Paris! Four Not to Miss Iconic Sites
It’s called the city of lights for a reason, as nothing shines like Paris at night. However, there is so much to see walking through the city during the day as well. This post highlights four key sites: The Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, the Pantheon and The Eiffel Tower (and you don’t even have to climb it!)
As a bonus, we visited these sites exactly 2 months before the Paris Olympics so we were witness to the preparation.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris's most iconic landmarks, commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. Designed by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin, its construction was completed in 1836 under the reign of King Louis-Philippe.
Walking up to this massive monument was impressive. It stands at 164 feet tall and 145 ft wide, with traffic circling constantly, in this very busy city.
The monument stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, honoring those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It features the names of French victories and generals inscribed on its surfaces.
As of this post, timed tickets are still necessary to climb to the top. Tip: We booked a Sunday at 11:00AM and got there about 10 and got right in. Later there was quite a line.
Ok, so up we went. All 300 steps to the top!
After climbing to the top there is a small museum and gift shop inside. We were eager to see the 360 sweeping views so we climbed a few more stairs a found this. Our first view was of Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Just incredible!
Another shot from the top of the Arch. Since it was a Sunday, many of the streets were closed to cars so people were out enjoying the beautiful day.
Arc de Triomphe selfie with the Eiffel Tower in the background. From this view you really get a good feeling for the layout of this beautiful city.
We Made It Down
The good news is that the stairs are one way up and 300 steps one way down. Whew!
Back on the ground we visited the the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, added in 1920 to commemorate unidentified soldiers who died in World War I, with an eternal flame that burns in their memory.
We can see why the Arc de Triomphe remains a symbol of French national pride and historical significance. We’re glad we spent time and hiked to the top of this interesting monument.
Notre-Dame
Built in the 19th century, the Arc de Triomphe is relatively “new” compared to the 12th century Notre-Dame. This beloved cathedral is a national treasure that stands beautifully along the Seine River. Sadly, in 2019, Notre-Dame suffered a horrific fire that nearly destroyed this UNESCO world heritage site.
During our visit, the massive project of restoration was continuing. The cathedral is projected to reopen in December of 2024.
Even though visitors could not go inside, those managing the restoration did a nice job of telling the story on panels all around the construction site. Great care is going into the materials used, refurbishing what they can and restoring Notre-Dame to it’s full glory.
Much of the work was done, and a lot of the scaffolding came down a few weeks after our visit.
The boat tours along the Seine continue, giving visitors a glimpse of Notre-Dame from the water.
So many historic events have taken place here. These events include the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte and the canonization of Joan of Arc. Notre-Dame is considered one of the premiere works of Gothic architecture, which is why the French are taking such amazing care in the restoration of this masterpiece.
It will be exciting to see Notre-Dame when it re-opens and hope to return again to see the full restoration.
It was 1PM so we wandered across the river to the Latin Quarter to find a restaurant for lunch. There were plenty of options of small cafes with outdoor seating. We had a good meal and a bit of wine, at prices much less than you’d find in the US. Tip: Eat lunch sometime before 1:30, for easy sitting. By the time we left the restaurant was packed!
The Pantheon (Yes there’s one in Paris too!)
Since timed tickets are still necessary for many of the most popular attractions in Paris, we found ourselves with one afternoon wide open. After seeing Norte Dame, we looked at our phone maps to figure out where to go next. We saw there was a Pantheon…wait, what? That’s in Rome? Turns out Paris has it’s own version and we found it was worth a short stop on a beautiful afternoon.
Another view of the Eiffel Tower from the entrance to the Pantheon. This didn’t happen by accident. The alignment reflects the deliberate urban planning efforts in Paris, showcasing the grandeur and coherence of the city's architecture. Symbolically, the path represents the connection between France's intellectual and cultural heritage (embodied by the Pantheon) and its engineering prowess and modernity (represented by the Eiffel Tower).
Unlike the Pantheon in Rome (one of our favorite sites in the world) the Parisian Pantheon is not ancient. It is said that the King, at the time, wanted his own version in Paris in the 18th century.
The Pantheon in Paris was originally conceived as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. Commissioned by King Louis XV in 1744, it was designed by the architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot and completed in 1790. The building exemplifies Neoclassical architecture with its imposing dome and classical columns, where it draws it’s inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome. The Pantheon has had many roles throughout the years, not only as a church.
Inside it is much more grand than the Pantheon in Rome. In it’s design as a church, it differed from some of the great Catholic churches of the time. The shape was that of a Greek Cross, with the nave equal distance on either side rather than a longer nave of some of the early Roman churches.
In the center of the building under the great dome, sits Foucault’s Pendulum. It was installed in 1851 by the French physicist Léon Foucault. It provides a demonstration of the Earth's rotation. This underscores the Pantheon's role not just as a cultural and historical monument, but also as a site of scientific inquiry and education.
The impressive "La Convention Nationale," sculpture represents the French Revolution and its leaders. This was added in th 1920’s.
Finally, under the Pantheon, lie a great number of crypts. (for some reason I took almost no pictures, but it was fascinating) This again, was interesting in the many roles the Pantheon has played. Two of the most famous crypts were of Marie Currie and Victor Hugo.
To make the stop even more interesting, an audio tour is provided, which gives all the great historical facts about the Pantheon in Paris!
The Eiffel Tower
As of this post, the wait times for the Eiffel Tower are long, even with timed tickets. So, we opted to enjoy our views from the ground and from other vantage points around the city. We were quite happy with all our perspectives of this iconic Parisian landmark.
Against, the bright blue skies of the day, standing below the Eiffel Tower was stunning. This day was exactly 60 days before the Olympics so much of the area around the tower was fenced off. One of the events that will be played right in front of the Eiffel tower is beach volleyball.
Front of the tower shot. The Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889 as Paris hosted the World’s Fair. This also marked the 100th anniversary of the end of the French Revolution. It was named for Gustave Eiffel, who’s company engineered the almost 1,000 foot structure.
Tip: Find someone trying to take a selfie and offer to trade picture taking.
See it from all angles. The Eiffel Tower sits along the Seine. Unlike any other Olympics in history, the parade of athletes for the opening ceremonies will take place in boats along the Seine. What a place to view it from!
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be torn down 20 years after it’s construction? Thankfully it remained and now is one of the most visited sites in the world.
Tip: There are photographers posted all around offering to take your photo. We came across a couple who looked fairly professional offering 5 digital photos, in a good location, complete with a balloon bouquet prop, and said, why not? Turns out it was the best 20 euros we spent on the trip.
The Eiffel Tower is a beacon of light at night. From many spots in the city, you can see it as it lights up every hour.
One recommendation we share (that we missed) is to take a boat ride on the Seine at night to get a great view. Many companies offer dinner cruises too.
The Eiffel Tower at Night from High Above
While we missed the boat cruise we did have dinner high above the city where we witnessed the grandeur of Paris and the Eiffel Tower at night. Sadly the view was the best part of the meal, as a highly recommended restaurant was very disappointing.
Paris is such an exciting city, with so much to see and do. We hope our experiences at the Arc de Triumph, Notre-Dame, The Pantheon and seeing the Eiffel Tower from many vantage points, inspires you!
