When you think of visiting France, the first place that comes to mind is usually Paris, the city of love, the city of light!
Paris is gorgeous and there is a reason for the millions of tourists who visit every year. In fact in 2016, Paris was the third highest city tourist destination in the world. So if you have never been, here are a few Paris sights not to miss out on.
Eiffel Tower:
One of the most recognised icons in the world, up there with Big Ben for London and The Statue of Liberty for New York. It was constructed for the 1889 World Fair as the entrance, and was originally going to be taken down at its closure. Thank goodness they didn’t, as it is now one of the most visited paid monuments in the world!
Arc de Triomphe:
This monument stands at the western end of Champs-Élysées and is the focal point of 12 major Paris avenues. The arch honours those who died in the Napoleonic and French revolutionary wars. You know when you have arrived at this arch as it is huge, at a whopping 50m high and 45m wide, and beautiful in its grandeur.
The Louvre:
This is the world’s largest museum, housed in the Louvre Palace, a 12th century fortress. The museum has over 20, 000 pieces and is split into departments of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, near Eastern, Islamic, decorative art, paintings, and prints and drawings. The draw back here unfortunately, is it is always very crowded!
Notre-Dame:
This stunning cathedral is one of the best examples of French Gothic Architecture. Beautiful to simply walk around, soaking up the feel and history, or you can even enjoy concerts right inside.
Musée d’Orsay:
This is another stunning and beautiful museum, if you want to avoid the crowds inside the Louvre then this is a worthy alternate. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist pieces in the world, covering masters such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh and more. Personally, this is my favourite Paris museum!
Montmartre:
This is an area in Paris named after a very large hill. The hill is 130m high and gives beautiful panoramic views of the city. At the top of the hill is the Basilica du Sacré-Coeur and the area is famous for its artists and nightlife.
The list of beautiful places to go in Paris is endless, as every time you explore you find something new and special, but the above are six of the not-to-miss places on your first trip to Paris. I recommend walking around Paris rather than taking the Metro, though things can be a distance away, the walk itself is beautiful and gives you a real feel for the city. Taking the Metro can cause you to miss out on those little moments that make a holiday special.