Paris holidays and city breaks | Eurostar (2024)

“Paris”, goes a famous quote, “is always a good idea”. The compact size of the city makes an overnight London to Paris trip a real possibility, but it’s worth staying a while for the full experience. Pack a weekend break in Paris with fresh-from-the-oven croissants, a walk down the banks of the Seine, a museum or two, and candlelit dinners à deux. A longer holiday in Paris is all about taking your time: linger in sun-kissed gardens, get lost in the maze of the Marais, or simply take up residence at your local café to watch the world go by. If it’s not your first Paris city break, then you’ll know you’re in for a treat: the city, despite its classic good looks, never really stops reinventing itself.

There’s never a shortage of things to do in Paris. Proud of its enduring revolutionary spirit, the city is dotted with reminders of its long and storied history: Roman ruins, royal palaces and imposing monuments to France’s illustrious writers and artists. Once you’ve ticked culture off your list of Paris activities, there’s still plenty left to do: hit the shops for vintage and designer goods, eat your way around upscale pâtisseries, or hop on a Vélib’ –the local shared bikes – for a cheap and cheerful tour of the city. Don’t forget the capital’s laid-back nightlife: an evening spent in a cosy wine bar or an underground co*cktail den has to rate as one of the top things to do in Paris.

Paris is laid out in 20 arrondissem*nts, each a distinct neighbourhood with its own unique atmosphere and tourist attractions. Home to the delicate portrait of the Mona Lisa, the Louvre museum is a must see in Paris, though it’s just one of many stops on a tour of the most iconic Paris attractions. Paris sightseeing is best done on foot: head across the river to the galleries and cafés of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, or north to the Sacré Cœur and its jaw-dropping views over the city. See if you can spot the towers of Notre Dame, or the broad boulevard of the Champs-Elysées leading to the Arc de Triomphe – if you can tear your eyes away, that is, from a certain iron tower.

The Eiffel Tower

Unpopular when first unveiled in 1889, this feat of steel has stood the test of time: you’d be hard-pressed to find a more recognisable symbol of a city. With crowds naturally keen to reach – by lift or leg power – the dizzying heights of its 300 metres, it’s worth planning ahead to visit the Eiffel Tower. Book online to beat the queues, and make sure to avoid peak times; early mornings or late afternoons will have the best golden light for your snaps. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Café Lignac, just a stone’s throw away: the elegant bistro makes a fitting finale.

Le Moulin Rouge

Topped by the sugarwork dome of the Sacré Cœur, the Montmartre neighbourhood was once famed for its artistic community and bohemian lifestyle. Hip boutiques and restaurants now line its charming cobbled streets, but traces of its glamorous, decadent past still endure. Chief among these is the Moulin Rouge, a luxe cabaret showcasing Cancan dancers whose confident swagger and high kicks have changed little since the days of Toulouse-Lautrec. You’ll easily spot it by the red windmill that gives it its name. For a glimpse of the Belle Epoque glitz inside, make sure to book ahead.

Notre-Dame de Paris

In spite of the fire that devastated it in 2019, Notre-Dame cathedral still stands as a masterpiece of Gothic architecture – and the spiritual heart of the city. It may now be a building site, but it’s still worth circumnavigating its perch on Ile de la Cité, if only for the informative placards giving insight into the herculean restoration underway. If the distant sight of its majestic towers still leaves you pining for holy wonders, head to the glorious Sainte Chapelle nearby, or to Berthillon for a scoop of sorbet – nothing short of miraculously refreshing on a balmy day.

The Louvre museum

Once a medieval fortress, then a Renaissance palace, the Louvre sealed its fate as a cultural treasure (and treasure trove) with the addition of IM Pei’s striking glass pyramids. This sprawling museum is worth more than one return visit, so you can linger over Renaissance masterpieces or ancient Egyptian wonders as the mood takes you. Outside, the Jardin des Tuileries calls for leisurely walks, or pony rides for little ones. Pop in to the Musée de l’Orangerie to gawp at Monet’s vast lily pad paintings, and end your outing at nearby Angelina with a pastry worthy of Marie-Antoinette.

The Paris Catacombs

Channel your inner Goth: for those of a macabre disposition, a visit to the Paris Catacombs makes for a fascinating tour of the city’s underbelly. The labyrinthine ossuary packs in some of the city’s more lurid history, from Merovingian times through to the Revolution, the Résistance and the occasional illegal rave. You’ll find the entrance near the Denfert-Rochereau station in the 14th arrondissem*nt. It’s a bit out of the way of the usual tourist itineraries, but a detour to the nearby Fondation Cartier – a striking glass temple to modern art –certainly makes the trip worthwhile.

Versailles

Synonymous in the collective imagination with the excesses of life at court, the Palace of Versailles is just as gilded and opulent as its reputation would have you believe. Louis XIV’s residence hosted royal families for just two generations before the revolution struck, but its ostentatious displays of power endure. Highlights include the Hall of Mirrors, a masterful reflection of the Sun King’s monumental ego, and Marie-Antoinette’s pastoral hamlet on the Trianon estate. Make a day trip of it: the sprawling palace gardens and their spectacular fountains are a joy to explore.

Les Grands Magasins

Though some prefer a more intimate shopping experience, Paris’s grand department stores have lost none of their appeal since they opened in the 19th century. Start at La Samaritaine, newly reopened and worth the visit for its restored art nouveau interiors alone. On the Right Bank, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette offer floors of designer goods, luxe fashion and covetable homeware. The former’s known for its beauty hall; the latter for its Insta-worthy stained-glass dome. On the Left Bank, Le Bon Marché has a seriously good food hall and arguably the best escalators in town.

Fondation Louis Vuitton

It’s hard to miss the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s sail-like silhouette in the leafy expanse of the Bois de Boulogne. Designed by Frank Gehry, the deconstructivist building plays host to a permanent art collection, twice yearly big-ticket exhibitions and a live music metres. Look out for the bold, cartoon-like creations by Takashi Murakami, which memorably found their way onto a special Louis Vuitton collection. Multi-media commissions are dotted in and around the galleries: wander through Olafur Eliasson’s Inside the Horizon, an ethereal and kaleidoscopic sonic installation.