Our top 10 sights in Paris
Here is a list of our personal top 10 sights at a glance:
Eiffel Tower
Palais de Chaillot
Musée du Louvre with the Mona Lisa
Notre-Dame
Catacombs of Paris
The Panthéon
Sainte Chapelle and Conciergierie
Walk along the Seine
Champs-Élysées
Arc de Triomphe
Tip: To explore Paris with its many great sights as cheaply as possible, we recommend the Paris Explorer Pass from Go City
1. the top sight in Paris: the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is the landmark of Paris and the top sight. During peak tourist season, you have to allow plenty of time to get through the security checkpoints.
The Eiffel Tower is the landmark of the Seine city and of course THE top sight in Paris. I was enchanted by the Eiffel Tower. There it is, suddenly standing in front of you. A huge colossus of steel. Whether at night or during the day, the Eiffel Tower is always impressive. On the lawn in front of it, the Champ de Mars (Field of Mars), there's always something going on. The Eiffel Tower is particularly beautiful at night when the colossus is illuminated. This attraction is not to be missed and is of course a must-see during your visit to the French capital.
The Eiffel Tower is 324 meters high and is located on the Champ de Mars near the Seine. More precisely, it's in the 7th arrondissement - the name of the various districts in Paris. The huge tower was built from 1887 to 1889 and was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
This is the view over Paris from the Eiffel Tower
Everything you need to know about the Eiffel Tower, how to save money on your visit, where to take the best photos of it from, you'll find in our extra article on the Eiffel Tower.
Tip: How about a helicopter flight over Paris(book here*) - that would be the perfect opportunity for a marriage proposal ;-)
2 Palais de Chaillot
The Eiffel Tower in the light of the setting sun, seen from the Palais de Chaillot
Directly opposite the Eiffel Tower, on the other side of the Seine, is the Palais de Chaillot. In summer, visitors and Parisians sit on many steps and meadows, treat themselves to baguettes and wine and enjoy the magnificent view of the metropolis' landmark. We also have a picnic at the Palais des Chaillot and eat baguettes, cheese, avocado and olives.
From here you can see the perfect Paris sunset. You simply have to see it. On top of that, there are always a lot of carnies here for fun and entertainment. At night, the Eiffel Tower is illuminated and everything glitters. It looks beautiful. The only annoying thing is that there are often street vendors who want to sell you something.
The Palais de Chaillot was built in 1937. From the Eiffel Tower you can see very well that the Palais consists of two pavilions separated by a large flight of steps. The Palais de Chaillot houses three museums - the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, the National Museum of the Navy and the Musée de l'Homme.
You'll also find the Café Carlu restaurant and the Chaillot National Theatre. Since the view is best from the top step and the Eiffel Tower is right in front of you, this spot is always very crowded. If you stand up here, you may well catch a live marriage proposal .
3 Musée du Louvre with the Mona Lisa
The glass pyramid was built between 1985 and 1989 and serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum, one of the city's most famous tourist attractions.
If you're in Paris, you can't miss the largest museum in the world. The Louvre is simply impressive and, along with the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, probably the most famous sight in Paris. Don't worry, it would take you a long time to see all the works of art in the Louvre. According to the Dumont travel guide*, it would take you four days if you spent ten seconds looking at each work. No one can do that, and no one should.
The architecture of the entire museum will make your jaw drop.
I recommend looking at the different areas on the museum info sheet and then deciding what interests you. It doesn't make much sense to just walk through the corridors, and you'd probably get satiated pretty quickly. After all, there are a seemingly endless number of works on display on 60,000 square metres. We were very impressed by the Louvre and it was really great.
Our tip: Make sure you buy your tickets for the Louvre online in advance. You have to specify a time slot, but then you can take the fast lane queue and don't have to wait long. For almost all sights in Paris, it's worth booking tickets in advance. We have never seen queues as long as in Paris. The city really bursts at the seams in summer.
Clusters of people form in front of the particularly famous works.
From the outside, of course, the building is amazing. The glass pyramid and the big palace with an enormous amount of stucco are really beautiful to look at. You'll stand in front of it and just be amazed. We took hundreds of photos - you won't feel any different. Never in our lives have we been in such an impressive museum as the Louvre. The huge paintings, the ancient statues and the whole architecture of the building - it's unique in the world.
Mona Lisa (Louvre)
The Mona Lisa is the most famous work in the Louvre. Accordingly, it is always crowded in front of the inconspicuous painting.
And another thing: of course, you shouldn't miss the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. But don't be disappointed. The Mona Lisa painting is not as big as you might expect. Besides, you will never be alone with the lady. You should have already seen the Mona Lisa - but in your mind you somehow expect something else beforehand.
Jardin des Tuileries - Louvre Gardens
The gardens in front of the Louvre are a popular excursion destination
After walking around the Louvre for a long time, we lay down outside in the sun on the lawn in the Jardin des Tuileries and enjoyed the weather. All these sights and impressions had to be processed. We were also able to take in the splendour of the palace once again. Then we walked through the Tuileries Gardens.
The park is known as a promenade. There are benches and chairs everywhere where you can relax. There are little cafés and snack bars. It is simply wonderful there. The gardens are also home to the Musée de l'Orangerie. Among other things, Monet's water lily paintings are on display there. If you still haven't had enough of art after the Louvre, you can continue to let off steam there.
Our travel guide tip for Paris
Well? Have you got the urge to visit Paris? I love to browse through travel guides. I can recommend the Marco Polo travel guide to Paris.
*Advertising link / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API
4 Notre-Dame
There are many exciting details in the facade of Notre-Dame
On 15 April 2019, a fire destroyed large parts of the world-famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. When Notre-Dame can be reopened to visitors is currently not foreseeable. Nevertheless, we show you here the pictures and information of the old Notre-Dame. Pictures for the history books.
To see one of the most spectacular Gothic churches, we have a good tip for you. Go to Notre-Dame as early as 8 or 8:30 in the morning. From 10am onwards, you can be sure that there will be a huge queue stretching across the entire square in front of the church. Notre-Dame is located on the Seine island Île de la Cité in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.
The church is also called the Church of Our Lady, which means it is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Up to 14 million people visit the church every year - that's an average of almost 40,000 a day. Every visitor to Paris wants to see the inside of the church, which is over 850 years old. So Notre-Dame is on every Paris sightseeing list and is definitely a must-see for your visit to Paris. By the way, the church was completed in 1345. Construction began as early as 1163.
On Sundays, the church is very impressive with organ music and singing. Visitors can still walk around then. The only drawback is that the third rose window in the church, which is worth admiring, is above the organ and can only be seen when you stand in front of the altar. But that is not possible during the service.
One of the three giant rosettes in Notre-Dame
The three rosettes in Notre-Dame are simply enormous and beautiful. They are up to 13 metres in diameter. Although they are so large and are lined by other, smaller rose windows, it is very dark in the church. But that is precisely what makes the church so charming.
The view from the south tower of Notre-Dame
The queue of visitors in front of the south tower
To climb the south tower of Notre-Dame, you have to take a timed ticket from the machine to the left of the entrance and queue at the right time. Since we still had a little time between our visit to the church in the morning and the first admission to the tower, we had breakfast at Café Panis. This place serves a delicious breakfast in a beautiful, original location in the middle of the city.
Back at the entrance, we got a bit of a shock: within no time at all, a long queue had formed. Luckily we had our tickets with the time. With them, you simply walk past the queue to the entrance at the appropriate time, show them and get in.
The Galerie des Chiméres. Taking photos is not that easy. Only in a few places can you put your camera or smartphone through the net
⭐ Tip: Make sure you get a ticket with the time at the ticket machine (on the side to the left of the main entrance) in the morning before the south tower opens!
