Sight seeing in Paris, I need help.

[namechangenelly1]

I’ve decided on a whim that I’d like to go and see some beautiful buildings and I thought, fuck it, I’m going to Paris.

I’ll be doing the standard Eiffel Tower and the Louvre but I’d really like some recommendations of maybe old churches and abbeys. Ideally on public transport routes but I don’t mind getting my steps in.

This has come about by re watching the Da Vinci Code and realising I’ve never seen any beautiful architecture. So I’m treating my self to a couple of days of culture and croissants.

Is there anything I should definitely see whilst there? I need help making an itinerary!

Hotel des invalides, there’s a few museums and the cathedral bit is pretty impressive. There’s also the Pantheon which has some famous tombs. The famous ones like Notre Dame and Montmartre are still worth seeing but can be very very busy. Palais Garnier is also beautiful, and if the weather is nice then just taking a stroll around le jardin du luxembourg after the Louvre is nice!

I personally love the hop on/off buses - you can use them to get to the main sites without being underground and really get your bearings while listening to some history and taking in the atmosphere of each area.

You could go to the Palace of Versaille..we took public transport there. Its a while ago so can't remember exactly which one. It's beautiful but a bit out.

Catacombes, be sure to book, it’s very popular.
Musée d’Orsay if you like Impressionism.
Père Lachaise cemetery, lots of very interesting graves/people.
Opéra, fab architecture, equally La Madeleine.
Galéries Lafayettes has stunning architecture/ceilings.
Notre Dame, obviously, it’s open again.

Bateau mouche from Pont d’Alma (Alma-Marceau metro) will give you a great tour.

Saint Sulpice
Sacre Coeur
Hotel de la marine
Palais Garnier
Musee Rodin
Montparnasse tower for nice view

Sainte Chapelle is very beautiful. Les Invalides is a fascinating group of military museums (lots of crazy uniforms and weapons) but is most of a day and is mostly indoors.
Le Musée de l'Orangerie (near le musée du Louvre) is small and has a selection of the famous waterlily paintings.
Le musée de Cluny has the famous unicorn tapestries.
Ste. Sulpice is one of the churches in the DaVinci Code.
In fact, if you google DaVinci Code tours, you'll be able to see a list of places and probably even book a guided tour.
Near La Tour Eiffel is Rue Cler, a street with restaurants, cafés and a market.
L'arc de triomphe is a great counterpoint with a great view to the other places. Likewise, the 'new' arch: La Grande Arche de la Défense has a lovely rooftop terrace and good views back towards the centre but very little else.
Le palais de Versailles is worth seeing but is a whole day, book a bicycle with your ticket so you can make it to le trianon and le petit trianon - the site is vast and you need wheels. But le palais de Versailles is somewhat empty for what it is - not much furniture or furnishings, hardly any contextualisation. I had been to Paris many times before I went to Versailles and when I finally went, I was glad I had spent my other trips not there.
You might like to watch Filthy Cities (Dan Snow).

Are you going soon? Worth noting the need to book in advance for most things to avoid spending a long time in a queue. The Eiffel Tower gets booked up way in advance unless you’re happy to go via the stairs!

as I recently found there are no ‘quieter times’ in Paris.

perhaps not the kind of building you’re interested in seeing but the Pompidou closes for renovations for 5 years later this year, so might be worth a look.

If you go to the musee d’orsay there is a beautiful restaurant in there where you could have lunch.

One thing worth knowing in general is that service charge is included in restaurant bills, so no need to tip.

Amazing! Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions. I’m going to have a good read about all these places and see if I can make my own little tour.

I'm envious! I just wanted to recommend going to the Louvre and the Orangerie nearby (for the Monets) on a Sunday. The major roads nearby are closed to traffic and it's bliss - dog walkers, runners etc, and the gold of the statues glittering in the sun. Notre Dame is close by too. They have some really interesting stuff in the Louvre, such as Marie Antoinette's writing desk, but it's a huge place so decide what you'd like to see beforehand. They also have a food court with pick n mix options.
Another good museum is I think called the Musee du Moyen-Age - it's also not too far and it houses the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries.

Would recommend this to read before you go.

Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century https://g.co/kgs/oNmv1yc

On foot you can take in the Haussmanian architecture which is the dominant style across the city.

Agree with the suggestions above and would add visits to the big department stores which all have fabulous interiors - Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché and Samaritaine. Galeries Lafayette also has a free roof terrace for city views.

Samaritaine is also handy for the loo before/after taking a boat trip from Pont Neuf!

Notre Dame is open again, and you can book it three days in advance. Worth doing to get a time slot. It does ‘sell out’ (albeit they are free tickets!) so worth going on the official website at 11pm BST (ie midnight in France) 3 days before you want to visit to bag a slot.

If you’re going to be down by the Jardin des Plantes (botanical gardens) in the SW of the city, worth going to the Mosquee de Paris as well. It is beautiful, and sitting in the tea room drinking mint tea and eating baklava is a lovely experience!

The Musee d’Orsay is lovely.
Shakespeare & Co, next to Notre Dame.
If you have enough time to go, I would definitely take a day trip to Versailles - it’s incredible!
centre Pompidou is fun to see
le marais for shopping
Les jardins Tuileries
opera garnier
Les Invalides is fascinating. It’s now the army museum and the building is amazing.

Notre Dame
Sacre Coeur

Don't forget to book in advance!

I also recommend the Musee du Moyen-Age, the tapestries are stunning but the building is also really interesting, part of it is a beautiful roman bath house.

https://www.louvre.fr/en/exhibitions-and-events/exhibitions/louvre-couture

This is a great exhibition spread across one whole wing of the Louvre.

Allow yourself an hour before your timed entry for the queue and security check and a couple of hours for the expo.

This was also great if you're going before May 25th

https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/fr/lart-degenere-le-proces-de-lart-moderne-sous-le-nazisme