Things to Do in Paris

Designed by architects Marie-Joseph Peyre and Charles de Wailly, the Odeon, Théatre de L'Europe, or the European Theatre of Paris, was opened by Marie-Antoinette in 1782 and remains one of the city’s most popular theaters. The oldest theater auditorium in Paris, the Odeon was inaugurated in 1971 as one of France’s six national theaters and boasts a rich history of Parisian arts, including hosting the famous Comédie Française.

Located in the heart of the city’s atmospheric Left Bank, in the 6th arrondissement, the theater maintains its original colonnaded neoclassical façade and dramatic foyer, masterminded by Chalgrin, celebrated architect of the Triumphal arch. Today, the theater showcases a range classical, contemporary and experimental plays, with performances held regularly throughout the year and the emphasis on promoting national theater and nurturing upcoming talent.

Formerly a (comparatively) humble hunting lodge, the Palace of Versailles (Chateau de Versailles) is the extravagant creation of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. Embellished to epitomize ultimate royal decadence, the inequality of which tindered the French Revolution, Versailles Palace is a feast for the eyes — its 700 rooms are replete with frescoed ceilings and carvings, while the Versailles Gardens (Jardins de Versailles) brim with geometrically designed walkways and fountains. No visit to Paris, or France for that matter, is complete without experiencing the grandeur of Versailles.

Second only to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris) is one of Paris' most iconic attractions, a marvel of medieval architecture that was immortalized in Victor Hugo's classic novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Today, the Gothic grandeur and stained-glass windows of the UNESCO World Heritage site continue to reign supreme from Ile de la Cite, an island in the middle of the Seine River.

One of Paris' most picturesque picnic spots, the tree-lined Parc des Buttes Chaumont was commissioned by Napoleon III back in 1867, adding a welcome splash of greenery to the bleary residential streets of Paris' 19th arrondissement. The park’s 25 hectares rise and fall over a series of hills, pocked with hidden caves, vibrant flower displays and gurgling streams. One of the largest parks in the city, Parc des Buttes Chaumont offers around 5 km of walking and cycling tracks, blazing a trail between attractions like the Chinese and English-style gardens and an atmospheric grotto housing a 20-meter waterfall. The majestic Temple of Sybil (Belvedere Sybil), a Greco-Roman homage to the Temple of the Sibyl in Tivoli, is the striking centerpiece of the park, perched on a 30-meter grassy pedestal in the center of the park’s lake. Visitors can visit the island via a 63-meter long suspension bridge, from where the views stretch over the park and its surroundings.

Those spending an afternoon in the park, will find plenty to keep them amused -- the space hosts three restaurants, two Guignol theaters where traditional marionette shows are held, a number of well-equipped children’s playgrounds and children’s pony rides throughout the summer months. And if you ever tire of all the natural scenery, don’t worry -- the park even has free wifi zones.

A 75-foot monumental pillar fashioned from pink granite, the Obelisk of Luxor looms over Place de la Concorde, Paris’ largest and most famous square, flanked by the idyllic Jardin des Tuileries. Erected in 1836, the monument was gifted to King Charles X by the Viceroy of Egypt, one of the twin obelisks marking the entrance to the Temple of Luxor (its double remains seated at the temple entrance). Following the turbulence and bloodshed of the French Revolution, the Obelisk was erected in Place de la Concorde as a symbol of peace, replacing the former statue of Louis XV that was famously substituted for a guillotine during the uprisings and effectively erasing some of the square’s gruesome history.

Framed by fountains, the Luxor Obelisk, often-nicknamed Cleopatra’s Needle, is reminiscent of ancient Egyptian obelisks later exhumed in London and New York, and features original hieroglyphic tributes to the pharaoh Ramses II. Its original base carvings, now on display in the Louvre, have been replaced with images of its installation, a complex procedure to haul the 230-ton monolith into position. A gold leaf apex was added in 1998 to replace the missing original capstone, the most recent addition to the monument that dates back over 3000 years.

Holding the title of Paris’ largest park at around 25 hectares, Parc de la Villette is made up of a series of themed gardens, known as ‘prairies’, set around the banks of the l'Ourq Canal. There’s more on offer than just an idyllic setting, though – the park’s interactive play areas, cycle paths and event spaces, along with one of the city’s most popular museums offer plenty of options for a family day out.

The park is characterized by its modernist sculptures and installations, including around 35 fire-engine red follies dotted along the canal banks, a striking sight against the futuristic silhouettes of the park’s buildings. Three concert halls reside in the park – the Zenith Concert Hall and the Cite de la Musique, both important music halls, and the striking Grand Hall, a former livestock showground transformed by architects Bernard Reichen and Philippe Robert into a popular cultural center and performance arena. The City of Science and Industry, Europe’s largest science museum, is also on-site, fronted by the iconic Omnimax cinema, La Géode - a building constructed inside a giant silver ball. Film and music fans can even enjoy alfresco entertainment during the summer months, when the nearby Prairie du Triangle is transformed into an open-air cinema, and a number of music concerts and festivals are held in the park grounds.

Even the gardens themselves continue the postmodernist theme, designed by renowned architect Bernard Tschumi and including a Dragon garden, presided over by a towering ‘Dragon slide’, a firm favorite among visiting children; a Mirror Garden, where mirrored panels have been erected among the trees to dramatic effect and a pretty Bamboo Garden where shaded paths trace a scenic walk through the woodlands.