It really is almost impossible to explore even the most famous sights in Paris during a weekend visit. Even a week in Paris would really be more stressful than a holiday.
Paris really does have a lot to offer. To experience as much as possible in a short time, you really have to plan your time in Paris well.
Here are a few tips for preparation
- Many Parisian sights are only open until 5 pm.
Accordingly, the last admission takes place much earlier to allow the visitor some more time on site.
Especially in large museums, it can happen that the security staff starts to cordon off and clear certain areas an hour before closing time. - At many sights in Paris, you have to go through a security gate and your hand luggage is checked. Long queues often form and there may be waiting times.
- Of course, there are also city tours to the most popular sights in Paris. If you want to see a lot in a short time, such a tour is ideal.
Of course, you can use the big tour operators – or you can put together your own tour. One option is to take the local public transport bus, for which you only need a normal ticket. A tip: don’t take the bus during rush hour!
Great routes are for example:
Bus number 21: Gare Saint-Lazare – Opéra Garnier – Palais-Royal – Théâtre Français – Palais du Louvre – Pont-Neuf – Palais de la Cité – Palais du Luxembourg – Parc Montsouris – Stade Charléty.
Bus number 27: Opéra Garnier – Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre – Pont du Carrousel – Pont des Arts – Pont-Neuf – Pont Saint-Michel – Luxembourg
Bus number 29: Gare Saint-Lazare – Opéra Garnier – Stock Exchange – Marais district with Place des Vosges, Bastille including New Opera House – Gare de Lyon
Bus number 73: Musée d’Orsay – Assemblée Nationale – Place de la Concorde – Grand Palais – Petit Palais – Champs-Élysées – Arc de Triomphe – La Défense
Bus number 82: Palais du Luxembourg – Montparnasse – Hôtel des Invalides – École Militaire – Champ de Mars – Eiffel Tower – Avenue Foch – Porte Maillot
Sights in Paris
It was hot in Paris and we felt far too lethargic for a city tour. However, we conjured up enough motivation to get up and go for a walk in a park. So we went to the Jardin du Luxembourg.
The Panthéon Paris is located in the 5th Arrondissement on the hill of St. Geneviève. Originally, the building was intended to be a church but today it serves as the National Hall of Fame of France and as a final resting place of many French celebrities.
Paris – a wonderful city. We made a list of our top 5 places to visit in Paris. There are certainly many other great places to see in Paris, but we think that these five should absolutely not be missed on the first visit to Paris.
A visit to Sacré-Cœur was one of my pre-planned and definite items on the itinerary. When we were in Paris last, in 2003, our visit was rather short but this time I really wanted to make time for a proper tour of the church and a visit to the dome.
Modern architecture is omnipresent in Paris. Whether or not one actually likes this style is a different story. What is certain, though, is that this almost futuristic looking style is something quite special.
We are the sort of travellers that don’t have to visit everything that can be visited. Especially the churches that all kind of look the same we usually skip. With the Palais Garnier, we were unsure whether or not to go see it. From the outside, it isn’t all that spectacular and after all, it…
Paris is expensive, this realisation hit us time and again. But there is still a ton to do in Paris without you having to whip out the wallet all the time.
This is a question we asked ourselves before we came to Paris. The view from the Eiffel Tower is grand, that much we know, but so are the wait times to get up there. Our decision was to decide once we’re there.
Good that the sun is out. I don’t want to be here on a foggy autumn morning – on the Père Lachaise Cemetary in Paris.
The Arc de Triomphe, like the Eiffel Tower, is a must in Paris. We, like so many other tourists, have moved there too. But is it really worth the visit, or is it just a check on the list of attractions in Paris?