Tour of Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower is situated in the centre of Paris. Most of the tourist attractions are situated within 3 miles of the tower. Also, many of the large river boats and hop on hop off tour buses depart from close to the tower.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. At 300 metres and 7000 tons, it was the world's tallest building until 1930. Price for the lifts to the top is about €13 per adult €9 per child.

More Information . Website . Bus Tours.

Les Invalides is situated about 1 mile east of the Eiffel Tower, on the bus route.

The museum was founded in 1670 by Louis XIV, near what was then called the Grenelle Plain (an old soldiers home). The dome was constructed between 1706 and 1708.

The most significant event in the history of Les Invalides was the return of the body of Napoleon in 1840. After seven years of negotiation with the British government, Louis-Philippe, King of France, obtained permission to repatriate Emperor Napoleon's remains from St. Helena. On October 8th, 1840, 19 years after the death of the Emperor, the coffin was exhumed then transported to France aboard the frigate La Belle Poule. On April 3rd 1861, Napoleon I was laid to rest in the crypt under the dome.

Price per adult about €9, children free.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

The Musee Rodin is situated about 1.3 miles east of the Eiffel Tower, on the tour bus route, next to Les Invalides.

The Musee Rodin was opened in 1919 in the Hotel Biron and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Rodin used the Hotel Biron as his residence from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition they turn the building into a museum dedicated to his works.

The Musee Rodin contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden. Visitor Reviews.

The Arc de Triomphe is situated about 2 miles north of the Eiffel Tower, on the tour bus route.

The monument was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, shortly after his victory at Austerlitz, it was not completed until 1836. Engraved around the top of the Arch are the names of major victories won during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. The names of less important victories, as well as those of 558 generals, can be found on the inside walls. Generals whose names are underlined died in action.

Beneath the Arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and eternal flame commemorating the dead of the two world wars. There is a small museum inside the arch documenting its history and construction.

Opera de Paris, or Palais Garnier, is situated about 2.3 miles northeast of the Eiffel Tower, on the bus route.

The building was built between 1862-1875 with the architect being Charles Garnier. This is probably the most ornate building in Paris, attracting a lot of interest from tourists.

Open for guided or unguided tours, price about €8 - €12 ? Visitor Reviews .

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The Louvre Palace is situated about 2.4 miles east of the Eiffel Tower, on the bus route.

The origins date to 1200 when Philippe August began construction of a fortress on the banks of the Seine.

It first became the official royal residence under Charles V, who also constructed a new perimeter with a moat (part of the moat still exists today). The Palace was extended by kings and emperors over the centuries into the vast building that can be seen today.

After France became a Republic, the Louvre was converted to a museum housing statues and paintings from around the world, including the Mona Lisa. In 1981, Ieoh Ming Pei was commissioned to create a new reception area with modernized entrance to the Museum. The Pyramid that is now the entrance, officially opened in April 1989. There have been heated debates ever since, as to whether the pyramid design should have been chosen as an entrance to this historic building. Open 09.00 - 18.00 each day with an entrance fee of about €9?

More Information. Website . Google Map . Visitor Reviews.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

Notre-Dame de Paris is situated about 2.8 miles east of the Eiffel Tower, on the bus route.

Construction began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345. The choir was completed in 1182, the nave in 1208, and the west front and towers between 1225 and 1250. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down.

After falling into disrepair, a restoration program was carried out in 1845. That program lasted 23 years, included the construction of the spire. Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of France here after her marriage to Francois II.

Free entry when there are no services in progress. Visitor Reviews.

The Catacombs of Paris are situated about 2.8 miles southeast of the Eiffel Tower, not on the bus route.

The Catacombs were originally depleted limestone quarries, some from the Roman times. Burials in the Catacombs began in 1786, as the Les Halles district was suffering from contamination caused by poor burials and mass graves in the churchyard cemeteries. The authorities decided to discreetly move the bones to the underground passageways.

During World War II, some Parisian cells of French Resistance used the tunnel system. The Germans also established an underground bunker for their own use.

Check the website for visitor information. Visitor Reviews.

More Information . Website . Google Map.

The Basilique du Sacre-Cour is situated about 3.5 miles northeast of the Eiffel Tower, not on the bus route. Can be seen from the Eiffel Tower.

The Basilique was built after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Plans for the new basilica were to incorporate the Romano-Byzantine style. The first stone was laid in 1875 with the building completed in 1914. The interior of the church contains one of the worlds largest mosaics depicting Christ with outstretched arms.

The nearby bell tower contains the Savoyarde. Cast in Annecy in 1895, it is one of the worlds heaviest bells at 19 tons.

The Basilique and Crypt are open 09.00 - 20.00, entrance fee about €5?

Visitor Reviews.

Louis XIV's palace of Versailles is situated about 11 miles southwest of Paris.

See more than Paris and take a day trip to Monet's garden at Giverny and Louis XIV's palace of Versailles. The full-day tour combines the two most popular excursions from Paris in one trip. You'll explore France's royal history at the incomparably grand Versailles palace and see the gardens that inspired so many of Claude Monet’s masterpieces at Giverny.

Tour Information . Google Map.

For more tours of Paris and destinations such as the Normandy Battlefields and Landing Beaches, visit the website: www.viator.com/Paris

Disneyland Park is situated about 30 miles east of Paris.

The park is based on a concept pioneered by Disneyland in California, and further employed at the Magic Kingdom in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan.

Occupying 140 acres, it is the largest Disney park based on the original in California. The park opened as Euro Disneyland April 12th 1992.

More Information . Website . Late Rooms . Shuttle Buses . Google Map.

For a full list of museums and monuments in Paris, view the website www.paris.org/Maps/MM/.You can click on the map to get details of each venue.

For more information on Paris, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris.