Arc de Triomphe

Commissioned by emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 on account of the French victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, the Arc de Triomphe took 30 years to be erected and was then inaugurated by the French king Louis-Philippe in 1836, 15 years after Napoleon's death. Standing tall at 50 metres (164 feet), it is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. Located at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of the Champs-Élysées Avenue, the arch honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Under its vault, lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War.

• Web:

  www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en

• Address:

  Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris

• Phone:

  +33 1 55 37 73 77

• Opening hours:

  Sat–Thu 10am–10:15pm, Fri closed

• Subway:

  Metro line 1, 2, 6: "Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile".

Catacombs of Paris

Installed in the tunnels of former quarries, in the heart of Paris, the Catacombs are at once a fascinating and eerie attraction. Walk down the many steps to experience this spooky underground cemetery. Here you will find the osseous remains of more than 6 million people, moved to this location from an old cemetery.

• Web:

  www.catacombes.paris.fr/en

• Address:

  1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris

• Phone:

  +33 1 43 22 47 63

• Opening hours:

  Tue–Sun 9:45am–8:30pm, Mon closed

• More info:

  Last admission at 7:30pm

• Subway:

  Metro line 4, 6: "Denfert-Rochereau". RER B: "Denfert-Rochereau"

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

With its 10 million yearly visitors, Notre-Dame was the most visited site in Paris until a devastating fire ravaged a significant part of the cathedral in April 2019. The structure of the building itself was preserved, as well as most works of art that used to be contained inside. The place has always been the religious centre of the city: the Celts considered the grounds sacred, the Romans built a temple here, the Christians, a basilica, and the last religious structure before the Notre-Dame cathedral was erected was a Romanesque church. The Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame, finished in 1345, is a tectonic masterpiece. The massive structure is 128 metres (420 feet) long and has two 69-metre-tall (226 feet) towers.

• Web:

  www.notredamedeparis.fr

• Address:

  6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II, Paris

• Phone:

  +33 1 42 34 56 10

• More info:

  The cathedral is set to reopen on December 8, 2024

• Subway:

  Metro line 4: "Cité", "Saint-Michel"

Centre Pompidou

The Centre Georges Pompidou is a vast postmodern and high-tech architectural space that hosts the Musée National d'Art Moderne (the largest modern art museum in Europe) along with an expansive public library, and a centre for music and acoustic research. Its construction was controversial, as it was necessary to demolish the emblematic market that stood at that location at Les Halles, and it was initially despised by many Parisians for its unusual architectural aesthetic, which many thought clashed with the city's classical and sophisticated style.

• Web:

  www.centrepompidou.fr/en

• E-mail:

  contact@contact-centrepompidou.fr

• Address:

  Place Georges-Pompidou, Paris

• Phone:

  +33 1 44 78 12 33

• Opening hours:

  Wed, Fri–Mon 11am–9pm, Thu until 11pm

• More info:

  Centre Pompidou will close for 5 years starting in 2025 for a massive renovation

• Subway:

  Station "Châtelet–Les Halles" (metro line 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, RER A, B, D). Station "Rambuteau" (metro line 11). Station "Hôtel de Ville" (metro line 1, 11).

Champs-Élysées

This iconic promenade is nearly two kilometres long and goes all the way from Place de la Concorde to Place Charles de Gaulle, bookended by the Arc de Triomphe and the Musée du Louvre. It is a lovely walk on any day of the year, and it is the place to be during times of celebration, be it the French National Day or New Year's Eve. In July, the final stage of the Tour de France takes place right on this very street.

• Address:

  Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris

• Subway:

  Station "Concorde" (metro line 1, 8, 12). Station "Charles de Gaulle - Étoile" (metro line 1, 2, 6, A). Station "Franklin D. Roosevelt" (metro line 1, 9).

Cheese and Wine Workshops

Immerse yourself in the quintessential French art of making cheese at Paroles de Fromagers. Join a workshop that not only guides you through the art of making cheese but also offers an exquisite cheese and wine tasting session. Learn the craft of cheese-making firsthand and discover the perfect wine pairings for each variety — an absolutely great experience for gourmets.

• Web:

  parolesdefromagers.com/en

• E-mail:

  contact@parolesdefromagers.com

• Address:

  41 Rue du Faubourg du Temple, Paris

• Phone:

  +33 1 48 03 98 18