Paris is the city of dreams, rich in culture and culinary delights. That’s why our travelogue and the number of photos we took are longer than usual. We’ve visited several times before, most recently spending a week there in February 2026 with Renate and Erich, a couple we know from Kassel. We stayed in an elegant apartment in the vibrant Gare Lazare neighbourhood.
On the Île de la Cité island in the Seine, you can once again admire the famous Notre Dame Cathedral. This Gothic architectural masterpiece has been restored to its former glory following the devastating fire of 2019 and a meticulous renovation. After climbing over 400 steps, you reach one of the two bell towers, which offer magnificent views of the city. The Quai d’Orléans on the neighbouring Île de la Cité is the perfect place to take a break. On the left bank of the Seine lies the vibrant Saint-Germain district, with its winding alleys, small shops and countless brasseries and cafés. One such café is the famous Café de Flore, where we recently enjoyed a glass of champagne to conclude our trip. Passing the impressive Saint-Sulpice Church, with its chapel decorated by Delacroix, you will reach the sprawling Jardin du Luxembourg, where you can relax and watch the world go by.
To the east, the Quartier Latin offers a variety of sights in addition to the venerable Sorbonne University. These include the late Gothic Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, which contains the tomb of Paris's patron saint, Genoveva, and the impressive Panthéon. Originally intended to be a cathedral, the Panthéon was converted into a mausoleum for French national heroes following the French Revolution. As visitors with a background in radiology, naturally we also visited Marie Curie’s tomb.
Built in 1889, the Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris. The view from Trocadéro station offers an initial glimpse of it. The view of the Paris skyline from the top of the Eiffel Tower is unbeatable. Magnificent! It’s well worth the wait at the ticket office and security check. Seeing the illuminated Eiffel Tower during a night-time boat ride on the Seine is unforgettable.
From the Eiffel Tower, you can walk across the Champ de Mars to the Dôme des Invalides (Temple of the Invalids), whose golden dome can be seen from far away. Napoleon’s tomb is located in the crypt. Just a few blocks away is the rather small Musée Rodin, which houses the artist’s studio.
The Musée du Louvre houses a vast collection of art objects. The most famous of these is Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre is particularly photogenic. Further west, the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries is the perfect place to relax and admire Monet’s large-scale water lily paintings at the Musée de l’Orangerie. From here, you can also enjoy the view of the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées. On the other side of the Seine is the Musée d’Orsay, our favorite Parisian museum. Reason: The many paintings by the French Impressionists. The museum is housed in the majestic former Gare d’Orsay building. The Centre Pompidou is, in a sense, a chronological continuation of European art. This colossal museum, with its distinctive façade, is an artistic highlight featuring works by Kandinsky and Picasso, among others.
And what would Paris be like without its passages? The dozen or so passages house a treasure trove of small, high-quality shops and restaurants. We visited the Passage Verdeau, the Passage Jouffroy and our absolute favorite, the Galerie Vivienne, among others. Here, Sonja bought some exquisite paper flowers that we enjoy looking at every day back home. Brasserie Colbert is located between the passages. We'll long remember the seafood menu there, which was served with Alsatian sauerkraut (choucroute de la mer) and a glass of pinot blanc.
The best place to start exploring the vibrant Marais district is Place de la Bastille. However, nothing remains of the former Bastille armoury. Since 1989, the Opéra Bastille, an architectural colossus, has stood here. Place des Vosges is a more charming sight. Since the 17th century, this tree-lined square has been surrounded by 36 almost identical red-brick and light-stone houses. In the Marais district, there are two museums worth visiting: first, the Hôtel Carnavalet, which provides a comprehensive overview of Paris's history and the era of the French Revolution; and second, the Musée Picasso, which features the artist's most important paintings and sculptures.
The Champs-Élysées is Paris’s grand boulevard and showcase street. Expansive, sophisticated and prestigious, it is lined with high-end shops. A fantastic view of the boulevard can be enjoyed from the roof of the Arc de Triomphe, which marks its end. At the other end of the boulevard is the Place de la Concorde, which features an obelisk at its centre. To the right are the Grand Palais, which features a light-filled atrium, and the Petit Palais, which boasts a beautiful garden and a museum dedicated to the Impressionists. The Pont Alexandre III is the perfect place to take photos, with its gas lanterns and golden figures in the foreground and the Eiffel Tower in the background. We started our long walk along the Seine from the Pont Alexandre III.
Perched atop the highest point in Paris, in the heart of the Montmartre district, stands the white-stone Sacré-Cœur Basilica with its cross-domed roof. Over 100 years ago, Montmartre was an artists' colony, but today only a few trendy hangouts remain to bear witness to its small-town charm. What remains are winding alleys and countless steps, as well as two windmills: the Moulin de la Galette in the centre and the Moulin Rouge at the foot of Montmartre.
If you still have some money left at the end of your trip to Paris, it’s worth taking a look inside the Lafayette department store. Under a golden Art Nouveau dome, you will find all kinds of luxury items, from high-quality clothing to the finest wines. Various restaurants aim to enhance the commercial experience.
The Palace of Versailles, located in the neighbouring town, is an extensive 17^(th)-century Baroque palace complex surrounded by beautiful gardens. The Dufour and Gabriel wings house countless state rooms, while the richly decorated Hall of Mirrors in the central building is particularly impressive. A visit to Giverny, 80 kilometres away, is also highly recommended. In this small village, a garden was laid out around Claude Monet’s house to commemorate the love of nature shared by the Impressionist artists who once lived here. Water lilies are a prominent feature here, of course.
