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Top Things to Do in Paris
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items After many years of working in France and spending half the week each week in Paris, I have put together my favorite places to visit in Paris! Understand I have seen so much more then what is on this list. If you name it I have probably seen it or visited it, etc. I am just putting in this list my favorites, especially for those who only have so many days to see this city you can easily spend months in and never see it all!
Map
Sections
5
Museums & Gardens
Monuments & Activities
Opera House, Cathedrals, Churches
Shopping
Day Trips Away
Museums & Gardens
Paris is the City of Lights but really it could easily be called the city of Museums. The list is honestly endless so I really only put my very favorite. I highly suggest getting the Paris Museum pass so you can stop in on the many more then what is on this list. Gardens are beautiful and many are near monuments and museums you may be already be visiting.
A museum that is constructed within an old train station. Not only is the building beautiful but so is all the art!
Musée d'Orsay
As a lover of Claude Monet's work, this is well worth a visit to see many pieces of his work in one location. It also is in a lovely large mansion.
Musée Marmottan Monet
The Louvre is world famous and a visit even if for a short time, as it is a bit of a bucket list event. It is not my favorite museum to spend my time in mostly because it has art that I am less interested in compared to other museums. It still is an amazing building and structure, has some of the most famouse pieces of art in the world, and is worth a visit.
Louvre Museum
This is a lovely museum that helps you see and appreciate more of Rodin work. In addition it has a beautiful peaceful garden that is a nice oasis from the bustling city!
Musée Rodin
I love the museum pass for visitors to Paris. The first time I went as an independent traveler I got this pass and boy did I use it. I easily got my money's worth. In addition it allowed me to just bop into museums for a little bit and not feel the pressure to see everything. I highly recommend this for visitors to Paris!
Paris Museum Pass | Your Pass to Paris Museums
The gardens leading up to the Louvre. Worth a stroll through and if time, a visit to the Musee L'Orangerie to see some large water lily paintings my Monet.
Tuileries Garden
Worth a visit to get some beautiful photos of the Eiffel Tower.
Jardins du Trocadéro
If you are over this side of town, a beautiful garden to take a rest and walk around.
Jardin du Luxembourg
Monuments & Activities
Some must see monuments are are iconic Paris and a river ride you won't want to miss!
No visit to Paris is complete without a walk around the Eiffel Tower. A first timer should really go up at least to the second level. You can go up via elevator and then walk down the steps for a different view. I use to visit and go up weekly with groups. I personally think once is enough. It is important to walk under it to appreciate its size but it is a touristy place and watch out for pick pocketers. Make sure to see it during the day and at night at different vantage points as it is magical, especially when it lights up after dark on the hour!
Eiffel Tower
The Arc de Triomphe is a very cool monument. I enjoyed seeing the view from the top so much, I went back to see it during the night as well. Be prepared for lots of steps going up an enclosed small staircase. it really is an experience!
Arc de Triomphe
Monument and Army Museum, a beautiful building but houses Napoleon's tomb.
The Hôtel National des Invalides
A must in my opinion is seeing Paris by boat on the River Seine. I don't have a particular company in mind as I use to be on a private charter every Saturday night for months. But I have personally taken the more tourist boats and it was just fine. I would recommend a tour that allows you to see a great deal during light but maybe ends at the Eiffel tower at night. I have done both day and evening rides. I personally would avoid the dinner or lunch cruises. I find you spend too much time eating and indoors on the boat and not really getting to see what you are sailing by. I would stick to a boat with an upper deck and just enjoy the ride and the views!
Cruise on the Seine in Paris
Opera House, Cathedrals, Churches
Beautiful Structures including my favorite building in all of Paris!
By far my favorite building in ALL of Paris. I love this building and when I am in Paris I visit often. I also went to a ballet performance here. I can not rave about this building enough!
Palais Garnier
Recently reopened, a very famous Cathedral that is very much worth a visit. Don't forget to walk all around the outside of it to get a really great appreciation for this amazing structure! There is a little flower market near it that is worth a walk ...
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris
This is an impressive church with an even more impressive view of Paris down below. If your headed to Montmartre you should stop and visit.
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
Beautiful stained glass windows. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, it is worth a visit.
Sainte-Chapelle
Shopping
There is shopping all over Paris, every where you look. These are just some shopping locations I appreciate for other reasons beyond just buying something.
There are department stores and then there are DEPARTMENT stores! This is such an amazing building, worth a visit to step in and look up. It is also not a bad place to shop!
Galeries Lafayette
I use to take a small group to this market every week around mid day and we would collect our food for a picnic. Then we would walk over to the park in front of the Eiffel Tower and have a lunch and make colored chalk drawings of the Eiffel Tower!
Rue Cler (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
I personally would not shop here or eat here, but it does carry some high end shops but more importantly it the street leading up to the Arc de Triomphe and can be pretty cool to see for the first time.
Avenue des Champs-Élysées
Printemps is another department store worth a visit and carries some of everything.
Printemps.com - Luxury Fashion for Men, Women & Beauty
Markets in Paris: There are many different markets throughout the city. Most of the time I come upon one or put it in my schedule if I am traveling to something near by. Markets are very French and so stepping into one is a true local experience!
Marchés alimentaires - Ville de Paris
Day Trips Away
Maybe you want one day to get out of your stay in the city. These are some top ideas of places to visit for the day.
I really love Versailles. The palace is amazing and grand. Once you visit the Palace though my favorite thing here is to spend time walking the grounds and visiting all the their homes away from their big palace home. You can spend a couple days just seeing it all.
Palace of Versailles
You may have noticed I like Claude Monet and so naturally if you are a fan as well, you may want to take a day trip to see where he lived and his gardens that inspired so many amazing paintings.
Giverny Tour Monet's garden day trip bus minibus tour from Paris
This is a VERY long day and a lot of traveling, but if you are really interested in WWII History and don't know when you might be back to France, a day trip is a nice way to get a quick glance of the Normandy Beaches home to a defining moment in the ... There are many companies that offer day trips, I don't have a fast and true one I recommend. The first time I ever went was on a day trip from Paris, later I would travel there every two weeks leading a tour of the region. If you can come back and really spend time there the North of France is particularly special and my favorite region I have worked in France.
Normandy D-Day Tour from Paris
If castles are your thing the Loire Valley does not disappoint. It is a long day away but gives you a taste of another area of France. Just like the north of France I suggest coming back and spending more time but for a day trip it can be fun to see some amazing chateaus!
THE 10 BEST Loire Valley Tours & Excursions (2025)
I traveled by Eurostar every week twice a week for entire summers. Personally I think it is worth taking an entire weekend or longer to visit the destinations serviced by the Eurostar but I do know people who have taken the train for a day trip to another country. It is one way to experience the train and have the quickest visit ever to another major city in Europe.
Eurostar: Travel to another country for the day!