Musée Cernuschi

Paris

　　The recently renovated Cernuschi Museum comprises an excellent and rare collection of ancient Chinese art (funerary statues, bronzes, ceramics), much of which pre-dates the Tang dynasty (618–907), in addition to diverse pieces from Japan. Milan banker and philanthropist Henri Cernuschi (1821–96), who settled in Paris before the unification of Italy,...

Promenade Plantée

Paris

　　The disused 19th-century Vincennes railway viaduct was reborn in 1993 as the world's first elevated park, planted with a fragrant profusion of cherry trees, maples, rose trellises, bamboo corridors and lavender. Three storeys above ground, it provides a unique aerial vantage point on the city. Along the first, northwestern section,...

Musée de la Vie Romantique

Paris

　　Framed by green shutters, this mansion where painter Ary Scheffer once lived sits in a cobbled courtyard at the end of a tree-shaded alley. The objects exhibited create a wonderful flashback to Romantic-era Paris, when George Sand (Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin), Chopin (Sand's lover), Delacroix et al attended salons here....

Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

Paris

　　The permanent collection at Paris' modern-art museum displays works representative of just about every major artistic movement of the 20th and (nascent) 21st centuries, with works by Modigliani, Matisse, Braque and Soutine. The real jewel, though, is the room hung with canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. Look out for cutting-edge...

Cimetière du Montparnasse

Paris

　　This 19-hectare cemetery opened in 1824 and is Paris’ second largest after Père Lachaise. Famous residents include writer Guy de Maupassant, playwright Samuel Beckett, sculptor Constantin Brancusi, photographer Man Ray, industrialist André Citroën, Captain Alfred Dreyfus of the infamous Dreyfus Affair, legendary singer Serge Gainsbourg and philosopher-writers Jean-Paul Sartre and...

Parc de Belleville

Paris

　　Atop a hill 128m above sea level, this lovely park unfolds over 4.5 hectares of urban greenery, with fountains, trimmed hedgerows, a gargantuan slide, a toboggan ride and climbing frame for kids. From the panoramic terrace at the top of the park, on rue Piat, there are fabulous views of...

Parc de la Villette

Paris

　　Spanning 55 hectares, this vast city park is a cultural centre, kids playground and landscaped urban space at the intersection of two canals, the Ourcq and the St-Denis. Its futuristic layout includes the colossal mirror-like sphere of the Géode cinema and the bright-red cubical pavilions known as folies. Among its...

Parc Monceau

Paris

　　Marked by a neoclassical rotunda at its main bd Courcelles entrance, beautiful Parc Monceau sprawls over 8.2 lush hectares. It was laid out by Louis Carrogis Carmontelle in 1778–79 in English style with winding paths, ponds and flower beds. An Egyptian-style pyramid is the only original folly remaining today, but...

Marché Mouffetard

Paris

　　Grocers, butchers, fishmongers and other food purveyors set their goods out on street stalls during this almost-daily market. Many stalls close from lunchtime onwards. ...

Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

Paris

　　Paris' top museum for kids has a host of hands-on exhibits for children aged two and up, the special-effects cinema La Géode, a planetarium and a retired submarine. Various combination tickets can be booked online. Advance reservations are essential for weekend and school-holiday visits, and for the fabulous year-round Cité...

Arènes de Lutèce

Paris

　　The 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre Lutetia Arena once seated 10,000 people for gladiatorial combats and other events. Found by accident in 1869 when rue Monge was under construction, it’s now used by locals playing football and, especially, boules (similar to lawn bowls). Hours can vary. ...

Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé

Paris

　　This striking cinema has a small exhibition devoted to the history of cinema screens silent B&W movies accompanied by a live pianist. The Pathé Foundation is hidden in a former theatre and cinema dating to 1869, but only the façade – sculpted by Rodin – remains. The rest of the...

Le Perchoir

Paris

　　Sunset is the best time to hit this iconic, 7th-floor bar for drinks overlooking Paris' rooftops and – on Saturday night – on-trend DJ sets. Greenery provides shade in summer and in winter the bar is covered by a sail-like canopy and warmed by burning fires in metal drums. Search...

Ducasse sur Seine

Paris

　　Launched by multi-Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, 'floating restaurant' Ducasse sur Seine sails through the city past icons such as the Louvre at lunch and dinner, served at white-clothed tables. 　　The ecofriendly electric boat's motors are silent, allowing you to concentrate on the ultra-refined French cuisine, like chilled blue lobster with...

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Paris

　　No trip to Paris is complete without strolling this broad, tree-shaded avenue lined with luxury shops. Named for the Elysian Fields (‘heaven’ in Greek mythology), the Champs-Élysées was laid out in the 17th century and is part of the axe historique, linking place de la Concorde with the Arc de...

