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Paris The guide was updated: 2025-08-18

Few cities match the iconic status that Paris holds in the imagination of travellers. In fashion, gastronomy, and the arts, she is queen. As you wander through the different quartiers of the City of Light, her moods shift from gritty to sophisticated, from haute couture to underground. There is always something new to discover here beyond the legendary sights and museums. Paris has a way of getting under your skin, feeling instantly familiar as you lose yourself in her hypnotic streets and linger at her cafés.

Facts

Population:	2 million (2025)
Currency:	Euro (EUR, €)
Search Accommodation:	Hotels »
Emergency numbers:	Emergency: 112 / 15 Police: 17 Fire Brigade: 18
Newspapers:	Le Monde: www.lemonde.fr Le Figaro: www.lefigaro.fr Le Parisien: www.leparisien.fr Libération: www.liberation.fr L'Officiel des Spectacles: www.offi.fr
Tourist information:	Point Info Tourisme at Galeries Lafayette 48 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–7pm

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Section in Paris

There’s never enough time to take in all that Paris has to offer. Its museums and monuments can captivate you for days, but the real magic often comes from simply wandering its streets, discovering hidden squares, lively cafés, and unexpected views. One thing is certain — in Paris, you’ll never run out of things to see, do, and experience.

Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower

Rising 324 metres above Paris, the Eiffel Tower was unveiled in 1889 as part of the World’s Fair celebrating 100 years since the Revolution. Though controversial at first for its unusual, industrial look — many Parisians felt it clashed with the city’s classic architecture and called it an eyesore — it quickly became the city’s defining symbol. Today, nearly 7 million visitors a year come for the views, to snap that classic photo, and to experience standing atop one of the world’s most unforgettable landmarks.

Louvre Museum

Louvre Museum

The Louvre is one of the world’s biggest museums and home to some of the most famous artworks you’ll ever see — think the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, alongside pieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Caravaggio. Its glass pyramid entrance is instantly recognisable. Inside, you’ll find around 35,000 paintings, sculptures, and objects, covering everything from ancient civilisations to 19th-century art.

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon after his win at Austerlitz in 1806, took about 30 years to finish and was finally opened in 1836. Standing 50 metres tall, it sits at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, right at the western end of the famous Champs-Élysées. You’ll probably find yourself there at some point, as most visitors wander down this iconic avenue. The monument honours those who fought and died for France during the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Beneath it rests the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

Notre-Dame stands on Île de la Cité, often called the birthplace of Paris. The site has been sacred for thousands of years—long before the cathedral, there were Celtic worship spots, then Roman temples, followed by a Romanesque church. The Gothic cathedral we see today was completed in 1345 and became the heart of medieval Paris. Despite the fire in 2019 that damaged much of it, the main structure and most treasures survived. It stretches 128 metres long with two towers rising 69 metres high, still commanding the city’s skyline.

Montmartre

Montmartre

Montmartre is one of Paris’s most charming and bohemian neighbourhoods, crowned by the white-domed Sacré-Cœur at the city’s highest point. Once home to artists like Dalí, Monet, and Picasso, its streets are still alive with painters and caricaturists, especially around Place du Tertre. Fans of Amélie will recognise many corners, and downhill in Pigalle you’ll find the iconic Moulin Rouge and the Lapin Agile, a historic cabaret that once drew poets, painters, and singers.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Perched atop Montmartre, the highest point in Paris, Sacré-Cœur’s white domes are visible for miles. Built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it houses one of the world’s largest mosaics and offers sweeping views from its dome. The steps out front are a favourite place to gather, especially at sunset.

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge

A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the legendary Moulin Rouge. Since 1889, this iconic Parisian landmark has held the title of the most famous cabaret in the world, thanks to its French can-can and the larger-than-life shows featuring expertly choreographed dancing, elaborate sets, and glamorous costumes. Sip on French Champagne, enjoy dinner in a beautiful Belle Époque venue, and experience the show Féerie, which you are sure to remember for years to come.

Seine River Cruise

Seine River Cruise

Boat cruises on the Seine embark at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and take you through the heart of Paris, where you can admire the prestigious monuments and landmarks of the city and the stunning architecture from bridge to bridge and bank to bank. To learn history along the way, plug in your audio guide and choose your language. Come back at night for another tour, and it will be a different Paris before your eyes, yet just as magical.

Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles

The town of Versailles is a wealthy Parisian suburb and municipality, located 20 kilometres outside the city. In the 11th century, Versailles was merely a country village enveloping a castle and the church of Saint-Julien. Today, it is mostly known for the lavish Château de Versailles, which served as home to King Louis XIV and the summer palace to Napoleon. It also saw the historic signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 in the now-legendary Hall of Mirrors.

Musée d’Orsay

Musée d’Orsay

Housed in a former railway station, the Musée d'Orsay holds a mesmerising collection of mainly French paintings, sculptures, and photography, including the world's largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, with works from artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir, and Monet.

Catacombs of Paris

Catacombs of Paris

Installed in the tunnels of former quarries, in the heart of Paris, the Catacombs are at once a fascinating and eerie attraction. Walk down the many steps to experience this spooky underground cemetery. Here you will find the osseous remains of more than 6 million people, moved to this location from an old cemetery.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris

If you’re ready to swap Paris’s romantic boulevards for a different kind of magic, head to Disneyland Paris. The resort has two parks: Disneyland Park, packed with rides, shows, restaurants, cafés, and endless shops; and Walt Disney Studios Park, which adds movie sets, live performances, and behind-the-scenes fun to the mix. Stroll down Main Street, U.S.A., set sail for Adventureland, or meet your favourite characters in Fantasyland. Whether you’re a kid, a grown-up, or somewhere in between, there’s more than enough here to keep the magic alive all day.

Panthéon

Panthéon

Originally built as a church to house the reliquary of Saint Genevieve, this neoclassical building in the Latin Quarter, modelled after the Pantheon in Rome, is the final resting place of numerous writers, philosophers, poets and scientists, such as Rousseau, Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, and Marie Curie.

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde is an expansive square located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. It holds historical importance for several reasons: the liberation struggle during World War II brought many battles to Place de la Concorde; during the French Revolution, over a thousand people were beheaded here, many of them famous: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and revolutionary Robespierre, to name a few. The site is dominated by the 24-metre Obélisque de Louxor, one of Cleopatra's needles - a gift from Egyptian viceroy Mohammed Ali to Louis Philippe.

Centre Pompidou

Centre Pompidou

The Centre Pompidou stands out with its bold, high-tech design — pipes and escalators on the outside make it hard to miss. Inside, you’ll find Europe’s largest modern art museum, a big public library, and a hub for music and sound research. When it was built, many Parisians hated it for clashing with the classic city vibe, and its construction meant knocking down the famous Les Halles market nearby. Now, it’s a lively spot for art lovers and anyone curious about something a bit different.

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Père Lachaise is the largest cemetery in Paris and is reputed to be the most visited in the world. It is a huge and peaceful park and the final resting place of many Frenchmen and foreigners who have enriched French life over the past 200 years, including Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Camille Pissarro, Marcel Proust, Molière, Max Ernst, Maria Callas, and Jim Morrison, to name just a few.

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