#2 Arc de Triomphe

At the western end of the Champs Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe which, along with the Eiffel Tower, is one of the well-known symbols of the French capital.  It was commissioned by Napoleon to represent the French military victories under his rule.  There is an observation deck that you can climb (the 286 steps) to reach a breath-taking view of the Champs-Élysées and across the city.

#3 Trocadéro

Keep walking south from the Arc de Triomphe for about 20 minutes, and you’ll arrive at Trocadero.  Be sure to have your camera ready because this is where you will have the best views of the Eiffel Tower in all of Paris!  The Trocadéro Gardens offer a spectacular green space and impressive fountains that lead right up to the iconic tower.  It is fabulous during the day and at night.  You should see it at both times!

#4 Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a sight to behold any time, but viewing it up close at night is magical.  You can buy tickets to the second floor and to the top.  I highly recommend taking the lift to the second floor in the evening.  The view of Paris from there is incredible.  Be sure to book tickets online in advance as the lines can be hours long.

#5 Notre Dame Cathedral

The Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in the world and is not to be missed.  The grand cathedral as well as the towers and the crypt should all be on your list.  Sadly, at the time of this writing in 2022 it is closed for renovations due to the horrific fire in 2019.  Its reopening is expected, hopefully, in 2024.  You can still see it from the outside.  It sits right on the River Seine.  If you’re in Paris at Christmas I recommend attending a Christmas Eve service at Notre Dame.  It’s one of the most memorable things we have done in all of our travels.

#6 Sainte-Chapelle

Next head west along the Seine River toward Sainte-Chapelle.  This is another Gothic-style church, and it is stunning.  The stained glass is among the most beautiful we’ve seen.  It was built to house the relics of the Passion of Christ although they have since been moved to Notre Dame’s treasury.

#7 Louvre Museum

Walk north from Sainte-Chapelle to the Right Bank of the Seine River, and then go west to reach the Louvre Museum.  The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world.  It houses thousands of pieces of art from prehistory to the 21st century in over 700,000 square feet.  The most notable pieces found here are the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.  Keep in mind that your schedule may need to be adjusted depending on how long you’d like to spend here. You can spend days here and not see it all, so adjust as necessary. 

#8 Tuileries Garden

Just outside the Louvre to the west is the Tuileries Garden.  It separates the Louvre from the Place de la Concorde, which is where the Champs-Élysées begins.  Especially if you’re visiting in the spring or summer or even early fall, you have to walk through it.  It is a beautiful garden with a palatial backdrop and a popular hangout for the locals.  We were there once on a Saturday in September, and it was filled with families and couples sitting around the fountain and having picnics in the grass and kids running around playing games— a very laid-back kind of day in the middle of one of the most picturesque places in the world.

#9 Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is located just outside of Paris.  It’s about a 40-minute ride by train, depending on your departure point.  It will take a full day to visit the palace and the gardens, but It’s an easy train ride and well worth the trip.  Once a royal residence and now a national landmark, it is one of the most opulent palaces in the world.  We enjoyed the tour of the palace as well as the garden and the park.

#10 Orsay Museum

The Orsay Museum, once a railroad station, is now the magnificent home to the largest collection of impresionist and post-impresionist art in the world.  It houses works from Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Delacroix, and many more.  It’s definitely worth a visit.

#11 Sacré-Coeur and the Montmartre Neighborhood

You’ll need to take the Metro to the Montmartre neighborhood.  This is a really cool neighborhood known for its art scene.  It is also home to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, a catholic basilica that sits on top of the highest hill in Paris and offers an incredible view over the city.  Once in Montmartre, you can walk up 270 steps to the basilica, or you can take a funicular.  You can visit the church, the dome and the crypt.

In this charming neighborhood you will find lots of street artists capturing the views, the cafes, and the monuments.  They will also offer to capture you, so be prepared to be approached to have your own sketch.  This is a great area to walk around.  Stroll through Tertre Square and past the nearby residence of Van Gogh and the studio of Picasso.  These as well as Renoir and other well-known artists all lived here for a period.  These streets have some of the prettiest French homes we saw.  You can get so many great photos here.

Here is a list of more places that we think should be on your list if you have time:

Palais Garnier
Luxembourg Gardens
Le Invalides
Pantheon
Montparnasse Tower
Moulin Rouge
Paris Catacombs

Just stroll…
If you’re lucky enough to be able to spend more than four days in this incredible city there is more than enough to fill a longer trip.  This is a place that is fun to just stroll through the streets.  I love to walk all over and take photos and stop at cafes along the way for a meal or an espresso or a glass of wine.  Some of my favorite neighborhoods are La Marais, St Germaine, the Latin Quarter, and Montmartre.

The main thing I consider when choosing where to stay in any location is proximity to the main attractions, restaurants, and public transportation.  The hotel pictured above, the Hotel Delavigne, is one place we have stayed and recommend highly.  We have also stayed at the Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Pres Paris and recommend it.   They are both in the St Germain neighborhood in the 6th arrondissement.  It’s a perfect location for walking to many of the main attractions and is near many, many restaurants.  Of course it’s nice to be able to walk out the door and be near the main sights, but if I don’t find a deal that is right in the center of it all I find a nice area that is near a public transportation station so we can easily get where we want to go.

We’ve stayed in the Trocadero neighborhood and the St Germain neighborhood.  Both are within walking distance to many things and both have Metro stations nearby.  Other areas that I would also consider staying in are La Marais, the Latin Quarter, or even Montmartre.  Montmartre is the furthest out but has easy access via the Metro.

TRAVEL TIP-  Paris is divided up into 20 sections known as arrondissements.  They form a clockwise spiral beginning in the center of the city.  If you want to know which arrondissements a particular place is in just look at the address on a map.  The last two digits of the postal code will tell you.  To see how it’s laid out click here to view a map.