Almost as dazzling as the masterpieces inside the Louvre is the 21m-high glass pyramid designed by Chinese-born American architect IM Pei, which crowns the main entrance to the museum in shimmering sunbeams and glass.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.89 MILES
There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…
0.75 MILES
Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…
0.59 MILES
Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…
0.09 MILES
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
1.89 MILES
It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…
0.97 MILES
Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.
0.92 MILES
This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts.
1.08 MILES
Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…
Nearby Paris attractions
0.09 MILES
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
2. Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
0.14 MILES
This triumphal arch, erected by Napoléon to celebrate his battlefield successes of 1805, rises from the Jardin du Carrousel, the gardens immediately next…
0.16 MILES
This is the former Palais Royal, built in 1624 by Cardinal Richelieu. It's now the Council of State – the French national government body that acts as…
0.18 MILES
Privately administered collections of applied arts and design, advertising and graphic design, and fashion and textiles are displayed in the Rohan Wing of…
0.18 MILES
Home to the Ministère de la Culture et Communication (Ministry of Culture & Communication), this inspired structure (Francis Soler and Frédéric Druot,…
6. Louvre Porte des Lions Entrance
0.2 MILES
This entrance to the Musée du Louvre is invariably less crowded than the main Grande Pyramide entrance.
7. Église St-Germain l’Auxerrois
0.26 MILES
Built between the 13th and 16th centuries in a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles and with similar dimensions and ground plans to those of Notre…
0.26 MILES
The French language and all its nuance are guarded with care by 40 Immortels (Immortals) of the French Academy, founded by Cardinal Richelieu in 1635. The…