10 Places to Visit in Paris if You Love the Arts
From the world-famous Louvre to a shopping district with a rich history.
(SPOT.ph) Pictured in books and movies as an epitome of romance, Paris is loved by almost every little girl and boy who are deeply enchanted by the City of Lights. The place encourages travelers to live life through rose-colored glasses as embodied by the famous French song La Vie En Rose. But still, there's always more to this illuminated city than meets the eye.
The cultural significance of its moniker "City of Lights," after all, goes beyond just having thousands of lights around the city. After a prolonged period of civil war in the mid-17th century, King Louis XIV promised to restore law and order in the land. In an effort to reduce the crime rate, the number of policemen deployed in the city was quadrupled and lighting was installed on almost every main street. Paris was one of the first European cities to adopt street lighting during the Age of Enlightenment. Symbolically, Paris also became the center of education, innovation, and enlightenment throughout Europe. Today, tourists breathe Paris’ culture and the arts through the historic landmarks around the city. And thanks to this rich history, Paris is riddled with many spots that will delight an artsy traveler.
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Check out these Paris tourist spots if you love the culture and arts:
Eiffel Tower
Everyone knows about the famous Eiffel Tower. It seems to have two personalities: during the day, the sun highlights the intricate details of the brown wrought-iron lattice tower; and in the evening, the darkness illuminates the Eiffel Tower’s yellow lights. The structure is 300 meters high, equivalent to an 81-storey building. It was built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.
To appreciate the view of the structure, do not isolate it from its surroundings because the place from where you stare at it makes the sight special. If you want a look at the landmark up close, we suggest you take a picnic at Champ de Mars or enjoy it while riding the Eiffel Tower Carousel. If you fancy seeing the full tower from afar, make Trocadero your vantage point. You might also prefer to maximize the Eiffel Tower experience by booking a reservation at one of the fine dining restaurants inside: either the Michelin-star restaurant Jules Verne or Madame Brasserie. You can also hire a professional photographer to take photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background to cap off the experience.
The Eiffel Tower is at Champ de Mars, 5 Ave. Anatole, Paris, France. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. Basic ticket prices cost around 18 euros (P1,100) with guided tours to the top going as high as 48 euros (P3,000).
Seine River
If you want a magnificent panoramic view of the city, this is the way to go. The Seine River sightseeing cruise will take you on a boat tour to admire Paris’ beautiful tourist spots and architecture. This world-renowned waterway spans the city and has 37 bridges that cross the river. The tour starts at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and passes by most of the iconic sights such as Musee d’Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and Place de la Concorde.
This tour is the best way to see Paris, especially at night. You can enjoy sailing serenely along the water in two ways. You can either head to the top floor of the boat to admire the unobstructed view of the city in the open air or you can even elevate the experience by indulging in fine French cuisine in a three-hour dinner cruise on a glass-enclosed boat.
The River Cruise starts near the Eiffel Tower and ends at Grand Palais before it takes the round trip back. The one-hour boat tour, which leaves by the hour, starts as early as 10 a.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m. every night. The basic cruise is relatively affordable at 14 euros (P860), while dinner cruises can go as high 90 euros (P5,400).
The Louvre
Everyone recognizes the Louvre by the stunning glass pyramid structures in photos. The large pyramid serves as the entrance to the seemingly infinite number of interesting art masterpieces from all around Europe. Prior to becoming a museum and King Louis XIV moving his court to Versailles, the site became home to the French royal family. Musee de Louvre, the world’s most-visited art gallery, represented art up to the Revolutions of 1848 while works painted after that date were moved to Musee d’Orsay.
The Louvre houses the wildly sought-after artworks such as the "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci, the "Venus de Milo" by Alexandros of Antioch, the "Winged Victory of Samothrace," and the "Liberty Leading the People" by Eugène Delacroix. It also houses "The Wedding Feast at Cana" by Paolo Veronese, which is the biggest painting in the museum.
The Louvre is in Rue de Rivoli, Paris, France. It is open from Wednesday to Monday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrance to the museum is 17 euros (P1,100) with additional add-ons such as audio guides for another 5 euros (P300 pesos), or guided tours for another 10 euros (P600). Entrance is free every first Friday of the month after 6 p.m.
Rue Saint Honore
For the luxury designer brands lovers out there, head over to Rue Saint Honore. The street has all of the flagship stores that you wish to window-shop in or actually buy the luxury bag you’ve been saving up on for so long. Nestled in the center of historic Paris, the stretch combines majestic architecture with luxury goods craftsmanship in upscale boutiques. It is the heart of French haute couture with the biggest stores in the world like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Longhchamp.
While Rue Saint Honore is a luxury shoppers' paradise, it actually has quite an illustrious history. Both Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were imprisoned in Rue Saint Honore before the French Revolution and this is also where Marie-Antoinette was carted along before her public execution.
