Traveling to the city of the Seine? Want to see the most romantic places in Paris? Then don’t miss this post. In it, we will tell you about the 10 places to see your first time in the French capital.
Eiffel Tour
We begin our tour of Paris in the beautiful Tour Eiffel. The undisputed symbol of the city and the whole country measures 320 meters and, for some time, was the tallest building in the world.
Built by Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition of 1889, its innovative design captivated the Parisians and secured its place in the city. Its art nouveau design and structure did not go unnoticed. Today the Tour Eiffel is still as attractive as then, so it is the most visited place in the capital.
The Eiffel Tower is divided into three levels
The first is 57 meters high, the second at 115 and the third at 276. The first two can be climbed on foot (more than 1600 steps) or by elevator. If you choose the first option, the climb is expensive, but the possibility of stopping and enjoying the views compensates for the effort. If you use the elevator, it will stop on the second floor, where you must go down to continue the ascent to the top of the tower in another elevator.
Les Invalides
Very close to the Tour Eiffel is the National Palace of Les Invalides. Built-in 1670 by order of King Louis XIV, the building was at first the place chosen to house and heal the soldiers and soldiers wounded in the war. In addition, it was a way to thank them for their loyalty to the monarchy.
The complex is Baroque-style and has three museums, a hospital (still in operation), a cathedral and a church. The latter is where Napoleon’s tomb is located.
Since 1861, the National Palace of Les Invalides has housed the remains of the famous French general, who was transferred from the island of St. Helena, where he died in exile, to Paris. The sarcophagus is inside a circular gallery filled with statues commemorating his exploits.
Arc de Triomphe
We continue with the 10 places to see your first time in Paris, and we come to another of the city’s icons. We are at the Arc de Triomphe.
The Arc de Triomphe is located in the centre of the Place de l’Eoile. A huge traffic circle from which twelve avenues designed by the French senator Haussmann departs. One of them is the popular Avenue des Champs Elysées.
Dedicated to the nearly 2 million French soldiers who died in World War I, it has been in the same place since 1921. And at the top, after climbing 284 steps, a wonderful viewpoint gives us the best views we can imagine.
Louver Museum
Who has never heard of the Louver Museum? Considered one of the best museums in the world, if you visit Paris for the first time, you should not miss it. Built in the early thirteenth century under the name of the Louver Palace began as a fortress but in the mid-sixteenth century was rebuilt and passed into the hands of royalty. Later, in 1793, it was converted into a national museum, a function it still fulfils today.
The Louver Museum houses a large collection of works of art. It is estimated that the number is around 40,000. It is therefore almost impossible to see them all at once, being necessary to select the most interesting ones. But undoubtedly, La Gioconda, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace or The Seated Scribe should not be missing in that selection.
Notre Dame
The queen of French Gothic is undoubtedly the Notre Dame Cathedral. Located on the so-called Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine River, it is the heart of old Paris. And it is in this very place where the city of light was born. Built on the remains of an ancient Roman temple and several churches, most of its structure was completed in the early fifteenth century.
The French Revolution suffered severe damage but was later rebuilt until the fire of April 15, 2019, destroyed much of the roof, the central spire, and the rose windows. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is currently undergoing numerous restoration works.
Lafayette Galleries
To find the origin of the famous Galeries Lafayette, we must go back to 1893. Given its strategic location, between the Opera and the Gare Saint Lazare, the store began to attract the bourgeoisie and the wealthy classes of the city and became a place of reference. It is the beginning of the most famous shopping arcades in Paris.
Today, the Galeries Lafayette building consists of 7 floors distributed concentrically and topped by a large dome. The whole structure is designed in the art nouveau style and includes clothing stores, cafes, and restaurants.
Do not leave Paris without visiting the Galeries Lafayette at least once.
Opera
A few steps from the Galeries Lafayette is the Paris Opera House. Its real name is Palais Garnier, a masterpiece of 19th-century architecture. Built by Charles Garnier, a young French architect and inaugurated in 1875 was part of the renovation of Paris carried out by Baron Haussmann under the orders of Napoleon. The exterior of the building is spectacular, but its interior is said to be even more so.
It is well worth a visit and is filled with mosaics, chandeliers, a grand marble staircase and other decorative elements. In addition, there are guided tours to delve into the ins and outs of the Opera House.
To book, you must go to the official website.
Montmartre neighbourhood
Some say that Montmartre is the most bohemian district of the city of Paris. And the truth is that this statement is not without reason. Winding streets, small stores, hidden squares and at the top, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. With all these ingredients, it is not surprising that the Montmartre district is one of the most visited in the French capital and, therefore, one of the 10 places to visit for the first time in Paris. In Montmartre, everything is evocative, romantic and attractive, even its origins.
For centuries the neighbourhood, thanks to its mills (moulins), supplied flour to Paris. Finally, in 1860 it was incorporated into the capital and became one of the favorite places for painters, artists and bohemians.
Do not leave Montmartre without walking its streets and squares, especially visiting the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. A beautiful building completed in 1914 of Byzantine and Roman inspiration from which you have stunning views of Paris. Book a hotel in Montmartre at https://karta.com to be closer to this district.
The Marais
And from the beautiful Montmartre, we go to Le Marais, another of the neighbourhoods that you can not miss on your first time in Paris. Located in the 3rd arrondissement of the French capital, Le Marais owes its name to the ancient marshes (Marais means marsh) that covered the entire area where it is located.
Marshes that at the end of the twelfth century dried up and gave way to the creation of a new area where, little by little, the upper classes and the nobility settled.
When the French Revolution came, the nobles were forced to leave their homes, and Le Marais began to be inhabited by merchants and artisans. It is the beginning of an eminently bourgeois lifestyle.
Today the Marais district is one of the most eclectic in Paris. Full of restaurants, charming cafes and designer boutiques, it is also home to the Jewish community of the city. Undoubtedly, a must on your visit to Paris.
The Seine
We end our selection of the 10 places to see your first time in Paris on the Seine.
The third-largest river in France and the first navigable river runs through the heart of Paris. So a good way to enjoy the city’s main attractions from a different perspective is easily achieved by sailing on the Seine.
