Eiffel Tower
Gustave Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) could never have guessed that it would become Paris’s signature sight and attract more than six million visitors a year. It was built as a temporary structure to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution and was opened by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England. It was considered an eyesore by many and there were petitions to have it pulled down. It was saved only because it had become an important antenna for telegraphy. It towers 984ft (300m) above the Champ de Mars and until 1930 was the world’s tallest building. The highest of its three levels offers a wonderful panoramic view over Paris.
Address: Champ de Mars 7; Telephone: (01) 4411 2323 (recorded information); Website: www.tour-eiffel.fr; Transport: RER Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel station; Métro Bir-Hakeim, Trocadéro, Ecole Militaire; bus 42, 69, 72, 82, 87; Opening time: Daily 9.30am to midnight (16 June to 2 September); closing at 11pm (1 January to 15 June and 3 September to 31 December); Admission: By elevator – 1st floor €4.20; 2nd floor €7.70; 3rd floor €11 (adults). By stairs - €3.80 (only up to 2nd floor). Concessions available
Notre-Dame
Notre-Dame looms large over the Place de Parvis, on the Isle de la Cité, and is the most enduring symbol of Paris. Built between 1163 and 1345 the Cathedral is considered one of the of the world’s Gothic masterpieces. The massive interior can seat 6,000 and it is dominated by three spectacular and enormous rose windows and a vast 7,800-pipe organ. The 387-step climb to the top of the towers is worth the effort for the panoramic view of the city and the close-up views of the famous gargoyles. The tower also holds the great bell that was rung by Quasimodo, the fictional hunchback. Opposite the North door is a museum that displays the Cathedral’s history, while under the square in front of the Cathedral is the crypt that houses Notre-Dame’s archaeological museum.
Address: 6 Place du Parvis de Notre-Dame; Telephone: (01) 4234 5610; E-mail: info@cathedraleDeParis.com; Website: www.cathedraledeparis.com; Transport: Cité métro; RER Châtelet-Les Halles or Saint-Mic stations; or bus 21, 24, 27, 38, 47, 85 or 96; Opening time: Daily between 7.45am and 6.45pm, except during Sunday services which commence at 8.30am, 10am, 11.30am, 12.45pm and 6.30pm. The towers open daily 10am to 6pm, except on Mondays. The Crypt opens between 10am and 6pm (closed on Mondays). The museum is open on Wednesday and weekends 2.30pm to 6pm; Admission: Admission to the cathedral is free. Towers €5.40, crypt €3.40, museum €2.30
Louvre
One of the world’s great art museums, this vast edifice houses an extraordinary collection of paintings, sculptures and antiquities from all over the world. The Louvre was opened to the public in 1793, soon after the Revolution, to display the spectacular treasures looted from the royal palaces. The best-known attraction is Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic Mona Lisa, which is protected by bullet-proof glass within its own room. The permanent collections are divided into Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Asian antiquities, painting, drawings, sculpture and objects d’art. Don’t even attempt to see it all in one day.
Address: Cour Napoléon, 1. Reception area is under the giant glass pyramid; Telephone: (01) 4020 5317 (information desk); 4020 5151 (recorded information); 4020 5050 (ticket sales); E-mail: info@louvre.fr; Website: www.louvre.fr; Transport: Métro Palais Royal or Musée du Louvre; bus 21, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81 or 95; Opening time: 9am to 6pm (until 9.45pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, except on public holidays); closed Tuesdays. Opening hours for temporary exhibitions vary; Admission: Permanent exhibitions €8.50 (until 6pm); €6 (after 6pm); free for under 18s and on first Sunday of every month. Temporary exhibitions €8.50. Admission package €13 (before 6pm); €11 (after 6pm). Tickets allow same-day re-admission
Pompidou Centre
Built in the 1970s and named after former French president Georges Pompidou, the futuristic Pompidou Centre is now considered part of the Parisian landscape. The outrageous design, complete with its glass elevators, was the inspiration for the Lloyds Building in London and attracts visitors by the million; it is the city’s most popular attraction by far. The building houses the Musée National d’Art Modern (MNAM), which displays a vast collection of 20th-century art from Fauvism and Cubism to Abstract and Absurd and its numerous cinemas and theatres have regular musical and dance performances. The square to the West of the building attracts a varied assortment of street performers.
