I hadn't been to the Grand Palais until I found Uchronia. It was on display for Design Week 2026…read more Located off the yellow line and easily metro accessible, Grand Palais, is an interesting venue. On Sunday, the entry free was waived. I'm not sure if it was because of Design Week or due to some renovations happening around the exterior. Regardless, the visit was great and the interior is beautiful. Parisian Palace's are some of the most ornate in the world. There's nothing quite like them. I really enjoyed seeing the architecture inside of it. What a great way to spend a Sunday-- and for free!

Entry into the Grand Palais is free of charge and when you see the building's exterior you'll…read moreimmediately decide that you must go inside. It's stunning, though you'll soon realize that the part you most wanted to see - the glass enclosed space - might not be open to you. Visiting in May, the glass-domed space was locked tight, opened only for special shows and events. I've looked at the calendar now, in June, and see that they open it for many summer activities and were I there now I'd certainly try to get tickets for one of those events. Otherwise? This is still a worthy investment of time, not just to look around and peer into the glass-domed space, but to view the exhibits (individually priced, tickets available at the door). I noticed 3 special exhibits during my visit and paid for entry to 2 (Matisse and Nan Golden). Based on this experience, I'd recommend paying for entry to the exhibits of artists you're least familiar with under the assumption that they'll be less crowded. The Matissse exhibit was crowded enough to render the experience almost unpleasant. The Nan Golden show? Perfect. Though I'd recommend paying to see some exhibits, even if all you do is enter to walk around and explore the space you'll be nicely rewarded. The Grand Palais has some pleasant, quiet seating areas inside and the space is lovely.

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.

Brando and Benjamin…read more Who could resist the opportunity to traverse the cobblestoned street where Ben Franklin had walked? To imagine him hobbling along, walking stick glazing the quarried granite setts, his leather frock dangling open, knee britches askew. His shoes well worn (gotta keep up appearances when you're begging for loans!), beaver fur hat in place atop his bespectacled head, and speaking his fractured French. He might have stopped to purchase chocolat, or tip his hat and curtsy to some charming ladies in his Mr. Magoo fashion. Dr. Franklin was a showman. Ruffles and velvet were for court, this was his home, and he knew that all eyes were on him, appearances were important. Rue de Passy runs from one of those odd little roundabouts that converges seven streets, one of which is rue Benjamin Franklin. If you move north-east and turn south, rue de l'Alboni will lead you to the Passy metro stop. Go further, and down many steps (great place for a early morning workout!), you'll find the Seine. Turn north-east again (that's a left!) and in a couple of blocks you'll see Pont d'lena and Tour Eiffel. Which, you can see from rue Passy, but not in all it's majestic splendor. Passy is not a tourist trap. It's French living. I didn't clock it, but it took me about fifteen minutes (give or take), but I walk fast. If you follow the southwesterly direction, you find excellent boutique shopping, eateries, the Majestic Passy theater, Passy Plaza, and Franck et Fils department store. At the end, there is a huge open market to the left (I forget the name). Rue Passy is the heart of the 16th Arrodissement. Limestone building are truly art in and of themselves. The people living here are educated and affluent, but not at all pretentious. Smiles are in abundance as you walk along, good nature is a way of life. Oh, about Brando? This is the street and apartment when Brando's "Paul" meets Schneider's "Jeanne" in Last Tango in Paris...we all know how that turned out. I was gonna end this review with Marley's lyrics to "Jammin" and hook a Ben at the front...but maybe, no. You get the picture. Aloha :)

Loved our visit to the Petit Palais. Free entry, gorgeous architecture, and two full floors of…read moresculptures, paintings, and artifacts that are beautifully displayed. The building--designed by Charles Girault for the 1900 Universal Exhibition--is a masterpiece in itself. The collection spans from antiquity to the early 20th century and is surprisingly extensive. If you're nearby, don't miss it.

On the boring side. Very limited exhibitions. Art was not to our liking, not varied, spent less…read morethan half an hour in the museum. Gift shop worthless.

The Musee de l'Armee is located in the Hotel des Invaldies, which also houses the grand tomb of…read moreNapoleon Bonaparte. Hotel des invalides was the creation of Loius XIV and originally was a hospital and retirement home for military veterans. The museum has many different sections to visit and houses one of the largest collections of military weapons and other objets from the middle ages to the present. It also houses the St Louis des Invalides Cathedral. We visited in February 2026 and paid 17 euro each for entrance fee. Its opens at 10am and closes at 5:50pm. Plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours here. We were here for the entire day and still did not get to see everything. Audio guides are free as long as you leave an ID with the desk. I would recommend getting the audio tour. There was massive construction going on in the enormous courtyard, so unfortunately this was not accessible. There is a cafe near Napoleans tomb which which we stopped on for hot chocolate and croissants and to rest.

