Auguste Rodin(1840-1917) is the most famous French sculpture. He lived since 1908 in Hotel Biron the current location of the Rodin Museum. He gradually donated pieces of his work and his collection works of Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir to the French state. There was only one condition to his generous donation: Hotel Biron should be turned into a museum where Rodin’s works should be exhibited. The Rodin Museum holds the famous thinker sculpture, located right at the entrance.

Admission Fees to Rodin Museum

Rodin Museum opening hours

Location

Musée Rodin
75005 Paris
+33 (0)1 44 18 61 10

http://www.musee-rodin.fr

Right across the street from the Pantheon you will find a big garden created in the 17th century by Marie De Medicis. In the garden itself you will find many statues surrounded by flowers. You will also find the Palais du Luxembourg which currently holds the senate. It is a great place to have an afternoon picknick, you will find many Parisians  do the same.

Before the French Revolution this park was only open to royalty but now everyone can be overwhelmed by the beauty of the floral displays, the sense of peace and space in the midst of Paris. Located West in the park you will find the original statue of liberty which was the model for the bigger one in New York.

Opening hours Jardin du Luxembourg

Summer: 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Location Jardin du Luxembourg

Even if you have visited the Pantheon in Rome this is a must see when you are in the latin quarter. Not only does the outside look amazing the inside is decorated with many beautiful paintings and sculptures.

This building was build in order of King Louis XV after recovering from an illness where he would replace an old ruined church dedicated to Sainte-Geneviève with an worthy edifice. Soufflot was charged with the plans to create the Pantheon. Due financial difficulties the Pantheon was completed until after Soufflot’s death in 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution. After the completion of this church it was turned into a burial place for the great men of France by the new French Government. Only the parliament or powerful leaders could grand the privilege to be buried in the Pantheon.

In 1851 physicist Léon Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the Earth by his experiment conducted in the Pantheon, by constructing the 67-meter Foucault’s pendulum beneath the central dome. In the early 1900s it also held the famous thinker of Rodin.

Admission Fees to Pantheon:

Opening hours Pantheon

Open every day from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. (last entrance 45min before closing)

Location Pantheon:

Place du Panthéon
75005 Paris
33 / (0)1 44 32 18 0
http://pantheon.monuments-nationaux.fr/

When having more time in Paris a nice afternoon in the Latin quarter cannot be missed. It is filled with nice restaurants, cafes and shops where you can spend a relaxing day. Not much money will be spend when you dine here or have a drink. It is a dynamic neighbourhood with many open and hartfull people. The Latin quarter got his name cause of the many students located in the area who only spoke Latin at the university which is located at the hearth of the district.

The Latin quarter also holds some must see and some interesting attractions:

• The Pantheon
• Jardin du Luxembourg
• Palais du Luxembourg
• The Sorbonne
• Markets of Rue Mouffetare
• Church of St-Severin

Location

The impressive architecture and stunning stained glass is something you cannot miss. The sculptures and the stained glass show the influences of the naturalism which cannot be found on earlier romanesque structures. The Notre Dames is one of the first buildings in the world to use the the flying butress to have a counterweight outside the building. They were not on the original plans but added later on. The Notre Dames also holds the chair of the archbishop of Paris.

But if you do not arrive early you will have to fight the crowds. The tower of the Notre Dames can be visited where you will have a wonderfull view over the city and you can take a closer look at the decorative gargoyles which you can find all over the Cathedral.

Admission Fees to Notre Dames

Notre Dames opening hours

Location

6 Parvis Notre-Dame
Place Jean-Paul II
75004 Paris
+33 (0)1 42 34 56 10

http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/

People who have visited the louvre say you can spend the whole visit at the louvre while others say on a short visit it is overrated. If you have never been to Paris before, a short visit to the louvre should be on your list. Perhaps the Mona Lisa and the Venus of Milo are overrated and to crowded to have a good look at. But the Louvre has so much more to offer.

