What a breathtaking church! They often do concerts inside,…read moreso check with Classictic.com before going. We saw a performance of Vivaldi, and it has become a core memory.

I mean how can you rate a church yet here I am doing it.. From the outside, it seems like you're…read moreabout to enter a miniature Pantheon. However, once you enter, you are transported into a beautiful church. Luckily for us, there was an evening mass when we went and so we decided to stay. It's absolutely beautiful inside. Highly recommend visiting this church if you're just passing by or seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We did the after hours guided tour. I just have to say that this was an amazing experience and a…read moremust do when going to Paris. There were multiple tours going on in different languages at the same time but each group went to different sections. So your group might pass another group but you were not together. Our group was about 20 people. When you are facing the opera you go to the left and security about half way down the opera lets you in. Then you check in and wait in a rotunda area. After waiting for probably 15-20 our tour started. They take you to most of the areas and it's semi private. One of the highlights of our trip!

Wow what a beauty of a building!!…read more I cannot emphasize enough how much you should go visit this place Specifically you should book the mystery tour held at 5pm which boasts a behind the scenes look at the Paris Opera House and its beautiful Grand Foyer(note- you may recognize the famous steps from Emily in Paris ) It's a group tour - but it's after hours so it's definitely limited people and less tourists then during the day and I loved it- The guides were great , you get an ear piece to listen to in multiple languages I would love to come back and see an actual show someday

From the owner: Ministère de la Justice L'Hôtel de Bourvallais est situé sur la prestigieuse place Vendôme, au…read morecoeur de Paris. Construit en 1699, il devient l'hôtel particulier de M. Poisson de Bourvallais qui lui donne son nom. Emprisonné à la Bastille, son hôte est contraint de l'abandonner au roi, qui l'attribue alors en 1718 au chancelier. Depuis cette date, l'Hôtel de Bourvallais demeure la résidence des chanceliers et garde des sceaux.

A hidden gem! This is my favorite museum in Paris…read moreWell laid out and curated. And it's free! A definite must see.

Loved our visit to the Petit Palais. Free entry, gorgeous architecture, and two full floors of…read moresculptures, paintings, and artifacts that are beautifully displayed. The building--designed by Charles Girault for the 1900 Universal Exhibition--is a masterpiece in itself. The collection spans from antiquity to the early 20th century and is surprisingly extensive. If you're nearby, don't miss it.

La Seine, Paris So…read morebeautiful to walk along the Seine River just enjoying the views after a few days at the Paris Olympics. The Seine River is 483 miles long. Starting in the north of France, it drains to the Paris Basin flowing from Paris to the English Channel. So easy to explore bridges along the river. In Paris alone, there are 37 bridges. So nice to explore.

We enjoyed a most delightful 7 day Seine River cruise on a Gate1 Travel river cruise ship, their…read moreMonarch Countess.  We also spent 2 more days in Paris at the end and enjoyed other various Seine River scenes along the way.   The Seine is a major winding river way and we apparently went through 6 locks on the way out from Paris to the town of Caudebec-en-Caux in Normandy.  The water level was perfect for cruising (not too low and not too high) and in a quite fortuitous streak we also enjoyed 10 straight days in April here with nary a drop of rain!

The Pont Neuf (French translation): "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river…read moreSeine in Paris, France. It stands by the western (downstream) point of the island in the middle of the river that was, between 250 and 225 BC, the birthplace of Paris. I had to get as close as I could to take my photo. I was at the mercy of my daughter. She planned the daily activities as it was her first visit to Paris. I let her dictate as I have been to Paris before. She wasn't interested in the river and bridge like I was. I'm a fan of rivers and bridges. I hope to return for a closer view. For now I hope you appreciate this beautiful bridge. It's a historic wonder to me. It's an arch bridge made of stone. When you visit Paris go see it up close and take lots of photos!

The Pont Neuf, or New Bridge, is the oldest bridge across the Seine. It was new for its time. It…read morewas built in the late 1500s and finished in 1607. It has 12 arches, following the Roman style. On the sides of the bridge, you see mascarons, or faces with masks. There are almost 400 different faces of mythological characters. These are copies. The originals were made my Pilon in the 1500s. They're in museums now. The closest metro is called Pont Neuf. Please visit at night when it's so beautiful with the lights and the reflection in the river.

