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Designed by Charles Garnier for Napoleon III, Paris’ opulent opera house resembles a giant wedding cake. Begun in 1862, it took 13 years to complete and comprises a range of styles from Classical to Baroque, incorporating stone friezes and columns, statues, multicoloured marbles and a green, copper cupola. The ornate interior has a Grand Staircase, mosaic domed ceiling over the Grand Foyer and an auditorium with a ceiling by Marc Chagall. There’s even an underground lake beneath the building – the inspiration for Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera (see Entertainment Venues).

Set in a wing of the Grand Palais, this museum showcasing scientific discovery was created by a physicist for the World’s Fair of 1937. The exhibits focus on invention and innovation in various scientific areas, from biology to chemistry, to astronomy and physics, including good interactive exhibits and demonstrations. The planetarium gives realistic views of space using fibre optics, while the Planète Terre (Planet Earth) rooms examine global warming and the sun.

Built in 1718, after the Revolution this elegant palace was turned into a dance hall, then, in the 19th century, became the residence of Napoleon’s sister Caroline Murat, followed by his wife Empress Josephine. His nephew, Napoleon III, also lived here while plotting his 1851 coup. Since 1873 it has been home to the president of France. For this reason, it is worth noting that the palace guards don’t like people getting too close to the building, especially when there are VIPs inside.

In the late 18th century this former royal palace and garden underwent extensive changes under the dukes of Orléans. The architect, Victor Louis, was commissioned to build 60 uniformly styled houses around three sides of the square and the adjacent theatre, which now houses the Comédie Française, France’s national theatre. Today the arcades house specialist shops, galleries and restaurants, and the courtyard is filled with striking modern works of art.

A popular day out, with dozens of attractions including Europe’s longest rollercoaster, an adventure playground and an exact replica of Albert Uderzo’s original comic book village.

Differing garden styles feature in this park, including English and Japanese, though the major attraction is the huge rose garden, best seen in June.

More than just a park, this landscape to the northeast of the city was created in 1993 to a futuristic design. It provides the usual park features of paths and gardens, but modern sculptures, zany park benches and several major hi-tech attractions offer a different edge. These include the interactive science museum, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, a 60-seater mobile hydraulic cinema, an Omnimax cinema, play areas for younger children and a music museum.

The highest park in Paris is great for a family picnic. Kids love the suspended bridges, waterfalls, donkey rides and puppet shows.