L’Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous French landmarks in the centre of the Place Charles-de-Gaulle in Paris. It is 49.54m high and offers a fantastic view over the Avenue des Champs-Élysées all the way down to the Louvre. This makes the Arc de Triomphe one of the best spots in Paris for pictures.
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La Grande Arche de la Défense is a a monument in the La Défense district of Paris. A lift in a glass pipe takes you up to the top at 110.9m giving you a great view on the ride up. The Grande Arche is a great spot for cool pictures with a front of glass and Carrara marble and offers a fantastic view over the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
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The Tour d’Eiffel also known as the Eiffel Tower is the most famous Parisian landmark. It is located on the Champ de Mars, was constructed in 1887 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair and is 324m high. You can either use the stairs to walk up the tower or use the lift.
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The Jardin du Luxembourg also known as the Luxembourg Gardens is a beautiful garden in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. The garden is owned by the French senate and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, beautiful flowerbeds and Medici Fountain. In case you can’t make it to Versailles, the Jardin du Luxembourg certainly gives your pictures that royal flair.
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The office skyscraper in the Montparnasse area of Paris is 210m high and offers a great view of the city from the top. The terrace at the top is a lovely spot to take in the beauty of Paris and to take some great photos of the city. The top of the Tour Montparnasse is much less crowded than the Eiffel Tower and the view is just as good.
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The Centre George Pompidou is the French national museum of modern art and also the largest museum of modern art in Europe. It houses art by renowned artists such as Vassily Kandinsky, Henri Matisse and Frida Kahlo. The facade is a great example of modern architecture including the escalators enclosed in glass pipes that can be used to access the upper levels.
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Euro Disney also known as Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort 40km west of the city in Marne-la-Vallée. It is divided into two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. There is also a hotel on site, the opportunity to meet’n’greet iconic Disney characters and attractions, shows and parades suitable for all ages. It is is Ayo recommended as a great one or more day out for any Disney fan.
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The Musée du Louvre or Louvre Museum is the largest art museum in the world. It houses over 38.000 exhibit pieces including masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Aphrodite, known as the “Venus de Milo” and The Winged Victory of Samothrace.
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The well known Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris is the Sacré-Coeur de Montmarte. It is a beautiful religious building at the summit of the butte Montmarte in Paris. You can enjoy the beauty of the building’s facade and also enter for free to view the architecture on the inside. Outside the Sacré-Coeur is an Ayo recommended spot to relax and enjoy a stunning view of the city.
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The cathedral of Notre Dame (or Notre-Dame de Paris meaning “Our Lady of Paris”) is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris due to it’s beautiful French Gothic architecture. Unfortunately, the cathedral was severely damaged in a fire in April of 2019 and is not accessible for the time being. For further information on the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris click here.
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Alongside our Ayo information and travel guide here are some additional Ayo recommendations for your visit to Paris.
Before leaving for a trip to Paris – or anywhere else in France for that matter – be sure to learn a few basic French words and/or phrases. Most French people do speak at least a bit of English but they don’t enjoy doing so. To start off, good and helpful phrases in French for example are “Bonjour” (engl. hello), “Où est…” (engl. where is…) and “merci” (engl. thank you).
Drinking alcohol is permitted from the age of 18 and smoking is not allowed below the age of 16. Smoking is not permitted in public buildings in France. Be careful and take care of your belongings when out and about in Paris, as pickpocketing is pretty common. If you forgot to bring some things from home, there should be no issues as most shops are open until 8pm and some even longer. To try and forget as little as possible though, keep the Ayo packing list and packing guide to hand when preparing for your trip.
Paris is known for it’s fantastic French cuisine. Keep in mind that when visiting a nice restaurant the staff will seat you, do not seat yourself. For an espresso on the go, make a stop at a street café where espressos are very cheap.
Next to the main sights listed on our Ayo travel website, remember that larger museums have free admissions on the first Sunday of each month.
Finally, no trip to Paris is Ayo complete without trying at least a crêpe, pain au chocolate and macarons. The perfect location for this has to be the beautiful Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
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