The 25 things to do in Paris

Visit Paris: what to see during a first visit to the capital? Discover the must-see activities!

Ah Paris... French capital of gastronomy and love, Paris enjoys an incomparable historical and cultural heritage. This is also what the millions of tourists come to visit Paris every year. But it is not enough to be a stranger to love Paris, because even in living in the capital, it is not uncommon to be surprised by discovering or rediscovering one of the wonders that the city has to offer.

With so many things to see and do in Paris, it is difficult to establish a list that goes essentially while having a realistic experience of everything that Paname has to offer. We also selected the cream of the Paris cream with some known places, others out of the beaten paths, to help you plan a long weekend or a stay of a few days in the capital.

Ready to discover authentic Paris? Here we go!

1. Le Louvre

The Louvre is no other than the best art museum in the world but also the most visited . With 210,000 m2 of exhibitions, where works of almost all civilizations of the world are found, it is also the largest.

The three most popular works here are La Joconde , Venus de Milo and Victory of Samothrace . Beyond these must-sees, the best thing to do is to know where you're going, and what you want to see in priority. But don’t be afraid to lose you, because you might fall on something memorable!

In any event, you will have to come back more than once to know all the secrets of Louvre Museum !

2. Follow the reconstruction Notre-Dame de Paris

But what should I do in Paris? Dressing above the place Jean-Paul-II (parvis) on the island of Cité, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris is the symbolic heart of Paris and, for many, that of France.

Napoleon was crowned here, and many kings and queens exchanged their vows of marriage before his altar. Before the terrible fire on April 15, 2019, one could come to discover the incredible interior of the Gothic cathedral, but also its exterior with its superb architectural details and the unforgettable view of Paris, between some gargoyles, from the top of the South Tower.

Started in 1163, and completed in 1345, severely damaged during the Revolution, and restored by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, Notre-Dame is not the oldest or largest cathedral in France, but in terms of architectural beauty and harmony, few are comparable.

Today, guided tours of the Île de la Cité allow us to follow how Notre-Damee will be rebuilt and why it must be protected.

3. Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is in Paris what the Statue of Liberty is in New York and what Big Ben is to London : the ultimate emblem.

The French engineer Gustave Eiffel , already famous for the construction of viaducts and bridges, worked for two years to erect this emblematic monument of the 1889 Universal Exhibition. She also welcomed the centenary of the French Revolution.

Today, it is certainly the night that she is the most beautiful, when she is highlighted in a sparkling show. The latter was to be used only in the year 2000, but it was so popular that the 20,000 bulbs were reinstalled for permanent use in 2003.

The iron lady makes her electric dance for five minutes every hour of nightfall at one o'clock in the morning. Very visited, wait to queue up to the top!

4. Basilica of the Sacred Heart

It's hard not to believe that you're going up to heaven when you visit Basilica of the Sacred Heart , this white castle perched at the top of Montmartre. The French government ordered it in 1873, after the devastating years of the Commune of Paris and the Franco-Prussian war.

It is the architect Paul Abadie which built the Sacred Heart, using elements of Roman and Byzantine style for its design. The construction lasted until the First World War, and the basilica was finally consecrated in 1919.

5. The Arc de Triomphe

Defy your legs and climb the 284 steps to the top of the Arc de Triomphe . There you will have a breathtaking view of the Champs-Elysées and the Arch of La Défense.

It is also a privileged place to observe the driving techniques of Parisians: the roundabout of Place de l’Etoile is by anarchical moment. Indeed, when there is an accident here, the fault is automatically shared at 50/50 on the observation.

Back to the bottom of the bow, have a thought for the unknown soldier whose grave is under the Parisian monument.

6. The Père-Lachaise Cemetery

The Père-Lachaise cemetery is the celebrity cemetery. Almost all the talented and dead French that can be mentioned here are buried among others.

Religious belief and nationality never prevented from being buried there: it was simply necessary that the person lived or died in Paris or had a space allocated in a family tomb.

