Paris, France. The city of love. Extremely popular tourist destination. Have I been? You bet your bottom dollar I have. It was one of the best experiences of my life. If you're thinking about studying abroad in Paris, I highly recommend it. Not only is it a beautiful city, but there are countless things to do in your free time and on weekends. You'd never get bored in Paris. But with the many attractions, it's hard to pick which ones to see first. That's where I come in. I've compiled a list of the top 6 attractions in Paris that are a must see. Now, I'm normally not one to do a listicle, but I love Paris. And the best way to show the best attractions in Paris is with a listicle. So, here we go!
6. Montparnasse Tower
View from Montparnasse Tower
by Elle Johnson
Most of you have probably never even heard of Montparnasse Tower. With the Eiffel Tower in Paris, other towers don't really compare. The tower itself is just a a tall building, there is nothing special about it except the views from it. From Montparnasse Tower, you can get incredible views of the whole city of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the views. That's one perk of this tower compared to the Eiffel Tower, which is a great reason alone to visit it. Not only that, but you can go on the roof of the building! There is a bar and chairs to sit and enjoy the view. You could just sit for hours up there. Pictures like the one above only come from Montparnasse Tower.
5. The Seine River
The Seine River
by Elle Johnson
"Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain, our last summer, memories that remain..."
Mamma Mia is one of my favorite movies of all time, so it is only fitting that I put in a quote from the song "Our Last Summer" to go along with the Seine River. If you've never seen Mamma Mia, I highly recommend watching it. But, back to the point: the Seine River. When comparing it to two other famous rivers, the Tiber in Rome and the Thames in London, this one is far superior. The water is clearer and more beautiful, which makes for better pictures. One of the great parts of it is that it's free! Just enjoy a nice sunny afternoon in Paris and walk along the Seine River. You'll come across all sorts of cute shops and restaurants and beautiful views. One of the great things about the Seine, is that every picture you take of it is different. You never get the same view once. Believe me, I have dozens of pictures of it and each one is unique and beautiful in its own way.
4. Luxembourg Garden
Luxembourg Gardens
by Elle Johnson
Located right outside of the Luxembourg Palace is the beautiful Luxembourg Garden. Full of foliage, ponds and statues, you could spend a couple hours walking around this garden. Filled with plenty of chairs and tables, many people bring their lunch here to eat, or spend a quiet afternoon reading a book in the shade. Many vendors set up small tables where you can buy ice cream shaved to look like a rose, or rent a small "toy" boat to have races with in one of the many ponds in the garden. If you're looking for lovely scenery to take a picture with friends, Luxembourg Garden is the place. And did I mention, Luxembourg Gardens is free just like the Seine River? It's one of the top attractions and it's free, what could get better than that?
3. Notre-Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame Cathedral
by Elle Johnson
The Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of the most well known cathedrals in France, and no doubt it is already on your list to visit. Now, you have even more of a reason to visit it. Located right along the Seine River, the Notre-Dame Cathedral is the prime example of a Gothic church. You can get breathtaking photos of it from every angle. While the line to enter the cathedral may be very long, it is well worth the wait to see the inside. Also, much like previous items on this listicle, it's free to enter. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is also a short walk away from Sainte Chapelle, which isn't on this listicle, but is well worth the visit if you're willing to spend a little money to enter.
2. The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum, Glass Pyramid Entrance
by Elle Johnson
There are multiple entrances to the Louvre Museum, but I highly recommend using the Glass Pyramid one. The Glass Pyramid is so famous, it would be unfortunate to miss it during your trip to the museum. So, what's so great about the Louvre? It's just a museum after all. Okay, many people don't really like museums. But the Louvre is the museum of all museums. It has countless wings of artworks dating back from centuries. From the Mona Lisa to a real mummy, the Louvre has it all. Not only does it house hundreds of artworks, but there is a massive shopping mall on the lower most floor. So, if you're not one for art, you can go shopping instead.
1. The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower
by Elle Johnson
And our number one attraction in Paris to visit is...drum roll please...the Eiffel Tower! No surprise here. You can't have a top 6 attractions list of Paris without the Eiffel Tower being on it. The iconic Eiffel Tower is one of the most well known attractions in all of France. Whether you are planning a trip to France in general, or more specifically Paris, chances are the Eiffel Tower is already on your list to visit. You can take the elevator or the stairs up the tower, and I highly recommend taking the elevator, and once at the top the views are phenomenal. There are multiple restaurants and gift shops inside on the first floor of the tower, which is always a plus. And if you visit the tower at night, it lights up! It can't get much better than that. Needless to say, there is no doubt that you want to visit the Eiffel Tower.
