Paris is full of some of the most photographed landmarks in the world. This one city boasts the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Versailles, Notre Dame, and many other beautiful sites. When visiting it can be overwhelming deciding where to go, what to photograph, and making sure you don’t miss anything. Because of this we put together this photography guide to Paris to make sure you make the most of your visit.
The Eiffel Tower
A trip to Paris would not be complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited attractions in the world with millions traveling to see it every year. It is worth seeing during the day, at sunset and then at night when it’s sparkling!
Visiting during the daytime
Visiting the Eiffel Tower during the daytime is obviously a given when you are planning your trip to Paris. The Champ de Mars is the long grassy area directly in front and has unobstructed views (minus a few cyclists) of the Eiffel Tower. You can experiment with some different distances to see what shot you like the best and on a sunny clear day the Eiffel Tower looks amazing.
- We went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower and loved the views of the city from there. However, the ticket price can be a little steep. If you’re willing to spend the money, we would absolutely recommend going up. However, as you can see all these pictures were from just in front so you definitely can get some shots for free!
For a complete guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower check out our post here!
Visiting during sunset
Watching the sunset at the Eiffel Tower is another can’t miss activity when visiting Paris. Each day thousands of people head over with some wine and baguettes and have an evening picnic on the Champ de Mars. While watching the sunset every minute or two the colors in the sky would change and I found myself taking tons of photographs.
Visiting at night
Each night the Eiffel Tower is lit up. There is a light show every hour where the lights will sparkle for five minutes. This is perfect to stay for after watching the sunset. As the lights sparkle and the sky darkens it is beautiful! Beware in the summer months though the sunset can be as late as 10:30 at night!
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Passerelle Debilly
I found that while walking around you get amazing viewpoints of the Eiffel Tower that gave it a bit of a different perspective. This shot was taken on the Passerelle Debilly foot bridge across the Seine River.
Alleys near the Eiffel Tower
Similar to the photograph above, exploring the various alleys around the Eiffel Tower is a really fun way of finding unique viewpoints. You will be walking along and all the sudden it shows up right in front of you framed by the Parisian buildings on either side.
The Stained Glass at Saint Chapelle
Saint Chapelle is known for its stained glass windows and was without a doubt the most impressive stained glass display that I have ever seen. While you do have to pay an entry fee, the photographs from inside are amazing. Be warned though it can be crowded. If I did not crop this photograph you would see roughly 100 people directly in front of the camera.
- This is one of many places within Paris that you can get a discounted ticket. Definitely take advantage as it makes the admission ticket much more doable!
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
The Sacré-Cœur Basilica is a lesser known attraction in Paris and it takes a bit of navigating the metro to get to from the city center. For a few Euros you can buy an entrance ticket to walk up the winding staircase to get to the top of the basilica. The staircase up is very narrow so beware if you get claustrophobic. At the top is a circle pathway and each angle has a different view of Paris. I was pleasantly shocked when we reached the openings with the Eiffel Tower in the background. We would definitely recommend going to the top of the basilica!
The Arc de Triomphe
Another staple when visiting Paris, the Arc de Triomphe is arguably the most well known building outside of the Eiffel Tower. You can get amazing shots down the Champs Elysees.
For another small entrance fee (they also offer student discounts) you can head up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe which I think has the best overall views of Paris. The streets spiral out from the Arc and you have an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower.
Travel Truth: Don’t run into the streets to get to the Arc de Triomphe! The entrance is underground and looks just like the Metro stop.
Outside of the Louvre
If you like symmetry in your photographs this is a can’t miss location. The pyramid at the Louvre is perfectly framed by the museum and on a nice day the entire area will look unbelievable. Unless you are a fan of museums I wouldn’t necessarily say you need to go inside of the Louvre but I would highly recommend exploring the outer area to get shots like this.
If you are curious how to plan your trip to Paris to hit all of these sites check out our 4 day travel guide to Paris!
Do you have any favorite photography spots in Paris?
