The museums are excellent. Of outstanding importance is the Louvre, which in itself is an awe-inspiring sight, and its enormous collection of sculptures, paintings and other works of art. At the Orsay you can enjoy a wonderful display of impressionist paintings. There are 29 official monuments in Paris, to which must be added Versailles, 30 minutes in train from the city.

ÎLE DE LA CITÉ E ÎLE ST.LOUIS:

• Notre-Dame: Pope Alexander III laid the first stone in 1163. The cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It is 130 metres long and its major features include the flying buttresses, the wide transept and the 69 metre high towers.
  
  
• Sainte-Chapelle: Considered by some to be the purest example of Gothic art in the western world, it is impossible not to feel moved by the beauty of its 15 stain glass windows, separated by columns, up to 15 metres high to the ceiling of the vault decorated by smaller windows.
  
  

EL MARAIS:

• Museo Picasso: The most important collection of the artist's work, given by the family to the state.
  
  
• Museo Cognacq-Jay: Exquisite collection of paintings and furniture from the 18th century, displayed in perfect surroundings.
  
  

BEABOURG Y LES HALLES:

• Holographic museum: Includes some curious portraits that appear to be alive, and mobile holograms.
  
  
• Pompidou centre: Here is Paris's modern art museum, together with a large art library and an industrial design centre.
  
  

LES TUILERIES:

• The Art of Fashion museum: The collection of haute couture in this museum is a new facet of the Louvre.
  
  
• Decorative Arts museum: The art nouveau collection is the most outstanding of the museum's art and design exhibition.
  
  
• Louvre museum: Home of the French kings for nearly four centuries, today the Louvre is one of the most important art museums of the world.
  
  

ST-GERMAIN-DES-PRÉS:

• Delacroix museum: "Jacob fighting" can be seen at this museum dedicated to the work of the artist.
  
  
• St-Germain-des-Prés: Descartes and the king of Poland are among the famous buried here in this the oldest church in Paris.
  
  
• Museum d'Orsay: Originally built by the Orleans railway company as a terminal, it was very nearly demolished. Many of the original architectural features were kept during the conversion. The new museum houses different types of art from the period between 1848 and 1914.
  
  

BARRIO LATINO:

• Cluny museum: One of the best collections of medieval art in the world can be seen here in a sober 15th century building, including the ruins of some French-Roman baths.
  
  
• Pantheon: Louis XV ordered this building to be built as an expression of thanks, in honour of Santa Genoveva, when he recovered from a grave illness in 1744. It was designed by the French architect Jaques-Germain Soufflot, who planned the temple in a neoclassical style. It was converted into a pantheon with the French Revolution and reconverted into a church by Napoleon. Finally, in 1885 it became a civil building.
  
  

LES INVALIDES Y LA TORRE EIFFEL:

• Rodin museum: By the time of his death in 1917, Auguste Rodin had revolutionised the art of sculpture. Here are all his major works, including the Thinker.
  
  
• The Eiffel Tower: Designed by the engineer Gustave Eiffel and since the installation of new illumination system, it can be admired better than ever.
  
  

BARRIO CHAILLOT:

• Marine museum: Based on France's seafaring history, there are also a collection of navigation instruments.
  
  
• Museum of Mankind: The Chair of Benin is one of the many objects from Africa that are on show in this museum.
  
  
• The Henri Langlois Museum of Cinema: Objects related to the cinema, including the mannequin of Bates' mother from the film Psychosis.
  
  
• The French Monuments museum: Describes the history of French monumental art, with models, sculptures and murals.
  
  

CAMPOS ELISEOS:

• Grand Palais: Designed by Charles Girault, this 19th century show room is still being used as an exhibition centre.
  
  
• Arc de Triomphe: Napoleon promised his men that after their major victory "You will return home under triumphal arches". The first stone was laid the following year. Standing 50 metres high, the arch is the traditional starting place for celebrations and military processions.
  
  

MONTMARTRE:

• Montmartre museum: The museum's temporary exhibitions tend to be work by artists that live in the area, such as the Portrait of the Woman by Amadeo Modigliani.
  
  
• The Max Fourny Museum of Naïf Art: CA display of 580 works of naïf art.
  
  
• Sacré-Coeur: At the beginning of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, two Catholic merchants made a religious vow: to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus if France avoided the imminent violence. Work began in 1875, with designs by Paul Abadie, and completed in 1914.