Address: Place Georges Pompidou, entrance by the plaza in Rue Saint-Martin; Telephone: (01) 4478 1233; E-mail: info@cnac-gp.fr; Website: www.centrepompidou.fr; Transport: Métro Rambuteau, Châtelet, Hôtel de Ville; RER (train) Châtelet or Les Halles; bus 21, 29, 38, 47, 58, 69, 70, 72, 74, 75, 76, 81, 85, 96; Opening time: The centre is open daily except Tuesdays from 11am to 10pm. MNAM: Wednesday to Monday 11am to 9pm; Admission: One-day Centre pass: €10. Exhibitions: €9. MNAM: €7, free for those under 18 and for all on the first Sunday of the month. Temporary exhibitions vary
Musée d'Orsay
This great museum is fairly new by Paris standards. It is situated in a railway station by the Seine and houses a vast collection of works from the significant 1848 to 1914 period. There are important works from the Art-Nouveau movement but the Orsay is best known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. The collection is arranged chronologically and contains highly regarded works by Monet, Manet and Courbet. Also on permanent display is the famous painting by Gustave Doré entitled L'énigme and Henri Chapu's marble statue of Joan of Arc in Domrémy.
Address: Entrances on Rue de la Légion d'Honneur and Rue de Bellechasse; Telephone: (01) 4049 4814, or 4549 1111 (recorded information); Website:
www.musee-orsay.fr; Transport: RER Musée d'Orsay; Métro Solférino; bus 24, 63, 68, 69, 73, 83, 84 or 94; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 6pm, with late closing on Thursdays at 9.45pm; closed Mondays; Admission: €7.50; Sundays and from 6.15pm (8pm on Thursdays) €5.50; under 18s are free. Free on first Sunday of each month.
Musée Rodin
The Rodin Museum is situated near the Musée d'Orsay and is housed in what was once the Hôtel Biron, the beautiful hotel where Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) once lived and worked. Inside are many of Rodin's great marble sculptures including The Kiss and The Hand of God while outside, in the garden, are famous bronzes including The Thinker. The museum also includes many works by Camille Claudel, Rodin’s pupil and mistress, and paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet and Rodin himself.
Address: 77 Rue de Varenne; Telephone: (01) 4418 6110; E-mail: penseur@musee-rodin.fr; Website: www.musee-rodin.fr; Transport: Métro Varenne, Invalides or Saint-François-Xavier; RER to Invalides station; bus 69, 82, 87 or 92; Opening time: 9.30am to 5.45pm (garden till 6.45pm) from April to September; 9.30am to 4.45pm (garden till 5pm) from October to May. Closed Mondays; Admission: €6; €4 for 18 to 25s; Garden only is €1. There is no charge on the first Sunday of every month. Prices increase by €1 during the main exhibition
Musée National Picasso
The Picasso Museum is situated in a 17th-century mansion in the heart of Paris. The collection was started in 1973, after the French government accepted Picasso’s own collection in lieu of death duties, and was added to after his widow’s death in 1990. All the phases of work from the Paris-based artist are represented including his paintings, drawings, ceramics, sculptures and even poetry. Memorable works include the self-portrait Paolo as Harlequin and Nude in an Armchair. Most of Picasso's great paintings however are owned by and housed in foreign museums or are in the hands of private collectors.
Address: Hôtel Salé, 5 Rue de Thorigny; Telephone: (01) 4271 2521; Transport: Métro Chemin Vert, St-Paul or Saint-Sébastien Froissart; bus 29, 96, 69, 75; Opening time: 9.30am to 6pm (April to September); 9.30am to 5.30pm (October to March). Closed Tuesdays; Admission: €6.50; €4.50 for 18 to 25s; free for under 18s