Thumbs up! Le Pouce is an interesting structure that is located right near the Grande Arche in the…read morenewer modern Paris which is a bit away from the traditional Paris that everyone is used too... This structure is actually pretty cool and fairly detailed for a giant thumb, lol. Overall, I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for this structure, but if you're in the business oriented portion of Paris and want to see something unique, take a peek at Le Pouce.

The Empress Joséphine's beloved chateau at Malmaison is well worth a visit if you are interested in…read moreNapoleon and his times, although it can be a bit of a trek out of Paris to get there and involves a bit of a walk. The house itself is quite plain but charming and it is easy to see why Joséphine (who died here of a cold caught while showing her roses to the Russian Emperor) loved it so much and why her grumpy husband felt so at ease here! The interior is a fabulous example of Napoleonic and Neo Classical art and design at its finest with some exquisite furniture and paintings on show. There is also a permanent exhibition of some of the Empress' own dresses and robes, which is absolutely fascinating. The shop is good as well. You can also visit the tombs of Joséphine and her daughter La Reine Hortense in the nearby church. Again, it is a bit of a trek but worth the effort. How many people can say they have seen the Empress Joséphine's tomb after all?

Quality/Quantity - Another tourist attraction. Crazy busy. Still beautiful and has much history…read more One of many of France's monuments. I like the underground path to get here, to avoid the dangerous traffic. You can pay to go to the top which we did not. I believe you can buy tickets online in advance. Ambiance - See pictures. Service - Self service. Price - Free for us as we did not want to go to the top. 22 Euros, $26 USD to go to the top. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1810...? Final completion was in 1830.

This monument was even more magnificent in person than I could have ever imagined…read more Napoleon had it commissioned in 1806 to honor French armies. It wasn't completed until 1836 (after his death). The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is under the arch. It's got a flame that's lit daily. Looking at Paris from the top of the arc is incredibly breathtaking. Definitely a must for a first-time visit to Paris.

I went up the Eiffel Tower a few weeks ago for the first time in years. I was with my husband and…read moreour two kids, plus my brothers, my sisters-in-law, and my niece, just for good measure. Getting the tickets was a genuine headache, but the on-the-ground experience was not just magical but surprisingly easy. The online ticketing system leaves much to be desired. I wanted to buy eleven elevator tickets, for eight adults and three children, but was only able to check out with nine. I tried to get the last two in a second transaction but got locked out. Apparently, you can't book that many tickets under a single account, something I wish I'd known before I spent all that money on the nine. I emailed the customer service address and while they responded, they were spectacularly unhelpful. I then tasked my husband, my mother, and my brother with buying the last two tickets from different devices, and I don't understand why, but none of them were able to get through. The site was also annoying in that we had to make all of our selections and input credit card information before getting frozen out without explanation. My parents decided they didn't need to go up the tower anyway, as they'd been pretty recently, and that's how the issue resolved. I guess we could've gotten them tickets day of, but no one had the will for it, so the rest of us just went up while they hung out in the park at the base of the tower. My branch of the family was running late for our 4:00 entry and had a fairly stressful time making that long jaunt from the Trocadero to the tower. There was some security to get into the park, but it went quickly, and once we were in, we found the entrance for ticket holders right away. To my amazement, there was no line, and we were riding a diagonal elevator up the tower about as soon as we arrived. I love the Eiffel Tower and loved visiting with my children, who were awed by both the iconic structure and the marvelous views. It's great to admire from afar, but well worth a dedicated excursion. I look forward to going back whenever I'm back in Paris.

Overview: a classic, must-see landmark in Paris…read more ---- Very beautiful landmark and prettier if you see it light up at night. The tower only sparkles when it's dark enough outside to see it. When it's the spring/summer the sun sets very late at night so when I was there, the Eiffel Tower first sparkled at 10pm! We didn't know that, so we arrived around 8pm and waited 2 hours. It then started to rain and we shared one umbrella between 4 people. There are lots of people walking around trying to sell you stuff can be very annoying especially if you came there early and they keep asking you. They walk around with small trinkets, some with drinks like wine, blankets, and even umbrellas when it started to rain. There are lots of people on the grassy field in front of the tower having picnics and waiting for the tower to light up as well. The walk from the metro wasn't too long, but also wasn't that short, but it's Paris so be prepared to walk for everything! It beautiful and was worth the walking, waiting, and being rained on. ---- Overall: beautifully lit up at the beginning of the hour after the sun goes down, for us it was at 10pm! Be prepared to walk and wait, enjoy the views and atmosphere with others waiting to see the pretty lights

Visiting the Château de Versailles was truly a dream come true. The architecture is absolutely…read morestunning--every detail, from the grand halls to the intricate ceilings, is a testament to the opulence of the French monarchy. The grounds are just as impressive: beautifully kept gardens, sparkling fountains, and perfectly restored landscapes that make you feel like you've stepped back in time. As someone who loves history, I was in heaven. The palace is filled with artifacts from the Sun King himself, Louis XIV, and the stories about his many mistresses add an extra layer of intrigue. I could have spent hours just wandering the Hall of Mirrors and imagining the lavish parties that once took place there. Marie Antoinette's area, with its charming hamlet and gorgeous gardens, was a highlight for me--so peaceful and picturesque. We spent an entire day exploring and still barely scratched the surface. There's just so much to see and experience! I also have to mention the restaurants on the grounds. The food was surprisingly good--fresh, flavorful, and honestly better than most of what I get back home in America. If you love history, art, or just want to be wowed by breathtaking beauty, Versailles is an absolute must-see. I loved every minute and can't wait to go back!

I've been to Versailles twice in my life, and honestly, it's a place you only need to visit once…read more It's worth checking off, though, that first time, and I was happy to go back on our family trip this month, as my brothers and kids had never been before. I booked tickets online about a month in advance, and it was easy to do--not always a given, as I found when booking the Eiffel Tower and London Eye this same trip. Tickets were €35 each for eight adults and €15 for my six-year-old, with my younger son and niece getting in for free. We set aside a whole day for our excursion from Paris, and we definitely needed it. We were there for over five hours and covered what felt like very little ground. It was kind of a grueling day for everyone, most of all my older son, who got nauseous in the cab ride over and immediately threw up on the sidewalk leading up to the castle. We were lucky enough to miss the heat wave, but it was still brutally hot, and the grounds were so massive and sprawling that no one had the will to really explore them. We did spend a couple hours at the actual castle, though, the infamous, guillotine-worthy Château de Versailles. (My grumpy sick son had some questions about what happened to the people who lived there, and I entertained him with a little history lesson. My husband later reported that another mom was listening in and judging me for my frank description of the French Revolution.) I remembered it from my first visit almost twenty years ago and had the same general reaction, which is that the opulence was impressive and repetitive. You get the idea pretty quickly, and understand immediately why heads had to roll. The private chapel kind of said it all on its own. We didn't go to every room, but we saw plenty and made sure to hit the Hall of Mirrors with its gaudy profusion of chandeliers and gold sculpture. There were a few spaces that incorporated modern artwork, which was pretty cool. When everyone was tired and hungry, we found our way to an Angelina cart and a back room with tables and fans where we were able to sit and eat. There are a number of restaurants on the grounds where you can make reservations, but this worked better for us (and also nothing was available for our huge party by the time I got around to looking). We spent a couple more hours wandering around the garden, but we didn't get particularly far. The garden was beautiful but enormous and short on shade, and it seemed impossible to cross the distance to get to whatever points of interest might be waiting a quarter mile in the sun-scorched distance. The fountains were cool and we did get to see them turn on briefly, though we missed whatever musical fountain show we were supposed to catch. We could not figure out where or when it was happening. We wasted half an hour waiting in line for golf carts before giving up and buying tickets for the train instead, to take us to the Trianon side. It was so hot, all we did was take the train and then start leaving. The train was surprisingly shitty, just a rickety train-shaped conveyance that went around the grounds, making stops at a few noteworthy places. We hopped off at Petit Trianon and walked out, taking a long, pleasant path lined with trees. It was cooler and less crowded on this side of Versailles, and if I were ever to come back, I would spend my time checking out the areas away from the palace. I remember enjoying the Queen's Hamlet on my first visit, and I noticed a lot of family's on bicycles enjoying all the charmingly landscaped open spaces. Versailles is well worth a visit at some point in your life, though I'd recommend against going in summer with small, irritable children. I don't need to see the palace again, but I wouldn't mind another go at the grounds.

