Things to Do in Paris

Known less for its name and more for the lily ponds that inspired Claude Monet's iconic paintings, Giverny is a provincial gem located just a short train journey from Paris. The tiny village, home to only 500 inhabitants, is an area of outstanding natural beauty, whose landscapes are comprised of ponds smothered in water lilies, weeping willow trees, and quaint painted bridges. Escape from Paris' metropolitan mayhem and spend the day in Giverny, a heaven for fans of Impressionism—you're sure to come back full of inner peace.

Ile de la Cité shares the Seine River with its upstream neighbor, Ile Saint-Louis, right in the middle of Paris's city center. The westernmost end of the island is mostly residential with a small park at the tip, while the eastern end gives visitors the best view of the flying buttresses of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Palais de Justice is also housed on the island, which has the Sainte-Chapelle inside, a tiny jewel box of almost kaleidoscopic color thanks to its wonderful stained glass.

Archaeologists found evidence of habitation on this island by the Romans, as early as the first century BC. But the early 17th century was when the island came into its own, after the construction of the Pont Neuf that spans the river and intersects with the western end.

A sea of high-rise office towers and modern skyscrapers encompassing 1.6 square kilometers at the western tip of the city, La Défense is Paris' purpose-built business district -- a modernist showcase of Paris in the 20th century.

La Défense was developed back in the 1960s by then President Charles de Gaulle, in an effort to minimize the detrimental effect of office blocks taking over downtown Paris. Restricting building heights across the city center, the business district was pushed to the western end of the city’s 10km-long Historical Axis, which stretches between the Louvre, the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe.

A towering district of glass and steel structures and the largest dedicated business district in Europe, La Défense boasts a number of striking buildings, including the GAN Tower -- Paris' tallest skyscraper at 179 meters -- and one of Europe’s largest shopping malls, Les Quatre Temps. The area’s most famous landmark is the iconic Grande Arche, or Tête Défense, a distinctive modernist building in the shape of a giant, hollow cube - an unmissable marker on the Paris skyline. Designed by Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen as a 20th century version of the Arc de Triomphe, the white marble Grande Arche stretches 110 meters into the air and features spectacular panoramic views from its terrace observation platform.

With its spectacular Neo-Renaissance frontage presiding over the Place de Grève in the city center, the Hotel de Ville is among Paris' most impressive architectural works. Reconstructed in 1873, the prestigious building kept much of its original style and its exteriors remain a celebrated example of 16th-century French Renaissance architecture, inspired by the Châteaux of the Loire Valley. Designed by architects Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes, the arresting façade features a central clock tower and 136 statues representing historical figures from Paris and other French cities. The interior boasts the grandest makeover, though, with the ceremonial rooms -- including a long Salle des Fêtes (ballroom) - lavishly decorated and featuring wall paintings by a number of key 19th-century artists.

Today the stately building is the city hall, housing the offices of the Mayor and the Parisian city council and maintaining the building's rich political history. While marveling at the magnificent façade (particularly atmospheric at night when its floodlit with multi-colored lights) is a popular pastime among tourists, guided tours of the interiors are also available, and the impressive exhibition hall hosts regular exhibitions of French art and history. During the winter months, a huge outdoor ice rink is erected in front of the Hotel de Ville, offering free ice-skating and a number of ice hockey and figure skating spectaculars over the holiday season.

In the ritzy Opera district of Paris, the Gourmet Chocolate Museum (Musée Gourmand du Chocolat) dedicates itself to the history of chocolate, with plenty of tastings along the way.