Paris Beyond the Postcards

The Eiffel Tower is to Paris what almond biscotti is to a cup of coffee – one cannot be without the other! I highly recommend visiting the Eiffel Tower first thing on your trip to check off the biggest must-see early, so you can relax and enjoy the rest of your time. Book your online tickets much in advance and arrive by 9:30 am when it opens to avoid the heavy crowds that build up during tourist season. And don’t forget to pack a scarf or a jacket because it is always windy on the 3rd-floor viewing deck.

There are a few great spots where you’ll get fab Eiffel Tower shots in the background. One is right in the Champ De Mars (pronounced shaun-the-mass), the park where the tower stands. For a long shot, go to Trocadéro which is opposite the park. For another equally pretty angle, head down from Trocadéro to the Pont d'Iéna,(pronounced pon-dee-yena) the bridge that brings you right up close to the Eiffel Tower.

Pro Tip@

Pack a little picnic for the Eiffel Tower park and soak in the atmosphere. You’ll probably spot brides posing for wedding photos near the tower, and watching their joy will put a smile on your face too!

One of the best - and probably the most economical – ways to explore Paris is using the Hop On Hop Off bus service. You can see all the major landmarks and the hidden gems in the city at your own pace in these double decker buses that offer fantastic views, especially from the upper deck.

Another way to discover Paris is by taking a cruise on the Seine river (pronounced sen). It is a fabulous way of seeing the city from a different perspective, especially at night. There are a whole host of companies that run cruises on the canal where a typical cruise takes 1.5 hours to complete. Most of these operators offer online tickets which is what most tourists prefer to buy. However, I’ve bought advance tickets several times, only to not wait in line for hours. So I would recommend that you buy the Seine River Cruise tickets only once you see how long the queue is. There are enough options along the entire river route, so figure out which one is less crowded and go for it.

Pro Tip@

If you’ve bought The Paris Pass, check the offers section to get discounted tickets for some or the other Hop On Hop Off bus service.

The Louvre Museum (pronounced loo-vruh) is a gorgeous building and one of the most famous museums in the world - paintings, sculptures, architectural elements and art objects by famous or anonymous artists of many different origins and eras. I suggest covering this museum right after you finish with the Eiffel Tower.

From the Pont d’Lena, take the bus to Pont Des Arts which is a 1 minute walk to the Louvre, or take a cab that takes you there directly. Other than the Big 3 – Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and Venus- there are over 35,000 pieces of art at the Louvre. So take a look at the layout, the temporary exhibitions and plan ahead on what you plan to cover to make the most of your visit. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, so plan accordingly.

Pro Tip@

Book tickets with time slots so you are guaranteed entry in the case of overcrowding.

Personally, I prefer the Musée d’Orsay (pronounced myuzay-doh-say) over the Louvre—simply for the art. Housed in a former train station, the museum offers an incredible collection; the Van Gogh/Gauguin room alone makes it worth the visit.

You'll also find stunning pieces from French Realism, especially by Courbet, along with another collection of Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Cézanne, and Millet, plus Art Nouveau gems by Toulouse-Lautrec. And don’t miss the sculptures—Rodin’s work in particular is jaw-droppingly beautiful! Every time I visit, I discover something new in a painting or sculpture that deepens my admiration for these artists, who created such brilliance thousands of years ago without any of the modern tools we have today.

Pro Tip@

Buy the Paris Pass if you feel you want to cover a lot of things in your Paris trip. You can buy a 2,3,4 or a 6 day pass that gives you access to 90+ attractions and gives you about 50% savings over buying individual tickets.

I guarantee you have never seen this much antique stained glass in one place! La Sainte-Chapelle (pronounced la-saant-shaapel) boasts of 1,113 stunning Gothic-style stained glass pieces that will leave you awe-struck- and cocooned in dappled streams of jewel-toned lights!

Sainte-Chapelle was built in the mid-13th century by Louis IX (later Saint Louis) to house sacred relics of the Passion of Christ like the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross. A masterpiece of Rayonnant Gothic architecture, its 15 towering windows, each 15 meters high, serve as walls that depict 1,113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments, telling the biblical story leading up to the arrival of these relics in Paris.