400 steps lead up to the roofs of Notre-Dame. The stairs of the over 850-year-old church are already so worn that it looks as if the steps have holes in them. From the 69-metre-high tower, a new world opens up to us. Believe me - it is simply breathtaking. You can also take the typical photos with the gargoyles without any problems. There is enough time for that.
View from the South Tower towards the Eiffel Tower
You can't stay on the tower indefinitely, but it's still worth a visit. The so-called Galerie des Chiméres - the gargoyles with their grotesque grimaces - is a must-see in Paris. By the way, the bell of Notre Dame is called Emanuel and weighs 13 tonnes. The mallet alone weighs 500 kilos.
5. catacombs of Paris
If you don't book your tickets online, you'll have to wait hours to get into the catacombs.
A very special sight with a creepy factor are the catacombs. For centuries, stone, plaster and clay were mined underground in Paris to build the city. Since the 12th century, underground quarries and networks of tunnels 300 kilometres long have been created at depths of five to 35 metres. The whole of Paris is thus covered underground with a huge labyrinth. From 1600 onwards, the city tried to refill these massive underground tunnels because the population was afraid of collapse.
By the end of the 18th century, the solution to the problem seemed near. Due to the rapid increase in population, epidemics and famine took hold. The Parisian cemeteries soon became full. Bestial stench spread. The catastrophic conditions became so bad that cemetery heights had to be closed. From 1785, the bones of the dead were transferred to the catacombs. More and more cemeteries were cleared, more and more bones were placed in the quarries.
Today, a small part of the catacombs can be visited. Two kilometres are open to the public and you get a very good historical impression of the time because everything is described in detail. Normally I never use audio guides. Here I was very happy that we could hear the history while walking through the corridors.
The catacombs of Paris are a scary place and one of the top sights in Paris.
Our tip: We bought our ticket online in advance . We picked up the tickets at a kiosk. Everything went smoothly and we were able to queue in the fast lane. Here, too, we had to wait a while. But the "normal" queue was a mile long. You should really book the catacombs tour on the internet beforehand, otherwise you'll be waiting on the street for many hours. In that time you can see other great things.
The entrance is on Place Denfert-Rochereau. And then the adventure of the Paris underworld begins. 130 steps lead down. My tip: wear a thin jacket, because it's only 14 degrees. First you walk through former underground quarries - here I recommend the audio guide again, because you don't get as much information from the boards as you do from the guide. And the narration is really exciting.
The exciting and somewhat creepy part is the pile of bones and skulls that you now see. Some skulls are covered with green moss, which looks even more gruesome. The bones have been artfully arranged, which makes the whole thing seem rather unreal. The catacombs are definitely a must-see in Paris. At the end of the tour, you climb a few stairs again and come back into daylight on Rue Rémy Dumoncel into the world of the living.
Another tip: The number 38 bus takes you to the catacombs.
6 The Panthéon
The Panthéon (Greek for "burial mound") in the 5th arrondissement is located on the hill of Saint Genoveva and is also one of the city's most famous sights. The Panthéon is France's national hall of fame. Many famous Frenchmen rest here. King Louis XV once became seriously ill and promised to build a church on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève if he recovered.
The architectural model is the Pantheon in Rome. Beneath the church is a huge system of corridors in which chapels were built. The French philosopher and writer Voltaire, the famous chemist and physicist Marie Curie, writer Alexandre Dumas and philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau are buried here. Not buried in the Panthéon are Napoleon Bonaparte (he lies in the Dôme des Invalides) and Charles de Gaulle.
The Panthéon is extremely impressive. The Greco-Roman temple façade is simply huge. You could spend hours here. Inside, it's not only the metre-high columns that are fascinating, but also the great paintings on the walls.
There are statues and columns everywhere
Huge domes let some light into the otherwise rather gloomy building. An absolute highlight in the Panthéon is the Foucault Pendulum. In 1851, the physicist Jean Bernard León Foucault used a pendulum to prove the rotation of the earth (but similar experiments had been carried out long before). To demonstrate the experiment to the public, a huge pendulum (67 metres) was set up in the Panthéon that same year. Since then, the pendulum has captivated visitors. You should have seen it in Paris.