The arc was commissioned in 1812 by Napolean to honor those who fought and died in the battles for…read moreFrance. It sits in the middle of 12 converging avenues, and is situated at the intersections of 3 arrondissments. The tomb of the unknown soldier and the eternal place can be found in the center of the arc. Entrance lines for tickets and then entrance to climb the stairs to the top were quite long when we visited in Feb 2026 (sure wasn't like this 20 years ago!) And while the view of the city and the l'etiole is great, its not worth wasting the day waiting in line. Stroll down the Champs Elysees and admire this iconic street while heading to Place de la Concorde.

A little Fact: Paris's Arc de Triomphe was the tallest triumphal arch until the completion of the…read moreMonumento a la Revolución in Mexico City in 1938, which is 67 m high. Why is it famous? The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. It is a must see landmark when visiting Paris. For the curious: 4 interesting facts about this landmark: 1. Victor Hugo and Ferdinand Foch both briefly laid in state in the Arc before being buried elsewhere. 2. Twice a year, the sun sets directly in the center of the Arc. 3. The Arc is 164 feet tall. 4. The Tour de France bicycle race ends near the Arc.

From the owner: Ministère de la Justice L'Hôtel de Bourvallais est situé sur la prestigieuse place Vendôme, au…read morecoeur de Paris. Construit en 1699, il devient l'hôtel particulier de M. Poisson de Bourvallais qui lui donne son nom. Emprisonné à la Bastille, son hôte est contraint de l'abandonner au roi, qui l'attribue alors en 1718 au chancelier. Depuis cette date, l'Hôtel de Bourvallais demeure la résidence des chanceliers et garde des sceaux.

Part of the oldest area of Paris the Latin Quarter or 5th Arrondisement is so unique and…read moreinteresting you must visit Tons of old cobblestone side alleys with bars,cafes,bistros, and shops it is truly one of a kind

Latin Quarter, Paris, France. 5th arrondissement…read more Oh! Si tu pouvais lire dans mon coeur, tu verrais la place où je t'ai mise! Oh! If you could read my heart, you would see the place that I keep you.. so I wander.. A cool, old, very old neighborhood in Paris. I'm usually in the Montmartre, Madeleine, or Pyramids areas of Paris, so for me, crossing Le Seine River is the first step before any steps are in Quartier Latin. Wandering Quartier Latin was fun for me. Passing historical landmarks such as the Natural History Museum, the Panthéon, Medieval Musée de Cluny with the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries that dates to circa 1511, to more modern destinations like the Shakespeare & Company English Bookstore, which dates to 1911 and seems so beautifully out of place. Just walking the streets you can find yourself in well known movie spots, like the Rue Mouffetard - Market Street, where Julia Child listed as her favorite outdoor market. The same streets made popular by Meryl Streep seen shopping in Julie and Julia! Oui, oui! In the end, I encourage you to stroll through Quartier Latin. One of the most architectural preserved arrondissement in all of Paris and it's absolutely free! Wanderlust like I did and find cobblestone streets filled with history and character! Voltaire sleeps for eternity at the Panthéon and so does Madame Curie. Oh! If you could read my heart... IG: @eric_travel_guru