Paris Attractions and Tourism World Travel https://www.youtube.com/user/World1Tube Paris - France Travel Guide,Tourism http://goo.gl/KqiCiY Arc de Triomphe Commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate the victorious French Army, the Arc de Triomphe has been a defining symbol of Paris ever since its completion in 1836. Engraved on the arch are numerous names of important and not-so-important victories and beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Visitors can reach the 50m-tall (164ft) top of the arch for stunning views of Paris, including the Louvre and the Champs-Elysées, or tour the museum inside which charts the history and construction of the arch, , including some chilling photographs of the Nazi occupation. Opening Times: Daily 1000-2300 (Apr-Sep); daily 1000-2230 (Oct-Mar). Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes Unesco: Yes Address: Arc de Triomphe, Place Charles-de-Gaulle, Paris, France Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (Sacred-Heart Basilica) A long, wide series of steps lead to the snowy-white domed Basilique du Sacré-Coeur that dominates the arty district of Montmartre. A mishmash of styles, the Catholic church was built between 1870 and 1919, to fulfil a vow made during the Franco-Prussian war. The interior is splendid with neo-Byzantine mosaics and the domed tower offers a spectacular view over Paris. The crypt contains an interesting collection of religious relics and a slide show on the construction of the Basilica. Below the church, a park tumbles down the hillside in a flurry of benches that make an ideal spot for surveying the Paris skyline. Opening Times: Daily 0600-2230 (Basilica); Crypt and dome times vary. Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: Yes Unesco: Yes Address: Parvis du Sacré-Coeur, 18th, Paris, France Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris There's just no missing this mighty building that sits smack in the centre of the Seine. Begun in 1163 by the architect Maurice de Sully and completed in about 1345, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris ranks as one of France's finest examples of Gothic architecture. As you might expect, it's seen plenty of things in its time, including a marriage that sparked a massacre in 1572 and, oddly enough, the coronation of Henry VI of England. Today, visitors flock here to admire its massive rose windows and impressive flying buttresses. But also, let's face it, to look for Esmerelda and a hunchback. Opening Times: Daily 0800 -- 1845. Admission Fees: No (charge for towers and treasury) Disabled Access: No Unesco: Yes Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 4th, Paris, France Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) Constructed as a fortress in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the mid-16th century as a royal palace, it wasn't until 1793 that the Louvre became a museum. Today, it is the home of some of the world's most famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The rest of the permanent collection includes Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian and oriental antiquities, as well as sculptures, objets d'art and prints and drawings. Entrance to the museum is through the largest of the three glass pyramids that dominate the courtyard. The huge global success of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, which opens with the murder of the museum's curator in the Louvre Museum, has swelled visitor numbers. Opening Times: Thur and Sat-Sun 0900-1800; Wed and Fri 0900-2145. Admission Fees: Yes (free first Sun of the month and 14 July; tickets allow same-day re-admission) Disabled Access: Yes Unesco: Yes Address: Cour Napoléon, 1st, Paris, France Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) Can there be a site more emblematic of Paris than this? The Eiffel Tower literally towers over the Champ de Mars in Paris's smart 7th arrondissement and the top (third) floor offers a sweeping panorama of Paris. From directly underneath, there is a fascinating view of the delicate ironwork constructed by Gustave Eiffel, commissioned to build the tower for the Exposition Universelle in 1889. It's a long slog up the stairs (although it takes less time than queuing for the lifts.) The view and top notch restaurants at the top make the journey worthwhile. Opening Times: Daily 0900 -- 0000 (Jun-Sept); daily 0930 -- 2300 (Sept-Jun). Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes Unesco: Yes Address: Champ de Mars, 7th, Paris, France Centre Georges Pompidou (Georges Pompidou Centre) Considered outrageous in 1977, the Pompidou Centre, designed by Piano and Rogers, now forms part of the established Parisian landscape. Designed according to the idea of a building turned inside out, tubes, pipes, stairs and fittings race around the outside of the building in an unapologetic display of primary colours. The art on the inside makes the outside look tame. The building was revamped and extended a few years ago to cope with the huge numbers of people visiting its expanding collection of contemporary art and multimedia library. Not a place to visit if you're easily shocked.

• published: 04 Dec 2013
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