This is a cool museum to visit. It once was and still is a hospital for veterans. If you like…read moreNapoleonic history then this is a MUST SEE museum. I personally enjoyed it. I cannot emphasize enough how cool and vast this museum is. Super worth seeing. Started in the weapons gallery. So many swords, knives, shields, and other weapons from different eras like the French, Ottoman Turks, the Japanese and so forth. Then went to the big French/Napoleon exhibition. Wow. So much information, portraits, videos, and stuff to learn. You could spend the entire day here. So many rooms and hallways to see. Finally finished with Napoleon's tomb. Wow! What a casket for one man. Definitely their crown jewel. What Abraham Lincoln was to us, Napoleon is to the French. Definitely visit this museum!

Well I'm just going to go ahead and give it 5 stars even though we weren't able to go inside. But,…read moreit was still cool to be able to stand directly across the street from the French version of the White House otherwise known as President Macron's present residence. There were a few officers out front, and in the immediate area there were police stationed at the Minister of Interior which is across the street and on every corner for a few blocks.

From the owner: La résidence officielle des présidents de la République depuis 1873. Edifié en 1718 pour le Comte…read mored'Evreux, le palais fut racheté par Madame de Pompadour en 1753 puis il revint à Louis XVI en 1764. En 1805, Napoléon offrit l'hôtel à sa soeur qui le fit embellir par le Salon d'Argent et le salon Murat où se déroule aujourd'hui le Conseil des Ministres. L'intérieur luxueux est orné de tapisseries des Gobelins, de meubles et de tableaux du XVIIIè siècle, mais il ne se visite que lors des journées du patrimoine. Il est la résidence du Président de la République Française.

This is a nice place to slow down and relax and enjoy the fresh air in Central Paris. It's free…read moreand it's also apparently the oldest park in Paris. The elegant palace is also adjacent to a large green expanse called the Gardens of Luxembourg.

The Location: Metro #4 & 10, Exit : Odeon. About 10 minutes walk to the garden…read more The Palais is under-construction. There are many securities around the building. Very beautiful building! In the mean time, can check out the museum and hanging out at the park which is the largest park in Paris!

If I could sum up my experience in one word it would be WOW!…read more We came to the Eiffel Tower on a Friday evening and were blown away. To get into the Eiffel Tower and to access the tower itself (on top/under) you will need to go through security screening. Security screening included an x ray of bags and walking through a metal detector. To go under the Eiffel Tower, there was no cost. Once you were under the Eiffel Tower there were stands to purchase treats which included croissants, coffee, and snacks. To go on top of the Eiffel Tower, you had to pay money. We purchased tickets to use the lift to very top which included the second floor and top floor for approximately €37. On the second floor, there was a panoramic view of the city along with gift shops, restaurants, and tapas options. We personally selected Madame Brasserie (one of two high end restaurants). On the top floor, you got a 360 view of the city along with Eiffel's apartment. The top had options to purchase champagne, macarons, or other treats. It was crowded, however, everyone wanted to notice and embrace the beauty of the city. There was also an announcement sharing to be aware of pick pockets, but if you were aware of your surroundings, it was not an issue (just like everywhere, remain diligent and aware). Our experience was beautiful and I can't wait to return.

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.

We did the after hours guided tour. I just have to say that this was an amazing experience and a…read moremust do when going to Paris. There were multiple tours going on in different languages at the same time but each group went to different sections. So your group might pass another group but you were not together. Our group was about 20 people. When you are facing the opera you go to the left and security about half way down the opera lets you in. Then you check in and wait in a rotunda area. After waiting for probably 15-20 our tour started. They take you to most of the areas and it's semi private. One of the highlights of our trip!

Wow what a beauty of a building!!…read more I cannot emphasize enough how much you should go visit this place Specifically you should book the mystery tour held at 5pm which boasts a behind the scenes look at the Paris Opera House and its beautiful Grand Foyer(note- you may recognize the famous steps from Emily in Paris ) It's a group tour - but it's after hours so it's definitely limited people and less tourists then during the day and I loved it- The guides were great , you get an ear piece to listen to in multiple languages I would love to come back and see an actual show someday

A five minute walking detour near the Eiffel Tower…read more It's a visual thing. If you love Art Nouveau and can't get to Barcelona, here's one to check out. This unique apartment building at 29 Avenue Rapp in Paris, was designed by architect Jules Lavirotte. It was built between 1899 and 1901. It is probably the best-known example of Art Nouveau architecture in Paris. The fabulous exterior is decorated with sculptures and tiles made by Alexandre Bigot. I love all the curves windows, especially on the main front door. They are like eyes watching you. The intricate iron work. So many sculptures, it's an inside out art museum. Don't you just wish you could go inside.