The two-kilometer Rue Saint Honore is near Rue de Rivoli, where you can find The Louvre.
Place de la Concorde
The concept of plazas is common in Europe because this is where the people congregate for important events that eventually had significant contributions to history. Place de la Concorde, for instance, was built to glorify King Louis XV but ironically became the place where he was executed during the French Revolution.
Considered one of the major public squares in Europe, Place de la Concorde is situated at the end of Champ-Elysees. After all the executions of the French Revolution, architect Jacques-Ignace Hittorf redesigned the square. Today, the plaza is known for the Luxor Obelisk, luxury hotels and two monumental fountains.
Place de la Concorde is located between Tuileries Garden and Champs-Elysees. You don’t need any tickets to visit the historical site and you will also pass by the place if you do your Seine River cruise.
Arc de Triomphe
At the entryway to Champ-Elysees and at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle stands the Arc de Triomphe. The monument, placed at the center of the major roundabout in Paris, serves as the gateway to the city. The arc took a long time to be completed under several regimes but was eventually dedicated to the Armies of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The Arc de Triomphe also houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Arc de Triomphe is at Place Charles de Gaulle. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. To access the whole monument and the summit, you need a ticket costing 13 euros (P800). The best photos of the arc can be taken directly on the strip right in front of the arc, just be mindful of the cars.
Opera Palais Garnier
Opera Palais Garnier might seem familiar to you as this is where Emily attends a showing of Swan Lake in Emily in Paris. With more than 350 years' worth of history, the opera is known for its quality programming and its unique architecture. The theatre offers rich ballet, opera, and concert performances throughout the year with the goal of making operatic heritage available to many people.
Opera Palais Garnier is at Place de l’Opera. Evening performances usually start at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2:30 p.m. It is highly recommended that you arrive at least 45 minutes before the show begins because the auditorium doors are closed as soon as the curtain rises. Ticket prices range from 15 euros to 220 euros (P1,000 pesos to 1P3,500) with the Optima category having the best seats. The entrance ticket includes access to some parts of the place including the Opera’s Library-Museum and the Grand Foyer. Proper attire is required.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
The largest department store chain in all of Paris today, Galeries Lafayette, had humble beginnings. It was started off by cousins from Alsace, Theophile Bader, and Alphonse Kahn, in a 70 square-meter space on the corner of Rue Lafayette and Rue de la Chaussee d’Antin. The vision of Bader was to create a "luxury bazaar" and provide the perfect luxury-brand assortment to wow the shoppers. Living up to the vision of serving up fashion innovation and with the perfect location near the Opera and the Grands Boulevards, the department store chain became the second top tourist attraction next to the Eiffel Tower. Even after five generations, the group remains to be a family business.
The group also hosts events featuring key designers and has a free-entry gallery called Galerie des Galeries. As a bonus to all of the satisfaction you get from endless shopping, the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann branch can give you a spectacular panoramic view of Paris for free. Just head to the eighth-floor terrace of the building and you will see all the important places —from Eiffel Tower, Opera Garnier, Sacre Coeur to Notre Dame.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is at 40 Boulevard Haussmann. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sacre Coeur Basilica
The Sacre Coeur Basilica was born out of a national vow to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus after France lost in a war against Germany. Because the French believed that this misfortune had a spiritual rather than political cause, they constructed the basilica as a sign of penitence, trust, hope, and faith.
Constructed by architect Paul Abadie, Sacre Coeur was inaugurated in 1891 by Cardinal Richard and consecrated in 1919. The architectural style was inspired by Romanesque and Byzantine architecture. The basilica has a form of a Greek cross with four domes with the mosaic on its ceiling representing the sacred heart of Jesus. If you watched Emily in Paris, you will easily remember the church as one of the prospective proposal places they surveyed. From the church, you can also see a breathtaking view of Paris.
Sacre Coeur is at at 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre. It is open daily from ^;30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Palace of Versailles
A symbol of opulence and grandeur, the Palace of Versailles is worth the 30-minute trip to the west of France. It has been listed as a World Heritage and is one of the greatest achievements of French art. Louis XIV transformed his father’s old hunting pavilion into a palace when he installed the Court and government there in 1682.
The over-the-top opulence also had its pitfalls. A defining moment of the French Revolution was when hundreds of starving people stormed the palace to overthrow the government. The royals were forced to flee to Paris and the people were finally able to see the excessive luxuries themselves. Today, the chateau is considered the Museum of History of France. The estate consists of the palace with 2,300, the gardens, the estate of Trianon, and the stables.
Palace of Versailles is at Place d’Armes. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Going with the guided tour is recommended and the total package to the estate costs 39 euros (P2,400).
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