Pro Tip@

Entry is free on the first Sunday of the months of January, February, March, November and December

Notre-Dame de Paris, often simply called Notre-Dame (pronounced no-truh-daam) is a medieval Catholic cathedral located on the Île de la Cité in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

In April 2019, a devastating fire caused significant damage, leading to its closure for restoration. The cathedral reopened in December 8, 2024. However, you can still take a walking tour and admire its architecture from the outside while taking in its rich history and significance.

The Arc de Triomphe (pronounced ark-the-three-omph) is a tribute to those who fought and died for France during the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. You’ll find the names of victories and generals etched into every inch, inside and out. Built between 1833 and 1836, the four massive sculpted groups at its base are formidable works of art, reflecting events from France’s revolutionary past. Looking at them, I was blown away by the sheer size, the intricate details, and the poetic symbolism that each sculpture displays so proudly.

From there just walk towards the Champs-Élysées (pronounced shaun-zuh-lee-zay), the world famous avenue lined with luxury boutiques, luxury prêt brands, movie halls, luxury hotels, fine-dine restaurants and petit cafés. While it can get pretty crowded and expensive, it’s still worth going there once, just for the experience, especially if you’re into high-end brands and love shopping (or window shopping). There are a lot of amazing French brands like Sézane, Maje, and Poplene that aren’t as famous as the others but offer high-quality items that won’t break the bank. Definitely worth checking out! Even if you are not a shopper, just stroll down one of the most famous streets in Europe, and take some ‘pics for the gram’.

Pro Tip@

Duck into the quieter side of Champs-Élysées for a more peaceful café or unique boutique.

Perched at the highest point in Montmartre (pronounced Mo-mahrt) Paris is Sacré-Cœur Basilica (pronounced Saacray-cur) , probably the second most popular spot in Paris, just behind the Eiffel Tower. Once you climb the 300 spiralling steps to the dome, which is 200 meters above the Seine, get ready to see one of the most stunning panoramas in the city. On a clear day, you can see as far as 30 km away! The basilica has the largest bell in France, La Savoyarde, that weighs a massive 19 tonnes. On most days, you’ll find musicians playing on the steps and people picnicking on the hillside, making it feel like the perfect Parisian escape.

Once a hunting lodge, the Palace of Versailles (pronounced Vehr-sai) was transformed into a grand château by Louis XIII. To match the palace’s grandeur, he acquired the surrounding land to create the iconic gardens we see today. The entire Estate of Versailles—complete with the majestic palace, gardens, park, the Trianon estate, and nearby buildings has 2300 rooms and spans over 800 hectares!

To see the Palace of Versailles, which is just outside Paris, you’ll need a couple of hours, your comfiest walking shoes and a cap because you are going to be walking A LOT. There are some restaurants inside if you want to grab lunch, but fair warning—the prices are steep. I did the smart thing and packed my lunch (which was a combo of sandwich + vanilla custard-filled croissant + iced black coffee) before I started in the morning. (I realized a lot of other people had done the same thing) It was actually quite enjoyable sitting under the shade of a tree in the park, ‘people-watching’ while I ate and rested a little.

Pro Tip@

Download the official Palace of Versailles app in advance and launch it to load the audio tour to get audio tours and an interactive map of the entire Estate. The app works without an internet connection.

This is one of the most unusual- and spooky- places in Paris. The Catacombs of Paris are a vast labyrinth of underground tunnels and ossuaries that hold the remains of more than 6 million people. In the late 18th century, because of major public health problems tied to the city’s overflowing cemeteries, their contents were transferred to this site, which was at that time outside the city’s borders.

The Paris Catacombs span a massive 280 kilometres, with walls studded with skulls and femurs. But visitors can only explore a 1.5 km section. There are 131 steps to reach the depths, and 112 steps to make your way back up.

Pro Tip@

Book your tickets in advance since there are only 200 people allowed at one time for a circuit that takes about 45-60 mins to complete.

Located between Bastille and Nation in the 11th arrondissement of Paris is a former steel foundry that has been transformed into the Atelier des Lumière (pronounced aa-tuh-li-yay day-loo-me-yay), a digital art centre that puts forward digital, immersive and contemporary exhibitions. I had never been to a place with such captivating, interactive digital art! There are some permanent exhibitions supplemented by a rich roster of temporary exhibitions at any given point in time.

My favourites are the Van Gogh exhibition (which will run till 16th October, 2024) and the Foreign Nature exhibition (which will run till 5th January 2025). Asterix comics enthusiasts can look forward to a brand new Asterix exhibition coming up in 2025.