From Balzac to Chopin, to Oscar Wilde (the tomb used by the kisses of the admirers), the hunt for talent is endless.

7. ♪ Catacombes de Paris

Are you visiting Paris? Dare to go down into the city's innards! The visit of the Catacombes of Paris is probably the most frightening attraction that Paris has to offer, with kilometers of tunnels lined with femurs and skulls of six million deceased Parisians.

Built 18 metres underground at the end of the 18th century to prevent diseases from spreading into the cemeteries of the city centre, the Catacombes are now the theatre of an ice-walk.

8. The Musée d’Orsay

Abritated since 1986 under the roof of one of the most beautiful stations in Paris, the recently renovated galleries of Musée d’Orsay contain the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world: Cézanne , Monet, Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Degas , Gaugin, and many others are exposed to it.

In addition to the works of Grand Masters, you will find a collection of decorative art from the Art Nouveau era and a range of sculptures from the 19th century. Relax at the café behind the museum’s giant transparent clock.

9. Le Jardin du Luxembourg

What to do in Paris to escape the capital's brouhaha? This 25-hectare park is an elegant way to escape from the Left Bank’s swelling. Edged by Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, these beautiful gardens are loved by the Parisians who wish to sit on a garden chair in the sun or enjoy an impromptu picnic.

Children of all ages can race small sailboats in the basin behind the Senate, walk in the playground for children, attend a puppet show or take the oldest ride in the city. The joggers come to run, while others come to walk in the orchard and tow, where beekeeping is taught and honey is sold in the fall. Don’t miss the excellent art exhibitions at the renowned .

10. The Rodin Museum

Once the workshop of the great sculptor, this imposing 18th century residence is one of the most beautiful museums in Paris and contains more than 7000 sculptures de Rodin including his great masterpieces as The thinker , Kiss , The bourgeois of Calais and The Gate of Hell , alongside 8,000 drawings and gouaches of the artist.

The charming park of the Rodin Museum, with a fountain, roses and a pleasant outdoor café, make it an ideal choice to spend a pleasant afternoon if you visit Paris. The museum also houses special exhibitions and a cycle of exhibitions of contemporary works. After three years of renovation, the museum completely reopened in November 2015.

11. Cruise the Seine or navigate the Parisian canals

The Seine is for some the most romantic side of Paris, so if you visit Paris in love, a cruise in Bateau-Mouche It'll be fine. Its curves punctuated with bridges are lined with some of the most beautiful monuments in the world, and its green docks offer all the panoply to be on postcards.

The fly boats are tourists, to the point that most Parisians hunt them irrevocably, but it is worth putting on his audio helmet to enjoy a good time in the heart of Paris.

If the too “tourist” side is not for you, you can also choose to rent a boat . With or without a permit, with the help of a skipper or not, you have the choice to sail on the Canal Saint-Martin, the basin of the Villette, the Canal de l’Ourcq or on the Seine to discover the capital from a new angle.

12. The Centre Pompidou

At the cutting edge of progress, Centre Pompidou , whose museum frame is exposed outside the building, houses treasures of modern art from (among others) Braque, Dubuffet Matisse and Ernst, as well as temporary exhibitions of constantly changing art, so that two visits to the centre are never identical.

Arrive early when the queues are still standable, or arrive at 6 p.m. and stay until the closing time at 9 p.m., after which Georges , the trendy bar-restaurant of the Pompidou, serves delicious cocktails in a futuristic setting with a panoramic view of the city.

13. Play balls along the Canal de l’Ourcq

The Canal de l’Ourcq, dating from the 19th century, was originally created by Napoleon to supply Paris with drinking water, but was widely used for the transport of goods.

Today, like Canal-St-Martin downstream, the Canal de l’Ourcq attracts a trendy crowd, from students to thirty-year-olds to young families, who come to play balls on the edges of the canal, picnic on the waterfront and even play ping-pong in the playgrounds.

