Paris: museums, monuments and city views

Paris rewards looking at how its landmarks connect. From the Arc de Triomphe, the historic axis runs along the Champs-Élysées towards the Louvre; the Eiffel Tower gives a different perspective on the city. At the Louvre, I. M. Pei's glass Pyramid brings visitors into an underground hall connecting the museum's three wings. Each stop offers a way to understand the city as well as an individual attraction.

Choose your main indoor visit or ascent first, then leave room around its entry time. The Louvre recommends a booked time slot and publishes gallery closures; Eiffel Tower tickets distinguish the second floor from the summit; the Arc's terrace involves a substantial stair climb. The notes below help you compare these experiences. Check the linked operators before travelling for current entrance arrangements, availability and accessibility.

Look across the city

Choose the Eiffel Tower for a close encounter with its iron structure, or the Arc de Triomphe for a rooftop view that includes the tower itself. Compare access requirements before booking an ascent.

landmark

Paris, France

Eiffel Tower

Built for the 1889 Paris Exposition, the Eiffel Tower turned a daring iron-engineering project into a public monument. Its four curved legs and open lattice reveal how the structure works, while experiments and radio transmission helped it outlast its planned term.

landmark

Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe

Commissioned by Napoleon and completed after decades of political change, the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the Champs-Élysées became a stage for Paris and a memorial to France’s unknown dead.

Spend time inside the Louvre

Pick a manageable set of galleries and use the museum map to connect them. Leave time to notice the palace and its modern entrance as well as the works on display.

museum

Paris, France

Louvre Museum

Explore the Louvre as a fortress transformed into a royal palace and public museum. Medieval remains, the Grande Galerie, and I. M. Pei’s pyramid reveal how each era reshaped this Paris landmark.

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