No trip to Paris is complete without a panoramic view from somewhere. Luckily you have lots of choices.
Paris from On High
The Eiffel Tower is the very symbol of the city, and it is worth going up to the top at least once in your life. On our last trip, we did a private tour to the top in the evening and it was spectacular.
That said, I equally like going up Tour Montparnasse and getting the birds eye view of the Eiffel Tower. The Tour Montparnasse as a building is ugly AF but the views from it on a sunny day are spectacular.
The Arc de Triomphe is not as high as the towers of course, but it offers a great perspective down les Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde to the east and the La Defense complex to the west.
For yet another perspective on Paris, visit Montmartre and the Basilique de Sacre-Coeur. Montmartre itself is charming, and the views of Paris from the steps of the basilica are phenomenal.
Paris en plein air
If the weather is fine, experience the Seine with a boat ride on the Bateaux-Mouches and take a promenade through the Jardin des Tuileries or the Jardin du Luxembourg. Traveling with kids? Both gardens offer play areas.
As of this writing, Notre Dame is still closed to visitors as it rebuilds after the fire in April 2019, but is scheduled to reopen in December 2024. If you go before the reopening, you can still enjoy and be inspired by the building itself. Once it is re-opened, it is a must-see.
Underground: Les Catacombes de Paris
Arrête ! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”
Les Catacombes were created out of former quarries in the late 1700s to eliminate the impact of the city’s overflowing cemetaries. More than 6 million people are buried in the Catacombes, with remains moved from cemetaries all over Paris. The ossuary was opened to public visitation in the early 1800s.
You can ONLY buy your timed tickets online, and entries are limited to a certain number of people at any one time. We purchased a small group tour which gave us access to a few areas that are not on the regular public itinerary. I definitely recommend this approach. The tour guide added a great deal of value to our experience, and I never mind skipping the line!
Shopping
I’ve got three recommendations for you.
Agatha Paris – lovely reasonably priced jewelry including, from time to time, items with its scottie dog emblem. They also nearly always have some sort of scottie emblem barrette or hair clip. Locations throughout Paris and online.
Mariage Frères – the best tea. Visit a tea counter where they will help you pick a tea that will tantalize your tastebuds. Just remember that to bring your tea back to the USA, it must be in a factory-sealed container. My favorites are the spicy Alexandra David-Néel® and the sweetly fragrant Esprit De Noël®. Locations throughout Paris and online.
Finally, I’ve been collecting French crèche figures – “santons” – since I was in high school. On on my last trip to Paris, I found a store near Saint-Sulpice that has an excellent variety: Georges Thuillier, 10 Place Saint-Sulpice. No online option I’m afraid but I can recommend Santons de France, a US online shop that I have purchased from for more than 20 years if you’d like to start your collection.