🇫🇷 France · Europe

Top Attractions in Paris

21 ranked places

Discover the 21 must-visit attractions in Paris, ranked by popularity — from Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, and Notre-Dame Cathedral and beyond. Each entry includes ratings, ticket prices, typical visit durations, and expert tips. Eiffel Tower stands out as the highest-rated, with 200,000 visitor reviews.

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#1 CC Image By Benutzer:BigBartimäus

Eiffel Tower

Tour Eiffel

⭐ 4.7 (200,000 reviews)

⏱ ~150 min 🗓 Early morning or after dark

It's a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Constructed from 1887 to 1889 as the …

Tips

· Book tickets online weeks in advance — same-day tickets sell out fast
· Visit after dark to see the nightly light show (first 5 min of each hour)
· Taking the stairs to level 2 is cheaper and avoids long lift queues

#2 CC Image By Benh LIEU SONG

Louvre Museum

Musée du Louvre

⭐ 4.7 (180,000 reviews)

⏱ ~210 min 🗓 Wednesday or Friday evening (open until 9:45 pm)

The Louvre or the Louvre Museum, is the world's largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris. A central landmark of the city, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arro …

Tips

· Book tickets online — walk-up queues can be 1–2 hours long
· The museum is enormous; pick 2–3 wings to focus on rather than trying to see everything
· Free entry on the first Friday evening of each month for visitors under 26

#3 CC Image By Peter Haas

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Paris

⭐ 4.7 (150,000 reviews)

⏱ ~60 min 🗓 Early morning on weekdays

Notre-Dame de Paris (meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is consecrated to the Virgin Mary and considered to be one of the f …

Tips

· Reopened in December 2024 after restoration — book a free timed entry slot in advance
· The Treasury requires a separate paid ticket
· Visit at different times of day to see the rose windows in varying light

#4 CC Image By Daniel Vorndran

Orsay Museum

Musée d'Orsay

⭐ 4.7 (90,000 reviews)

⏱ ~150 min 🗓 Thursday evening (open until 9:45 pm)

The Musée d'Orsay is a museum on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art datin …

Tips

· Book online to skip the entrance queue
· Don't miss Van Gogh's self-portraits and Monet's large-scale canvases on the upper floor
· Free entry on the first Sunday of every month

#5 CC Image By Jiuguang Wang

Arc de Triomphe

⭐ 4.7 (100,000 reviews)

⏱ ~60 min 🗓 Sunset for panoramic rooftop views

The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile; literal translation: "Triumphal Arch of the Star" is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre …

Tips

· Climb to the rooftop terrace for one of the best views down the Champs-Élysées toward the Louvre
· Use the underpass — never try to cross the roundabout on foot
· Free for EU residents under 26 and all visitors on the first Sunday of the month (November–March)

#6 CC Image By Josh Hallett

Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

⭐ 4.5 (75,000 reviews)

⏱ ~60 min 🗓 Evening or Christmas season (December)

The avenue runs for 1.91 km (1.19 mi) through the 8th arrondissement in northwestern Paris, from the Place de la Concorde in the east, with the Obelisk of Luxor, to the Place Charles de Gaulle (former …

Tips

· The avenue is best experienced on foot — walk its full 1.9 km length at least once
· Christmas illuminations (November–January) are spectacular
· Window shopping is free; cafés and restaurants are pricey — budget accordingly

#7 CC Image By Michael Wittwer

Montmartre

(metro - driving)

⭐ 4.6 (95,000 reviews)

⏱ ~120 min 🗓 Early morning to beat crowds

This site is served by metro, with line 2 stations at Anvers, Pigalle, and Blanche, and line 12 stations at Pigalle, Abbesses, Lamarck – Caulaincourt, and Jules Joffrin. - Sacré-Coeur Basilica - Place …

Tips

· Visit early morning to experience the neighbourhood before tour groups arrive
· The view from the steps of Sacré-Coeur over Paris is stunning, especially at sunrise
· Explore the side streets of Montmartre village for a quieter, more authentic experience

#8 CC Image By Diliff, edited by Fir0002

Field of Mars

Champ de Mars

⭐ 4.6 (85,000 reviews)

⏱ ~60 min 🗓 Evening for Eiffel Tower light show

The Champ de Mars is a large public green space in Paris, located in the seventh arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the southeast. The park is named a …

Tips

· Arrive at dusk to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at the top of every hour
· Bring a picnic — locals love lounging on the lawns
· Beware of pickpockets and aggressive souvenir sellers around the park

#9 CC Image By Didier B

Sainte-Chapelle

⭐ 4.7 (45,000 reviews)

⏱ ~45 min 🗓 Sunny morning (stained glass at its best)

The Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in th …

Tips

· Visit on a sunny day — the 1,113 stained-glass panels are breathtaking in direct light
· Often combined with a visit to the adjacent Conciergerie (combo ticket available)
· Book tickets in advance to avoid the security queue on busy days

#10 CC Image By Eric Gaba BY-SA 3.0

#10

Les Invalides

⭐ 4.5 (55,000 reviews)

⏱ ~90 min 🗓 Morning on weekdays

Les Invalides, formally the Hôtel national des Invalides (The National Residence of the Invalids), or also as Hôtel des Invalides, is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, contain …

Tips

· Napoleon's tomb under the golden dome is the highlight — don't skip it
· The Army Museum collection is one of the largest in the world
· Free entry for EU residents under 26

#11 CC Image By Andreas V.