• Egyptian antiquities
• Near Eastern antiquities
• Greek, Etruscan, and Roman
• Islamic art
• Sculpture
• Decorative arts
• Painting
• Prints and drawings

With so much to offer it is obvious that the louvre is a crowded place with long waiting lines. Therefor when going to the louvre you have to be prepared, go either early in the morning or on late in the evening. On Wednesdays  the louvre stays open till 21h (9p.m.) and there are smaller waiting lines and less crowded. Know what you want to visit and where it is located. Audio guided tours are available but only if you are there in time, they tend to run out of them during busy periods. You can skip the long waiting line by buying a louvre ticket online ahead of time or having the Paris Museum Pass.

Louvre opening hours

• Open everyday except Tuesday
• Open from 9h – 18h (9a.m. – 6p.m. )
• Open Wednesday and Friday till 22h (10p.m.)

Louvre admission fee

• First Sunday: Free
  Louvre is open everyday first Sunday of the month for free
• Full day pas: 9€
  except temporary exhibitions
• Evening pas: 6€
  on Wednesdays and Fridays
  except temporary exhibitions
• Temporary Exhibitions: 11€

Louvre Location

Musée du Louvre
75058 Paris cedex 01
Tel.: +33 (0)1 40 20 51 77

Many pictures are taken from the Arc de triomphe both from the ground as from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, you will have a great view over the Champs-Élysées from there. A traffic circle surrounds the Arc de triomphe, when accessing the Arc de triomphe do no try to cross the traffic circle but take the underground tunnel instead.

The Champs-Élysées is the widest and well known street of Paris. It’s a boulevard lined with countless restaurants, cafés and stores. The rent at the Champs-Élysées is the highest in Paris, perhaps that is why they ask a lot for drinks and food as well. Every year the tour de France has its last meters at the Champs-Élysées.

Opening Hours
High Season: 10h-23h (10 a.m.-11 p.m.)
Low Season: 10h-22.30h (10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.)

Costs
Adults : 8 €
Students (<25) : 5 €
Free for children(<18)

This monument is free for those who have the museum pas

Location

Place Charles-de-Gaulle
75008 Paris
33 / (0)1 55 37 73 77
http://arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr

The Seine river cruise might be a bit touristy but if you have no problem with that it is a must do attraction! Not only it is a pleasant trip with a wonderful view, you always have a great way to orientate yourself in the city. You get to see a lot of wonderful monuments and perhaps gives you ideas of visiting something you did not knew about.

At night the Seine river cruise has been called very romantic. But over day you get to see more. Depending on your current location you may vary in the choice for company to float with. The Bateaux Mouches which is located near the Eiffel Tower also offers dinner cruises. The dinner on the cruises is not as great as in a restaurant but it is a different experience.

Boat Cruise Seine:

When visiting Paris you can’t get away with not being on the top of the Eiffel Tower once. Although the view might not be as great as on other historical buildings the Eiffel Tower is an monument representing the city for many years. At some points visiting the Eiffel Tower can take up quit some time  as waiting lines tend to count up till 2 hours in high season.

Visitors can chose to go to the second floor (115m or 377ft) or all the way to the top (276m or 905ft). The second floor can be reached by stairs while the top

floor is only reached by an elevator. Three elevators are available while one two are in use at the same time, this is for maintenance. The top floor can also be reached from the second floor. If you are going to the top , take the stairs to the second floor where you will find interesting historic facts and events about the Eiffel Tower. But if you do not have much time, you might as well take the elevator to the top floor at once cause another waiting line will be there on the second floor. Both floors have restaurants for which a reservation should be made couple weeks ahead. The second floor has also a snackbar and a souvenirshop while the top floor has a historic view of Gustaf Eiffel’s office and engineerroom.

As paris is called the city of lights then the Eiffel Tower could be called
the monument of lights. At night the Eiffel Tower is fully lit which give a wonderfull unique view.

Admission Fees to Eiffel Tower:

Opening Hours for Eiffel Tower

Location

Avenue Gustave Eiffel
75007 Paris
33 (0) 1 44 11 23 23
http://www.tour-eiffel.fr