Our tip: For two euros you can climb up to the dome of the Panthéon.
The view from the ceiling of the Panthéon
7 Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie
There are two very worthwhile sights on the Île de la Cité. The first is the former palace chapel of the former royal residence Sainte Chapelle, built in high Gothic style. The former palace chapel was built in the 13th century and is beautiful. It was intended to house the relics of the Passion from the Crusade.
The chapel is framed by extremely precious stained glass windows, which can also be seen from the outside. The chapel is said to contain Christ's crown of thorns, parts of the "True Cross" and the tip of a lance that is said to have belonged to a Roman captain.
However, we didn't go inside the church because it was very busy and we didn't have time to queue. It was only afterwards that we saw what we had missed. On our next trip to Paris, the Sainte Chapelle is high on the to-do list.
The Sainte Chapelle is an absolute highlight in Paris. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the inside for ourselves. © Circumnavigation / Fotolia
The other building is the Conciergerie, once the royal castle. From the other side of the Seine, the building is very impressive to look at and the magnificence of the entire structure can only really be appreciated. From the 15th century, the Conciergerie served as a prison. Famous inmates were Marie-Antoinette and Robespierre. Their cells and other rooms can be visited.
The Conciergerie with the Sainte Chapelle in the background
Nearby is also the Fontaine Saint-Michel. The fountain was built in 1860. You can see the Archangel Michael fighting the devil. If you happen to be in the area, it's worth a detour.
8. walk along the Seine
In summer, the banks of the Seine are a huge promenade with deckchairs on the grass and plenty of picnic spots. Parisians have made themselves comfortable on deckchairs, small bars are open.
A musician with his unbelievably great raspy voice sings "what a wonderful world". We sit there with a beer in our hands and listen to his music. Deceleration is also important on a city trip. It's also very romantic. A long walk along the Seine is a must-do on any trip to Paris.
A walk along the Seine is a must-do on a Paris trip.
9 Champs-Élysées
Do you have an earworm for the right song in your head? "Aux Champs-Élysées, aux Champs-Élysées..." No wonder I had to whistle this song all the time on my bike. The Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in the world and one of the top sights in every travel guide.
Well, the street is not really beautiful (at least we didn't like it) - but it is an experience to stroll along it.
All the well-known and, above all, expensive fashion brands have a shop here. The boulevard is 70 metres wide and 1.9 kilometres long. It starts at the Arc de Triomphe (Place Charles-de-Gaulle) and ends at the Place de la Concorde - another sight in Paris. The Champs-Élysées is also the site of the annual military parade on 14 July and the finish line of the Tour de France.
You should definitely go window shopping on the Champs-Élysées and check out the expensive shops. It's worth it. They look really great and are decorated with love. Visit Café Ladurée for the best macarons in town.
On the Champs-Élysées is one of the oldest perfume houses in the world: Guerlain was founded in 1828. Since 2014, the shop has also had its own spa. Otherwise, you have to check out the expensive side streets. Here you'll find Gucci and Co.
A classic on the Champs-Élysées is the Guerlain shop.
10 Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Tri omphe is also a must on any sightseeing list. This impressive triumphal arch is located on a roundabout island where twelve streets meet in a star shape. The archway is truly immense, but that's no wonder. After all, it is the largest archway in the world.
It was built in 1806 at Napoleon's behest. It stands for his victory at Austerlitz. Every evening at about 6:30 pm, a fire is lit under the arch at a grave. Which soldier is buried there is not known. You can climb up onto the archway, the terrace is 50 metres high after all. The view of the Champs-Élysées and the city is absolutely worth seeing. There is also a museum inside.
The world-famous Arc de Triomphe. You can also climb the Arc de Triomphe
11 Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Conc orde (Place of Concord) is the largest square in Paris and the second largest in France. For this reason alone, the square is a must-do.
