The best waterfall hikes and walks in Val-d'Oise

The stone obelisk in Paris's Place de la Concorde is the Luxor Obelisk, an authentic 23-meter-high Egyptian pink granite monument dating back over 3,200 years. Donated by Egypt to France in the 19th century, it is decorated with hieroglyphs celebrating Pharaoh Ramses II. It originally comes from the entrance of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt. It was part of a pair of obelisks, but only this one was transported to Paris, a colossal engineering feat completed in 1836. The tip of the obelisk (called a pyramidion) was covered with gold leaf in 1998, making it a true visual landmark in the center of the historic square.

The Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris and one of the most historic and symbolic in France. It is located between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries Gardens, in the heart of the 8th arrondissement of Paris.

The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) is the world-famous landmark of Paris and, at 330 meters tall, the tallest structure in the French capital. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair, it consists of approximately 18,000 iron components held together by 2.5 million rivets. To climb the tower, you should reserve tickets and a time slot online a few weeks in advance. Otherwise, you'll face hours of waiting in line. As of May 2026 The tower is open year-round. For 2026, the following core hours and prices apply for individual visitors (direct purchase via the official website): Opening hours: Daily from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Ticket prices (adults 25 and over): Top (elevator): approx. €36.70 2nd floor (elevator): approx. €23.50 2nd floor (stairs): approx. €14.80 Top floor (stairs to 2nd floor + elevator): approx. €28.00 Discounts: Young people (12–24 years) pay about half price, children (4–11 years) and people with disabilities about 25% of the regular price. Children under 4 years of age are admitted free of charge.

The Pont de Bir-Hakeim was built in 1878 and connects the 15th and 16th arrondissements. It serves a dual purpose: a road for traffic and, on top of that, a railway bridge for metro line 6. The bridge for traffic is divided into three sections: a sidewalk, a bicycle path, and a road. All these sections are separated by cast-iron columns. The bridge is 237 meters long and approximately 25 meters wide. The sides of the bridge are decorated with cast-iron ornaments. On a central extension stands a statue from 1930 by the Danish sculptor Wederkinch, a gift from the Danish community in Paris. From here, you have a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower. The bridge literally and figuratively pierces the 16th arrondissement to reach the Passy metro station. The bridge owes its somewhat unusual name to the Battle of Bir-Hakeim. A battle between the French army under General Marie-Pierre Koenig and the German/Italian Afrika Korps under the command of Marshal Rommel. This famous and fierce battle took place in 1942 in Libya near the town of Bir-Hakeim. Incidentally, the bridge only received its name in 1948; previously, it was called the Passy Viaduct and was more of a walkway with trees and benches. This bridge also features in the film "Inception," starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

On the top floor (3rd floor), Eiffel set up a small private apartment. There he received, among others, Thomas Edison. The apartment still exists today and can be viewed through a window.

Since the end of the 19th century, the tip of the Eiffel Tower has risen into the Parisian sky. Now an undisputed national symbol of France, its permanent presence was not originally planned. At the start of the project, the usage rights attached to the construction contract were set at only 20 years. After that, the tower was supposed to be dismantled. Well, it's still standing today. Can we really imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower?

Saint Germain, Paris, Champs Elysees. A visit is highly recommended and interesting 👍🏻.

A walk in the gardens of Paris around the Eiffel Tower is highly recommended and wonderfully beautiful to see 👍. The sights around the park are also interesting. On mild summer evenings it is worth having a picnic here. In the evening, when the light show takes place hourly from 8 p.m. for 5 minutes each time, it is a great experience. Climbing the Eiffel Tower is a unique experience. We climbed the 1st and 2nd floors. Up to the 2nd floor there are 675 steps 😅. In the morning it was still a little hazy, but from midday the weather cleared up and the ☀️ shone until sunset. Including the waiting time, we spent about 4 hours there. Seeing Paris from the Eiffel Tower was 😁dreamlike. A visit is highly recommended 👍.