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Some six million visitors a year ascend to the top of this most famous Paris landmark for the spectacular views. It was erected for the Universal Exhibition of 1889.

This great Gothic cathedral, founded on the site of a Roman temple, was completed in 1334 and is a repository of French art and history. It also represents the geographical heart of France.

Napoleon’s triumphal arch, celebrating battle victories, stands proudly at the top of the Champs-Elysées and, along with the Eiffel Tower, is one of the city’s most enduring images.

One of the most famous avenues in the world came into being when the royal gardener André Le Nôtre planted an arbour of trees beyond the border of the Jardin des Tuileries in 1667. First called the Grand Cours (Great Way), it was later renamed the Champs-Elysées (Elysian Fields). In the mid-19th century the avenue acquired pedestrian paths, fountains, gas lights and cafés, and became the fashionable place for socializing and entertainment. Since the funeral of Napoleon in 1840, this wide thoroughfare has also been the route for state processions, victory parades and other city events. The Rond Point des Champs-Elysées is the prettiest part, with chestnut trees and flower beds, but the upper end, near the Arc de Triomphe, has sadly lost its glamour with the influx of fast-food chains and tourist services. Yet a walk along the avenue is still an obligatory part of any visit to Paris.

The terrace in front of this monumental white-domed basilica in Montmartre affords one of the finest free views over Paris.

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.

Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition to carry visitors over the Seine to the Grand and Petit Palais, this bridge is a superb example of the steel architecture and ornate Art Nouveau style popular at the time. Named after Alexander III of Russia, who laid the foundation stone, its decoration displays both Russian and French heraldry. The bridge creates a splendid thoroughfare from the Champs-Elysées to the Invalides.

The glowing golden dome of the Hôtel des Invalides church is unmistakable across the rooftops of Paris.

Housed in a grand Marais mansion, this museum presents Parisian decorative arts through the ages. The collection includes painting, sculpture and antique furniture, re-creating private residences of the 16th and 17th centuries. There is also a collection of mementoes from the Revolution. Classical music concerts are occasionally held here.

Paris’s town hall sports an elaborate façade, with ornate stonework, statues and a turreted roof. It is a 19th-century reconstruction of the original town hall, which was burned down in the Paris Commune of 1871. Though the pedestrianized square in front is pleasant now, it was once the site of gruesome executions: Ravaillac, assassin of Henri IV, was quartered alive here in 1610.

The Hôtel Dieu, now the hospital for central Paris, was built on the site of a foundling home in 1866–78; the original 12th-century building on the Ile de la Cité was demolished during the urban renewal schemes of the 19th century. A monument in the courtyard commemorates a courageous battle here in 1944 when Paris police held out against the German Nazis.

Designed in the style of a Greek temple in 1764, this prominent church in Paris’s financial district, on the edge of the Opéra Quarter, is one of the city’s most distinctive sights, spectacularly surrounded by 52 Corinthian columns. The church was consecrated to Mary Magdalene in 1845. The bronze doors, which include bas-reliefs depicting the Ten Commandments, and the Last Judgment on the south pediment are exterior highlights, while the ornate marble and gold interior has many fine statues, including François Rude’s Baptism of Christ . Organ recitals are often held in the church.

Called “a gateway to heaven”, this splendid medieval church was built to house the relics collected by St Louis on his many Crusades.

This imposing palace has been the official residence of the President of the French Republic since 1873. It was built as a private mansion in 1718 and subsequently owned by Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV, who extended the English-style gardens to the Champs-Elysées. Napoleon signed his second abdication here in 1815.

Patterned after the Pantheon in Rome, this domed late 18th-century church only served as a house of worship for two years, before becoming a monument and burial place for the great and the good of the Revolution era. Later distinguished citizens are also buried here.

The final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte is the beautiful Dôme Church in the Hôtel des Invalides complex – an elaborate monument to French Classical style. Built as the chapel for the resident soldiers of the Invalides, its ornate high altar is in stark contrast to the solemn marble chapels surrounding the crypt, which hold the tombs of French military leaders. Its golden dome can be seen for miles around (see Hôtel des Invalides).

The enormous building that now houses the French law courts and judiciary dates back to Roman times and was the royal palace until the 14th century, when Charles V moved the court to the Marais. During the Revolution, thousands were sentenced to death in the Première Chambre Civile, allegedly the former bedroom of Louis IX.

The city’s Grande Mosque was built during the 1920s as a tribute to North African Muslims who gave military support to France during World War I. It features beautiful Moorish architecture, executed by craftsmen brought over from North Africa, and a peaceful interior courtyard.

Louis XIV turned his father’s old hunting lodge into the largest palace in Europe and moved his court here in 1678. It was the royal residence for more than a century until Louis XVI and his queen Marie-Antoinette fled during the Revolution.

This former royal palace now houses State offices. Built by Cardinal Richelieu in 1632, it passed to the crown on his death 10 years later and was the childhood home of Louis XIV. The dukes of Orléans acquired it in the 18th century.

Paris’s oldest theatre was founded in 1680 and is still the only one to have its own repertory of actors, staging both classical and modern drama (in French) from Molière to Tom Stoppard. The current building dates from the 18th century. Around the corner from the main box office, a special window opens 45 minutes before curtain-up, selling reduced price tickets for under-27s and concessions.

More risqué than the other big-name cabaret shows, the Saloon has a reputation for putting on the most professional as well as the sexiest productions. Striptease features, along with glamorous dancing girls and other cabaret acts. The computer-controlled lighting effects are spectacular.

The epitome of Parisian cabaret, the Folies were, for a time, no more than a troupe of high-kicking, bare-breasted dancers. Today, the musical shows have largely returned to the nostalgic days when Maurice Chevalier and Josephine Baker performed here.

The original home of the Can-Can, the theatre’s dancers were immortalized on canvas by Toulouse-Lautrec during the belle époque and are on display in the Musée d’Orsay. The show still has all the razzmatazz, feathers and sequins that it has been dazzling audiences with since 1889. The pre-show dinner is optional.

Not just a night out, but a whole experience, opera has now returned to its original Paris base after the theatre had a spell as a dance-only venue. The vast stage can hold a cast of 450, and the building itself is an example of excessive opulence, complete with grand staircase, mirrors and marble.

Opened in 1992 as the largest opera house in the world, this modern building was heavily criticized, not least for its acoustics and poor facilities. Most problems have been ironed out, but plans for this to be the city’s only opera venue have been changed.

The city’s largest concert hall and fourth-largest auditorium was built in 1862 and has recently been renovated. The repertoire covers classical music, ballet and opera, as well as popular Sunday morning chamber music concerts.

Home to the famous troupe of long-legged dancers, the Bluebell Girls, the fabulous special effects include aerial ballets and an on-stage skating rink. There are many who regard this dinner-cabaret as an essential Parisian experience.

Classical music performances centred around the Bassin de Neptune Fountain at Versailles. This is one of the best ways to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the gardens. Book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Film buffs should be sure to verify the exact date of this annual event, held each June. For just one day, cinemagoers pay full price for the first film that they see, but can then see as many other films as they choose, for a few Euros each.

This major festival promotes arts across the board in Paris, commissioning new works and encouraging all walks of life to see and enjoy performances of dance, music and drama.

Paris reveres the art of photography probably more than any other city in the world and every alternate November (in even-numbered years) it hosts the “Month of the Photo”. Galleries, museums, shops, cultural centres and many other venues all give space to exhibitions, workshops and lectures on all aspects of the art. For anyone interested in photography, it is the most exciting time to visit Paris.

Runners start at the Champs-Elysées and end at avenue Foch.

This great cycle race reaches its climax in Paris.