Centre Pompidou - Notre Dame Cathedral

The Centre Pompidou museum and Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral are two landmarks of Paris Cultural Tourism. Leading you from the greatest works of Modern Art in Beaubourg to the basics of Medieval Architecture on Paris' island of "La Cité", those two monuments are definitely not to be missed during your holidays in Paris!

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Centre Pompidou - Beaubourg Museum

Melting contemporary and modern art, the Centre Pompidou is a great, quirky museum in Paris. Open until 9pm, perfectly located on the Right Bank, the Musée Beaubourg - simply called "Beaubourg" by the Parisians, refering to the neighbourhood - is one of the French people's favourites. Providing 6 levels, huge conference rooms, a cinema and a beautiful roof terrace from which you can appreciate Paris' skyline, this renowned Art Contemporain (contemporary art) museum has definitely more than paintings on offer! The Flammarion bookshop and Printemps Design Boutique may also interest all visitors whether art connoisseurs or not. And for those who feel like a pleasurable break, Georges Restaurant on the 6th floor is absolutely worth it! Centre Pompidou offers Free Wifi throughout the museum! It means that Internet access is free for up to 90 minutes, provided that your computer is equipped with a wireless device. Beaubourg will satisfy the lovers of the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle as her well-known colourful sculptures of women are exhibited nearby the Georges Pompidou Centre, brightening up the Stravinsky fountain and complementing other mobiles created by Tinguely. A great surprise when wandering in the 4th arrondissement and a good opportunity to sip a drink at one of the surrounding Cafe Terraces! Another plus of the Centre Pompidou is that it hosts the National Museum of Modern Art. Besides the 1300 major works of contemporary art, you will have the chance to discover new original, vanguard artists.

Notre Dame de Paris

Heading South towards the Seine, you will rapidly come to the Town Hall - Hôtel de Ville - and then, going across the Pont d'Arcole ("Arcole bridge"), you may catch a sight of the majectic Notre Dame Cathedral. Erected on a huge, relaxing square known as the Parvis de Notre de Dame, this breathtaking Gothic monument is renowned worldwide. Built in 12th century (but completed only in the 14th), Notre Dame Cathedral is a not-to-be-missed sight of the Ile de la Cité ("City Island" - one of the two natural Paris' islands). Some Art lovers consider it as being the epitome of the Middles Ages in France! Apart from its impressive architecture, Notre Dame de Paris became popular and famous thanks to Victor Hugo's tale, the Hunchback of Notre Dame; the Cathedral is now one of the most visited Paris tourist attractions! Marrying the collective French imagination with the medieval history, this work of Gothic art features two impressive towers, beautiful stained glass windows and authentic gargoyles. To fully enjoy Notre Dame's stained glass, do visit the Cathedral at the end of the afternoon, the sunset indeed provides a perfect subtle lighting! And by the way, the best would be during the week, to avoid the massive flow of tourists!

To get more information about What to Do and How to Travel in the French capital, you can visit our Paris Breaks page. Back to the Paris Sightseeing Tours page