Paris, oh Paris. It is one of those cities that every daydreamer, well…dreams about. Being the wannabe traveler that I am, Paris was high on my list of places to visit. Thanks to a cheap airfare ticket and some extra cash, I finally got to visit this city near the end of 2018. I made it part of a combined trip, also getting to see Amsterdam.
Here are some iconic Paris must-sees, especially if you’re going for the first time:
1.Take in the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is basically synonymous with the city of Paris itself. So your trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting it, especially at night!
When the sun sets, the Eiffel Tower radiates a beautiful golden glow that makes it stand out that much more. Also, with every hour passed after sundown, the tower sparkles with dancing lights for five minutes. It’s truly captivating. Definitely take the time to see this iconic landmark.
Fun Fact: The Eiffel Tower was actually constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair. It was only supposed to stand for 20 years, but ended up staying permanently. Parisiennes didn’t even like it at first!
2. Window-shop along the Champs-Elysees
The Champs-Elysees is the shopping center of Paris. This avenue has many cool luxury brands, like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, and more. It even has a Disney store! So if you like to shop, even window shop, then this is the place for you!
The big monument at the very end of the Champs-Elysées is the Arc de Triomphe. It was commissioned by Napoleon to honor the fallen soldiers of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.
The view from atop the Arc de Triomphe is beautiful, and arguably one of the best views of Paris! You can also get mesmerized by the flow of traffic below or look within the structure itself. It is filled with beautiful carvings of war images and fallen soldiers, something that isn’t too obvious when looking at it from afar.
Tip: Despite its grandness, the Arc de Triomphe can be quite confusing to get to! It’s on its own little island, surrounded by a swarm of cars driving in multiple lanes. There aren’t any traffic lights or pedestrian crossings to it from the street, so you have to go through an underground tunnel. I did not know this when I got there, so it took me a while to figure out that I didn’t have to risk my life to get to it!
3. Wistfully gaze out the Pont Alexandre III
This is definitely the most beautiful bridge in Paris, maybe even Europe. It was named after Tsar Alexandre III of Russia, to celebrate the then diplomatic union between the two countries. Filled with gold plated statues, it definitely has that lavish glow. It connects the 7th and 8th arrondissements, which are both packed with tourist attractions, so make sure to cross it on your way to the other sights!
4. Admire the history of the Notre Dame
I visited the Notre Dame before the fire in 2019, so I was lucky enough to get the chance to go inside and admire the beautiful stained glass windows and see the famous gargoyles up close. The Notre Dame is currently closed and will probably remain closed until at least 2024. This is unfortunate, but going inside is only half of the fun! There is still so much to see around the area. Depending on where construction is at the time you arrive, you can still admire the beautiful gothic architecture of the building itself.
Free walking tours of the Notre Dame area are also still going on. When I visited, I did my walking tour with Discover Walks and the tour guide was amazing! He told us about the history of the building and the symbolism behind some of its carvings. He also lead us to Paris Point Zero, which is a ground marker just in front of the Notre Dame. This marker is the point from which all distances in Paris are measured. Standing on the marker would basically mean that you’re standing right in the middle of Paris! The reason it’s the center of Paris is because both Notre Dame and the marker are located on a small island in the Seine called the Île de la Cité. This island is where the city was founded. It is one of the oldest parts of Paris!
5. Visit the Louvre
The Louvre is the biggest and most popular museum in the world! So it would make sense that it’s home to arguably the most famous painting in the world, the Mona Lisa. This painting is so popular, that it consistently has a barricade of people trying to take pictures of it at all times. When I was there, it was definitely a struggle getting a photo of just me with it! But besides the Mona Lisa, there many more pieces of art at the Louvre, including Venus de Milo and Winged Victory.
I’d say the glass pyramid entrance of the Louvre is a piece of art itself. So even if you don’t go into the museum, there’s still a great opportunity to take some photos in front of the iconic pyramid.
6. Walk Around Montmartre
Montmartre is a hip neighbourhood in Paris. It’s known for its artsy vibe and steep hills. Here, you can find the famous Sacré-Coeur church, the Moulin Rouge, and a bunch of local theaters and nightclubs. It’s located a bit further away from the other main Paris attractions, but you can still get there easily by Metro. If you want to head straight towards the Sacré-Coeur, just take the Metro and get off at Anvers station. From there, you just have to walk up a cobblestone alleyway filled with souvenir shops and viola!
When you emerge from the alleyway, you’ll see a breathtaking view of the famous white dome. I would suggest sitting down in one of the cafes right across the street and just taking it in. Le Ronsard is probably the café with the best view, as it’s directly across from the Sacré-Coeur. My favourite memory of Montmartre was just sitting inside Le Ronsard, sipping on my café au lait, and gazing out the window. But definitely don’t forget to walk up the big steps of the church and see it up close as well!
Fun Fact: Many souvenir shops in Montmartre feature this famous black cat or Le Chat Noir. This cat was originally the mascot of a 19th century cabaret of the same name. That cabaret attracted so many notable artists that the black cat eventually became a symbol of Montmartre, and Paris’s, artistic scene altogether.