Paris Travel Guide

The Louvre is one of the largest and most prestigious art temples in the world. This grand museum, converted from a former royal palace, holds hundreds of thousands of art treasures spanning millennia, a bright pearl of Paris as the world's art capital and a shrine for every visitor to pay homage to art. The Louvre was once the palace of French kings; after centuries of building and expansion it is majestic and splendid; after the French Revolution it became a public museum, now one of the most visited and richest museums in the world. The collection holds hundreds of thousands of art treasures across ancient and modern times and from around the world—from Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities to European paintings, sculptures and crafts of every period, vast and magnificent. Among them, the three most famous treasures—the Mona Lisa with her mysterious smile by Leonardo da Vinci, the elegant, incomplete Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace—attract the world's attention. And the glass pyramid entrance on the palace square blends classical and modern, another iconic sight of the Louvre. Strolling this temple of art, moving through grand halls, face to face with thousands of years of human art treasures, is an awe-inspiring visual and spiritual journey. Explore Paris, enter the world-famous Louvre, and pay homage to the bright gems of human art—the number-one unmissable sight in Paris.

The Musée d'Orsay is one of the world's richest temples of Impressionist art. Housed in a former train station, it holds masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir and other masters—a place of pilgrimage for every Impressionist art lover. The Musée d'Orsay's building itself is charming—a train station built in the early 20th century, later cleverly converted into a museum; its grand arched vault and the preserved great station clock blend the beauty of industrial-era architecture with an art temple, with a unique flavor. Its collection centers on art from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, especially famed for its unrivaled Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces—here gather Monet's Water Lilies series and works in the spirit of Impression, Sunrise, Renoir's joyous figures, Degas' ballerinas, Van Gogh's self-portraits and works in the spirit of Starry Night, plus Cézanne, Gauguin, Seurat and other masters' immortal paintings, as well as Rodin's sculptures, almost encompassing the most brilliant achievements of Impressionism. Strolling this station-turned art temple, through those lively, colorful brushstrokes, you feel the extraordinary charm of the Impressionist masters capturing light and depicting life—an intoxicating artistic journey. Explore Paris, enter the Musée d'Orsay, and pay homage to the immortal masterpieces of the Impressionists—a sight in Paris full of artistic charm.

Notre-Dame de Paris is the pinnacle of French Gothic architecture. This majestic cathedral on the Île de la Cité by the Seine, with a history of about eight hundred years, is not only the spiritual landmark of Paris and a witness to French history, but also famous through literature, one of the most moving symbols of Paris in people's hearts. Notre-Dame de Paris was begun in the 12th century and took nearly two centuries to complete; it is the apex of French Gothic architectural art—its majestic facade, towering twin towers, exquisite rose windows, flying buttresses and stone carvings all display the extraordinary wisdom and piety of medieval craftsmen. The cathedral has weathered centuries of French history: it witnessed royal coronations, the storms of revolution and even Napoleon's coronation, a key stage of French history; and the novel by Victor Hugo made the cathedral and the bell-ringer story known to every household worldwide. In 2019, Notre-Dame suffered a serious fire that destroyed its iconic spire and part of the roof, grieving the world; France then launched a grand restoration, letting this precious historical treasure shine anew and reopen to the world. Paying homage to this cathedral weathered by time yet ever more precious, admiring its majestic Gothic architecture and recalling its long history and immortal legend, fills one with reverence and emotion. Explore Paris, pay homage to this time-worn Notre-Dame by the Seine, and feel the history and faith of France—a sight in Paris rich in heritage.

The Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark of Paris and all of France. This towering steel-truss tower standing on the Champ de Mars by the Seine has long transcended being a mere building to become the eternal symbol of romantic Paris and France. Designed and built by the team of engineer Gustave Eiffel, it was erected for the 1889 Paris World Expo and was the tallest man-made structure in the world when completed. Built entirely of openwork steel trusses, with its elegant curves, precise structure and commanding presence, it has withstood the years to become a masterpiece joining engineering and aesthetics, and the undisputed number-one landmark of Paris. The tower has several viewing levels; visitors take an elevator or climb the steps—from the observation level you look down on elegant Paris unfolding at your feet: the Seine winding through the city, avenues crisscrossing, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacré-Cœur and other landmarks scattered about, the whole city's magnificent panorama in view. After dark, the tower sparkles with glittering lights, becoming the most moving sight in Paris' night sky. Whether gazing at its elegant silhouette from afar, climbing to overlook the whole city, or quietly looking up from the lawn below, the Eiffel Tower, with its unique charm, expresses the romance of Paris and the flair of France. Explore Paris, pay homage to and ascend this world-famous Eiffel Tower, and overlook the magnificent panorama of the romantic capital—an unmissable number-one sight of Paris.

Palais Garnier is one of the world's most opulent opera houses. Built in 1875, it features breathtaking interiors (Grand Escalier, auditorium, Chagall ceiling), Baroque sculptures and marble columns — a masterpiece and inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera. Designed by Charles Garnier — pinnacle of Second Empire architecture. Grand Escalier with marble and gold. Chagall ceiling (1964). Underground lake — Phantom of the Opera inspiration.

Paris's grand axis runs about 1.9 kilometres and 70 metres wide from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. It began as a tree-lined extension of the Tuileries designed by André Le Nôtre in the 17th century and took its Elysian Fields name in the early 1700s. Bastille Day's military parade and the Tour de France finale both play out here, while the lower stretch stays leafy and the upper stretch glitters with flagship stores and old confectioners.