14. Fondation Louis Vuitton

High above the Bois de Boulogne as a magnificent ship with undulating crystal sails, the contemporary art museum and cultural centre designed by the architect Frank Gehry , is what is more captivating on the Paris horizon since the unveiling of the Centre Pompidou in 1977.

Commanded by Bernard Arnault (PDG of LVMH), it houses the important private collection of Arnault, including works by Pierre Huyghe, Gerhard Richter, Thomas Schütte, Ellsworth Kelly, Bertrand Lavier, Taryn Simon, Sarah Morris and Christian Boltanski, among others.

If you come to visit Paris and want to make a jump at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, you should know that it also hosts many temporary exhibitions, such as the installations of the artist dano-islandais Olafur Eliasson .

15. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

The possibilities of walking in a park if you come to visit Paris are numerous, trails from the Jardin des Tuileries to the basins of the Jardin du Luxembourg. But if you are looking for something a little more unusual and less frequented, the Buttes-Chaumont park It's worth the detour.

Located in the height of Belleville and often forgotten by weekend enthusiasts wishing not to get too far from the tourist loop, this jewel of the 19th arrondissement is one of the most magical places in the city.

16. Discover the vineyards of Montmartre

What are you looking for in Paris? Take a break in the gardens of Renoir, a haven of peace overlooking the vineyards of Montmartre and where one finds the only cabaret of the late 19th century, Au Lapin Agile .

The gardens inspired many impressionist painters who lived here, as Valadon , Utrillo and of course, Renoir. If you are lucky, you will even meet Salis, the friendly cat of the museum named after the founder of the cabaret Au Chat Noir.

17. The Cut Passages

More than old shopping centers, Les Passages Couverts around the Grand Boulevards are galleries with a special atmosphere dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Dressed with a very charming glass roof, their second-hand bookshops, tea lounges and gift shops make it fun alternatives to Parisian shopping galleries.

The list includes Vivienne Gallery and the Jouffroy Passage, which houses the Grévin Museum another must in Paris.

18. The Picasso Museum

This immensely popular museum was revived in late 2014, when it finally reopened after an ambitious (and controversial) five-year renovation that cost about 52 million euros. Inspiring the world’s largest public collection of Picasso’s inimitable work, it now covers almost 5000 m2 on two buildings: the 17th century Salé Hotel and a new garden structure dedicated to temporary exhibitions.

Furniture exclusively designed by Diego Giacometti in the Hotel Salé is an additional bonus.

19. The Marais

By far the best shopping district in Paris, the Marais is much more than that. Located in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, former private hotels, superb museums (the Carnivalet Museum, the Cognacq-Jay Museum and the Picasso Museum), large restaurants, cafés, the old Jewish quarter of Paris, and the beautiful Place des Vosges make the neighborhood a must-see activity in Paris.

Walk through the streets Old Temple and Franc Bourgeois, two of the dorsal thorns of the neighborhood, and discover the charming side streets and the many hidden pleasures of the neighborhood during your visit to Paris.

20. The Pantheon

It is in the heart of the Latin Quarter that sits on the Sainte-Geneviève mountain Pantheon of Paris . This neo-classical monument has been a vocation since the French Revolution to honour great figures who have marked the history of France.

If you are visiting the Pantheon, you will be able to see buried personalities such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Louis Braille, Émile Zola, Jean Jaurès , Jean Moulin, Jean Monnet, Pierre and Marie Curie, or Alexandre Dumas .

21. L’Opéra Garnier

Historic monument of the capital, the Opéra Garnier is a must to add to your list of things to do if you come to visit Paris.

Classified as a historic monument, you will be marvelled by its magnificent façade, its large staircase and of course by its majestic showroom with its canvas on the ceiling of 220m2 painted by Chagall.

22. Tour Montparnasse

What to do in Paris to take height? Head towards the Tour Montparnasse and enjoy a unique view!

