Top 10 things to do in Paris

Paris's seductive charms are legendary and there is a good reason for this. The inviting sidewalk cafes, glamorous shops, world class museums and fabled restaurant scene make Paris the runway model of cities. It is beautiful, fashionable, confident and inspiring envy at every turn.

Basilica of Notre Dame de Paris

Among of all the beautiful monuments, churches and musuems in Paris, there is one that is the heart and the should of the city of light, this is the Basilica of Notre Dame. Visited by thirteen million people annually, this Gothic style church was laid in 1163. The construction was completed in 1345. If you are visiting Paris, this is a must see for you. In the front of the cathedral is the entrance to the crypt, which will allow you to explore the historical ruins. Behind the cathedral you will find the gardens of Jean XXIII. The climb to the top of the Notre Dame is advertised as 387 steps.

If you decide to climb the stairs, we advise you to get there early because a line forms even before they open.

This is just to give you an idea how Paris looks like from the top of the Notre Dame. The rest we will let you discover yourself. 💞

Louvre Museum

In this emblematic museum you will find works of art dating from the Middle Ages, also collections from ancient oriental, Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations, as well as graphic and Islamic arts. It will reveal you masterpieces like: Mona Lisa, the Raft of Medusa, the Venus de Milo and others. It hosts 35 000 works of art. This museum has been influenced by numerous architectural trends. We recommend you a night visit because it is less crowded and you can enjoy the night view over the Peis's glass pyramid, the Cour Carrée and the Seine river.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was designed and constructed for the 1889 for the World's Fair and it was always meant to be a temporary structure. It is named by the architect Gustav Eiffel. As you can imagine, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited monuments in the world. By taking the elevator, you can go to the top of the tower from where you will discover the magnificent view of Paris. It is a good idea to visit it by day but we also advise you to make a tour at night and see the lights of the Eiffel Tower. Don't miss this magical moment!

Le Marais

The Marais got his name from its location because in the past it was a marshland. This historical area is now one of the most visited historical districts of Paris for its architectural heritage and unique vibe. It has a numerous private mansions dating from the 17 and 18 century which have been converted into world known museums. Exemples for this are: The Picasso Museum, The Mansion of Victor Hugo and The Carnavalet Museum. The highlight spot of all this is the unique and very good proportioned square called Place des Voges. This district has a lot of trendy shops and restaurant but it also has its own department store, called BHV Marais.

Arc de Triomphe

Situated at Place de l'Étoile with a view over one of the most famous avenues in the world, l'Arc de Triomphe is the biggest arch in the world. It was an idea of Napoleon to do it on order to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz in 1806. The architects who worked on this amazing project are Chalgrin , Joust and Blouet. Beneath the arch is the Tomb of Unknown Soldier. You can go all the way to the top of the arch and enjoy a view over the city of light and afterwards continue your visit in the museum situated within the structure.

Avenue des Champs Elysées

Avenue des Champs Elysées, the world's most beautiful avenue. Here everybody can find his happiness. On this amazing avenue to you can find everything you need. Excellent restaurants where you can taste the authentic french cuisine, bakery shops where you can try the famous french macaroon, trendy shops offering you the last fashion tendencies from designers like Vuitton, Givenchy, Valentino, Gucci, Prada and a lot more. You can also find some basic shops like Zara, Nike, Adidas, Banana Republic etc. This is also the place which hosts some major events like the Bastille Day Military Parade, Tour de France, the Christmas Lights. Of course that is not all, Avenue des Champs Elysées has some of the top museums like the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Palais de la Découverte and the Cultural Space Luis Vuitton. It is also good for you to know that the most beautiful avenue in the world is reserved for pedestrians every first Sunday of the month with a free entry to the for the museums.

Musée d'Orsay

Internationally known for its collection of Impressionist art, the Orsay Museum also displays Western artistic creations. These collections represent all expressive forms, from painting to architecture, as well as sculpture, the decorative arts and photography. A the end of 2011, the museum reopened all of its entirely renovated spaces as well as some new rooms. What is more, a new 'aquatic' decor was done for the Café des Hauteurs, designed by Brazilian designers, the Campana brothers. The train station of the Orsay museum looks like a real palace, inaugurated for the 1900 Universal Exposition.

Opéra

Take a moment to enjoy the beautiful building of the Opéra from the outside. This masterpiece dates from the 19th century and was built by Charles Garnier. It was opened in 1813 and is the 13th opera house in Paris. The celling in the main auditorium was painted by Chagall. We can clarify the architectural style of the National Opera of Paris as a Napoleon III. We also advise you to visit the Opéra not only the day but also at night so you can enjoy the lighting.

Basilica of Montmartre

We have already spoken about the Basilica of Montmartre in a separate article but it is worth mentioning it in the top 10 things to do in Paris just because it is a must see monument.

Pompidou Centre

The Centre Pompidou is a very visited site by tourists. His modern architecture may not please everybody. This site is full of modern and contemporary art work. Inside the inside-out you will find one of the largest collections of modern an contemporary art in the world. Inside the Pompidou Centre you can also find library, rooftop restaurant and bar, and also cinemas. If you have the chance to visit this site, we strongly recumbent you to have a drink or dinner at the rooftop restaurant just because the view is stunning. The rooftop restaurant is called: Georges.

Here is a photo which can give you an idea about the view from the top and the rest we will let you discover yourself. 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

We hope that you liked our article and it was helpful for you. If you are coming to Paris we wish you a wonderful stay and if you still hesitate, we strongly encourage you to do so because it is just magical. 😍😍😍

Habitat Parisien