If there are any silver linings to come out of the past few years, one is definitely the increase in virtual experiences available online. Travel enthusiasts can now tour some of the world’s most popular attractions from the comfort of their home. Whether you’re looking to reminisce over your favourite vacation spots or explore somewhere you’ve never been, virtual tours are a great way to get your travel fix when you’re not able to make it abroad.
One city that has a number of great options for virtual tours is Paris, France. As one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, it’s no surprise that Paris has some great digital options for visiting. Throughout the pandemic, I have personally enjoyed rediscovering some of my favourite spots in the city. Below is a list of 5 free Paris virtual attractions to explore from the comfort of your own home.
1. Palais Garnier: Paris Opera House
The Palais Garnier is a world-famous opera house located in the heart of Paris. This Paris landmark was built between 1861 and 1875 for Napoleon III. It was designed and named after its architect, Charles Garnier and became the main theatre for the Paris Opera and Opera Ballet. The building is also famous as the setting of Gaston Leroux’s novel, The Phantom of the Opera.
The Palais Garnier is one of my all-time favourite Paris attractions and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting again on the virtual tour. The tour can be accessed through Google Arts and Culture and consists of a number of areas of the opera house to explore. There are a few online exhibits as well as a vast photography collection of performers throughout the years. You are also able to browse a number of artifacts from inside the building.
My favourite part of the tour is the Museum Views section where you can actually go on stage and look out at the audience. You can also visit the roof of the building for a very impressive view!
2. The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum is one of Paris’ most popular attractions and is most famous as the home of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting, the Mona Lisa. Originally built as a palace for French royalty, the Louvre Museum now houses a collection that covers 10,000 years of history. From Egyptian art, to Greek antiques, to Michelangelo and beyond, the collection is endlessly impressive. And now you can view it all from anywhere in the world.
The virtual tour can be accessed through the Louvre Museum website and allows you to walk around and explore virtual galleries. There is also plenty of information included and you’re able to zoom in and read about your favourite artworks.
My favourite aspect of the Louvre Museum virtual tour is the Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass virtual reality experience. This can be downloaded to your phone and gives an in-depth look at the painting, Da Vinci’s techniques and the mysterious woman behind one of the world’s most famous paintings. It’s a very cool experience and as the first virtual reality project for the Louvre, it’s something I hope to see more of!
3. The Musée D’Orsay
Another museum worth virtually exploring is the wonderful Musée D’Orsay. The museum is one of my favourites in Paris and showcases art from the period of 1848 to 1914. The building itself has an interesting history as it was initially a train station that went through a few changes before finally opening as a museum in 1986. Works by artists such as Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and (my personal favourite) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec are included in the collection and are a must see for fans of late 19th and early 20th century art.
The Musée D’Orsay virtual tour is also available through Google Arts and Culture and allows you to browse hundreds of the museums’ paintings. Some recognizable works include Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette and Monet’s Poppy Field. The paintings are all accompanied by information on the works and artists and there is also a cool feature on the phone app that lets you view paintings in augmented reality.
I have lots of favourites in this virtual tour, but one aspect I really like is the online exhibition, From Station to the Renovated Musée D’Orsay. The exhibition takes you through the fascinating history of the building and how it came to be the museum it is today.
4. Sacré-Coeur Basilica
One of the best views in all of Paris is on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur. Looking out from the hilltop in Montmartre, visitors can see for miles across the city. The site of the Sacré-Coeur has been a place of worship for hundreds of years as it is where Saint Denis (the first Bishop and Martyr of Paris) is believed to have been executed in the 3rd century. The current basilica was built between 1875 and 1914 as an act of penance for the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War.
The virtual tour can be accessed through the Sacré-Coeur website and is very impressive. Visitors can explore both the inside and the outside of the basilica from a number of different vantage points. Outside you’ll be able to explore the breathtaking views of Paris where you can try and spot the Eiffel Tower! The inside of the basilica is equally as impressive and allows you to explore different areas. You can also click on notable features inside to learn further information.
My favourite part of this tour is the outside views. There are also a number of markers that point out key historical buildings across the Paris skyline. It almost feels like you’re there!
5. Eiffel Tower
Finally, we come to one of the most recognizable sites in Paris, the Eiffel Tower. Originally built between 1897 and 1899 for the Exposition Universelle, it has remained one of the most popular attractions in Paris, if not the world. At over 300 metres high and consisting of 7,300 tonnes of iron, the Eiffel Tower literally towers over the rest of the Paris landscape. Whether visiting in person or virtually, this is an attraction not to be missed.
The Eiffel Tower virtual tour can be accessed through the Eiffel Tower website. There is a three-minute video, created for the 130th anniversary, that provides stunning views both inside and outside of the tower. There is also a mobile tour guide feature that allows you to explore the tower and the oh-so-romantic views yourself. You can also tour the Eiffel Tower on Google Arts and Culture which provides more historical photos and information. The 360 degree view from the observation deck is also very impressive.
What I enjoy most about this virtual tour is reading through the history of the tower and its construction. The historical photos on the tower website show different phases of the construction and it is amazing to see how one of the world’s most famous buildings came together.
Click here to view the Eiffel Tower Virtual Tour on the website.
Click here to view the Eiffel Tower Virtual Tour on Google Arts and Culture.
Bonus: Moulin Rouge
I’ve added in a bonus recommendation that I’ve found very interesting! It’s not actually a virtual tour, but the Moulin Rouge has a section of the website called The Know-How which provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the world-famous entertainment venue.
The Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889 and is known world-wide as the birthplace of the modern day can-can dance. Moulin Rouge The Know-How gives an insight into the costumes makers, feather makers, head chef and others who bring the Moulin Rouge to life. The website also has a great history section covering the many glamorous decades of the theatre’s existence.
Visit here to visit Moulin Rouge The Know-How.
This article’s information was last updated in August 2022.