Paris is full of so many places to see, it is bursting with landmarks! The good news? We found Paris pretty walkable for the most part. We did start and end our trip in two different Arrondissements, which allowed us to expand our presence in Paris, however, even without doing that we felt it was walkable to all landmarks, and their public transport system is very easy to figure out. Not to mention, the Eiffel Tower can be seen from just about anywhere in Paris, seriously, there was no lack of picture opportunities of the Eiffel Tower amongst different landscapes. Here’s a short list of some places we think should be a must for your first, or second, trip to Paris.
Eiffel Tower (duh!)
Doesn’t everyone go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower? It’s a no brainer that this a must see. As stated above, you can see the Eiffel Tower from just about anywhere in the city, so you really can’t miss it. They built the city around it, so it seems, so it is definitely a focal point. As it should be, I mean it’s beautiful!
The Eiffel Tower is officially located in the 7th arrondissement if you’re wanting to get up close and personal. Which we do recommend. When we went in April there was also a row of outdoor eating stands conveniently located on your way to check out the Eiffel Tower. Here we purchased our first crepes of the trip, and chefs kiss, they were delicious. You guessed it though, the closer you are, the more crowded it’s going to be. So we recommend getting there early or passing through at different parts of the day. Remember Paris is very walkable.
One of our favorite places to see the Eiffel Tower was from a small little green space and garden located in the 16th arrondissement, Parc de Passy. Best part is we accidentally stumbled upon this park. You can’t see much of the Eiffel Tower from here, just the very top of it, but there was something so special about grabbing a sandwich from a nearby shop and sitting on some benches located in the park. We had lunch with a view, surrounded by nature in a big city, just taking it all in. It was magical, with very little foot traffic. This was one of our favorite parts of this trip we took. We also recommend catching a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower at night, in all its light. It is a site to see, and every hour on the hour, for five minutes, it sparkles in the night sky. Truly magical.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is this beautifully designed arch in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, located in the middle of one the craziest round-a-bouts, or rotaries, I have ever seen. Seriously cars just go anywhere, I’m surprised we didn’t witness an accident- especially since you have people trying to run across traffic to get to the arc. By the way, we don’t recommend this method of getting to the arc, there is a stairway that leads underground that takes you directly to the arc – a much safer way.
Once you make it, from the ground level you can see all the intricate detail of the arc from up close, and let me tell you it’s amazing. This monument also houses the tomb of the unknown soldier, which can be viewed from the ground level. Lots of history here, but we’ll let you read all about that when you’re visiting – have to save some stuff for your next trip! If you’re into cityscapes, you can buy a ticket and head to the top and take in a 360 view of Paris. It is not covered, but there are tall glass barriers surrounding. The line to get in was quite long. We went end of April and waited about 45 minutes to make it to the top and purchase tickets. Tickets run about 16 euros, and you can purchase them ahead of time online. I’m not sure if that cuts your wait time by any amount – we bought our tickets there day of as we didn’t know we would be adding this part to our itinerary.
The views are breathtaking, but it really depends on your interests- for example, I could have done without, the price and wait to me wasn’t super worth it, but Chris loved it! He’s one that just loves to take it all in and see the vastness of a city all at once. I could have watched the traffic go around all day, but I could also do that from ground level.
Louvre
The Louvre, located in the 1st arrondissement, is a magnificent art museum that should be on your bucket list for your trip to Paris, it was on ours. Unfortunately on our first trip to Paris, we were unable to because we unfortunately planned to go on a Tuesday…well Tuesdays are the one day of the week that the Louvre closes to the public. So don’t forget this when planning your next trip to Paris. We will be taking our own advise on our next trip to Paris, along with some other things we missed. (There’s a lot to see in Paris).
So even though we weren’t able to go inside the museum, the areas outside and around the Louvre was a piece of art in itself – just stunning. We did also see get to see and take some great shots of The Inverted Pyramid located outside, so I still consider it a successful adventure. As a note, at least from the way we came, you’re going to run into The Inverted Pyramid and there’s going to be more people and fencing – if this is the case for you too, keep walking around, you’ll find less crowded parts and way better views. There also wasn’t a lot of foot traffic which we consider a plus – more time to sit back and enjoy, and better opportunities for photos!
Notre Dame Cathedral
Located in the 4th arrondissement, the Notre Dame Cathedral is another must see of Paris. If you’re planning a future trip – you’re in luck! The Cathedral is planned to reopen sometime in 2024, after being rebuilt post fire. When we visited, we did not get to go inside as the cathedral was surrounded by scaffolding and under construction. Honestly though, happy to be able to witness this event in history and the cathedral being rebuilt, by those dedicated to rebuilding it the same way it once was before the fire. We enjoyed all the information and signs we were able to read outside the cathedral. We look forward to going back and seeing the cathedral in all its beauty once construction is complete.
That completes the top must see monuments of Paris, but remember there’s SO much more to Paris to see! All the reason we plan to go back to Paris. It truly does capture your heart.