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Paris, Banks of the Seine

Paris · France

Background

World Heritage since
1991
Type of site
Cultural
Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower
1163–1889

From the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, from the Place de la Concorde to the Grand and Petit Palais, the evolution of Paris and its history can be seen from the Seine. UNESCO calls Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle architectural masterpieces, and credits Haussmann's wide squares and boulevards with influencing town planning the world over.

The listed stretch runs along both banks through the centre of the city, taking in the Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis, the bridges, the quays and the great buildings that face the river. Paris has been inscribed since 1991.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1st c. BCJulius Caesar records the settlement of Lutetia
  2. 12th–13th c.Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle are built on the Île de la Cité
  3. 19th c.Haussmann's boulevards reshape the city
  4. 1889The Eiffel Tower goes up for the Exposition Universelle
  5. 1991Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Notre-Dame
    The Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, reopened after the 2019 fire.
  2. 2
    Sainte-Chapelle
    The stained-glass chapel beside it; needs a timed ticket.
  3. 3
    The Louvre
    The largest and most visited museum in the world; closed on Tuesdays.
  4. 4
    Eiffel Tower
    Book lift tickets online, then see it from the Trocadéro across the river.
  5. 5
    Pont Alexandre III and the Grand Palais
    The grandest bridge, between the Invalides and the Champs-Élysées.
  6. 6
    The Quays
    Walk the river banks or take a boat at night, when the bridges and monuments are lit.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Book the Timed Sights
Sainte-Chapelle needs a timed ticket, the Eiffel Tower lifts sell out, and the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
RER B from the Airport
Wikivoyage: the RER B from Charles de Gaulle is the fastest, cheapest way into the centre.
Pickpockets and Scams
Violent crime is rare, but pickpocketing and scams are common around the big sights and on the Métro.
Plan Realistically
Wikivoyage warns of long queues in high season: pick a few sights a day and leave room for the river.

Island, Louvre and Tower

From the GoGo Paris guide · Open the Paris Guide ›

  1. 09:00
    Sainte-Chapelle's Stained Glass1 hr
    The chapel of glass.
  2. 10:15
    Notre-Dame Cathedral1 hr
    The cathedral on its island.
  3. 12:00
    The Louvre3 hrs
    The Mona Lisa and the palace that holds her.
  4. 16:00
    Up the Eiffel Tower2 hrs
    Booked online ahead.
  5. 21:00
    Seine River Cruise at Night1 hr
    The bridges and monuments lit up.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: May–Sep.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Dec (69 mm), driest Apr (39 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
Versailles is 40 minutes by RER, and Fontainebleau and Chartres Cathedral are each about an hour by train.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 600 · Wikipedia: Paris · Wikivoyage: Paris (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Paris guide · UNESCO listing