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Paris, the most visited city in the world, was truly captivating, romantic, and beautiful to experience. Nurture Happiness Today TRAVEL shares fourteen places for sightseeing in Paris, France.
We spent several nights in Paris to take our time and truly experience the city, choosing not to visit any nearby countries in Europe on this trip. With so many sights to see in Paris, we highly recommend some planning in advance!
In no particular order, some of the sightseeing in Paris on our recent trip included:
- Champs de Mars
- Trocadero
- Palais Garnier
- Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées
- Jardin des Tuileries
- River Siene Cruise
- Montmartre
- The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre (La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre)
- Saint Chapelle
- Sit and Walk Along the River Seine
- Notre Dame
- Shakespeare and Company
- Place Vendôme
- Japanese District
In addition, sometimes booking a guided tour is also easier and provides a more in-depth experience. These are some popular sightseeing tours, with hundreds of reviews, to explore:
- Electric Tuktuk – Private City Tour with Pick Up
- Bike Tour: Paris Highlights Bike Tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre-Dame
- Segway Tour: Sightseeing Half Day Segway Guided Tour
- Walking & Metro Tour: See 30+ Top Paris Sights with a Fun Guide
Big Bus Tours Paris
There are so many sights and attractions in Paris that we found the Big Bus a great way to get around and see the city. We purchased the two-day Big Bus tickets for our first two days. We felt it was good value and a great way to get an overview of the major sights in Paris. We got on and off the bus where we wanted to spend more time sightseeing.
Check prices and availability here: Big Bus Paris Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Champs de Mars
Located in the seventh arrondissement, the Champs de Mars is a great park to take pictures around the Eiffel Tower. It is worth a visit both during the day to take pictures and relax and visit at night to see the Eiffel Tower lit up!
We enjoyed sitting in the park with many visitors and tourists at Champs de Mars, who like us, were just taking in the beauty of the Eiffel Tower and being in Paris.
Trocadero
Located in the sixteenth arrondissement, Trocadero is a beautiful must-visit location in Paris. The elevated views of Paris are stunning. It is free to visit and can get quite busy with tourists as Trocadero is one of the best places to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower and simply enjoy the surrounding area and gardens.
We actually did a professional photo shoot with a photographer at Trocadero! It was money well spent to capture our first trip to Paris! We framed some of our professional photographs for our home.
Some options for a professional personal photo shoot to explore:
Palais Garnier
Palais Garnier is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. Located in the ninth arrondissement, the nineteenth-century opera house is a magnificent building!
There are admission fees to visit and explore Palais Garnier. We purchased admission tickets in advance and a guided tour offered, directly from the opera house. It was an enjoyable small group tour where learned about the history while exploring the opulent building.
Website: www.operadeparis.fr/
Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées
The Champs-Élysées is a popular avenue in Paris in the eighth arrondissement, where the Arc de Triomphe is located.
There were many tourists simply taking pictures of the Arc from across the street but visitors can also purchase tickets to reach the top of the Arc de Triomphe for panoramic views.
Website: www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr
The Champs-Élysées is lined with stores, luxury shops, theatres, and cafes. It is often referred to as “the most beautiful avenue in the whole world”.
We spent an enjoyable afternoon along the avenue and had lunch outdoors at one of the many restaurants that had outdoor patios.
Jardin des Tuileries
Located in the first arrondissement, the royal garden became a public park after the French Revolution. The garden is free and open to the public. It is located close to the Louvre and often filled with locals and tourists enjoying the beautiful park.
There is also a large beautiful fountain and a lot of seating throughout the park for visitors to sit and relax.
River Siene Cruise
There are various cruises on the Siene offered by different tour companies and at various times throughout the day. Choose the best cruise that suits your interests as there are different boats and options including lunch and dinner cruises.
We booked a one-hour sunset cruise with Vedettes du Pont Neuf. Their boats have an upper deck that is open and uncovered and a guide that provided commentary during the cruise. The sunset cruise on the Siene was an enchanting way to see Paris! We cruised by the Eiffel tower and various sites, and also cruised under a few bridges.
For sunset views in April, we booked an 8:45 p.m. evening cruise; depending on the season, research what time is best. We also recommend booking tickets in advance as the time slots during sunset often sell-out.
Website of our boat cruise: www.vedettesdupontneuf.com
There are many different boat tours available. Explore what suits your time and interests. Some popular boat cruises with lunch or dinner, with over one thousand reviews:
- Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise
- Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Lunch & Sightseeing Cruise
- Paris Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music by Bateaux Mouches
- Paris Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Champagne
Montmartre
Located in the 18th arrondissement in Paris, Montmartre is a major attraction in Paris as it offers an elevated view of the city.
