25. Passages of the 2ème arrondissement. Shopping, old school. Here you can behold glorious stained glass and well-tiled boutiques.
24. Île St-Louis. Filled with bistros, gourmet shops, and purveyors of Paris’s prized Berthillon ice-cream, this tiny island looks just as it did in the 17th century.
23. Institut du Monde Arabe. This modern left-bank beauty addresses the Seine with art from the Near and Middle East, film festivals, and a lux rooftop terrace. The nearby Mosquée de Paris has soothing fountains and lush cloisters.
22. La Défense. Where Paris does business and where you wander among corporate towers or lounge beneath the giant arch. An alternate universe (especially to the home based business that I run).
21. Panthéon. This big dome in the Latin Quarter contains the world’s favorite physics experiment, Foucault’s Pendulum.
20. Centre Pompidou. Plumbing on the outside, contemporary art on the inside, and a squiggly fountain. Not your average museum.
19. Place des Vosges. Surrounded by an arcade of red-brick 17th-century townhouses, Paris’s oldest public square is one of the city’s loveliest spots to spend an afternoon reading in the sun.
18. Catacombs. Because, like Jacques Cousteau, we like to dive low. And see tunnels and tunnels of subterranean skulls.
17. Les Puces de St-Ouen. The largest flea market in France. Clothing, antiques, housewares, car parts, and the kitchen sink.
16. The Marais. Because never before have so many lovely bars, bistros, cafés, boutiques and boys come together in one neighborhood.
15. Rue Mouffetard. One of the Quartier Latin’s treasures—this lively street combines creative boutiques, friendly bars, a fresh produce market, and ample space for strolling.
14. Arc de Triomphe. Don’t try to fight the traffic in the Etoile—go underground to arrive at the tomb of the unknown soldier, an “eternal” flame, and a great view from the roof. It’s the big, yellow arch in the middle of all those speeding cars.
13. Musée Rodin. Parisians don’t hesitate to call this the best museum in Paris. The sculptures are breathtaking, and the gardens exquisite.
12. Opéra Garnier. The Phantom of the Opera allegedly swept through the basement of this decadent red-and-gilt opera hall. Venture into the boxes and imagine the social lives of 19th-century Parisians who went to see and be seen.
11. St-Germain-des-Prés. This neighborhood in the student-centric Quartier Latin means serious galleries, cafés, and happy strolling.
10. The Champs-Elysées. No trip to Paris would be complete without a walk down this flashy avenue.
9. The Seine. At night by boat or for a daytime stroll with wine and baguette in tow, this is bliss. Swimming is for locals with years of immunity only—visitors must settle for the quais and bridges.
8. Musée d’Orsay. An architectural beauty, this former train station now shelters the masterpieces of Impressionism and more.
7. Jardin du Luxembourg. Pitch boules, see the grand guignol, and sail a toy boat in the most popular of Paris’s formal gardens.
6. Père Lachaise Cemetery. Practically a city is its own right, immense Père Lachaise is riddled with famous dead folk, including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Edith Piaf. Your mausoleum should look so good.
5. Montmartre. A former artists’ quarter and now perhaps a tourist trap. The holy whiteness of Basilique Sacré-Coeur and heavenly view are your reason for scaling the heights of Montmartre’s well-café-ed hill.
4. Parc André Citroën. This is the park for a sunny summer picnic. Enjoy vast expanses of grass that you can actually sit on—none too common in this city of well-manicured greenery. Splash in the fountain or take a hot-air balloon ride.
3. Musée du Louvre. Once a palace of kings, and now the home of Mona Lisa, Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and legions of appreciators. Come at night to see the pyramids a-glow.
2. Notre Dame Cathedral. The famous home of the hunchback and so many gargoyles merits your attention: if not for the legends, then for its lovely stained glass and towering flying buttresses.
1. The Eiffel Tower. No matter how many desk-sized reproductions you may have seen, nothing can prepare you for the sheer height and grace of this iron lady. A romp on the Champ de Mars, the lawn stretching from her feet, is good for your sense of proportion. Go and see what “big and beautiful” is really about.