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Paris

　　Opened in 1804, Père Lachaise is the world's most visited cemetery. Its 70,000 ornate tombs of the rich and famous form a verdant, 44-hectare sculpture garden. Highlights include those of 1960s rock star Jim Morrison (division 6) and Oscarbato Wilde (division 89). Pick up a cemetery map (or download digitally...

Jardin des Tuileries

Paris

　　Filled with fountains, ponds and sculptures, the formal 28-hectare Tuileries Garden, which begins just west of the Jardin du Carrousel, was laid out in its present form in 1664 by André Le Nôtre, architect of the gardens at Versailles. The Tuileries soon became the most fashionable spot in Paris for...

Le Pavillon Puebla

Paris

　　The folks running the hugely successful rooftop bar Le Perchoir are also behind this enchanting, self-proclaimed 'temple du bonheur' (temple of happiness), evocative of an old-fashioned guinguette (outdoor tavern/dance venue) in Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Fairy lights illuminate, while Moroccan decor with contemporary furniture gives the interior of the 19th-century...

FluctuArt

Paris

　　Opened in 2019, this hip cultural centre occupying a péniche (barge) off pont des Invalides brought an unexpected dash of coolness to an otherwise institutional neighbourhood. It claims to be the first floating urban art centre in the world and hosts the works and creations of all kinds of emerging...

Le Mary Céleste

Paris

　　Snag a stool at the central circular bar at this eternally fashionable, brick-and-timber-floored cocktail bar or reserve one of a handful of tables online. Innovative cocktails mix weird and wonderful ingredients (curry leaves, green cardamom, dried Iranian lemon, turmeric syrup), often seasonal, and there are lovely natural wines too –...

Grande Arche de la Défense

Paris

　　La Défense’s landmark edifice is the marble Grande Arche, a cube-like arch built in the 1980s to house government and business offices. The arch marks the western end of the axe historique (historic axis), though Danish architect Johan-Otto von Sprekelsen deliberately placed the Grande Arche fractionally out of alignment. A...

Canal St-Martin

Paris

　　The tranquil, 4.5km-long Canal St-Martin was inaugurated in 1825 to provide a shipping link between the Seine and Paris' northeastern suburbs. Emerging from below ground near place de la République, its towpaths take you past locks, bridges and local neighbourhoods. Come for a romantic stroll, cycle, picnic or dusk-time drink....

Le Perchoir Marais

Paris

　　Paris' original rooftop bar, run by the talented mixologists behind Le Perchoir in 11e, is a trendy sky deck languishing atop department store BHV. Seine and city views, with cocktail in hand, are second to none, and in winter a tarpaulin cocoons the shabby-chic ensemble of scrubbed wooden tables and...

Marché des Enfants Rouges

Paris

　　Built in 1615, Paris’ oldest covered market is secreted behind an inconspicuous green metal gate. A glorious maze of 20-odd food stalls selling ready-to-eat dishes from around the globe (Moroccan couscous, Japanese bento boxes and more), as well as produce, cheese and flower stalls, it's a great place to meander...

Cire Trudon

Paris

　　Claude Trudon began selling candles here in 1643, and the company – which officially supplied Versailles and Napoléon with light – is now the world’s oldest candle-maker (look for the plaque to the left of the shop’s royal-blue awning). A rainbow of candles and candlesticks fill the shelves inside. ...

Place de la Concorde

Paris

　　Paris spreads around you, with views of the Eiffel Tower, the Seine and along the Champs-Élysées, when you stand in the city’s largest square. Its 3300-year-old pink granite obelisk was a gift from Egypt in 1831. The square was first laid out in 1755 and originally named after King Louis...

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen

Paris

　　Spanning nine hectares, this vast flea market was founded in 1870 and is said to be Europe’s largest. Over 2000 stalls are grouped into 15 marchés (markets) selling everything from 17th-century furniture to 21st-century clothing. Each market has different opening hours – check the website for details. There are miles...

Chez Alain Miam Miam

Paris

　　Weave your way through the makeshift kitchens inside Marché des Enfants Rouges to find Alain, a retired baker sporting T-shirts with attitude, whose passion, humour and food are legendary. Watch him prepare you a monster sandwich or galette (savoury crêpe) on a sizzling griddle from fresh, organic ingredients – grated...

Galeries Lafayette

Paris

　　Grande-dame department store Galeries Lafayette is spread across the main store (its magnificent neo-byzantine stained-glass dome dates from 1912), its men’s store, and homewares store with gourmet emporium. 　　Catch modern art in the 1st-floor gallery, take in a fashion show, ascend to a free, windswept rooftop panorama or take a...

Sézane

Paris

　　As if fashionistas needed any confirmation that northern Paris' 'nouveau quartier' Clichy-Batignolles is the place to be: iconic fashion brand Sézane has opened its first self-service concept store in a cavernous space overlooking place Prosper-Goubaux. Alongside the season's collection for women, there's the brand's signature knitwear wall, a jewellery bar...

Jardin du Palais Royal

Paris

　　The Jardin du Palais Royal is a perfect spot to sit, contemplate and picnic between boxed hedges, or to shop in the trio of beautiful arcades that frame the garden: the Galerie de Valois (east), Galerie de Montpensier (west) and Galerie Beaujolais (north). However, it's the southern end of the...

Musée de l’Orangerie

Paris

　　Monet’s extraordinary cycle of eight enormous Decorations des Nymphéas (Water Lilies) occupies two huge oval rooms purpose-built in 1927 on the artist's instructions. The lower level houses more of Monet's impressionist works and many by Sisley, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani, as well as Derain’s Arlequin et Pierrot....

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

Paris

　　Begun in 1875 in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War and the chaos of the Paris Commune, Sacré-Cœur is a symbol of the former struggle between the conservative Catholic old guard and the secular, republican radicals. It was finally consecrated in 1919, standing in contrast to the bohemian lifestyle that...

L'Avant-Poste

Paris

　　'Eco-responsible' is the tasty buzzword at the second outpost of Les Résistants, in a former wig shop in the earthy 10e. Fresh, seasonal produce is sourced from artisan producers and the menu changes daily – waste is just not a word here. Tuck into seaweed-spiked beetroot borsch (soup) or Corsican...

Place des Vosges

Paris

　　Inaugurated in 1612 as place Royale and thus Paris' oldest square, place des Vosges is a strikingly elegant ensemble of 36 symmetrical houses with ground-floor arcades, steep slate roofs and large dormer windows arranged around a leafy square with four symmetrical fountains and an 1829 copy of a mounted statue...

Le Très Particulier

Paris

　　The clandestine cocktail bar of boutique Hôtel Particulier Montmartre is an entrancing spot for a summertime alfresco cocktail. Each cocktail (€10 to €16) is inspired by a film and comes with tasting notes. Ring the buzzer at the unmarked black gated entrance and make a beeline for the 1871 mansion's...

Arc de Triomphe

Paris

　　If anything rivals the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris, it’s this magnificent 1836 monument to Napoléon’s victory at Austerlitz (1805), which he commissioned the following year. 　　This intricately sculpted triumphal arch stands sentinel in the center of  the Étoile roundabout - arguably one of Europe’s most chaotic traffic...

Musée Marmottan Monet

Paris

　　This museum showcases the world’s largest collection of works by impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840–1926) – about 100 – as well as paintings by Gauguin, Sisley, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas, Manet and Berthe Morisot. It also contains an important collection of French, English, Italian and Flemish illuminations from the 13th to...

Les Résistants

Paris

　　Natural oak, marble and stone blend seamlessly with a profusion of over-sized wicker lampshades and green foliage at this wildly popular, contemporary restaurant in the increasingly foodie 10e. Fresh seasonal produce used by chef Clément Desbans is responsibly sourced from artisan producers all over France or elsewhere, to magical effect....

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Paris

　　Buttes Chaumont is one of the city’s largest green spaces, with landscaped slopes hiding grottoes, waterfalls, a lake and even an island topped with a temple to Sibylle. Once a gypsum quarry and rubbish dump, it was given its present form by Baron Haussmann in time for the opening of...

Off Paris Seine

Paris

　　Should the idea of being gently rocked to sleep take your fancy, check in to Paris' first floating hotel. The sleek, 80m-long catamaran-design structure moored by Pont Charles de Gaulle sports sun terraces overlooking the Seine, a chic bar with silver beanbags by a 15m-long dipping pool, a lounge and...

Bar Hemingway

Paris

　　Black-and-white photos and memorabilia (hunting trophies, old typewriters and framed handwritten letters by the great writer) fill this snug bar inside the Ritz. Head bartender Colin Peter Field mixes monumental cocktails, including three different Bloody Marys made with juice from freshly squeezed seasonal tomatoes. Legend has it that Hemingway himself,...

Le Printemps

Paris

　　Famous department store Le Printemps encompasses Le Printemps de la Mode, for women’s fashion; Le Printemps de la Beauté et Maison, for beauty and homewares, with a staggering display of perfume, cosmetics and accessories; Le Printemps de l’Homme, for men's fashion; and the gourmet emporium Le Printemps du Goût, with...

Le Grand Rex

Paris

　　Blockbuster screenings and concerts aside, this 1932 art deco cinematic icon runs 50-minute behind-the-scenes tours (English soundtracks available) during which visitors – tracked by a sensor slung around their neck – are whisked up (via a lift) behind the giant screen, tour a soundstage and experiment in a recording studio....

Musée d’Orsay

Paris

　　Musée d’Orsay may not be quite as famous as the Louvre—though it’s located a mere 10-minute walk away—but this Left Bank museum holds its own in its collection of artistic wonders. The museum is famous for holding the world’s largest collection of impressionist and postimpressionist art. 　　Why you should go...