Things to do in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Eiffel Tower

Paris · 15.4 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

4.6/5

4.4k reviews

·Climb the Eiffel Tower-a cultural symbol of France and one of the landmark buildings in Paris ·Overlook the beautiful city scenery of Paris, the whole Paris is at your feet, like a huge map in front of you. ·Learn about the tower's more than 100-year history through objects, posters, photos, sculptures, paintings and videos at the observation deck on the ground floor △ A new cultural path(1st floor): Screens, touch screens, displays, digital albums, reproductions of items, etc. allow you to find out about all aspects of the Eiffel Tower, many little known. △ Your arrival on the 2nd floor is marked by amazement: Paris in all her splendour greets your incredulous eyes. You will enjoy clear views of all of the French capital's monuments: the Louvre, Gran Palais, the bends in the Seine, Montmartre, Invalides, Notre Dame, etc. △ After a spectacular ascent in glass-walled lifts, you're finally here. 276m up with only the antennae above you, Paris lies at your feet. The noise of the boulevards can't reach you here, but the wind catches you and your heart begins to race.

Seine River Cruise

9.9

Paris · 15.2 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

2k reviews

· Board the Seine River cruise and enjoy the charming scenery of Paris · Enjoy delicious food while admiring the beautiful scenery of the Seine on a lunch/dinner cruise · Along the Seine River to Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Conciergerie, to the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay Embark on a Seine River cruise to experience Paris from a different perspective. △ Take a photo with the Eiffel Tower from a unique angle on the Seine River △ Take the cruise, pass by Notre Dame de Paris-the beautiful architecture written by Victor Hugo △ Enjoy a romantic dinner on the Seine River-the most famous street in Paris

No. 1 of Fall Viewing Attractions in France

Seine River

9.8

4.8/5

2k reviews

Dividing Paris into the right bank and the left bank, the Seine is the city's main river. The majority of Paris's most interesting historical sites are all located on the banks of the Seine. You can take a tourist boat for a short cruise up the Seine to enjoy the scenic beauty of both banks, including many places of interest such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre Dame de Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

Paris · 15.3 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Musee d'Orsay

Paris · 17.6 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

4.8/5

5k reviews

The Musee d'Orsay, hailed as the "temple of Impressionism," offers visitors the chance to admire numerous Impressionist masterpieces by great artists and experience the magic of color and light. In the museum square, six bronze statues represent the six continents of the world; inside the museum, beneath the large glass dome, natural light pours through the glass onto each painting. Bathed in this natural light, one can more vividly experience the charm of the artworks and the creative passion of the artists. The palace of art, the holy land of "Impressionism" Across the river from the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay houses a collection of approx. over 4,000 artworks, including a vast array of French art created between 1848 and 1914, spanning painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and photography. Its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings enjoys worldwide renown—masterpieces such as Monet's "Gare Saint-Lazare," Renoir's "Bal du moulin de la Galette," Van Gogh's "Starry Night Over the Rhône," and Manet's "Olympia" are all displayed here. Locals often say that for art created before 1848, one should go to the Louvre, and for modern art after 1914, one should go to the Centre Pompidou—and this museum bridges the two periods perfectly. Stepping inside, traces of the former railway station are still faintly discernible. At the center of the ground-floor hall runs a sculpture promenade, with exhibition rooms on both sides mainly displaying paintings and sculptures from the mid-19th century. At the far end stands a large cutaway model of the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier), meticulously revealing the opera house's interior structure. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings are concentrated on the top floor, converted from the hotel rooms on the upper level of the former railway station. The space feels more intimate, and the natural light from the south-facing skylights evokes the lighting conditions under which the painters created their works. Six bronze statues stand in the square, each representing one of the world's six continents—relics of the original 1878 Exposition Universelle. Get a close-up view of the iconic clock at Musee d'Orsay

