The Louvre
Another must-see in Paris is the Louvre, home to the world’s greatest art museum including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. We were forewarned that experiencing the Louvre could easily take a full day or two and getting lost is almost always expected when you’re inside.
For those that are short on time, the Louvre Pyramid itself is worth the visit. Luckily for us, our accomodation was within walking distance from the Louvre and after crossing paths several times, we are sure that the pyramid and its surrounds are best enjoyed at sunset or at night in its lit up glory.
Louvre: Avoid waiting in line and buy tickets if you plan on entering the Louvre.
Paris Pass: This is also included in the previously mentioned Paris Pass ticket.
Arc De Triomphe
The most monumental of all the arches is the Arc De Triomphe, a symbol to honour those who fought for France in the Napoleonic Wars. We stopped by the Arc De Triomphe during our walk around the Champs Elysees, a bustling area that is often touted as the “New York” strip of Paris. We spent most of our day enjoying a walk around the avenue and thoroughly enjoyed the arc from the streets. However, tours are available for a more in-depth experience of the Arc De Triomphe which we’ll include below.
Arc De Triomphe: Buy tickets online if you plan to tour the Arc De Triomphe.
Paris Pass: This is also included in the previously mentioned Paris Pass ticket.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is home to some of Paris’ most famous graves including Marie Curie and Jacques-Germain Soufflot, the man that designed the building itself. Although the Pantheon does have its own intrigue and a great view of Paris from the Pantheon Dome, we wouldn’t say this is a “must-see” in Paris.
The Latin Quarter
However, short walking distance from the Pantheon is the Latin Quarter which is something you should definitely add to your itinerary. This is the perfect place to take a stroll when hunger is imminent. Here, you’ll find yourself surrounded by amazing eateries, patisseries and lots of options for cheese fondue.
Palais of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is a 30 minute train ride from Paris but we recommend setting aside a full day for your visit. Tickets to visit the palace can often sell out during peak season so book them online in advance and, if you can, pay a little extra to skip the queue.
Our pre-purchased tickets still required us to wait under the blistering sun for almost 3 hours with the other pre-purchasers before we even made it to the entrance. Also be sure to pack plenty of water, food and snacks as there are limited eating options inside and you’ll be starving from all the waiting around.
Despite the wait times, the pure opulence of the palace and the enormity of its size is simply jaw-dropping which makes it a must visit if you’re in town. The palace itself is remarkable but the pushing and shoving from the crowds can be a bit of a hinderance to the overall experience, don’t worry, you’ll have more breathing space once you reach the gardens outside. In the end, the Hall of Mirrors inside the palace and the fountains in the garden were the highlights of Versailles.
As you might have gathered by now, the sights to see in Paris are just endless so we had to cut this post down to our most memorable sights.