opened in 1977, the radical “inside-out” Centre Pompidou by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers features exposed color-coded pipes (blue air, green water, yellow electricity, red circulation). It houses Europe’s largest modern art collection—over 100,000 works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse, and contemporary artists—plus library, cinema, and rooftop views.

Montmartre’s hilltop village atmosphere preserves the bohemian spirit that attracted Picasso, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Modigliani in the late 19th–early 20th centuries. Place du Tertre remains an open-air artist square, cabarets like Moulin Rouge continue traditions, and winding streets hide vineyards, windmills, and quiet squares.

Versailles, Louis XIV’s extravagant palace 20 km from Paris, epitomizes absolute monarchy. From 1682, the Sun King moved court here, employing 36,000 workers to create the Hall of Mirrors, royal apartments, and 800-hectare gardens by Le Nôtre. The estate includes Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and Marie-Antoinette’s hamlet. It hosted pivotal events until the 1789 Revolution forced royal return to Paris.