Louvre Museum

Paris · 18.3 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

10.4k reviews

Experience the charm of the filming locations for movies like "The Louvre" and "The Da Vinci Code". • Appreciate the magnificent presentation of the treasures of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations here. • Visit the giant glass pyramid that combines classical palace and modern architectural styles. The Louvre was founded in 1204. This castle underwent several expansions and was converted into a museum after the French Revolution. The museum's collection encompasses art treasures from ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and various periods of Europe. The collection is quantity, and only a small portion is usually on display, yet it already constitutes an art journey spanning thousands of years. The museum boasts numerous treasures, among which the "Three Treasures of the Louvre" are most famous: the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. △The marble of the Venus de Milos is so pure and white, yet so moving. Is it Aphrodite? Or Amphitrite? When the Venus de Milo was brought to the museum, the art restorers' first thought was to restore Venus's missing arms. However, in order to avoid distorting the work's authenticity, they ultimately abandoned this idea. The missing arms pose a significant challenge to identifying the figure in the statue. In ancient Greek art, the identification of deities is typically based on the objects held or iconic elements. Initially, there were many questions regarding the goddess's identity. Could she be Amphitrite, the sea goddess particularly revered on the island of Milos? Or, as her semi-nude, sensual body suggests, could she be Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty? The fact that she wore jewelry tilts the scales of identification towards Aphrodite, the Venus of Roman mythology. Later, near the statue's excavation site, a hand holding an apple was discovered—an element in the artistic depiction of Venus, and moreover, the hand sculpted with the apple is made of the same Paros marble as the statue. △ For centuries, Mona Lisa's famous enigmatic smile has captivated and inspired countless sighs. Mona Lisa gazes upon the viewer with her legendary smile, behind her a beautiful natural landscape stretching into the distance. The Mona Lisa painting theft of the century On August 21, 1911, panic gripped the museum! The Mona Lisa had vanished! Newspapers across the country published reports and offered a reward for its discovery. For over two years, the Mona Lisa remained untraceable. Then one day, an Italian art dealer contacted the authorities, and someone had delivered the famous painting, sought by the entire world, to him! The visitor was Vincenzo Perugia, a glass craftsman who had previously worked at the museum. The Mona Lisa was recovered, and her fame soared even higher. △The Winged Victory of Samothrace appears to float in mid-air, its form light and graceful. Originally offered as a tribute to the gods, it stood high in a temple on the Greek island of Samothrace, just as it now stands atop the Daru Steps. The statue depicts the moment when the winged goddess Nike, the goddess of victory, descends upon the bow of a ship. "Clubbing Hall Star" When the Winged Victory of Samothrace was installed on the Daru Steps in 1883, the background decorations designed for it were far more elaborate than they are today, with the dome covered in glittering mosaic patterns. However, these decorations failed to win favor, with some critics even comparing the Winged Victory to a cabaret star. Finally, in 1934, faux stone wallpaper covered the original decorations, creating a solemn and elegant atmosphere.

Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile

8.9

Paris · 15 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

2.9k reviews

Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile stands at the center of Place de l'Etoile at the western end of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, construction began in 1806 and was completed in 1836, with the monument reaching approx. 50 m in height. The inner walls of the arch are inscribed with the names of hundreds of generals who fought alongside Napoleon and the victorious battles they won. Beneath the arch lies the tomb of an unknown soldier, with an eternal flame that burns continuously, adding solemnity to this monument of triumph. The four pillars feature four large reliefs: "The Departure of the Volunteers" by sculptor François Rude, depicting the winged Goddess of Liberty rallying the people to arms—this work is also widely known as "La Marseillaise"; "The Triumph of 1810" shows Victory crowning Napoleon; "Resistance" and "Peace" respectively depict France's resilience during the 1814 war and its return to tranquility afterward. Ascending to the top is a must: the summit houses a small exhibition hall with images, models, and artifacts detailing the monument's construction. From the viewing platform, the star-shaped layout of twelve radiating avenues unfolds below, with the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, and the La Défense skyscrapers visible in one frame. At night, the illuminated boulevard offers a classic vantage point for Parisian cityscapes. Note that the ground-level square is congested with traffic; visitors must use the underground passage to reach the arch. △Twelve grand avenues in Paris radiate from the center, showcasing magnificent momentum and serving as a design model for major European cities △Avenue des Champs-Élysées at nightfall, magnificent and grand

