Monuments
La Madeleine Church
The Madeleine is an obese Napoleonic structure on the classical temple model which was built for the emperor as yet another monument to the victory of his army. Following many vicissitudes and changes of plan, the present building is now a windowless edifice with a Greek temple facade of Corinthian columns 20 metres high. Work […]
Basilica of Sacré Coeur
The basilica is built on a vast scale to take full advantage of its commanding site. The architect Abadie was inspired by the Romano-Byzantine style. The domes, elongated into ovoid forms, the 80-metre bell-tower from which the 19-tons Savoyarde bell can be heard, the whiteness of this monument which overlooks the whole of Paris, henceforth […]
Place de la Concorde
Between the Champs Elysées and the Tuileries Gardens, there lies the Place de la Concorde. With traffic roaring and careening about seemingly in all directions, it is easy to feel lost on its 84,000 square meters. History It was designed by Gabriel begun in 1748 and completed in 1763. It was first called Place Louis XV, and […]
Palais Bourbon – National Assembly
Facing the Luxor obelisk this neo-classic palace (18th) houses one of the two chambers of the french parliament. The frontage of the French Assembly, built by Poyet in 1804 and completed in 1807, matches the Madeleine church. The frontage of the courtyard opening on the other side is typically 19th century, with its vast colonnade […]
UNESCO Building
The Paris-based headquarters of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization located near the Invalides. Specialized Agency of the United Nations, UNESCO aims at a world peace based on dignity and solidarity. Its founding Member States created the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1946 for the purpose of advancing, through the educational […]
Bibliothèque François Mitterrand
The National Library is an institution going back to 1368, housing the largest collection of geographical maps in the world along with 12 millions printed works and 250 000 manuscripts. The Bibliothèque Nationale de France was first a royal and later an imperial library before becoming a national institution. Its mission is to collect and […]
Paris La Défense
The 21 st century skyscrapers business district erected outside the western city-limits of Paris was recently enriched by the spectacular Grande Arche. The Financial District This business district is like a futuristic universe where form and content meet in beauty : active and lively during the day, deathly silent at night. Not just office buildings, […]
Saint Germain des Prés
The “intellectual” and new fashion district ! How to get there The best way to the St-Germain-des-prés district and neighbourhood is to start by taking the Pont des Arts which is located at the Louvre. You will pass by the Ile de la Cité, then the Tour St.-Jacques and then the Hotel de Ville. Finally, […]
Place des Vosges
A famous early 17th century square with some of the most beautiful parisian apartments in the middle of a middle-age district. History Henry IV developped this marshy land on the right bank opposite the Ile Saint Louis, into what is known today as the Place des Vosges. Parcelled out under Louis Xlll, he had a […]
Bastille Opera
With its 2 700 places with homogeneous acoustics, its unique equipments of scene, its integrated workshops of decorations, costumes and accessories, its rooms of work and repetitions, the Opera Bastille constitutes a large modern theatre. The Opera Built by the well-known architect Carlos Ott, the Bastille was inaugurated on July 14th, 1989. This modern building […]
Palais Brongniart
This neo-classic stock exchange, modern “Temple of Money” was founded by Napoleon in 1808. Exhibits illustrating Bourse activity, past and present, are displayed in a suite of rooms on the first floor of the stock exchange building. The Bourse in the past The visit starts with a look at the past, through an exhibit on […]
Garnier Opera
Built in 1860 by the young architect Charles Garnier with his vision of a new opera, he designed the “Opera Garnier” in the style of the Second Empire. History Built in 1860 by the young architect Charles Garnier with his vision of a new opera, he designed the “Opera Garnier” in the style of the […]
Stade de France stadium
This masterpiece of technology was built for the 1998 Football (soccer) World Cup with 80 000 covered seats. The role of the Stade de France is to host France’s major sporting events in three main sporting disciplines : football (soccer), rugby, athletics. The organisation in France of an event on a worldwide scale – the […]
Palais Royal Paris
Famous for its gardens where revolutionary plots all started, today they are a haven of peace next to the Louvre museum. The main courtyard The main courtyard, with access via a vaulted passage, displays a noble main facade and two wings, bordered by colonnaded galleries. The space of this beautiful courtyard is now decorated with a […]
The Conciergerie
This important vestige of the Capetian Palace is a remarkable testimony of the civil architecture of the 14th century : the Guard room and the kitchens. The lower part of the Palace was mainly turned into a jail during the 15th century ; you may visit the dungeons (in particular Queen Marie-Antoinette’s) and also discover […]
Père-Lachaise Cemetery
A huge historical graveyards, like a “Town of the Deads within the city”. At begining the “Père Lachaise” was a poor district, with many outlaws, winding streets, shady avenues. It’s located on the old hill of “Champ l’Evêque”, where a rich merchant built his house in 1430. In the 17th century the Jesuits converted it […]
The Pantheon
This impressive late 18th century neo-classical temple host the remains of french great men. Pantheon design The most spectacular aspect is the size of the Pantheon. On the ground floor, in the form of a cross, it has a length of 110 m (352 ft) and a breadth of 85 m (272 ft.). The dome […]
Les Invalides
The major dome of Paris hosting Napoleon’s ashes is part of a majestic hospital ordered by the Sun-king. In 1670, founded a hospital for his invalid soldiers, the King Louis XIV adopted plans by Liberal Bruant and the work started in 1671 and was finished in 1676. This hospital could house up to 4000 patients. […]
Notre Dame de Paris
The major french religious building, masterpiece of gothic architecture. Under the auspices of Bishop de Sully, the construction began in 1160 and was completed around 1345. During the construction many events occured such as in 1297, the King Louis IX was canonized as Saint Louis, and in 1304, Philip the Fair celebrated his military victory […]
Palace of Versailles
The Sun-king palace in Versailles is half an hour by train from Paris. The Castle The Chateau proposes two itineraries: either a guided tour or not. Apart from the state apartments of the king and queen and the Galerie des Glaces (the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World […]