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The Best Things to do in Paris, the city of Lights
Photo by H.Ferreira | Unsplash
Paris is nicknamed the "City of Lights" due to its pioneering role in the introduction of public lighting, notably with the installation of oil lanterns in the 17th century under Louis XIV. This nickname also evokes the Enlightenment period, a time of intellectual and cultural progress in which Paris was a very important center. Indeed, people love Paris for its rich history. But that's not all; they love Paris for its iconic architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and romantic atmosphere. The city offers a multitude of museums, monuments, parks, and gardens, as well as world-renowned gastronomy. Moreover, Paris is a center for events, fashion, and cosmopolitan gatherings, attracting visitors from all over the world. Understandably, all the ingredients are there for a stay you'll remember for the rest of your life. In this article, we've categorized the best places to visit by arrondissement so you can better plan your visits.
The Arrondissements of Paris
The city of Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements and it can be time-consuming to travel from one arrondissement to another, which is why we have categorized the best things to do in Paris by arrondissement so that you can discover as much as possible.
If your stay is short, we recommend focusing on the Arrondissements 1, 7 and 8.
How to get around Paris?
Paris offers a multitude of ways to get from one place to another: buses, taxis, Uber/Lyft, and more. But since traffic can be very difficult, the best way to get around and therefore avoid walking during your visits is the metro (Subway). That's why we'll list the nearest metro station next to each thing to do in Paris. We recommend that you purchase a pass that will allow you to take the metro as many times as you want.
Metro Passes
"Paris Visite" Pass - From 29.90€/day
With the Paris Visite pass, you have access to all public transport networks: metro, tram, bus, RER, and train (Transilien SNCF).
This pass, valid for 1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days, allows you unlimited travel within Paris and the entire Île-de-France region, with access to airports including Orlyval, Disneyland Paris, and the Palace of Versailles.
Days | Adults (10+) | Children (4-9) |
|---|---|---|
1 | 29.90€ | 12.95€ |
2 | 44.45€ | 22.20€ |
3 | 62.30€ | 31.15€ |
5 | 76.25€ | 38.10€ |
"Navigo Jour" Pass - 12€/day
The one-day Navigo travel pass allows you unlimited travel across the Île-de-France region (excluding access to airports).
You can travel across transport modes in the Île-de-France region: metros, RER, buses, trams, and suburban trains, excluding access to airports – Orlyval lines, Roissybus, RER line B stations serving Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, and Aéroport d’Orly station on metro line 14.
1st Arrondissement of Paris
The 1st arrondissement of Paris is one of the most central arrondissements in the historic heart of Paris. It includes one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, the Les Halles district, which dates back to the very beginning of the Middle Ages.
Arguably one of the most renowned museums in the world, the Louvre Museum is located within the Louvre Palace. Arranged into nine departments, its collections showcase Western art from the Middle Ages to 1848, the ancient civilizations that preceded and influenced it (Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman), the arts of the early Christians, and those of Islam. It is the largest art museum in the world.
Metro:
Palais-Royal / Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7)
Pyramides (line 14)
Photo by G. Villa | Unsplash
The "Jardins des Tuileries" (Tuileries Garden), takes its name from the tile factories that stood on the site where Queen Catherine de Medici had the Tuileries Palace built in 1564, a palace that no longer exists. The famous gardener to the king, André Le Nôtre, gave it its current appearance as a French garden from 1664. The garden, bordered by the Seine and separating the Louvre Museum from the Place de la Concorde, is a place for strolling and culture for Parisians and tourists, where statues by Maillol stand alongside those by Rodin and Giacometti.
Metro:
Tuileries (line 1)
Photo by K. Drew | Unsplash
The Palais-Royal Garden is a large Parisian square created in 1633 in the center of the Palais-Royal, at the request of Cardinal Richelieu to decorate the Palace. It was designed by Pierre Desgotz, the king's gardener. The garden is labeled a "remarkable garden." It is bordered by four arcaded galleries: the Montpensier Gallery to the west, the Beaujolais Gallery to the north, the Valois Gallery to the east, and the Garden Gallery to the south.
