LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL

PARIS: What To See

Apr 04, 2017 | By New Darlings

After going through literally hundreds of photos from Paris, we figured we’d break down our time there in a few posts. What to See, Where to Eat, Where to Stay (we shared three beautiful airbnbs a few days ago, click here if you missed it), and Where to Shop.

To keep things going, here’s a few favorite places that went we to that are must see’s in our book. Scenic views, beautiful parks, famous museums, and more!

PARIS: WHAT TO SEE

The Louvre
Probably the most famous among Paris’ museums and the world’s largest! To fully embrace the amazing sculptures and paintings here, pace yourself and throw on some comfy shoes before heading there. We took our time and also got a real kick out of everyone taking selfies with the Mona Lisa. 😉

Musée d’Orsay
This museum was originally a train station, and one of the most beautiful ones at that. The building itself is impressive. Being able to see paintings by Renoir and Van Gogh up close was quite something. The temptation to just touch the paint was so strong! Ha!

Musée Rodin
This may or may not come as a surprise, but this was one of our favorite museums we visited during our stay. To be fair, we did get perfect weather that day and even without the grounds in bloom, everything felt so special and whimsical…almost as though we were walking through someone’s private estate. Well, I guess we were…Rodin’s. 😉 There weren’t too many visitors and we were able to just take it all in. The amount of work Rodin was able to produce in his lifetime is mind blowing. We could have spent the whole afternoon there.

Musée de l’Orangerie
Claude Monet’s Water Lillies…enough said. There is definitely more to the museum, but seeing this massive work up close was pretty special. Out of everything we did in Paris, the museums were hands down our favorite. The amount of history in the city blew us away and being able to be in front of such masterpieces really made us feel alive there. (Cheesy, I know, but true!)

Pont Neuf
…the oldest existing bridge across the Seine River. We caught the sunset here one night and watched the tour boats go by. You can see more photos from our post here. Also, if you’re looking to recreate the cover from Midnight Paris, this is your spot. 😉

The Wall of “I Love You”
Another great photo op in the middle of a park in Montmartre. Seeing everyone snap photos with their loved ones was infectious.

Alexandre III Bridge
One of the most beautiful bridges in Paris and another magical spot to catch the sunset.

Montmartre
Montmartre is full of hills, historic hangouts, and tons of tourists (including us ha!). You can try to imagine the artists and working class families that once occupied this beautiful village, but man, they make it a bit difficult with all the souvenir shops and tour groups.  This was still one of our favorite days in Paris and loved checking out the Basilique du Sacré-Cœr, Cafe des Deux Moulins (from the movie Amelie), the Moulin Rouge, Picasso’s studio, Lapin Agile Cabaret and so many other great spots.

Palace of Versailles
I think if you visit in the Spring and Summer, the gardens would be incredible, but unfortunately there was a lot of construction when we went and the statues were all covered. We’d definitely like to go back and visit another time!

Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris
Absolutely stunning architecture.  We were completely wowed by every bit of it.  The location was one of our favorite spots in Paris right by the river.

Square René Viviani
We stumbled upon this little park by accident, after leaving Shakespeare & Co.

Luxembourg Garden
Loved this area. So many people with books, children playing, people sailing model boats in the fountains. Walking through this garden really made us think about what it would be like to live in Paris. Would this be a typical weekend afternoon? If so, sign us up!

Colonnes de Buren
Stopped here after grabbing coffee one morning. Such a fun spot. We were surprised to learn the art installation was actually pretty recent, from the 1980s. Can’t wait to share more photos from this spot in our next post.

Garnier Opera
We weren’t lucky enough to catch a performance here, but the architecture alone is worth a visit.Grande Roue de Paris
We rode this massive ferris wheel on our last night in Paris, and it was the most romantic way to say good bye to the city. I feel the photo above sums up how happy we were to be in Paris. The group of Spanish teenagers in the car in front of us chanting “beso! beso!” and cheering when we finally gave in, was pretty memorable too! Ha!

Place du Trocadéro / Eiffel Tower
If you take the metro or Uber to the Eiffel Tower for that perfect shot, you will be too close to get the Tower in your frame. Instead, grab your camera, a few friends and head to Place du Trocadéro. And of course the Eiffel Towel up close, especially at night, is still undoubtedly beautiful.

And that’s all folks! We can’t wait to go back and experience new places and add to this list. Hope this helps any trips you may be planning, or aided in a little daydreaming this Tuesday evening. 🙂

 Check out more of our Paris posts below:
Paris: Where To Stay | A Flower Workshop in Paris | Blushing in Paris
A Visit to the Sézane Librairie Sunset at Pont Neuf

Some great travel pieces worn during our trip:
Christina: Grey J.Crew coat (similar) and bow gingham top | Sézane studded bag | Michael Kohrs raincoat | The Kooples flats
Robert: ONA camera bag | J.Crew raincoat and chambray | All Saints boots | ASOS blazer

13 comments on “PARIS: What To See”

  1. Headed to Paris in the fall, thank you for such great inspiration! Mind me asking what camera and lens you use?

    Thank you ?

  2. Thank you so much for this!! I teared up when I saw that magical indoor photo of the Louvre! I have always wanted to go to Paris and this year I am getting married and we are going to Paris for our honeymoon. Your posts are helping me so much with planning and my future husband and I are so excited to check out some of your favorite spots!

  3. Thank you for such an extensive list! I went to Paris solo for the first time last year and am stopping through it again for a couple days this fall with my husband. The Jardin du Palais Royal and the Colonnes de Buren was my very favorite spot. It was so quiet and serene and beautiful and somehow lacked the hoards of tourists you see just across the street at the Louvre. I relaxed there for a quite a while with a coffee and cookie from Cafe Kitsune, and it was just what I needed. <3And as always, obsessed with all of your outfits.www.wonderlandsam.com

  4. Seeing this post can only make me miss Paris more and more. I think it is one of the most beautiful cities and definitely one of my favorites. I cannot wait to go back! So many good memories. So much nostalgia!

  5. Hi: Your photos are stunning. I tried to find more information on the 2nd Air BnB you stayed at but didn’t locate it. Can you send me the address or link so that I can check on availability there for a trip I am planning next spring? Merci beaucoup!

  6. These pictures are lovely! Thank you for the awesome tips too! One quick question, what type of camera do you use? The pictures are so vivid and leave me in awe!

    1. Thank you so much! That is so kind of you and really means a lot to us! We use a Canon 6D and used the 24-70mm lens for most of the trip. There’s a few iPhone shots thrown in there too. 😉

  7. I LOVE this post! You guys are so adorable! So I saw in the earlier comments what type of camera you guys use, but I was wondering how you captured the beautiful photos with both of you in it. Did you guys use a tripod set up? I am going to Paris next spring and would love to get some cute shots of my hubby and I that don’t require a selfie stick. Haha

  8. Love reading about your Parisian trip, so lovely! My husband & I are headed over there in November and would love to know places that are a must eat and/or drink? And i think the weather will be roughly the same as your trip, so I’ll be sure to pack some cute coats. I love reading about all your travel adventures. Keep ’em coming! =)

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