The Luxor obelisk, visible from afar, is a striking feature. The 23-metre-high obelisk dates back to the 13th century BC and once adorned the temple of Luxor. On 25 October 1836, the obelisk was erected on the Place de la Concorde.
The Place de la Concorde has had many names throughout history, including Place de la Révolution and Place Louis XV.
The old names already suggest it: the Place de la Concorde is extremely steeped in history. On 21 January 1793, Louis XVI was beheaded here, and in October of the same year his wife Queen Marie Antoinette.
The following year, the revolutionaries Georges Danton and Maximilien de Robespierre were executed on the square. In total, more than 1300 people were executed on the square during the French Revolution.
The Luxor Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde
The two huge fountains - inaugurated on 1 May 1840 - on the Place de la Concorde are also beautiful. Around the square there are also 20 cast light poles(candelabra) and eight statues of women symbolising the eight largest cities in France.
12th Centre Pompidou
If you've been impressed by the great buildings and history-filled sights in Paris so far, you're in for a culture shock now. The Centre Pompidou is completely different - and still one of the city's top attractions. In the middle of the city stands a large block with colourful pipes on its outer façade. Sure, the Centre Pompidou is eye-catching and fits the theme of modern art. Architecturally, the whole thing looks like a huge refinery.
The Centre Pompidou almost shocks with its abstract architecture. And yet the museum is one of the top sights in Paris
When the Centre Pompidou opened in 1977, it was quickly given the name Culture Factory. The colossus is 42 metres high. 25,000 people come every day to see the art exhibitions. On the main side of the building there is a huge, transparent tube. You can take the escalator up several floors and get a bird's eye view of Paris.
From the top, you look over the Parisian rooftops, which are very characteristic. There are small chimneys on the larger chimneys, which give the roofs a very special appearance.
Our tip: If you don't have time for the museum, you should at least buy a ticket for the escalator and enjoy the view. The "View of Paris" ticket costs five euros (as of July 2018). By the way, there is also a restaurant with a roof terrace at the top.
If you don't have time or are not interested in modern art, you should at least buy the "View of Paris" ticket for the escalator. The view of Paris is great
13th Stravinsky Fountain
Right next to the Centre Pompidou is the Stravinsky Fountain. 16 individual sculptures are placed in the fountain and each one looks different funny. Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely are the artists who created and made them. When you visit the Centre Pompidou, you almost automatically pass by the fountain. But the fountain alone is not necessarily worth a detour.
The Stravinsky Fountain is located right next to the Centre Pompidou.
14 Montmartre
Another place you can't miss is Montmartre. The hill is 130 metres high, making it the highest natural elevation in Paris. To get to the top of the hill, you can either walk up the small streets or start at the stairs. More precisely, at Square Louise Michel.
From the bottom you can already see the famous Basilica minor Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. It stands at the top of the hill. The stairs are beautifully laid out, serve as photo motifs for tourists and invite you to linger in good weather. If you can't or don't want to walk up the stairs, you can use the Funiculaire de Montmartre funicular, which goes directly to the top of the basilica. The view of the city is gigantic.
The view of Paris from Montmartre
We also walked through the small alleys at Place du Tertre . Here you see street painters offering their portrait skills, artists and really nice little cafés and bars. The whole place seems enchanted, dreamy and somehow not quite of this world. You immediately feel at home and want to sit down at one of the little tables and watch the hustle and bustle on the street. You definitely have to put a visit on your to-do list.
We stroll through the narrow streets of Montmartre in the evening.
Of course, this corner is also a bit crowded. But when you turn into one of the side streets, it gets quieter. We walked back down the hill a bit at the other end after our visit to the Sacré-Cœur and sat there overlooking the vineyards and enjoyed our baguette, wine and cheese. The sunset was just wonderful. We also had great live music from the surrounding smaller restaurants and cabarets. For us, one of the most beautiful places in all of Paris.
