Paris Top Ten

Paris, the European capital for love and romance is ideal for a weekend get-away - and not just at spring time as is so often said. Winter heralds many cultural events and summer is lazy, balmy and almost sizzling. Any time of year, 'gay Paris' can instill its joi de vivre and leave with a little oh la la simply because it has so many faces; the glamourous, the touristy, the historic, the fashionista or Bohemian. Just take a stroll along the fashionable Champs Elysee towards the Arc de Triomphe and enjoy the cafe culture and be entertained by street magicians and singers. Or amble around Butte Montmartre - the 'Martyrs' Mound' - to peruse the swinging art market and mingle with artists as you pick your way through precipitous stairways and narrow lanes. But if you are a first time visitor, do not leave Paris without visiting some of these must-sees:

1 Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)
This world famous tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution.  It was opened by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII of England). The design, the brainchild of Gustave Eiffel, was chosen out of 700 proposals.  The tower is 300 metres high and was the world’s tallest erection until 1930. Note how the tower resembles a female leg with a garter. Can't see it? just imagine it turned upside down.

The tower has three platforms. A gastronomic restaurant (extremely expensive; reservations absolutely necessary), the Jules Verne is on the second platform. The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the (recently restored) office of Gustave Eiffel. Visitors are unanimous about the splendour of the views over Paris especially one hour before sunset.

Address: rue Gustave Eiffel Tel 0 825 05 44 05 (0,15 euros / mn)
Eiffel Tower website 
Entry: Adults top 12 euros kids 6,70 euros, 2nd Floor Adults 7,8 euros, kids 4,30 euros, 1st floor adults 4,80 euros kids 2,50 euros
Open: January 1 to June 12 9.30am to 11.45pm, June 13 to August 31 9am to 00.45am, September 1 to December 31 9.30am to 11.45pm

2 The Louvre Museum (Musee du Louvre)
This magnificent art gallery, a former royal palace, is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa. The Louvre has.an unparalleled collection of items covering the full spectrum of art through the ages. The entrance to the gallery lies below a glass pyramid.

Address: Direction des Publics, 75058 Paris cedex 01 Tel: 00 33 (0)1 40 20 58 24 - Entrance to car park is located on avenue du Général Lemonnier.
Louvre Museum website
Open: 9am to 6pm except Tuesday and January 1st, May 1st, November 11 and December 25th.
Entry: Free on the first Sunday of every month. Tickets to permanent collection 9 euross or 9,50 euros for the Hall Napoléon. Combined tickets 13 euros.

3 Orsay Museum (Musee d’Orsay)
This museum is situated on the left bank of the River Seine and is home to mainly French art dating from 1848-1914.

Address:  62, rue de Lille, 75343 Paris Cedex 07, Tel: 00 33 (0)1 40 49 48 14
Orsay Museum website
Open: Daily 9.30am to 6pm except Monday. Late night Thursday to 9.45pm. Closed January 1, May 1 and 25 December
Entry: Adults 8 euros or 5,50 euros from 4.15pm (except Thursday).

4 Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris)
This Gothic masterpiece dates back to the 13th century is full of stunning stained glasses and a huge interior of stunning artistic expression and mystical dimension. It is located on an island completely surrounded by the Seine river.

Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II , 75004 Paris Tel:  00 33 (0)1 42 34 56 10.
Notre Dame Cathedral website
Open: Daily 8am to 6.45pm

5 Sacre-Coeur
A stunning landmark in Montmatre, this 19th century basilica was built by the French Government after the Franco-Prussian War. The name means "mount of martyrs" in rememberance of the martydom of Saitn Denis, the first bishop of Paris (late 3rd century) and his colleagues. When war broke out in 1870 the Pope became a prisoner in the Vatican City. France was facing defeat and German occupation. MM Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Rohalut de Fleury saw this as a symptom of spiritual neglect and vowed to build a church consecrated to the Heart of Christ in penitence for sins committed. In 1919 the church was delcared a basilica and is an independent sanctuary.

It features a huge medieval dome from where visitors can see fantastic views. The name means "mount of martyrs" in rememberance of the martydom of Saitn Denis, the first bishop of Paris (late 3rd century) and his colleagues.

Address: Basilique du Sacre-Coeur De Montmartre, Adoration Eucharistique Jour et Nuit, 35 rue de Chevaliers-de-la-Barre, 75019 Paris. Tel: 00 33 1 53 41 89 00 
Sacre-Coeur website

6 Arc de Triomphe
This world famous arch has served as a symbol of victory ever since Napoloeonic times, heralding the triumphant home coming of French troops. Its imposing form (164ft high, 148ft long and 72ft wide) stands at the end of the Avenue des Champs-Elyséesand in the centre of the Place de L’Etoile. Twelve streets radiate from it and visitrs who climb its top (50m (164ft) high) will get an eyeful of Paris including the Louvre and the length of the Champs-Elysées.

Address: Place de l'Etoile

7 Pere-Lachaise Cemetery (Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise)
Probably the most visited cemetery in the world where France most famous and well healed are buried. Famous names include Jim Morris, Proust, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Maris Callas, Edith Piaff and Camille Pissarro.

Pere-Lachaise website 

8 Pompidou Centre
This innovative architectural structure acts as the gateway to Paris’s oldest quarter – the right bank - in the Beaubourg Area. It has been called a masterpiece and a monstrosity with equal gusto. Nevertheless this exhibition and performing centre is unanimously successful and is one of the city’s favourite tourist hot spots.

Address: Place Georges Pompidou, 75004 Paris, Tel: 00 33 (0)1 44 78 12 33
Pompidou Centre website
Open: Daily 11am-10pm except Tuesday and May 1.
Entry: Museum & exhibitions ticket 12 euros, 9 euros concessions, shows, concent 18 euros concessions 14 euros, cinema 6 euros concessions 4 euros. Kids screens 3euros.

9 The Right Bank (Rive Droite)
Walking into the right bank is like stepping into the past. Narrow but quaintly dark lanes with rickety town houses are straight out of a medieval story.

10 The Catacombs (Les Catacombs)
This is a network of subterranean tunnels that were once the refuge of bandits and smugglers. Now these stone quarries are the burial place of millions of Parisian skeletons that are over 200 years old. Not a tour for the faint-hearted.

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18 February 2008