Built between 1969 and 1973, the Montparnasse Tower has 58 floors, 25 elevators, and has a total area of 90,000 m2. Not bad, right? Although the entire skyscraper is for business offices, the 56 and 58th floors are open to the public.

23. Sainte-Chapelle

Gothic style lovers, simple curious or looking for a little freshness if you come to visit Paris during the summer, the Sainte-Chapelle is a true treasure located on the island of Cité. A listed monument, it houses the Holy Crown of thorns, a piece of the True Cross, as well as various other relics of the Passion.

With the Conciergerie , another must-see of the capital, the Sainte-Chapelle is one of the remains of the palace of the City, which extended to the site covering the current courthouse.

24. Hotel des Invalides

The Hotel des Invalides has always been incapacitated since Louis XIV’s construction, but also the Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides, several museums including the Army Museum and a military necropolis including the tomb of Napoleon I.

Designed by Liberal Bruand and Jules Hardouin-Mansart is one of the most important masterpieces of French classical architecture. Think about coming to visit him!

25. To do and see also in Paris and its surroundings

• La Maison Deyrolle : Shop, museum and curiosity cabinet par excellence, the superb taxidermiste Deyrolle enchanted and cultivated the Parisians since 1831
• La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie : educational and playful essential around science and its universes.
• Le Petit Palais in the heart of Paris
• Disneyland Paris : The famous amusement park is a great opportunity to dive into the Disney world
• The Asterix Park : Celebrity theme park inspired by the world of Uderzo and Goscinny comics
• The Musée des Vampires et des Monstres de l’Imaginaire
• The Orangerie Museum
• The Musée du Quai Branly
• The Paris Zoological Park
• Visit the different castles of the region: The Château de Versailles, Château de Fontainebleau or even Château de Vincennes

Our Paris workshop

Passing to the Parisian capital? Here is the opportunity to plunge you 100% into French culture, taking part in the workshop of Thomas, a baker craftsman, who offers you an immersion in the heart of his profession.

The time of a half-day, you will be immersed in the skin of the former baker of chef Pierre Gagnaire, whose restaurant is found to be triplely starred. So make your own baguettes and pastries in French, and rework the recipes at home to impress your loved ones!

For 4 hours of discoveries and learning, you will have to spend 150€. But believe us, the patisseries with which you will go back are worth a lot...

How to get to Paris?

Paris is certainly the best serviced city in Europe, with 6 large train stations and two international airports. If you leave France, Belgium or from Switzerland, the train is certainly the best solution to get to the capital.

If you fly to Paris, you can compare flights to our partner's website Ulysses to find one at the best price.

Where to sleep in Paris?

The location where you go accommodation in Paris is important to optimize your travel during your stay in the capital. That said, the Paris subway serving the smallest corner of the city, you can visit the most famous monuments of Paris without having to stay close to them.

Log to Montmartre if you want to wake up in a neighborhood like a country village, and where the joy of living is felt. Log in the Latin Quarter (Left) if you love history and student spirit. Log to Saint-Germain-des-Prés if you have a poet soul. La Motte Piquet Grenelle/Passy if you want to do as in the films ( Eiffel Tower).

Log in Opéra/Grands Boulevards/Bourse if you want to taste dishes in the best restaurants. Or stay in Bastille if you like nightlife and popular culture. To find an ideal hotel in Paris, you can launch a search on this Compare hotels .

If you are looking to live a unique moment with a view of the capital, we invite you to read our article on the best rooftops in Paris . Many rooftops are located in City of Light hotels!

How to move to Paris?

Getting around in Paris is really not complicated. The Paris subway is all over the city and you can easily and quickly go from one point to another by taking 1 to 3 metro lines.

There are also buses, trams and taxis if you have to travel at night in particular. If you come to Paris by car, you must know that parking in the capital is a real puzzle. To help you, consult our article to find out where to park in Paris !