The sun is setting dramatically this evening
Our tip: walk through the small streets of Montmartre in the evening. It will hopefully enchant you as much as it did us. In the Rue des Abbesses we sat down in a small bar - Le Village. Here the DJ is still spinning records. In the warm summer night, we sat on the street for a long time with a glass of wine and baguette and soaked up the atmosphere around us. There's really something about balmy summer nights in Montmartre.
Street art in Montmartre
Another tip: at the Place des Abbesses there is also Le mur des je t'aime - a wall on which love sayings and expressions are written in 300 languages.
15 Basilica Sacré-Cœur (Montmatre)
The Basilica minor Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre is one of the most famous sights in Paris.
The Basilica Sacré-Cœur is visible from afar as a landmark of the city and one of the most famous sights in Paris. The white church on Montmatre is extremely imposing. In 1873, it was decided to build it in memory of the French victims of the Franco-Prussian War.
It was finally consecrated in 1919. Inside, the church is as grandiose as it is on the outside. Above the altar is a beautiful ceiling painting depicting Jesus. In the centre, the huge dome illuminates the church. The paintings in the side aisles are also great. Each dome ceiling is also painted with a great picture.
The Sacré-Cœur is a must-see on your sightseeing trip through Paris.
A visit to the Basilica is a must
16 Moulin Rouge
Close to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the famous Moulin Rouge on Boulevard de Clichy catches the eye - a Parisian institution with history. The house with the mill has existed in its cabaret form since 1889, and since then events have been held in the variety theatre every evening. A visit is one of the highlights of Parisian nightlife.
The Moulin Rouge by night
The famous evening shows cost between 80 and over 400 euros per ticket. The dress code is chic. Champagne is drunk. The Moulin Rouge is considered the world's largest single buyer of champagne.
17 Grand Palais and Petit Palais and Pont Alexandre III
The Petit Palais with its colourful flowerbeds is definitely one of the top sights in Paris.
The Grand Pal ais and the Petit Palais are also worth seeing. These buildings and the adjoining Pont Alexandre III are not to be missed, as they are among the highlights of the capital. The Grand Palais was built for the 1900 World's Fair.
Together, these three important buildings belong to the Belle Époque - the so-called beautiful era that revolved around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, changing exhibitions are held in the palaces.
The Pont Alexandre III is probably the most beautiful bridge over the Seine in Paris and for us one of the top sights.
The Pont Alexandre III is dedicated to Tsar Alexander III. The Tsar was part of the French-Russian alliance sealed in early 1894. By the way, the bridge is 160 metres long and 40 metres wide and definitely the most magnificent in the whole city. Lots of stucco, lots of gold and lots of lanterns line the bridge.
The view from the beautiful bridge onto the banks of the Seine.
In the middle are two columns with golden figures. From the bridge you have another great view of the Eiffel Tower. Directly behind the Pont Alexandre III is the military museum, the Musée de l'Armée. With its golden dome, it is impossible to miss.
The back of the Musée de l'Armée
You can see a total of 500,000 military exhibits from the Middle Ages to modern times. In summer, many students and tourists lie on the lawn in front of the museum, sunbathing, enjoying wine and baguettes.
18th Eglise Saint-Sulpice
The Eglise Saint-Sulpice is the second largest church in the city after Notre-Dame.
The Eglise Saint-Sulpice is the second largest church in Paris after Notre-Dame and also worth seeing. I was particularly impressed by the church ceiling inside. The shapes and stones look great. There are also several crypts under the church. By the way, Heinrich Heine was married in Saint-Sulpice. There is also a beautiful fountain right in front of the church.
19. metro stop Arts et Métiers
The metro station Arts et Métiers commemorates the submarine Nautilus.
Another beautiful place you should definitely see is the metro stop Arts et Métiers. The design matches the nearby Museum of Technology. Everything is reminiscent of the fictional submarine Nautilus from the novel by Jules Verne. If you're in the vicinity: definitely take a look!
One of the portholes
20th Tour Saint-Jacques
The 51-metre-high Gothic-style Tour Saint-Jacques (in the 4th arrondissement) is visible from afar and is one of the most famous sights in Paris. The tower is what remains of the Église Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie - the church for the butchers of Paris.
310 steps lead to the top of the tower. What makes the tower so impressive are the figures that crown its corners far above. Symbolic animal figures from the Revelation of John, eagle, lion, ox, are placed there. In addition, the statue of St. Jacob is located up there. Another 19 statues decorate the tower.
Pilgrims on the Way of St James once met in the church. On 29 October 1797, the Église Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, which served as the meeting place of the revolutionary committee during the French Revolution from 1793, was destroyed.
Only the bell tower with the twelve bells remained and is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Way of Saint James in France". There are guided tours of the tower on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (from 1 July to 4 November), but otherwise it is unfortunately not possible to visit the tower from the inside.
The Saint Jacques Tower is something of an insider tip. Unfortunately, it is only accessible on Sundays
21 Rue des Halles 8 - Rats
Rue des Halles 8 is a very special place. Anyone who has seen the film Ratatouille knows what's coming next. Those who haven't seen the film should go and see it when they get the chance. Rue des Halles, number 8, is home to an ancient shop that stocks everything needed to put an end to the rats in Paris.
Dead rats hang in the window of Les Etablissements Julien Aurouze.
The shop is called "Les Etablissements Julien Aurouze". Stuffed rats hang in rat traps in the shop windows. This scene also appears in the film Ratatouille, which is about a rat who becomes a master chef in a starred restaurant. The shop window is quite macabre, but steeped in history. The rats are from 1925 in Paris. So small, dead, stuffed celebrities to admire there.
22 L'église de la Madeleine
The L'église de la Madeleine is definitely worth a visit.
From Place de la Concorde, a street leads to L'église de la Madeleine. A church that looks like a Roman palace. The building has eight columns at the front. Initially, the building was to be a church.
But then Napoleon wanted a Temple à la Gloire - a hall of fame for his soldiers. Napoleon then changed his mind and dedicated the building to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. In 1845, the magnificent building was consecrated as a parish church.
It's crazy how many rather unknown magnificent buildings can be found in Paris, isn't it? Just wander through the city with your eyes open and you'll discover one sight after another.
23 Institut du Monde Arabe
The façade of the Institut du Monde Arabe is unique.
An extremely modern building in Paris is located in the 5th arrondissement. The Institut du Monde Arabe was founded in 1980 to bring France and the Arab world closer together. The rectangular building has a fascinating façade of square flaps and thousands of irises (moucharabiehs).
These open and close automatically depending on the position of the sun. The shutters date back to Arabic architecture. A very impressive building and a great photo motif in the city of love. We found this place very inspiring and are therefore happy to include the Insitut du Monde Arabe in our Paris sights.
24 Jardin de Luxembourg
The Palais du Luxembourg with the lake on which children and fathers sail small sailboats (you can rent them there).
The Jardin de Luxembourg park is also very beautiful and is considered a promenade. Many Parisians spend their lunch break here. There are playgrounds and children can sail small boats on the lake.
According to our observations, it was not only the children who had fun, but especially the fathers. The Palais du Luxembourg - an imposing building - is located directly on the lake. The entrances to the park are lined with statues, planted with lush bouquets of flowers in summer.
25 Hôtel de Ville
The Hôtel de Ville is an impressive neo-Renaissance building.
In the middle of the city, the famous Hôtel de Ville on Rue de Rivoli catches the eye. Contrary to what the name suggests, this is not a hotel, but Paris' city hall, which is well worth seeing. The imposing building was constructed in the second half of the 19th century in the neo-Renaissance style. The pompous building is adorned with 146 statues.
The square in front of it is called Sand Square because the shore here used to be very flat and sandy. It was also a harbour and landing place for the whole of Paris.
