|
Paris Maps & Attractions Guide
Paris maps & Attractions - Things to do
in Paris
|
!
Search & Compare Cheap Paris Hotels, Holidays
& Deals
|
|
?
More Information & Other Links
|
This map is interactive: Click and drag to view the map of Paris.
Zoom in using the controls provided.
Paris
Attractions - Things to do
1. Eiffel Tower
Champ de Mars 7
www.tour-eiffel.fr |
What is it? Gustave Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel
Tower (Tour Eiffel) could never have guessed that it would become
Paris's signature sight and attract more than six million visitors
a year. It was built as a temporary structure to commemorate the
centenary of the French Revolution and was opened by the Prince of
Wales, later King Edward VII of England. It was considered an
eyesore by many and there were petitions to have it pulled down. It
was saved only because it had become an important antenna for
telegraphy. It towers 984ft (300m) above the Champ de Mars and
until 1930 was the world's tallest building. The highest of its
three levels offers a wonderful panoramic view over
Paris.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9.30am to midnight (16 June to 2 September);
closing at 11pm (1 January to 15 June and 3 September to 31
December)
Phone:(01) 4411 2323 (recorded information) |
2. Notre-Dame
6 Place du Parvis de Notre-Dame
www.cathedraledeparis.com |
What is it? Notre-Dame looms large over the Place de
Parvis, on the Isle de la Cité, and is the most enduring symbol of
Paris. Built between 1163 and 1345 the Cathedral is considered one
of the of the world's Gothic masterpieces. The massive interior can
seat 6,000 and it is dominated by three spectacular and enormous
rose windows and a vast 7,800-pipe organ. The 387-step climb to the
top of the towers is worth the effort for the panoramic view of the
city and the close-up views of the famous gargoyles. The tower also
holds the great bell that was rung by Quasimodo, the fictional
hunchback. Opposite the North door is a museum that displays the
Cathedral's history, while under the square in front of the
Cathedral is the crypt that houses Notre-Dame's archaeological
museum.
Hours of Operation: Daily between 7.45am and 6.45pm, except during Sunday
services which commence at 8.30am, 10am, 11.30am, 12.45pm and
6.30pm. The towers open daily 10am to 6pm, except on Mondays. The
Crypt opens between 10am and 6pm (closed on Mondays). The museum is
open on Wednesday and weekends 2.30pm to 6pm
Phone:(01) 4234 5610 |
3. Louvre
Cour Napoléon, 1. Reception area is under the giant glass
pyramid
www.louvre.fr |
What is it? One of the world's great art museums, this
vast edifice houses an extraordinary collection of paintings,
sculptures and antiquities from all over the world. The Louvre was
opened to the public in 1793, soon after the Revolution, to display
the spectacular treasures looted from the royal palaces. The
best-known attraction is Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic Mona Lisa,
which is protected by bullet-proof glass within its own room. The
permanent collections are divided into Egyptian, Greek, Roman and
Asian antiquities, painting, drawings, sculpture and objects d'art.
Don't even attempt to see it all in one
day.
Hours of Operation: 9am to 6pm (until 9.45pm on Mondays and Wednesdays,
except on public holidays); closed Tuesdays. Opening hours for
temporary exhibitions vary
Phone:(01) 4020 5317 (information desk); 4020 5151 (recorded
information); 4020 5050 (ticket sales) |
4. Pompidou Centre
Place Georges Pompidou, entrance by the plaza in Rue
Saint-Martin
www.centrepompidou.fr |
What is it? Built in the 1970s and named after former
French president Georges Pompidou, the futuristic Pompidou Centre
is now considered part of the Parisian landscape. The outrageous
design, complete with its glass elevators, was the inspiration for
the Lloyds Building in London and attracts visitors by the million;
it is the city's most popular attraction by far. The building
houses the Musée National d'Art Modern (MNAM), which displays a
vast collection of 20th-century art from Fauvism and Cubism to
Abstract and Absurd and its numerous cinemas and theatres have
regular musical and dance performances. The square to the West of
the building attracts a varied assortment of street
performers.
Hours of Operation: The centre is open daily except Tuesdays from 11am to
10pm. MNAM: Wednesday to Monday 11am to 9pm
Phone:(01) 4478 1233 |
5. Musée d'Orsay
Entrances on Rue de la Légion d'Honneur and Rue de
Bellechasse
www.musee-orsay.fr |
What is it? This great museum is fairly new by Paris
standards. It is situated in a railway station by the Seine and
houses a vast collection of works from the significant 1848 to 1914
period. There are important works from the Art-Nouveau movement but
the Orsay is best known for its Impressionist and
Post-Impressionist art. The collection is arranged chronologically
and contains highly regarded works by Monet, Manet and Courbet.
Also on permanent display is the famous painting by Gustave Doré
entitled L'énigme and Henri Chapu's marble
statue of Joan of Arc in
Domrémy.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 6pm, with late closing on
Thursdays at 9.45pm; closed Mondays
Phone:(01) 4049 4814, or 4549 1111 (recorded
information) |
6. Musée Rodin
77 Rue de Varenne
www.musee-rodin.fr |
What is it? The Rodin Museum is situated near the Musée
d'Orsay and is housed in what was once the Hôtel Biron, the
beautiful hotel where Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) once lived and
worked. Inside are many of Rodin's great marble sculptures
including The Kiss and The Hand of
God while outside, in the garden, are famous bronzes
including The Thinker. The museum also includes
many works by Camille Claudel, Rodin's pupil and mistress, and
paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet and Rodin
himself.
Hours of Operation: 9.30am to 5.45pm (garden till 6.45pm) from April to
September; 9.30am to 4.45pm (garden till 5pm) from October to May.
Closed Mondays
Phone:(01) 4418 6110 |
7. Musée National Picasso
Hôtel Salé, 5 Rue de Thorigny
|
What is it? The Picasso Museum is situated in a
17th-century mansion in the heart of Paris. The collection was
started in 1973, after the French government accepted Picasso's own
collection in lieu of death duties, and was added to after his
widow's death in 1990. All the phases of work from the Paris-based
artist are represented including his paintings, drawings, ceramics,
sculptures and even poetry. Memorable works include the
self-portrait Paolo as Harlequin and
Nude in an Armchair. Most of Picasso's great
paintings however are owned by and housed in foreign museums or are
in the hands of private collectors.
Hours of Operation: 9.30am to 6pm (April to September); 9.30am to 5.30pm
(October to March). Closed Tuesdays
Phone:(01) 4271 2521 |
8. Versailles
www.chateauversailles.fr |
What is it? The Château de Versailles stands 15 miles
(24km) southwest of Paris and is one of France's noted attractions.
Most of the palace was built between 1664 and 1715 by Louis XIV
(known as the Sun King), who turned his father's hunting lodge into
the grandest palace ever built. The 'Old Château' still exists but
is enveloped by the vast white stone façade of the New Château.
This lavish statement of monarchical power was to become a symbol
of the excess that would lead to the revolution of 1789. Perhaps
the most famous room in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors (Galerie
des Glaces) where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, signifying
the end of the Great War. Within the palace visitors can also see
the former Royal bedchambers, the grand staircase and other
staterooms, and within the vast landscaped park and gardens are
many wonderfully ornate fountains and ponds. There is a small train
that ferries visitors from the palace to the Grand Trianon and
Petit Trianon, former love nests where both the Sun King and
Napoleon enjoyed the company of their
mistresses.
Hours of Operation: 9am - 6.30pm (4 July to 31 October); 9am - 5.30pm (1
November to 31 March). Closed Mondays
Phone:(01) 3083 7800 |
9. Fontainebleau
4 Rue Royale
www.fontainebleau.fr |
What is it? In the 16th century, Henry II and Catherine
de Medici commissioned architects Philibert Delorme and Jean
Bullant to build a new palace here within the Fontainebleau forest
40 miles (64km) south of Paris. Italian Mannerist artists Rosso
Fiorentino and Primaticcio came to assist in the interior
decoration, helping to found the School of Fontainebleau. Visitors
will see the long Gallery of François I, which the artists adorned
with scenes like The Rape of Europa and the
monarch holding a pomegranate, a symbol of unity, as well as the
richly adorned Louis XV Staircase and the Ballroom with its
monumental fireplace and frescoes. The palace was a refuge for
French monarchs from the days of the Renaissance; they valued it
because of its distance from the slums of Paris and for the rich
hunting grounds that surrounded it. Many important events have
occurred here, perhaps none more memorable than when Napoleon stood
on the grand steps in front of the palace and bade farewell to his
shattered army before departing for Elba. Compared to the glories
of Versailles, however, Fontainebleau can be a bit of an
anticlimax; it is best to see it before
Versailles.
Hours of Operation: Daily except Tuesdays 9.30am to 6pm (until 5pm from
October to May)
Phone:(0)1 6074 9999 |
Paris Holidays guide
|
Transport -Paris has an excellent public transport
system.
More information at the |
|
|
! Bookmark
Page
| Travel Alerts FREE newsletter - cheap flight alerts + more!
Subscribe now. |
|