There are many visitors taking pictures of the wonderful views of Paris, sitting by the steps, and visiting The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre (La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre).
On a large hill, Montmartre is a free area to explore. We explored the area on our own but would have preferred more time and a tour to provide more insights. The district is known for the hilly streets and artistic history. In addition, many movies have been filmed in the area. For example: An American in Paris (1951), Amelie (2001), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), and more!
For guided tours in Montmartre to explore, with hundreds of reviews:
- Walking Tour: Montmartre Walking Tour: Paris’ Best Art, Culture and Food
- “Hidden Montmartre” Tour
- Montmartre and Sacre Coeur Walking Tour in Paris
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre (La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre)
The basilica is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was built between 1875 and 1914 on the “hill of martyrs” (Montmartre).
Entrance is free and reservations are not required to visit the beautiful basilica which is open everyday to the public. It is a very popular tourist attraction as it is located on top of the Montmartre hill as well as the grand exterior and interior of the church.
Inside, people can walk around and view the basilica quietly. There are beautiful statues, stain-glass windows, chapels and the ceiling is decorated with the Mosaic of Christ in Glory, which is one of the largest mosaics in the world, at 475 square meters.
Visitors can also climb the 300 steps to the top of The Dome at the Basilica which offers more panoramic views of Paris. To visit The Dome, please confirm with the Basilica directly regarding tickets and admission cost.
Location: 35 Rue du Chevalier-de-la-barre, 75018 Paris
Website: www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
Saint Chapelle
Saint Chapelle, built in the middle of the thirteenth century, is a beautiful chapel that is now a major tourist attraction. The extraordinary stain-glass windows draw visitors to the royal chapel to see the magnificent windows in the impressive gothic architecture.
To visit, reserve a date and time slot on the website. We booked a self-guided tour which was sufficient for us at this small, but stunning attraction. Guided tours and audio guides are also available.
For guided tours to explore, with reviews:
- Notre Dame’s Island with Sainte Chapelle and Marie Antoinette’s prison
- 1 hour Sainte Chapelle- skip the line access – English or Español
Location: 10, boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris
Website: www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en
Sit and Walk Along the River Seine
A stroll along the Seine on a warm spring day in Paris was memorable. It was lovely to see locals and visitors walking, sitting, eating along the Seine, and just enjoying the day.
Notre Dame
The Notre Dame is closed to the public as it is being rebuilt after a major fire in April 2019. The Catholic cathedral, located in the 4th arrodissement of Paris, had major damage and is still being restored. Construction of the gothic-style cathedral began in 1163 and is one of the most visited attractions in Paris.
During our visit in 2022, the Notre Dame could only be visible from the outside, with barriers all around the cathedral, as work on its restorations continues. Nonetheless, it is still a major attraction with many visitors sitting around the cathedral.
Location: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris
Website: www.notredamedeparis.fr/
Shakespeare and Company
This charming small bookstore close by the Notre Dame, has become a popular place to visit in Paris. The Shakespeare and Company bookstore was founded in 1951 by American, George Whitman.
According to the website, the bookstore became a meeting place for great Paris-based writers of the time and “the bookshop also became a literal home away from home for authors, intellectuals, and artists, who could stay overnight in the shop for free.”
Although there was a small line to visit, the cozy bookstore was interesting, full of history and character, and a lovely shop to explore. I picked up a Shakespeare and Company book bag and a book, a collection of Shakespeare’s work, as souvenirs.
Location: 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
Website: www.shakespeareandcompany.com
Place Vendôme
Place Vendôme is a public square located in the first arrondissement. If in the area, it is a short walk from the Jardin des Tuileries, Louvre, and Palais Garnier, with many higher-end stores and boutiques that line the area around it.
Japanese District
As it is located near the Opera and the Louvre, we decided to visit “Little Japan in Paris” on Rue Saint-Anne. There are various Japanese restaurants serving sushi and ramen, bakeries, and bars in the area. Stop by if you are craving Japanese food or if the street is on the way to other attractions.
Nurture Happiness Today TRAVEL definitely recommends some time planning your itinerary for sightseeing in Paris! There are so many beautiful places and attractions to enjoy in Paris…enjoy!
Be sure to check out our related Nurture Happiness Today posts:
• Visiting Paris Museums: Louvre and Musée d’Orsay
• Visiting the Palace of Versailles (Chateau de Versailles) in France
• Foods to Try in Paris
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