Insider tips from real Paris insiders
My absolute favourite is the Grandcoeur (41 Rue du Temple, website). It's very posh and has a terrace. Simply beautiful. But Les Enfants Rouges(9 Rue de Beauce, website) is also great. Chef Daï Shinozuka combines French cuisine with Japanese. (Receptionist at the Jules et Jim Hotel).
The Anne Frank Park (Jardin Anne Frank - 14P Impasse Berthaud) is really pretty. You'll meet lots of Parisians here. But the Little Red Door and Dragon & Phoenix bars are also highly recommended. (Receptionist of the Hotel Jules et Jim)
Shakespeare and Co (37 Rue de la Bûcherie, website), a library with a great selection of tea and coffee. Alexia
You can have good drinks at L'éventail (28 Boulevard Voltaire) near Rue Oberkampf and great organic wine at Aux Deux Amis (45 Rue Oberkampf). Alexia
Hotel tip: This is where we stayed in Paris
The design hotel Jules et Jim is a top address for your Paris trip.
On our Paris trip, we stayed at the Hôtel Jules et Jim. The design hotel not only reflects Parisian chic, but also provides cultural enjoyment with changing photo exhibitions. The bar also serves one of the best cocktails in town - at least we think so. It's definitely worth a visit and the hotel is the perfect tip for a trip to Paris. You can book this beautiful hotel here*.
Extra tip: Cycling through Paris
Everywhere in Paris there are the automated rental stations for rental bikes. But you have to look around a bit - the bikes are not always in good condition.
Follow our example and rent a city bike in Paris. Why? Because it saves time to cycle from one sight to the next highlight. You'll also see a lot more and be more flexible than using buses and trains. We took advantage of the bike rental service Velib Metropole.
The day ticket for the rental bike (you can rent up to five bikes at once for friends and family) costs five euros. This includes the first half hour of rental. The rental period starts when you take a bike out of the rental station and ends when you put the bike back into a rental station.
If you ride for more than half an hour, it costs extra. But don't worry, you can easily get from one sight to the next in less than 30 minutes. There are also e-bikes - but they are a bit more expensive. There are other offers besides the day ticket for five euros.
However, the Velib bike rental service is not perfect. You always have to find a station where you can return the bike. To do this, you have to download an app that shows these docking stations. Sometimes the rental stations are completely empty. Or full: then you can't park your bike and the rental continues.
Sometimes the bikes are also broken, so before pulling them out of the docking station, first check whether you can adjust the saddle or whether anything is badly bent. We had difficulties with the system, especially at the beginning, but we quickly realised the time savings and the flexibility. You have to learn the ropes a bit, but then you love the sometimes stubborn bikes.
Beware of tourist traps
As in any big city, you have to watch out for pickpockets and other unfriendly characters. One of the tourist rip-offs' scams is that someone approaches you unexpectedly, takes your hand and puts on a bracelet without asking. This bracelet cannot be removed (at least not without scissors).
Of course, this "nice" guy wants money for the fact that you are now wearing this great bracelet. It happened to us ourselves. Except that the guy didn't have a chance to put the bracelet on. But to do that you have to get loud and rude sometimes. If strangers approach you abruptly at crowded tourist spots, be warned and don't let them put a bracelet on you.
But don't let the situation escalate either - the ominous sellers are clearly in the majority. It's better to "buy your way out" for a few euros than risk stress.
Facts and figures about Paris
The roots of the city go back to the third century
With over 2.2 million inhabitants, Paris is the fifth-largest city in the European Union
More than 12.4 million people live in the Paris metropolitan region - only London is larger within the EU
With around 16 million foreign tourists per year, Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world after London and Bangkok (as of 2015)
Paris is a cultural jewel. The city has around 160 museums, 200 art galleries, 100 theatres, over 650 cinemas and more than 10,000 restaurants
The city's landmark is the 324-metre-high Eiffel Tower
Paris is also the city of fashion - the Fashion Week Paris is world famous.