Metro:
Palais-Royal / Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7)
3rd Arrondissement of Paris
Also known as the Haut-Marais, the 3rd arrondissement is a trendy enclave filled with cafés, restaurants, and trendy boutiques. Art lovers flock to modern galleries and the Picasso Museum, which houses numerous works of art in a majestic 17th-century mansion. The Musée des Arts et Métiers is a must-see for those interested in scientific history. The lively Enfants Rouges Market is popular for its international food stalls.
The Musée National Picasso-Paris offers a varied cultural offering throughout the year, based on encounters and sharing around Picasso's work. From guided or dramatized tours of the collections to the experience of drawing in front of the works, come explore the richness of Picasso's universe, and make your encounter with the works a unique moment.
Metro:
St-Sébastien Froissat (line 8)
The Musée des Arts et Métiers can be considered one of the oldest technical and industrial museums in the world. Since 1794, the collections have been enriched with numerous contributions, precious witnesses to the evolution of scientific knowledge and technical progress. The museum's tour offers the exhibition, organized into seven sections (Scientific Instruments, Materials, Construction, Communication, Energy, Mechanics and Transport) and allows you to discover one of the most atypical places, the former priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs, which was consecrated by the French Revolution as a "temple" of technology.
Metro:
Arts et Métiers (line 3)
4th Arrondissement of Paris
The fourth arrondissement of Paris is a multicultural district in the heart of the capital. Its architecture is particularly remarkable. In just a few steps, you can go from the magnificence of Notre-Dame Cathedral to the multicolored tubes of the Centre Georges Pompidou. The fourth arrondissement is also notable for its Marais district.
Notre-Dame Cathedral de Paris is one of the most iconic monuments in the city of Paris and France. The cathedral has inspired numerous works of art, including Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, "Notre-Dame de Paris," which in turn influenced its history. Notre-Dame is visited by some 13 to 14 million people each year.
Metro:
Cité (line 4)
Photo by S. Roy | Unsplash
Quartier du Marais
The Marais is a historic district in Paris, France. Having once been an aristocratic district, it is home to many buildings of historic and architectural importance. It lost its status as a fashionable district in the late 18th century, with only minor nobles calling the area home. After the French Revolution, the district fell into disrepair and was abandoned by nobility. After a long period of decay, the district has undergone transformation in recent years and is now once again amongst the more fashionable areas of Paris, known for its art galleries, upscale restaurants and museums.
Metro:
Chemin Vert (line 8)
Saint Paul (line 1)
Place des Vosges, formerly Place Royale, as it was initially dedicated to King Henry IV and finally, after the king's assassination by François Ravaillac, dedicated to his son Louis XIII, is a square in Paris in the Marais district. It is the oldest square in Paris, just before Place Dauphine. It has been listed as a historic monument since October 26, 1954.
Metro:
Chemin Vert (line 8)
Saint Paul (line 1)
Photo by A. Zabardast | Unsplash
The Georges Pompidou National Centre for Art and Culture brings together the first public reading library in Europe, conceived in 1966, at the time of the Calcul Plan, to broaden the reading choices of the general public through the use of computers and other media, and a vast museum of modern art, which joined it in 1970, by the will of President Georges Pompidou, a great lover of modern art, to create in the heart of Paris an original cultural institution where the visual arts would rub shoulders with books, drawing, music, live performance, activities for young audiences, as well as cinema.
Photo by H. Zhao | Unsplash
Metro:
Rambuteau (line 11)
5th Arrondissement of Paris
Nicknamed the Latin Quarter, the 5th arrondissement is home to Paris-Sorbonne University and student-favorite cafes. It's also known for its bookstores, including the famous Shakespeare and Company. This neighborhood boasts several family-friendly attractions, including the Jardin des Plantes and the National Museum of Natural History. The imposing Panthéon is the final resting place of celebrities such as Voltaire and Marie Curie.
The Panthéon in Paris is one of the most important places of memory for the French nation. Built in the 18th century by order of Louis XV as a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve, intended to house the saint's relics, it was transformed at the beginning of the French Revolution (1789-1799) into a funerary monument in honor of the great figures of contemporary history. Bearing on its pediment the motto: "To great men, the grateful Fatherland," it houses numerous personalities.
