I had fun creating this unique ABC of Paris. This is a great way to learn more about the landmarks of Paris, from monuments to places and districts. All the photos were taken during my walks in the French capital. I hope this will inspire you to come back to the City of Lights! 😉
The ABC of Paris
Let’s be honest, I had trouble in creating this ABC. Not for the majority of letters from which I had to choose among famous landmarks (B: Bastille, Bourse, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Beaubourg). As always, the tricky ones are K, Q, W, X, Y and Z!! If you have any suggestions for these letters, let us know by commenting below! 😉
A
Arc de Triomphe
One of the most celebrated monuments of Paris, built in the early 19th century. Find out more about the Arc de Triomphe.
>> Get your Tickets for Arc de Triomphe: Skip The Line + Rooftop Access! <<
B
Bastille
One of the most famous squares of Paris, the former site of the infamous prison stormed in 1789. Find out more about the Place de la Bastille.
C
Conciergerie
The first residence of the kings of France in the Middle Ages. It housed a prison where Marie-Antoinette was taken into before heading to the guillotine. It is now a historic monument adjacent to the Sainte-Chapelle. Find out more about the Conciergerie.
>> Get your Tickets for Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle: Priority Entrance! <<
D
La Défense
Europe’s largest business centre, La Défense is therefore situated outside the limits of the City of Paris. Find out more about the district of La Défense and its skyscrapers.
E
Eiffel Tower
What can I tell you more about the Eiffel Tower? Everyone knows about the Iron Lady of Paris, built just in time for the centenary of the French Revolution in 1889. BUT… there might be some facts that you are not familiar with, read them here.
F
Flame of Liberty
Did you know that there is a copy of the flame of NYC’s Statue of Liberty in Paris? It is located in the Place de l’Alma (8th arrondissement). This is a moving place too as Lady Diana died in a car accident in the tunnel just under it – this explains why you’ll find bunches of flowers laid by the monument.
G
Grand-Palais
The Grand-Palais is a monumental structure built for the 1900 World Exhibition of Paris. It is echoed by a smaller palace opposite the street: Petit-Palais (today the Fine Arts Museum of the City of Paris).
H
Hôtel de Ville
The Hôtel de Ville is the City-Hall of Paris. This grand building was destroyed by fire during the Paris Commune (1871) and rebuilt in the original Renaissance style. Find out more about the Paris City Hall.
I
Invalides
The Hôtel des Invalides was built by Louis XIV (the Sun King) to house the sick and wounded people of his army. The Invalids is easily spotted thanks to its gilded dome. Under it lies the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. Find out more about the Invalids.
J
Jardin des Plantes
What a beautiful garden! The Jardin des Plantes, although just outside the old centre of Paris, is a historic garden. It is bordered by famous museums including the celebrated Grand Gallery of Evolution.
K
Kiosk
The iconic green-domed newspaper kiosks with their elegant iron balustrades have been part of the urban features of Paris for some 150 years. The dark green kiosks were made to match the benches and Wallace fountains on the wide tree-lined boulevards.
L
Louvre
The former residence of the Kings of France is now one of the world’s most visited museums. The Louvre is famous for Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the glass pyramid. Find out more about the Louvre.
>> Get your Tickets for the Louvre: Skip The Line and meet Mona Lisa! <<
M
Montmartre
Set atop a hill commanding a fantastic view over Paris, the district of Montmartre has kept its village atmosphere… despite the invasion of millions of visitors each year! Find out more about Montmartre.
N
Notre-Dame
The cathedral of Paris is one of the finest Gothic churches in France. The sanctuary is part of the most famous monuments of the French capital. Find out more about Notre-Dame cathedral.
O
Opéra Garnier
The 19th-century-old opera house is an extravagant building you should visit during your stay in Paris. We have photos of the interior here…
>> Get your Tickets for Opera Garnier: Self-guided visit! <<
P
Panthéon
What was made to be a church was transformed during the French Revolution into a monument to the glory of the most celebrated men and women of France. Find out more about the Panthéon.
Q
Quais de Seine
The banks of the River Seine are my favourite spots in Paris. They have been listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco. Find out more about the banks of the Seine here.
>> Get your Tickets for a sightseeing cruise on River Seine! <<
R
République
The Place de la République is one of Paris’ major squares. Over the years, it has been the site for many demonstrations and nationwide events. In the centre of the square stands a grand statue of Marianne, an allegory to the French Republic. Find out more about Marianne and the French Republic here.
S
Sacré-Cœur
With its white Romanesque-Byzantine architecture, the basilica of Sacré-Cœur looks odd in the cityscape of Paris. Yet it ranks among Paris’ most famous monuments. Find out more about the Sacré-Cœur.
T
Tuileries
Located in central Paris between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries are one of France’s oldest formal gardens. Find out more about the Tuileries Garden.
U
University of La Sorbonne
The Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter is one of Europe’s first universities. Discover its austere buildings in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.
V
Val de Grâce
The church of Val de Grâce is topped by a beautiful dome, one of the finest in Paris.
W
Wilson (avenue du Président)
The wide avenue links the place du Trocadéro to the Place d’Alma in the 16th arrondissement. The chic street is bordered by prestigious museums (Palais de Tokyo, Musée Guimet, the garden of Palais Galliéra).
X
Xth arrondissement
The 10th arrondissement is the arrival point for many visitors to Paris. This district is home to two main railway stations: Gare du Nord (with trains coming from London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne) and Gare de l’Est (South Germany, Austria). Find out more about the 10th arrondissement of Paris.
Y
YSL Yves Saint-Laurent
Who hasn’t heard of the French luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint-Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé? YSL worked for the Dior fashion house between 1955 and 1960. A museum dedicated to YSL is scheduled to open in fall 2017 at 5 Avenue Marceau (16th arrondissement).
Z
Zinc roofs
What would be Paris without its rooftops? The distinctive rooftops made up of zinc are part of the Parisian landscape. Climb on top of Notre-Dame, Sacré-Cœur, or Pompidou Centre to discover them…
Do you have some ideas as to replacing some of the landmarks to create another fun ABC of Paris? Let us know by commenting below!