Our six-year-old was tired and grouchy on our last full day in Paris, recovering from a stomach bug…read morethat had taken him out for a good chunk of our trip. We'd had grand plans to go see Notre-Dame and the Louvre and spend time at the Tuileries, but we threw that all out and settled on one easy outing: a quick trip on the Metro to see the Palais-Royal. The Palais-Royal isn't a royal palace in the same way as, say, Versailles. It's much smaller, built for Cardinal Richelieu in the 1630s, and you can't go in and gawk at all the bedrooms, as the buildings are currently in use by the French government. Instead, you can hang out in the courtyard, which serves as a park. (There are some shops and restaurants and I'm sure you can go in the buildings, but the courtyard seems to be the most salient public-facing part.) The Palais is in the middle of Paris, right next to the Louvre. We took Line 1 for one stop to get there, and that ended up being a highlight of the trip for our two boys (the 1 is fully electric, so it has no driver and you can look right out the front while you ride). Just a tip for any other parents trying to entertain young children. I was hoping our kids would run around the courtyard, but our poor ailing son didn't have the energy. It was still a great place to visit. The courtyard was striking, the 17th-century architecture enhanced by one of the coolest public artworks I've ever seen. This was a Daniel Buren installation consisting of dozens of column of varying heights, painted in black and white stripes, a modern sculptural project sponsored by the Ministry of Culture (housed at the Palais-Royal) in the 1980s. I am sure this is famous on Instagram, as it's very distinct and photogenic, as well as interactive. My three-year-old ran around playing among the columns, which also served as seats for the rest of us. There was a cool pair of fountains on another side of the courtyard, by sculptor Pol Bury, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture at the same time as the columns. I didn't know about Palais-Royal before this trip to Paris, and I would've checked it out years ago if I had. It's an easy stop if you're going to the Louvre, and well worth seeing all on its own.

I've seen the iconic black & white (looks like a mint) art work...on IG for years... and had this…read morebookmarked for quite some time. Finally... made it here. I think someone told me, this used to be a parking lot (car park)... and someone creative turned it into an iconic "IG" spot! Crowded, yes. Seems to be the trend in Paris... lol even in off peak season, so be patient and wait your turn to take your spot... my sister and I waited for the school kids to leave and grabbed a row that was semi empty, so we can take a less crowded photo. What a fun pit stop after the Louvre. Enjoy!

Came to Le Grand Palais for the first time to see the Picasso Exhibit. We had purchased tickets…read moreahead of time, along w/ the audio tour, & their ticketing system is great! You receive a mobile ticket which ensures no loss of paper - and with their free wifi inside the museum, it's easy to produce your entry pass The museum itself is lovely in setup an very easy to get around - nice signage and the rooms are very easy to maneuver And their cafe is awesome - lattes are strong and evenly balanced and their croissants are on par with my alltime favorites, Eric Kayser. They were tender, flaky and fresh as could be - do not pass up the cafe!! The exhibit was interesting in that it did not really showcase works by Picasso but of the variety of artists who were influenced by Picasso. Interesting indeed Would look very forward to another exhibit during our next visit in the City of Lights

Entry into the Grand Palais is free of charge and when you see the building's exterior you'll…read moreimmediately decide that you must go inside. It's stunning, though you'll soon realize that the part you most wanted to see - the glass enclosed space - might not be open to you. Visiting in May, the glass-domed space was locked tight, opened only for special shows and events. I've looked at the calendar now, in June, and see that they open it for many summer activities and were I there now I'd certainly try to get tickets for one of those events. Otherwise? This is still a worthy investment of time, not just to look around and peer into the glass-domed space, but to view the exhibits (individually priced, tickets available at the door). I noticed 3 special exhibits during my visit and paid for entry to 2 (Matisse and Nan Golden). Based on this experience, I'd recommend paying for entry to the exhibits of artists you're least familiar with under the assumption that they'll be less crowded. The Matissse exhibit was crowded enough to render the experience almost unpleasant. The Nan Golden show? Perfect. Though I'd recommend paying to see some exhibits, even if all you do is enter to walk around and explore the space you'll be nicely rewarded. The Grand Palais has some pleasant, quiet seating areas inside and the space is lovely.

Part of the oldest area of Paris the Latin Quarter or 5th Arrondisement is so unique and…read moreinteresting you must visit Tons of old cobblestone side alleys with bars,cafes,bistros, and shops it is truly one of a kind

Latin Quarter, Paris, France. 5th arrondissement…read more Oh! Si tu pouvais lire dans mon coeur, tu verrais la place où je t'ai mise! Oh! If you could read my heart, you would see the place that I keep you.. so I wander.. A cool, old, very old neighborhood in Paris. I'm usually in the Montmartre, Madeleine, or Pyramids areas of Paris, so for me, crossing Le Seine River is the first step before any steps are in Quartier Latin. Wandering Quartier Latin was fun for me. Passing historical landmarks such as the Natural History Museum, the Panthéon, Medieval Musée de Cluny with the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries that dates to circa 1511, to more modern destinations like the Shakespeare & Company English Bookstore, which dates to 1911 and seems so beautifully out of place. Just walking the streets you can find yourself in well known movie spots, like the Rue Mouffetard - Market Street, where Julia Child listed as her favorite outdoor market. The same streets made popular by Meryl Streep seen shopping in Julie and Julia! Oui, oui! In the end, I encourage you to stroll through Quartier Latin. One of the most architectural preserved arrondissement in all of Paris and it's absolutely free! Wanderlust like I did and find cobblestone streets filled with history and character! Voltaire sleeps for eternity at the Panthéon and so does Madame Curie. Oh! If you could read my heart... IG: @eric_travel_guru