Metro:
Cardinal Lemoine (line 10)
The Jardin des Plantes in Paris is a botanical, ecological, and zoological park, and the headquarters and main site of the National Museum of Natural History. In addition to the green spaces typical of a garden (flowerbeds, botanical spaces, trees, English gardens, French perspectives, etc.), the Jardin des Plantes also features a menagerie, greenhouses, and scientific exhibition buildings, including a Mineralogy Gallery and a Paleontology Gallery.
Metro:
Jussieu (line 7)
Gare Austerlitz (line 5)
The National Museum of Natural History is a French institution for teaching, research, and the dissemination of natural science culture, a member of the Sorbonne University Alliance. Founded in 1793 as a continuation of the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants, created in 1626, it is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the world.
Metro:
Censier Daubenton (line 7)
6th Arrondissement of Paris
The 6th arrondissement, better known as Saint-Germain-des-Prés, is a district of timeless cafés, chic Parisians, and one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris. It's often referred to as the quintessential Parisian neighborhood, and you can easily spend the day getting lost in its charming old streets.
The chic Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood features elegant boutiques, restaurants, and the medieval Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, the oldest in Paris. Streets lined with art galleries lead to the Musée d'Orsay, famous for its Impressionist works. Sidewalk booksellers sell vintage titles on the banks of the Seine, while Boulevard Saint-Germain attracts literary lovers to iconic cafés including Le Flore, once frequented by writers like Hemingway.
Metro:
St-Germain-des-Pres (line 4)
7th Arrondissement of Paris
This refined neighborhood is home to the iconic Eiffel Tower and its Champ-de-Mars park. Tourists flock to its cultural sites, such as the Musée d'Orsay and its collection of Impressionist works, the Musée Rodin with its sculpture garden, and the Musée de l'Armée at Les Invalides, which houses Napoleon's tomb. Foodies flock to the gourmet grocery stores, restaurants, and lively cafés along Rue Cler and near Le Bon Marché department store.
Built in two years by Gustave Eiffel and his colleagues for the 1889 Paris World's Fair, celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution, it has become the symbol of the French capital. At 312 meters high, the Eiffel Tower remained the world's tallest monument for forty years. The second level of the third floor, sometimes called the fourth floor, at 279.11 meters, is the highest publicly accessible observation deck in the European Union.
Metro:
Bir-Hakeim (line 6)
Photo by Vagabiondo | Unsplash
The Champ-de-Mars is a vast, fully open public garden located between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire to the southeast. Covering an area of 24.3 hectares, the Champ-de-Mars garden is one of the largest green spaces in Paris. A prestigious site renowned for its history and exceptional landscape quality, the Champ-de-Mars has been a listed site since 1956 and is part of the Paris - Rives de la Seine site, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.
Metro:
Ecole Militaire (line 8)
Photo by Timelab | Unsplash
The Hôtel des Invalides is a Parisian monument, ordered by Louis XIV to house the disabled soldiers of his army. Remaining faithful to this mission, it houses, in addition to the National Institution for the Disabled, the Saint-Louis des Invalides Cathedral, several museums, and a military cemetery, including the tomb of Napoleon I. The seat of high-ranking military authorities such as the military governor of Paris, it also houses numerous organizations dedicated to the memory of veterans and the support of wounded soldiers.
Metro:
Varenne (line 13)
Ecole Militaire, La Tour Maubourg (line 8)
Photo by B. Minhaj | Unsplash
The Rodin Museum has been preserving and promoting the work of Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) since 1919. Across its two locations, the Hôtel de Biron on Rue de Varenne in the 7th arrondissement of Paris and the Villa des Brillants in Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine), the museum houses a collection of nearly 6,800 sculptures, 8,000 drawings, 10,000 old photographs, and 8,000 other art objects. With 700,000 visitors per year, the Rodin Museum is one of the most important French museums.
Metro:
Varenne (line 13)
The Musée d'Orsay is a French national museum inaugurated in 1986. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay station, built by Victor Laloux from 1898 to 1900 and converted into a museum by decision of President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Its collections present Western art from 1848 to 1914, in all its diversity: painting, sculpture, decorative arts, graphic art, photography, architecture, etc. It is one of the largest museums in Europe for this period. The museum has the most important collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the world.
