Île-de-France attractions

Located in Marne-la-Vallée just minutes from Disneyland® Paris, Aquarium SEA LIFE® Paris Val D'Europe is one of the region’s top family-friendly attractions. Home to more than 5,000 aquatic animals—from penguins and sharks to seahorses and tropical fish—the aquarium represents multiple marine ecosystems.

Few Paris districts are as iconic as the 7th arrondissement, which stretches along the Left Bank of the River Seine from the Champ de Mars to Quai Voltaire. This is where you’ll find the Eiffel Tower, renowned art galleries including the Musée d’Orsay and the Rodin Museum (Musée Rodin), and the landmark Les Invalides, home to Napoleon’s Tomb.

Paris’ 9th arrondissement, also known as the Opéra district, is a fascinating mix of 19th-century architecture and hip 21st-century cultural trends. Notable for being home to the Palais Garnier, or Paris Opera House, this district also hosts plenty of upscale shops, fashionable bars and restaurants, and a handful of museums and galleries. Stay here, and you’ll get a good look at Paris, old and new.

The 12th Arrondissement on the right bank of the River Seine is best known for the Bois de Vincennes, the largest park in Paris. Stroll through its English landscape garden and enjoy its lakes, botanical garden, and arboretum. Foodies can also explore the nearby Bercy Village, a restored wine market with cobblestone streets, and Marché d’Aligre food market. Other highlights include the Bastille Opera House (Opéra Bastille) and Musée de la Cinémathèque, a museum and movie theater.

Paris is composed of 20 arrondissements, or districts, arranged in a clockwise spiral with ascending numbers, starting from the 1st arrondissement in the center. Visit the 13th arrondissement to experience the city’s Asian Quarter (Quartier Asiatique), a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood with shops and restaurants specializing in food from across East Asia, and to see the more than two dozen murals that add color to its streets.

An architectural gem on the grounds of one of France’s most dazzling châteaus, the Great Stables (Grandes Écuries de Chantilly) are like no other stables you’ve seen before. According to legend, the Bourbon prince who built them believed he would be reincarnated as a horse, and commissioned architect Jean Aubert to create stables to suit his rank—a design that became this equine palace.

Combining Renaissance grandeur with wildlife adventure, this zoo and gardens is located on the grounds of a historic château outside Paris. In addition to animal enclosures with species from around the globe, this zoo features a drive-through savannah with roaming lions and other large animals, giving visitors the thrill of an African safari, right in the heart of France.

The Bastille viaduct opened in 1857, at the start of the French administrator Haussmann’s modernization of Paris. The Paris to Bastille-Varenne railway line was replaced a century later by the Regional Express Network (RER) line A. The elevated railway tracks were transformed into a green walkway called the Promenade Plantée. Meanwhile, the vaulted arches below the elevated line were given over to craftspeople as the Viaduc des Arts. Today, these 41 artisan studios still form one of Paris’s coolest and most in-the-know art districts.

Located in the Château d’Écouen some 12 miles (20 kilometers north of Paris, the National Museum of the Renaissance is a prestigious exhibition of decorative arts from the 16th and 17th centuries. Ranging from paintings, tapestries, glassware, furniture, ceramics, weaponry, silverware, and stained glass, the collection is complemented by the château’s Renaissance origins.

Once home to slaughterhouses and considered an industrial wasteland, La Villette Park (Parc de la Villette)—situated on the northeastern edge of Paris—is now one of the city’s largest parks. It has become a cultural heavyweight since its inauguration in the 1980s, and is home to museums, concert venues, exhibition spaces, and contemporary architecture, along with numerous themed gardens. Stretching across 87 acres (35 hectares), this dynamic park is a popular destination for education, leisure, culture, and family-friendly activities.

At the turn of the 20th century, Bercy was home to the world’s biggest wine markets; today, the old storage warehouses and wine cellars have been transformed into one of Paris’s premium shopping and entertainment destinations. More than 30 shops and boutiques flank the cobbled lanes and old railway tracks, offering an open-air shopping experience that feels far removed from the bustle of central Paris.

The French National Museum of Natural History (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle) is a constellation of museum sites across France, established during the 17th century and still inspiring locals and visitors alike. The oldest, Paris’ Jardin des Plantes, remains the flagship, where galleries, greenhouses, gardens, and a zoo invite guests to appreciate the natural world. Permanent and temporary exhibits at the Jardin des Plantes are wide-ranging, from showcasing nearby nature to explorations of far-flung destinations.

Constructed over two centuries, the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of Paris’s most beloved landmarks. Having reopened in stages across 2024 and 2025—following the devastating fires in 2019—many people come here just to admire the building’s exterior Gothic architecture. But climb the 422 steps to the top of the twin towers and you’ll be rewarded with exquisite views of the city, shared with the church’s fantastical gargoyles.

This leafy park is home to everything that kids find fun. Playgrounds, funfair rides, fountains, boats, mini roller coasters, and a petting zoo beckon from Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris’ Bois de Boulogne. Giving a sense of immersion in nature within the city, the park appeals to adults, too, with its retro, belle epoque rides and a less hectic vibe than other larger theme parks.

