1. Eiffel Tower
Paris's best-known landmark. Go up for the view across the whole city, by stairs to the second floor or by lift to the top.
- Area
- Champ de Mars, 7th arrondissement
- Hours
- 9:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m. daily; summit access can be suspended in bad weather
- Price
- €14.80 (2nd floor by stairs), €23.50 (2nd floor by lift), €28.00 (summit, stairs + lift), €36.70 (summit by lift) for adults · book ahead
- Getting there
- RER C Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel (5-minute walk); Métro 6 Bir-Hakeim (11 min) or Métro 8 École Militaire (16 min)
- Tip
- June to September, school holidays and public holidays are the busiest times. Allow 15–20 minutes for security, carry ID that matches your e-ticket, and don't bring large bags because there's no luggage storage.
2. Louvre Museum
One of the world's largest art museums, home to the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, in a former royal palace beside the Tuileries Garden.
- Area
- 1st arrondissement
- Hours
- 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Mon., Thurs., Sat., Sun.; 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Wed. and Fri.; closed Tuesdays, Jan. 1, May 1 and Dec. 25. Last entry 1 hour before closing
- Price
- €32 for non-EEA visitors (Canadians); free under 18 · book ahead
- Getting there
- Métro lines 1 and 7, Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre
- Tip
- Book a time slot even if you have a Paris Museum Pass. The Wednesday and Friday late openings are quieter, and once you exit you can't go back in.
3. Notre-Dame de Paris
The Gothic cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, with its restored interior and stonework.
- Area
- Île de la Cité, 4th arrondissement
- Hours
- Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 7:50 a.m.–7:00 p.m.; Thurs. 7:50 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Sat.–Sun. 8:15 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
- Price
- Cathedral free; treasury €12; towers €16
- Getting there
- RER B Saint-Michel Notre-Dame or Métro 4 Cité (the same stations serve nearby Sainte-Chapelle)
- Tip
- You don't need to book the cathedral, but a free online time slot can shorten the wait. The towers must be booked ahead, and suitcases aren't allowed inside.
4. Sainte-Chapelle
A 13th-century royal chapel with 1,113 stained-glass panels. It's a short walk from Notre-Dame.
- Area
- Île de la Cité, 1st arrondissement
- Hours
- 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (Apr. 1–Sept. 30); 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Oct. 1–Mar. 31)
- Price
- €13; €20 combined with the Conciergerie; free under 18
- Getting there
- Métro 4 Cité, Métro 7 Châtelet or RER B Saint-Michel Notre-Dame
- Tip
- Go on a bright day; the stained glass is at its best in strong daylight.
5. Musée d'Orsay
Impressionist and post-impressionist art (Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and others) in a converted Beaux-Arts railway station on the Seine.
- Area
- Left Bank, 7th arrondissement
- Hours
- Tues.–Sun. 9:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (last entry 5 p.m.); Thursdays until 9:45 p.m.; closed Mondays, May 1 and Dec. 25
- Price
- €16 online / €14 at the museum; €12 online for Thursday evening entry from 6 p.m. · book ahead
- Getting there
- RER C Musée d'Orsay or Métro 12 Solférino
- Tip
- Timed-ticket holders use a faster entrance, so book online. On the free first Sunday of the month, a reservation is mandatory.
6. Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur
A hilltop village of steep lanes topped by a white basilica, with one of the best free views over Paris.
- Area
- Montmartre, 18th arrondissement
- Hours
- Basilica 6:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m. daily (last entry 10:15 p.m.); dome 9:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. (June–Sept.), 9:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (Mar.–Apr.), 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (Nov.–Feb.)
- Price
- Basilica free; dome and crypt paid (price not verified)
- Getting there
- Métro 12 Lamarck-Caulaincourt; buses 80 and 85
- Tip
- Go early in the morning, before the tour groups. The basilica offers a free downloadable audioguide.
7. Grande Mosquée de Paris
Paris's main mosque, which turns 100 in 2026, with a 33-metre minaret, Andalusian-style gardens and tilework. There's a tea room and restaurant beside it.
- Area
- Latin Quarter, 5th arrondissement
- Hours
- 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. daily except Fridays and Muslim holidays
- Price
- €5 (reduced €3)
- Getting there
- Métro 7 Place Monge; buses 67 and 89 (Buffon – La Mosquée)
- Tip
- Don't plan it for a Friday. Stay for mint tea in the tea room, which is open from noon until midnight.
- Muslim-friendly
- The prayer hall is reserved for worship and isn't part of the visitor tour; Muslim travellers can use it to pray. On-site restaurant (lunch and dinner) and tea room.
8. Palace of Versailles day trip
Louis XIV's palace, with the Hall of Mirrors, the State Apartments, formal gardens and the Trianon estate. It takes a full day.
- Area
- Versailles (Yvelines)
- Hours
- Palace 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Trianon from 12:00 p.m.; gardens 7:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; palace closed Mondays, Dec. 25, Jan. 1 and May 1
- Price
- Passport ticket €35 (Apr. 1–Oct. 31) or €25 (Nov. 1–Mar. 31); late-entry Passport €28/€18 · book ahead
- Getting there
- RER C to Versailles Château – Rive Gauche, then a 10-minute walk; or SNCF trains from Montparnasse (Versailles Chantiers) or Saint-Lazare (Versailles Rive Droite)
- Tip
- Only the palace needs a timed booking, so book your slot and spend the rest of the day in the gardens and Trianon. Suitcases and umbrellas aren't allowed in the palace rooms. Take the train: the A13 motorway towards Versailles is closed from Nov. 16, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2027.
Hours and prices were checked October 1, 2026 on the sources below and can change. Tour links search GetYourGuide and Klook; some earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