Metro:
Solférino (line 12)
8th Arrondissement of Paris
This chic neighborhood is comprised of the grand Champs-Élysées avenue, which connects the famous Arc de Triomphe to the busy Place de la Concorde roundabout. Featuring high-end boutiques, the area is frequented by an eclectic crowd of fashion enthusiasts, tourists, and local employees. It also includes several art museums, including the Grand Palais, which hosts major exhibitions.
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, most often referred to simply as the Arc de Triomphe, is a tetrapylon-type monument. Its construction, ordered by Emperor Napoleon I, began in 1806 and was completed in 1836 under the reign of Louis-Philippe. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was installed under the Arc de Triomphe on November 11, 1920. It houses the body of a French soldier who died during the First World War to symbolically commemorate all the soldiers who have died for France throughout history.
Metro:
Charles De Gaulles (lines 1, 2, 6)
Photo by J. Redman | Unsplash
Champs-Elysée
The Champs-Élysées, or Avenue des Champs-Élysées, is an iconic avenue in Paris, connecting the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. It is a shopping street famous for its luxury boutiques, theaters, cafés, and restaurants. The avenue is a must-see for events such as the Bastille Day parade, the arrival of the Tour de France and the Christmas lights.
Metro:
Charles De Gaulles (lines 1, 2, 6)
Franklin D Roosevelt (lines 1, 9)
Photo by J. Shim | Unsplash
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde (originally "Place Louis XV"), which covers 7.56 hectares, is the largest square in Paris. It is, along with the Place des Vosges, the Place Dauphine, the Place des Victoires and the Place Vendôme, one of the five royal squares of Paris.
Metro:
Concorde (lines 1, 8, 12)
Photo by Paris Photographer | Unsplash
The "Grand Palais des Beaux-Arts" was built in Paris from 1897, for the Universal Exhibition scheduled from April 15 to November 12, 1900, in place of the vast but uncomfortable Palais de l'Industrie of 1855. "Monument dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French art", as indicated by the pediment of the west wing (Palais d'Antin), its original vocation was to host the major official artistic events of the capital. The nave is listed as a historic monument.
Metro:
Champs Elysées-Clémenceau (lines 1, 13)
9th Arrondissement of Paris
The 9th arrondissement is known for its theaters, including the 1875 Opera Garnier, nicknamed the "wedding cake" for its dome and intricate architecture. Shopaholics flock to the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores and the vintage covered passageways of the Grands Boulevards. In the trendy southern district of Pigalle, gourmet restaurants give way to intimate museums, including the Gustave Moreau Museum.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is a Parisian department store located on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement. It is the largest department store in Europe and the second largest in the world after Macy's Herald Square. Galeries Lafayette receives an average of 37 million visitors per year, or more than 100,000 customers daily, across the store's four interconnected locations (Coupole, L'Homme, Maison, and Gourmet).
Metro:
Chaussée Autin-Lafayette (lines 7, 9)
Photo by K. Isalieva | Unsplash
10th Arrondissement of Paris
The 10th arrondissement is an up-and-coming neighborhood where picturesque footbridges and bohemian cafes along the Canal Saint-Martin rub shoulders with the Indian restaurants of Passage Brady. The streets around Place de la République are lined with trendy bars and restaurants, while the Marché Saint-Martin offers fine food stalls. Rue Sainte-Marthe is a peaceful alleyway home to art studios and international restaurants.
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.55 km long canal located mainly in the 10th and 11th arrondissements of Paris. It connects the Bassin de la Villette to the Port de l'Arsenal (the Paris marina), which connects to the Seine. It is a small-scale canal originally intended to supply drinking water to the capital. Inaugurated in 1825, it has nine locks and two swing bridges with a total drop of 25 m. The Canal Saint-Martin has been a listed historical monument since February 23, 1993. It is very pleasant to walk along
Metro:
République (line 3)
Louis Blanc (line 7)
Photo by V. Duque | Unsplash
12th Arrondissement of Paris
Once imbued with a simple atmosphere, the 12th arrondissement now encompasses a collection of quiet residential neighborhoods. The Coulée Verte René-Dumont is a peaceful promenade featuring gardens along a former elevated railway line. Families flock to Bercy, a former warehouse district with a park, a concert hall, chain stores, and restaurants. Designed by Frank Gehry, the Cinémathèque Française showcases classic films and houses a museum and archive.