#11

Rodin Museum

Musée Rodin

⭐ 4.6 (40,000 reviews)

⏱ ~90 min 🗓 Spring or summer (for the garden)

It's a museum that was opened in 1919, primarily dedicated to the works of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. It has two sites: the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds in central Paris, and just outsi …

Tips

· The sculpture garden is included in the ticket and is as impressive as the interior
· Arrive early — the museum gets busy by mid-morning
· Free entry on the first Sunday of each month

#12 CC Image By Ali Sabbagh

#12

Tuileries Garden

⭐ 4.6 (60,000 reviews)

⏱ ~45 min 🗓 Spring (April–June) when flowers bloom

The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Created by Catherine de' Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palac …

Tips

· Rent a toy sailboat at the central pond — a classic Paris experience
· The garden connects the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, making it a pleasant walking route
· Grab a chair by the fountains for a quintessential Parisian rest stop

#13 CC Image By Hteink

#13

Louvre Pyramid

Pyramide du Louvre

⭐ 4.6 (35,000 reviews)

⏱ ~20 min 🗓 Blue hour (just after sunset)

The Louvre Pyramid is a large glass and metal pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, surrounded by three smaller pyramids, in the main courtyard (Cour Napoléon) of the Louvre Palace …

Tips

· The pyramid is striking at night when illuminated — visit after dark for photos
· The Cour Napoléon is freely accessible even without a museum ticket

#14 CC Image By Carlos Delgado

#14

Alexandre III Bridge

Pont Alexandre III

⭐ 4.7 (30,000 reviews)

⏱ ~20 min 🗓 Golden hour (sunset)

It's a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagan …

Tips

· One of the most photographed bridges in Paris — great for sunrise and sunset shots
· Walk across to enjoy views of the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais simultaneously

#15 CC Image By Homonihilis

#15

Orangerie Museum

Musée de l'Orangerie

⭐ 4.7 (35,000 reviews)

⏱ ~90 min 🗓 Weekday mornings

The Musée de l'Orangerie is an art gallery of impressionist and post impressionist paintings located in the west corner of the Tuileries Gardens next to the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The museum i …

Tips

· Monet's oval Water Lilies rooms are immersive and unlike anything else in Paris
· Smaller and more manageable than the Louvre — ideal if you have limited time
· Free admission on the first Sunday of each month

#16 CC Image By Daniel Vorndran

#16

La Conciergerie

⭐ 4.3 (25,000 reviews)

⏱ ~60 min 🗓 Weekday mornings

The Conciergerie is a building in Paris, located on the west of the Île de la Cité (literally "Island of the City"), formerly a prison but presently used mostly for law courts. It was part of the form …

Tips

· Marie Antoinette's reconstructed cell is the main draw
· Combo ticket with Sainte-Chapelle offers good value
· Audio guide is worth renting for historical context

#17 CC Image By Dietmar Rabich

#17

Pont-Neuf

⭐ 4.5 (20,000 reviews)

⏱ ~20 min 🗓 Any time; lovely at sunset

The Pont Neuf ("New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris. It stands by the western (downstream) point of the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river tha …

Tips

· Walk down to the Square du Vert-Galant at the tip of Île de la Cité for a peaceful riverside break
· The bridge offers lovely views in both directions along the Seine

#18 CC Image CC BY-SA 3.0

#18

Place de la Concorde

⭐ 4.4 (25,000 reviews)

⏱ ~20 min 🗓 Early morning before traffic builds

The Place de la Concorde is one of the major public squares in Paris, France. Measuring 7.6 hectares (19 acres) in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eig …

Tips

· The 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk at the centre is often overlooked — worth reading its hieroglyphics
· Best viewed as part of a walk along the Axe historique from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe

#19 CC Image By wagner51

#19

Madeleine Church

L'église de la Madeleine

⭐ 4.4 (18,000 reviews)

⏱ ~30 min 🗓 Morning

L'église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, less formally, just La Madeleine is a Roman Catholic church that was designed in its present form as a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army. To its south lies the Pl …

Tips

· The exterior columns make it look more like a Greek temple than a church — a striking contrast to Notre-Dame
· Fauchon and Hédiard gourmet food shops are steps away for a post-visit treat

#20 CC Image By sanchezn

#20

Grand Palais

Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées

⭐ 4.5 (22,000 reviews)

⏱ ~90 min 🗓 During a major exhibition

The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées, commonly known as the Grand Palais (English: Great Palace), is a large historic site, exhibition halland museum complex. Construction of the Grand Palais began in …

Tips

· Check the current exhibition calendar before visiting — it hosts world-class temporary shows
· The free Petit Palais across the street is often overlooked and well worth an hour
· The glass and iron nave is spectacular even from outside

#21 CC Image By Remi Mathis

#21

Élysée Palace

Palais de l'Élysée

⭐ 4.2 (8,000 reviews)

⏱ ~15 min 🗓 European Heritage Days (September) for interior access

The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the President of the French Republic. Completed in 1722, it was initially built for Louis Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne. It was used as the office of the F …

Tips

· The palace is closed to the public most of the year — admire the gate from Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
· On European Heritage Days in September the interior is occasionally open to visitors

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