Palais Garnier

9.6

Paris · 17.6 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

1.5k reviews

The Palais Garnier was designed by architect Charles Garnier and completed in 1875. It is a building created with great effort during the Second French Empire, blending Baroque curves and intricate decorations. It is also the setting for the story of The Phantom of the Opera: Leroux's original novel is based on this theater, and the actual underground reservoir beneath the building is the prototype for the "Phantom's underground lake" in the novel. In terms of appearance, the white exterior walls, arches, and stone columns are covered with carvings. Above the colonnade are gilded bronze busts of composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Rossini. At both ends of the main facade stand gilded figure groups symbolizing "harmony" and "poetry," while at the top of the building is a statue of Apollo holding a lyre. Stepping inside, the grand white marble staircase is quite spectacular, with red and green marble railings ascending layer upon layer. The "Pythia" fountain statue at the base of the stairs is equally exquisite, while the dome of the staircase hall is adorned with paintings depicting Apollo and the Olympian gods. The auditorium is decorated with red velvet and gold leaf, featuring a massive 1964 ceiling painting by Chagall that draws inspiration from scenes of various composers' operas, with a grand bronze and crystal chandelier hanging at its center. The adjoining lounge gallery resembles a replica of Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, where golden columns, mirrors, statues, and chandeliers complement one another. The ceiling boasts murals themed around music history, and the dome is covered with gold-backed mosaics. Nowadays, most opera performances here have moved to the Opéra Bastille, while this building primarily hosts ballet performances and is open to visitors, serving as a classic destination to experience the refined aesthetics of the Second Empire. Highlights Exquisite appearance: The building's exterior is adorned with intricate carvings, from the white walls, arches, and stone columns to the golden Baroque statues at both ends. Opulent interior decor: Palais Garnier boasts a spectacular marble staircase. The grand hall is surrounded by statues of diverse forms, many of which depict deities from Greek mythology, exuding nobility under the glow of golden lights. Even the carvings beneath the staircase are exquisitely crafted. The ceiling is adorned with many colorful murals depicting several classic myths. Between the columns stand bronze busts of composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. The lounge corridor features golden columns, walls, statues, chandeliers, and murals with gold trim on the ceiling.

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

Paris · 19.4 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye

2.5k reviews

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris stands on the Île de la Cité on the banks of the Seine, built approx. between 1163 and 1250, and has witnessed the historical changes of Paris. This Gothic-style cathedral is world-famous due to the poetic description by French writer Victor Hugo in his novel of the same name, "Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris". Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris stands on the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine, with construction beginning in 1163 and largely completed by the mid-13th century. It is a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture and widely known due to Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. A fire in 2019 destroyed its spire and wooden roof structure, but after years of restoration, the cathedral reopened to visitors in December 2024, with the bell tower's summit access resuming shortly after. This phoenix-like structure has regained its status as one of Paris's most popular destinations. The cathedral's façade features three portals adorned with reliefs and statues depicting biblical stories, along with a row of royal stone figures, showcasing Gothic sculptural artistry at its finest. Inside, the restored stone walls and vaulted ceilings, now free of centuries-old soot, appear strikingly bright, while the three rose windows dazzle with color—particularly the southern one. The grand organ, with nearly 8,000 pipes and restored over several years, is equally worth admiring. Climbing the bell tower is a highlight: visitors ascend over 400 steps, passing the fantastical "gallery of chimeras" added during 19th-century renovations, where stone carvings of beasts and mythical creatures perch at railings—including the famous pensive "Stryge" gazing over Paris. The 17th-century "Emmanuel" bell, weighing over ten tons and rarely rung except on major occasions, can also be seen. From the nearly 70 m-high rooftop terrace, panoramic views encompass both banks of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Sacré-Cœur, while the restored wooden framework and rebuilt spire can be examined up close between the towers. Practical tips: The tower climb requires moderate physical fitness, with narrow stairs and some crouch-walking sections; advance reservations for time slots are recommended due to limited capacity. Beneath the square in front lies the Crypte Archéologique de l'Île de la Cité, displaying urban relics from Roman times onward, with its entrance on the square. As the cathedral remains an active place of worship, visitors are asked to maintain quiet during masses.

No. 9 of Night Attractions in France

Champ de Mars

8.8

4.8/5

194 reviews

Champ de Mars is an open, elongated public green space in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, bordering the Eiffel Tower at its northwest end and the École Militaire at its southeast end. Covering over 20 hectares, it is one of the major public green spaces in Paris. Originally an open field used for military training and parades, it gradually transformed into a public green space and has hosted numerous large-scale gatherings, exhibitions, and celebrations throughout the history of France. It features expansive lawns, straight walking paths, rows of trees, and open views. Its overall layout is orderly, reflecting the emphasis on axes and spatial order in Paris urban planning.

Paris · 15.7 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye