The Iron Lady and the celebrated Hugo Notre Dame, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Montmartre and the Louvre museum halls, the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe - the answer to the question of what to see in Paris can take many volumes of a solid guidebook, but a simple listing will not please a person who is in love with travel … You just need to take and go to Paris, because its aroma, taste and divine charm cannot be told, even if the narrator's vocabulary is more than significant.
The French capital is good at any time of the year, but you get the most beautiful views and photos of Paris in April and May, when lilacs, acacia and sakura blossom in the gardens and parks, the days become long and the nights warm.
TOP 10 sights of Paris
Champs Elysees
The famous Parisian street starts at Place de la Concorde. Two kilometers of glamor, luxury shops, Michelin-starred restaurants and the offices of the world's richest companies stretch all the way to the Arc de Triomphe in Place Charles de Gaulle.
The Champs Elysees appeared with the light hand of Maria Medici, who decided to restore order in this part of the capital. This was at the beginning of the 17th century. A hundred years later, the street began to be built up with buildings, most of which have survived to this day.
The name of the street comes from the Greek "Elysium" - a part of the afterlife, where the lucky ones end up after death. The Champs Elysees stretch along the historic axis of the city. All the most important parades, stages of cycling races, festive processions take place here.
The famous Parisian avenue is the most expensive street in Europe. Renting an office or apartment is cheaper than 10,000 euros per sq. m is impossible here.
The Eiffel Tower
The Parisians have long resented the appearance in their city of the world-famous creation of Gustave Eiffel. The Iron Lady, as the inhabitants of the French capital call the tower, appeared in 1889 and originally existed as a temporary project. It was built as the entrance gate to the World's Fair. But, as you know, nothing is as permanent as temporary. The tower remained in its place and since then has managed to get into various books of records as the most visited paid attraction on the planet.
In numbers, the Eiffel Tower looks very solid:
- The height of the Iron Lady is 324 m including the antenna.
- To connect the metal parts of the tower, the builders used 2.5 million rivets.
- During the first 40 years of its existence, the tower was the tallest structure in the world.
- The total mass of the tower is 10,100 tons.
- To go upstairs on foot, you will have to overcome 1,792 steps.
- A strong wind can deflect its top by only 12 cm.
- In 2002, the tower was visited by 200 million people.
Louvre
The most popular art museum in the world, the Louvre is housed in a royal palace in central Paris. In the Louvre, you can see the famous canvases of the most famous masters of painting and sculpture - from ancient times to the present day.
The museum was first opened to visitors in 1793 and the collection of paintings belonging to the French kings served as the basis of its collection at that time.
The most famous exhibits of the largest museum in France are well known even to those who are very far from art. Venus de Milo and Nika of Samothrace, La Gioconda by Leonardo and The Lacemaker by Vermeer are exhibited in the Louvre. The richest collection of Egyptian and ancient Greek treasures is of undoubted interest for history buffs.
To get there: Paris metro station Palais Royal line L1 and Musee du Louvre line L7.
Ticket price: 15 euros.
Triumphal Arch
Another famous landmark of Paris rises on the Place de la Star, now called after Charles de Gaulle. From the platform at the very top, you can look at the French capital and see how avenues and streets run like rays from the square.
The Arc de Triomphe was erected in the first third of the 19th century in honor of the victories of Napoleon's army and by his order. It is made in antique style and decorated with sculptural groups in honor of significant events in the history of France.
The impressive size of the monument makes it possible to notice the arch from afar. Its height is almost 50 meters, its width is about 45 meters, and the height of the arched vault is 29 meters.
In 1840, Napoleon found himself under the arches of his Arc de Triomphe for the last time. The coffin with his body was solemnly carried through it at the moment of the funeral procession.
Ticket price: 8 euros.
Sacre Coeur
From the highest point of the French capital, from the foot of the Sacred Heart, Paris is visible at a glance. But it is not only the panoramas that attract numerous tourists to the top of the Montmartre hill. Here is a famous and significant temple built in 1914.
The architect of the basilica, Paul Abadi, began to create the project back in 1875, but work was interrupted due to the need to strengthen the ground: the Montmartre hill was heavily pitted with quarries.
The basilica was built in memory of the victims of the war between France and Prussia, mostly with donations from citizens. The height of the bell tower is 100 meters, the main dome is 83 meters. The huge Savoyard bell is the largest in the city. Its weight is 19 tons. The interiors of the Sacré-Coeur are decorated with colored stained-glass windows and a huge mosaic "Awe of France before the Heart of the Lord."
Notre dame cathedral
The protagonist of the immortal novel by Victor Hugo, the most famous temple in Paris appeared in the city in the middle of the XIV century, but two centuries earlier, work on its construction had already been carried out. The Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris stands on the site of its predecessors - the Basilica of St. Stephen and the Temple of Jupiter.
The architecture of the cathedral has all the main features of the Gothic style, which, however, has retained some of the features of the Romanesque.
Notre Dame attracts tourists both for its history and appearance. Its construction took place in several stages and during the work the temple had to be altered, restored and repaired. So during the Revolution, the spire and stained-glass windows of the nave were destroyed, and the broken statues were restored only in the middle of the 19th century. The rose window above the main entrance appeared in 1220 and its stained glass windows are the oldest in the cathedral.
The square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral is the French kilometer zero.
Pantheon
A worthy example of architecture in the style of French classicism, the Pantheon, which was originally the church of St. Genevieve, eventually turned into a burial vault. Outstanding people of the country are buried under its dome.
The building was erected in the second half of the 18th century. As a temple, it was deeply respected by the Parisians, because the relics of the saint were buried here. The Pantheon was rebuilt by Louis XV, who decided to change the project almost completely. But the dome threatened to collapse and it was decided not to touch the building at all.
During the French Revolution, the temple became the Pantheon and the ashes of Voltaire and Marat are kept under its vaults. Napoleon returned the Pantheon to the Church, but in 1830 it again became the most magnificent burial vault in France.
The list of names inscribed on the gravestones is impressive. The most famous personalities to the general public are Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas the father, Maria Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie, Emile Zola.
Disneyland
Disneyland Paris was built in 1992 in Marne-la-Valais, 30 km east of the French capital. Five theme parks on the territory of Disneyland are very popular with tourists:
- Fantasyland is an amusement zone based on children's fairy tales. Young visitors can meet Alice from Wonderland, Snow White and Pinocchio here.
- Adventureland will bring joy to extreme lovers and introduce guests to the life of pirates and Robinson.
- Frontierland is the home of cowboys and Indians. The main attraction is the House of Ghosts.
- Main Street USA transports visitors to the late 19th century. The main street of a typical American town of that era ends at Sleeping Beauty Castle.
- Discoveryland features The Legend of the Lion King, Jules Verne's novels and roller coasters.
Disneyland has restaurants, hotels and many shops.
To get there: by high-speed train from Terminal 2 of Charles de Gaulle airport or by trains from the center of Paris.
Ticket price: from 50 euros, depending on the chosen program.
Luxembourg garden
The most beautiful palace and park ensemble of the Latin Quarter of Paris appeared in 1612. On the territory of the park is the Luxembourg Palace, where the sessions of the French Senate are held today.
The landscape design of the park has remained unchanged since the 17th century, when flowerbeds and terraces were built in the Luxembourg Gardens. Some of the green spaces appeared later, and the southeastern part of the garden looks more like classic English parks.
In the Luxembourg Gardens, you can stroll along the shady alleys, entertain the little ones with a pony ride or an old children's carousel. Adult visitors are happy to rent horse carriages for walks and picnics on the green lawns.
There is a fountain in front of the facade of the palace, in which it is customary to launch boats, the rental of which is organized nearby. The Medici Fountain is itself a Parisian celebrity. Designed in 1624 by Solomon de Bross, it is considered one of the most romantic in the French capital.
To get there: st. Metro Luxemburg.
Sorbonne
The Latin Quarter, where the oldest French university is located, is the most popular tourist area of the city. In addition to the Sorbonne University complex in the Latin Quarter, there are small antique shops and cafes that offer a classic menu with French cuisine.
Anyone can visit the main building of the Sorbonne and get acquainted with the interiors of the famous University of Europe.
Open from 9 am to 5 pm.
