Louvre Museum (Palais du Louvre, Louvre/Tuileries, Paris)(Metro: Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre) – this is the world’s greatest art museum, with three wings (the Richelieu, the Sully, and the Denon) exhibiting works from all over the world. The Louvre’s best-known holdings include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. The Louvre […]
La Défense (Parvis de La Défense, La Défense, Paris) (Metro: Esplanade de la Défense, RER: La Défense) – during the 1960s, the French government, under Charles de Gaulle, established a business district toward the western outskirts of Paris, in a successful effort to prevent the character of the central historic areas of Paris from being […]
Eiffel Tower (Champ de Mars, Paris)(Metro: Bir-Hakeim) – this iron lattice tower was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair. At 324 meters, it is Paris’ tallest building, and one of the most visited sites in the world. There are three levels for visitors. The first two levels can be accessed by stairs […]
Centre Pompidou (Pl. Georges-Pompidou, Beaubourg/Les Halles, Paris)(Metro: Rambuteau) – named after French president Georges Pompidou, this futuristic-looking complex was built during the 1970s by architects Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini. The largest museum of modern art in Europe (Musée National d’Art Moderne) is located here (with one level devoted to works by Matisse, […]
Catacombs of Paris (1, avenue of Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris)(Metro: Denfert-Rochereau) — The Catacombs, which form a veritable labyrinth beneath the very heart of Paris, were created in the galleries of the former quarries whose stone was used to build the capital. Situated twenty metres below ground, the Catacombs contains the remains of approximately six […]
Bois de Vincennes (eastern part of Paris) (Metro: Metro: Porte-Dorée ot Château de Vincennes) – like Bois de Boulogne, this park was also a former hunting ground for French royalty. Within its grounds is the Château de Vincennes – which was once the largest of its kind in Europe. Built by the 14th century, various […]
Bois de Boulogne (Porte Dauphine for main entrance; Porte Maillot or Les Sablons for northern end; Porte d’Auteuil for southern end, Western Paris, Paris)(Metro: Porte Dauphine for main entrance; Porte Maillot for norther entrance; Porte d’Auteuil for southern end) – this is a large public park located along the western edge of Paris, near the […]
Basilique de St-Denis (St-Denis Basilica)(1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, St-Denis, Paris)(Metro: St-Denis Basilica): this is supposed to be the first church built in Gothic style (constructed during the 12th & 13th centuries). Some of France’s kings and other royalty are buried here (including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette). Hours: Apr.–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10 am–6:15 pm, […]
Avenue des Champs-Élysées (Champs-Élysées, Paris) (Metro: Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau, Franklin-D.-Roosevelt, George V, Étoile) – this is a major avenue reminiscent in some ways with New York’s Fifth Avenue. It has some of the most expensive real estate in Paris (with exclusive residences to match), along with high-end stores like Louis Vuitton and Cartier. The famed Tour de […]
Au Printemps (64 bd. Haussmann, Opéra/Grands Boulevards, Paris)(Metro: Havre Caumartin, Opéra) – this department store, in business since 1865, is reminiscent of Saks 5th Avenue and Macy’s in New York. It is housed within three buildings and divided accordingly: 1.) Printemps Mode: this is the main store for women’s fashion and accessories, and has hundreds […]