Tourist attractions Écouen

The Basilica is a gem of French Gothic architecture and a source of inspiration for the cathedrals of Chartres, Senlis and Meaux. The necropolis of the Kings of France houses a collection – the only one of its kind in Europe – of recumbent figures an..

Designed by the architect Adrien Fainsilber and opened in 1986, this museum is quite unique. Beyond its basic “mission” of bringing science to a wider audience, it also aims to give visitors a more involved role and to use the most modern technology ..

The «Mount of the Martyrs» where, as tradition has it, Saint Denis prayed to heaven, is a surprising place which even today has managed to keep its look of a village, even if the flow of tourists tends to spoil it. The place where the Paris Commune s..

Situated at the top of the Champs-Élysées, this arch occupies the centre of the Place Charles-de-Gaulle , which opens out onto 12 wide avenues. Built in 1806 by Jean-François Chalgrin upon the order of Napoleon, it was only completed in 1836. Huge..

This grandiose and impressively wide avenue is the city’s most famous thoroughfare, home to a string of luxury boutiques. Highly fashionable during the Second Empire period, it has preserved its fine avenues of chestnut trees, theatres and a few rest..

From this “square” at the top of the Champs-Élysées, halfway between the Louvre and La Défense, twelve avenues radiate outwards from the Arc de Triomphe (hence the name “étoile” or star), a symbol of the imperial city so prized by Napoleon, forming o..

This huge square was built from 1755-75 by the architect Gabriel. Two impressive colonnaded mansions stand either side of rue Royale. One is home to the Hôtel Crillon , the other the Navy headquarters. On the angles of the square, eight statues repr..

You are taken into the impressive world of the fortress that Philippe Auguste built at the start of the 13C: along the route, you will discover the counterscarp wall, the 2. 60 m thick curtain, the foundations of the dwellings that were added by Ch..

This museum contains one of the largest collections of modern art in the world (60 000 exhibits), ranging from painting and architecture to photography, cinema, new media, sculpture and design. Rooms dedicated to a single artist alternate with theme-..

For eight centuries, the Louvre was the residence of kings and emperors. Successive expansion projects have created one of the world’s largest palaces, along with the Vatican. Its worldwide renown is due to its museum, home to unique masterpieces suc..

Pierre Lescot’s façade, between the Pavillon de l’Horloge (Clock Pavilion) and the south wing, boasts some truly delightful decoration. The sculptor Jean Goujon concentrated his efforts (allegorical high-reliefs, statues in the niches, friezes of c..

The «Louvre of Oriental Art» is how the Guimet Museum has been described. It has probably the world's collection of Asiatic art. Superbly refurbished by Bruno and Henri Gaudin, it offers a walk through the renewed collection, studded with masterpiece..

Since 1986, the huge main hall of the former Orsay railway station has been the home of art collections covering the period 1848 to 1914, enhancing those of the Louvre and the Musée National d’Art Contemporain . The Orsay houses the world’s finest..

This vast square, probably conceived by Métezeau, was the wish of Henri IV. When completed in 1612, the Place Royale became the centre of elegant life, with carrousels and pleasure. The square got its present name in 1800 in honour of the département..

It was around the Île de la Cité that Paris first developed. The historic cradle of the capital, it remains one the city’s most popular and attractive districts. It is home to three of its major monuments: notre Dame cathedral , Sainte Chapelle , a..

The Place des Vosges , rue des Francs-Bourgeois , and three mansions in particular, the Hôtel de Soubise , Hôtel Salé and Hôtel de Rohan , take visitors back to the 17C and 18C, the time of the absolute monarchy and the Enlightenment. However, ..

This jewel of Gothic art was built upon the order of Saint Louis to house the relics of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Located in the confines of the Palais de Justice, Sainte-Chapelle is divided into two parts: the lower chapel, intended for the palace..

Military history is dealt with from the time of the Ancien Regime to the latest world conflicts. This is one of the finest museums of military art, techniques and history. With over 500,000 exhibits the museum is remarkable for the abundance and the ..

This stunning architectural complex was built in 1671, according to the plans of Libéral Bruant , to receive and care for the war wounded. Its buildings now house various military bodies and the Musée de l'Armée . In the centre of the majestic faca..

This site has been a place of worship for 2 000 years: a Gallo-Roman temple, Christian basilica and Romanesque church all preceded the current building. Maurice de Sully began construction around 1163. Over the centuries it has suffered significant a..