The Paris Zoological Park, formerly the Bois de Vincennes Zoological Park, commonly known as the Vincennes Zoo, is a 14.5-hectare zoological park, part of the National Museum of Natural History, located in the western part of the Bois de Vincennes, adjacent to the 12th arrondissement of Paris. Designed in 1934 as a complement to the zoo at the Jardin des Plantes, this zoo's purpose is to observe animal behavior in captivity and to breed endangered species for reintroduction into their native habitats.
Photo by D. Mullins | Unsplash
Metro:
Porte dorée (line 8)
14th Arrondissement of Paris
The 14th arrondissement of Paris is located on the left bank of the Seine, in the south of the city. It encompasses neighborhoods that were once part of Gentilly and Montrouge. It is best known for the Paris Catacombs.
The Paris Catacombs, the term used to refer to the municipal ossuary, were originally part of the old underground quarries, connected to each other by inspection galleries. They were transformed into a municipal ossuary at the end of the 18th century with the transfer of the remains of approximately six million individuals, evacuated from various Parisian cemeteries until 1861 for reasons of public health. They then took the abusive name of "catacombs", by analogy with the underground necropolises of ancient Rome, although they never officially served as burial places.
Photo by B. Wharton | Unsplash
Metro:
Denfert-Rochereau (line 4, 6)
16th Arrondissement of Paris
The chic 16th arrondissement is home to foreign embassies and renowned museums, including the Louis Vuitton Foundation and the Palais de Tokyo, which houses contemporary art. The hilly Passy district, home to the city's wealthiest residents, includes trendy restaurants and the Balzac House Museum, where the novelist lived.
The Trocadéro is an iconic landmark offering breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower. It includes the Trocadéro Gardens, the Palais de Chaillot, and the Place du Trocadéro-et-du-11-Novembre. The Palais de Chaillot, built for the 1937 World's Fair, houses several museums, including the Musée de l'Homme, and offers terraces with panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower. The Trocadéro Gardens extend at the foot of the Palais de Chaillot and are adorned with fountains, sculptures, and ponds, providing a space for relaxation and strolling.
Metro:
Trocadero (lines 6, 9)
The National Maritime Museum is a maritime museum. It has been a public administrative institution since 1971, under the supervision of the Ministry of the Armed Forces. The collections cover maritime and naval history. Families particularly enjoy visiting it.
Metro:
Trocadero (lines 6, 9)
18th Arrondissement of Paris
The 18th arrondissement is centered around the charming Montmartre hill, a former artists' village once home to Picasso and Dali, and home to the majestic Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The steep, winding streets offer panoramic views of the city, while the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret, located below, attracts tourists.
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre is a major Parisian religious building. Its location at an altitude of 130 meters near one of the highest points in Paris, and its dome rising to 83 meters, make it visible from very far away. With nearly eleven million pilgrims and visitors per year, it is the second most visited religious monument in Paris after Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Metro:
Anvers (line 2)
Abbesses (line 12)
Photo by Quick PS | Unsplash
19th Arrondissement of Paris
The 19th arrondissement is a flagship of urban renewal. Families enjoy the Canal de l'Ourcq promenade and its cycle path leading to Parc de la Villette, home to museums such as the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and concert halls. The manicured Parc des Buttes-Chaumont features waterfalls and offers views of the city. The cafés and the Centquatre, an innovative arts complex, attract trendy crowds.
The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is a French institution specializing in the dissemination of scientific and technical culture. Created on the initiative of President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, its mission is to disseminate scientific and technical knowledge to a wide audience, particularly children and adolescents, as well as to stimulate public interest in societal issues related to science, research, and industry.
Metro:
Porte de la Villette (line 7)
Photo by girard-marczak | Unsplash
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