The Museum of Fairground Art (Musée des Arts Forains) takes you behind the scenes of a traditional 19th-century funfair, and you can even hop aboard its attractions and take a ride. Housed in the old Pavillons de Bercy wine warehouses at the south end of the Parc de Bercy, the private collection includes wooden carousels, vintage merry-go-rounds, and Belle Époque funfair games, most of them in full working order.

Opened in 2017, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent is located inside the designer’s haute couture house in Paris, where he spent almost three decades working. Rotating displays and themed exhibitions showcase the fashion icon’s body of work and design process, offering a rare glimpse into his inner sanctum.

The Théâtre des Nouveautés got its start way back in 1827. Once home to vaudeville performances and comic operas, the venue saw many reinventions and renovations over the decades, with leading actors of the early 20th century eventually gracing its stage. In recent years it became known for more avant-garde programming, as well as a popular one-man show by humorist Olivier Giraud.

The domed roof and watchful sculptures of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur create an imposing facade for the Museum of the Legion of Honor (Musée de la Légion d’Honneur). A worthwhile stop when touring Paris’ many museums and galleries, its collection of 5,000 objects includes everything from Napoleonic artifacts and portraits to medals and weaponry, providing a glimpse into France’s traditions of military, civilian, and chivalric orders.

The former residence of Josephine de Beauharnais and Napoleon Bonaparte, Château de Malmaison is both an opulent palace and an important historic landmark. The château is about 9 miles (15 kilometers) west of Paris in Rueil-Malmaison and once served as government headquarters, but it’s most famous for its elegant grounds. Tour the private apartments that still hold personal items, from musical instruments to weapons, along with the rose garden and other outdoor highlights.

The 8th arrondissement, located on the Right Bank of the River Seine, is one of central Paris' primary business districts, as well as a popular tourist destination. Home to world-famous attractions including the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, and the Champs-Élysées, the neighborhood is also filled with high-end hotels, lavish restaurants, destination-worthy museums, and luxury boutiques. Come prepared to see and be seen.

Paris’ center for all things maritime, the National Marine Museum (Musée National de la Marine) is home to more than 1,000 artifacts and art pieces, including navigational tools, paintings, and model ships. Enhanced by multimedia exhibition spaces, it offers an interactive experience of French maritime history, encompassing the navy, trade, and daily life by the sea, from the 17th century to today.

In the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins, skilled artisans offer a glimpse into historical weaving practices. The workshop and museum is housed in an airy building from the 1960s, its huge studio windows giving the artists plenty of natural light as they create intricate pieces that keep complex textile traditions alive. Visitors can observe ongoing work, tour the gallery, and learn about the workshop’s long history, which includes crafting tapestries displayed in the Palace of Versailles.

The Orangery at the Palace of Versailles (Orangerie de Versailles) ranks among the crowning achievements of architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Built between 1683 and 1685, the architectural jewel features a large gallery with vaulted ceilings, used to house citrus trees during the winter months. Several notable sculptures line the space.

Glittering performances at Folies Bergère have attracted tourists and Parisians alike for over 150 years—and the show very much goes on. Legendary names have graced its stage, including Josephine Baker and Jean Gabin, while today’s shows range from concerts to musicals, comedy and dance. The exquisite theater itself is just as impressive, with art deco flourishes, and backstage areas are accessible to the public on occasional behind-the-scenes tours.

Parc de Bercy stretches across 34 acres (14 hectares) of the Seine’s right bank, in a location that previously served as a wine warehouse district. The park blends its historical legacy, still visible in its vineyard and an old railway line, with more modern park elements to create an open and lush green setting that’s perfect for a stroll.

Laid out in formal French style and famed for their geometrically aligned terraces, tree-lined paths and ponds, the gardens of the Palace of Versailles are worth a visit on their own. And of all the lovely fountain pools in the gardens, the Neptune Fountain (Bassin de Neptune) is the largest and most grand.

The 5th arrondissement—also known as the Latin Quarter—is a district of Paris on the left bank of the River Seine, where ancient Gallo-Roman ruins are situated. As home to the Sorbonne University, the area often bustles with students. Among its highlights are the Panthéon, a crypt housing famous French artists and intellectuals, and the Jardin des Plantes, a large botanical garden containing several museums.

The Living Museum of the Horse (Musée Vivant du Cheval) is housed in the Château de Chantilly’s Great Stables, the largest in Europe. The museum’s exhibits trace the historical relationship between human and horse, from domestication to the horse’s role in war, hunting, and recreation. The highlight is a chance to see the resident horses in action during dressage demonstrations and equestrian shows.

Laid out by Louis XIV, the Grands Boulevards were the original Parisian boulevards: a series of eight tree-lined promenades that would later become the heart of Belle Époque Paris. Today, the Grands Boulevards is a lively district, where you can wander through opulent 19th-century shopping arcades, admire magnificent Haussmannian mansions, and watch a show at some of Paris’ most legendary theaters.

Old-fashioned magic tricks and antique curiosities await at this little museum, tucked away in a 16th-century underground cellar in central Paris. It isn’t well-known, and a visit won’t take more than an hour of your time, but it’s entertaining for kids and budding magicians, especially thanks to the mini magic show that’s included with the entrance fee.