Visit Paris - The city of romance

As we probably all know Paris is the capital of France, it’s the city of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Champs Elyssees.. It has an estimated population of 2,140,526 residents as of 1 January 2019. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of Europe’s major centers of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, science, and of course the arts. Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks.

 

Paris City view
Paris panorama

Museums

The Louvre was the most visited museum in the world in 2018. You do have to ignore the big glass pyramid someone placed smack in the middle of the Louvre (yes, the real thing). Also well-known are The Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Marmottan Monet and the Musée de l’Orangerie. They are noted for their collections of French Impressionist art. The Musée National d’Art Moderne has the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe. The Musée Rodin and the Musée Picasso exhibit the works of the two famous Parisians.

Historic Center

The historical district along the Seine in the city center is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Popular landmarks include the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris and the Gothic royal chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, both on the Île de la Cité. And also the Eiffel Tower, constructed for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, built for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900, the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées, and the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur on the hill of Montmartre.

Tourism

Paris received 23 million visitors in 2017, measured by hotel stays, with the largest numbers of foreign visitors coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China. It was ranked the third most visited travel destination in the world in 2017, after Bangkok and London.

Musee Dorsay
Musée d'Orsay
staircase petit palais
Petit Palais

Monuments

arc de triomphe
Arc de Triomphe

Situated at the Place de l’Etoile, overlooking the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe is the biggest arch in the world. It was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz.

palais garnier
Palais Garnier

Charles Garnier created wonderful harmony between architecture, painting and the sculpture. The building awes with its onyx balconies , its luxurious marble, its frescoes and the rich gilding.

Shopping

What would Paris be without its endless shopping? You can really shop until you drop. Some areas you should visit if you’re into shopping (aren’t we all?). I hope your wallet is big enough. To name a few:

  • The Champs-Elysées, Avenue Montaigne
  • Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Sèvres-Babylone and Rue de Rennes. – From haute couture to ready-to-wear.
  • Haussmann-Saint-Lazare-Opéra district – Leading urban commercial center, the commercial heart of Paris.
paris shopping
Gallerie Lafayette

Of course, there is a whole lot more to know about Paris. But I cannot possibly cover it all in one magazine article. If you want to learn more about all the things to see and to do in Paris, we can recommend: