Unlocking the Magic of Paris: A Journey through the City of Love and Lights

Welcome to Paris, a timeless symphony of art, history and romance! This city will blow you away with the majestic Eiffel Tower or with the masterpieces waiting to be seen in the Louvre. Paris is always a good idea as it has an irresistible charm! Join we on my trip to Paris and enjoy the city through my lens!

For your information, all these pictures were taken in April 2024.

Some information about Paris

Paris is the capital of France and is located in the northern part. The city is known as the city of love or the city of light. Paris has around 2.1 million inhabitants, which makes it the most populous city in France. The most famous landmark in Paris is the Eiffel tower and the Louvre, but there are many more things to discover in the city.

How to get to Paris

Paris is located in western central Europe and borders Germany, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Italy and Switzerland. The United Kingdom is a sea border. As it’s pretty central in Europe and is a heavily visited capital, the city is quite easy to visit.

The roads in France are pretty good and well marked, so you can also visit Paris by car. Just know that visiting a city by car can be expensive for parking. You can also reach the city center by train as there is a station! The last option would be with a bus.

1 | With public transportation

The train system is good equipped and is the most enjoyable way to travel around France! No matter the destination in the country, you will be there in no time!

Other public transportations you can take around France are buses and metros, and are mostly used in the city center.

So, traveling with public transportation can be easily done from anywhere in France, but know that it will take more time. The best is to look it up online before going to the city. Find more information about the train here and the bus here.

If you travel from outside of Paris, you can take the train or the bus. For the train, it’s best to go with the Eurostar. If you want to come with the bus, Flixbus would be the best option.

2 | By car

Paris can also be reached by car, but the parking around the city can be quite expensive. Also, know that Paris has environmental zone for cars and that you need a ecological sticker called Crit’Air on display.

Paris itinerary

Paris itinerary: Day 1

1 | Get a beautiful view at the Eiffel Tower

Everyone knows the Eiffel Tower in Paris as it’s one of the best-known and most visited sights in France. You can’t come to Paris and not seen or visit the Eiffel Tower!

There are a few gradations to visit the Eiffel Tower itself as there are different floors. There are three of them which you can explore: first floor, second floor and the top. The first floor is to learn more about the history as it’s full of museum installations. Here, you’ll also find a brasserie restaurant to fill your hunger. On the second floor, you’ll find a macaron bar, a buffet, shops, and a kiosk. Lastly, on the upper level, there is a Michelin restaurant, called Le Jules Verne, which is only accessible with reservations.

The price differs depending on which level you want to reach and if you take the stairs or the lift. You’ll find more information on the official website. The tower is open from 9.30 AM till 12 PM everyday. It’s best to reserve your ticket beforehand.

2 | Score some beautiful pictures around the Eiffel Tower

Around the streets of Paris are a few spots to take beautiful pictures of the Eiffel Tower. That’s why it’s so much fun wandering around and seeing the tower from different angles. You can find more information about the different picture spots in my other blog post!

You might also like: Best Picture Spots Around The Eiffel Tower

3 | Watch the sunset at the top of the Arc de Triomphe

End the day for a beautiful sunset at the Arc de Triomphe, where you’ll get the best view of the city and the Eiffel Tower! This monument is located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées and is a memorial for those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution.

The Arc de Triomphe is open from the first of April till 30 September from 10 AM to 11 PM and from the first of October till 31 March from 10 AM to 10.30 PM. Note that the last admission is 45 minutes before closing time. The price for an adult is €16 per person. You can also visit this monument for free if your under 18 years old or between 18 and 25 and a part of the European Union.

Paris itinerary: Day 2

4 | Visit Hôtel des Invalides

The Hôtel des Invalides is a complex building with different museums, monuments, a hospital and a Old Soldiers retirement home, which was the original purpose of the building. Everything inside is relating to the military history of France. The tomb of Napoleon is also located in the Dôme des Invalides, which is the tallest church building in Paris.

The Hôtel des Invalides is open every day from 10 AM till 6 PM, and is closed on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th. Every first friday of the month, it’s open till 10 PM. The price for an adult is €15 per person. You can also visit this monument for free if your under 18 years old or between 18 and 25 and a part of the European Union.

You might also like: Learning about Waterloo’s Lion’s Mound

5 | Wander around Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg is the perfect garden to wander around when coming from the Hôtel des Invalides and going to the Pantheon. The garden itself is owned by the French Senate, but was originally created by Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, in 1612.

6 | Take a look at the Panthéon

The Pantéon is a monument that was built between 1758 and 1790 in command of King Louis XV of France. He intended it as a church dedicated to Paris’s patron saint, Saint Genevieve. After it was completed, the French Revolution started and the church was used as a mausoleum for the remains of French citizens. This was finalised into a mausoleum in 1881.

The Panthéon is open from the first of April till 30 September from 10 AM to 6.30 PM and from the first of October till 31 March from 10 AM to 6 PM. It’s closed on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th. Note that the last admission is 45 minutes before closing time. The price for an adult is €13 per person. You can also visit this monument for free if your under 18 years old or between 18 and 25 and a part of the European Union.

7 | Take a quick look at the Notre-Dame

The Notre-Dame de Paris is a medieval Catholic cathedral, built between 1163 and 1260. During the French Revolution in the 1790s, the cathedral suffered great damage, where a lot of religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. The church became famous because of Victor Hugo’s novel ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’.

The church came onto the news on 15 April 2019 as it caught fire while undergoing renovation and restoration. It caught a lot of damage and took 5 years to complete the restorations as it’s expected to reopen on 8 December 2024.

8 | Indulge in culture at the Grande Mosquée de Paris

If you want to indulge into a different culture, make sure to make a short stop at the Grand Mosqueé of Paris. It’s one of the largest mosques in France and has prayer rooms, an outdoor garden, a small library which you can visit, and a gift shop. It plays an important role to promote the visibility of the Islam and Muslims.

The mosque is open everyday, except Friday, from 9AM till 6PM. It costs €3 for an adult to enter. There is also a reduced price, which is €2, for students or big groups of 10 or more.

Paris itinerary: Day 3

9 | Make a quick picture at Domaine National du Palais-Royal

Before going to the Louvre, make a quick stop at the Palais-Royal as it’s closely located next to each other. It was built for Cardinal Richelieu in 1639 as a former French royal palace. Now, it serves as the seat of the Ministry of Culture, the Conseil d’État and the Constitutional Council. The garden itself is open for the public and serves as the perfect place to take some pictures!

10 | Wander around the Louvre

Now it’s time for one of the most famous attractions in whole Paris, which is the Louvre! Be prepared to walk around a lot as it’s one of the biggest museums I’ve ever been to. The Louvre is actually a national art museum and has some of the most famous works of art, like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

The Louvre is originally built in the late 12th century as a castle to reinforce the city wall. These remains are still visible in the basement of the Louvre. After it lost its defensive function, it became a residence for the French kings. In 1682, the king at the time, Louis XIV, decided to leave the Louvre as a display of the royal collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. The Louvre became an academy for over 100 years, but after the French Revolution, the museum became what it is today.

The Louvre is open on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM and on Friday from 9 AM to 9.45 PM. It’s closed on every Tuesday and on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th. Note that the last admission is 1 hour before closing time. The price for an adult is €22 per person. You can also visit this monument for free if your under 18 years old or between 18 and 25 and a part of the European Union.

11 | End your day at the Tuileries Garden

End your day with a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens, right next to the Louvre. This garden was created by Catherine de’ Medici in 1564 and became open to public in 1667. Since then, it’s a meeting place for tourists but Parisians as well.

Paris itinerary: Day 4

12 | Wander around Montmartre

Start your day wandering around the Montmartre, which is a large hill in the northern part of the city. This region is mostly known for the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, the artistic history and its nightlife. It’s really a beautiful place to wander around!

13 | Visit The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris

While wandering around Montmartre, you should definitely make a stop at the Basilica de Sacré Coeur. This is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It’s located at the top of the hill of Montmartre and overlooks the whole city of Paris, so is a very good place as a viewpoint.

The Sacre Coeur is open everyday from 6.30 AM to 10.30 PM. It’s closed on major religious holidays. Note that the last admission is 1 hour before closing time. It costs €7 to climb up the dome, enjoying the view is free!

14 | Go see the Moulin Rouge

Everyone knows the Moulin Rouge as the cabaret in Paris! Southwest of Montmartre is the Moulin Rouge located and was originally from 1889, but was destroyed by a fire in 1915. As of today, you can still visit the Moulin Rouge as a tourist attraction, offering musical dance entertainment.

15 | Go shopping at the Galerie Lafayette

There hasn’t been any shopping in this itinerary, so we’ll change that now! The Galeries Lafayette is perfect for that as it’s the biggest department store in Europe. It includes lots of different stores, differing in price category, but also restaurants, bars, events like fashion shows and many more.

16 | Lastly, visit Centre Pompidou

Lastly on this itinerary is a stop at the Centre Pompidou. This is a complex building dedicated to modern art and music. The outside is designed in the style of high-tech architecture.

Centre Pompidou is open everyday, except on Tuesdays, from 11 AM to 9 PM. It’s closed on the first of May. Note that the last admission is 1 hour before closing time. It costs €15 for an adult to enter the Centre Pompidou.

Hopefully, I got to inspire you to visit this city in France. I atleast had a very great time exploring a part of my neighbouring country!

With lots of love,
Ellen

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Travel blogger

Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!

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