Grand Palais
Here are five amazing things you can do around the Grand Palais
1.) Admire the view from the Alexandre III Bridge
Certainly the city of lights’ most beautiful bridge. While walking on it you will enjoy one of the best views of Paris! But if you walk under it you will come across the Showcase; a club which makes Paris nightlife really exciting!
2.) Paris Landmarks Walking Tour
During this free walking tour you will enjoy one of the best views of the Grand Palais and discover more about the French capital. After an hour and a half you will feel like a true Parisian and will have understood why Paris is said to be the capital of elegance and beauty.
3.) Visit the Invalides
Once you have crossed the Bridge Alexandre III, visit what used to be a military hospital built upon request of the Sun King, and that now hosts the Museum of the Army and Napoleon Ist’s grave. Its golden dome is one of the best-known landmarks in Paris and you may see it through your own eyes if you are sightseeing in Paris!
4.) Have a stroll at the Tuileries Garden
Archetypical of ‘jardins à la française’, the Tuileries Gardens are a really nice place to sunbathe or jump on trampolines. There are also many things to do for children as well as for grown-ups!
5.) Window shopping on Montaigne Avenue
This place is the paradise of every fashionista! On this extremely prestigious avenue, located in the ‘golden triangle’ you will find the very best of fashion and luxury: Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo… The luckiest ones may like to stay at the Plaza Athénée, which is one of the seven Parisian palaces!
Insider’s tips:
- Do not miss the Petit Palais, which is another great place for art and exhibitions in Paris!
- In order not to be disturbed by the traffic jams, you can surely take the Metro but also the Velib; (almost) free bikes in Paris, which constitute an easy way to come and also to leave the area.
Facts about Grand Palais
The construction of the Grand Palais started in 1897 and had to be ready for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. The Grand Palais is famous for its roof entirely made of iron, steel and glass.
This monument ‘dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French art’ aims to demonstrate the grandeur of France: handling such materials was very hard at the time!
Nowadays, the Grand Palais is a very popular museum hosting prestigious temporary exhibits: recently ‘Turner and the Masters’ (2010), ‘Claude Monet’ (2011), ‘Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso … The Stein Family’ (2012) etc. But the Grand Palais also hosts very exclusive events such as the Hermès International Jumping or fashion shows.
Grand Palais
Living on the Right Bank, studying on the Left Bank, I often have to cross the Seine! Each time I pass on a bridge, it is the same renewed pleasure when I see the Grand Palais with its glass-barrel roof reflecting the slightest sunray… There are moments like these when I realize how lucky I am to be Parisian.
Tara- 13 million visitors a year 99%
- Incredibly detailed 80%
- Contains hidden mysteries 70%
Opening Hours
The Opening Hours depend on the exhibition you are intending to see. Check the website if you want to find the doors wide open!
Otherwise, you can still wait by just strolling around the Grand Palais, in this pleasant and very touristic neighborhood.
Near By
1.) Arch of Triumph:
At the end of the Champs-Élysées, this monument was ordered by Napoleon Ist to honor his victories but also hosts an eternal flame and the Unknown Soldier’s grave since the end of World War I. If you climb up to the top, you will enjoy one of the best views of Paris!
2.) Concorde Plaza:
Previously named ‘Louis XV Plaza’ and ‘Plaza of the Revolution’. If you stand on Concorde Plaza French history will truly overwhelm you!
3.) Orsay Museum:
What used to be a train station now hosts the largest collection of impressionist work. Get lost in the labyrinth of galleries and chance upon major masterpieces!
Why it’s worth visiting
- The exhibitions you will be able to see are among the best ones in Paris but also in Europe. The Grand Palais really is a great place for the finest art, fashion and the most interesting parts of history.
- The Grand Palais’ architecture style is also both interesting and beautiful. From the inside you will have the chance to enjoy the special light coming through the windows and from the outside, mainly on the River Banks, you will have an incomparable view of the neighborhood and of this special building, which has been built in order to represent Paris and even France.
