Destination guide · Paris, France

Paris, worth knowing.

A few things about Paris that make the trip better once you know them, each checked against at least two sources (linked below it). Then a handful of questions to bring with you, because the conversations you have somewhere new tend to stay attached to the place.

Fun facts about Paris

  1. 1The Eiffel Tower gets a fresh coat about every seven years: roughly 60 tonnes of paint, in three shades that get lighter toward the top.Source: HISTORY; Wikipedia
  2. 2Despite its name, the Pont Neuf ('New Bridge') is the oldest bridge still standing across the Seine in Paris. It opened in the early 1600s.Source: French Moments; Wikipedia
  3. 3Why is Sacré-Cœur so white? Its Château-Landon stone releases calcite when it rains, so the weather helps keep the basilica on Montmartre bright.Source: Paris ZigZag; Wikipedia
  4. 4Paris has its own Statue of Liberty: a smaller replica on the Île aux Cygnes in the Seine, unveiled in 1889 and turned in 1937 to face its big sister in New York.Source: French Moments; Wikipedia
  5. 5Gustave Eiffel kept a small apartment at the top of his tower, and Thomas Edison visited in 1889. Today you can peek through a window at wax figures welcoming Edison.Source: Parade; Eiffel Guided Tours
  6. 6Notre-Dame de Paris reopened its doors in December 2024, after years of restoration by hundreds of skilled craftspeople.Source: France.fr; Wikipedia

Things to do in Paris

  • ◦Walk the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles: 73 metres long, with more than 350 mirrors set into 17 arches facing 17 windows onto the gardens.Source: Château de Versailles; Wikipedia
  • ◦Wander into Place du Tertre in Montmartre, where artists sketch and paint at their easels, a nod to the days when Picasso and Utrillo lived nearby.Source: France.fr; Wikipedia
  • ◦Step inside Sainte-Chapelle and look up: the chapel is wrapped in towering stained-glass windows, a dazzling jewel of Rayonnant Gothic design.Source: Sainte-Chapelle; Wikipedia
  • ◦Climb the 284 steps of the Arc de Triomphe to its rooftop terrace and spot the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur and Notre-Dame across the Paris rooftops.Source: Arc de Triomphe; Wikipedia
  • ◦Browse the bouquinistes' green bookstalls along the Seine quays for secondhand books, old postcards and vintage prints.Source: Ville de Paris; Wikipedia
  • ◦After dark, catch the Eiffel Tower sparkling: 20,000 lights twinkle for five minutes on the hour.Source: Time Out Paris; France.fr

Questions to bring to Paris

From Sojourn's journeys. Ask one over a long dinner or on a slow walk, and let the place do some of the work.

Going together

  • When do you feel most like yourself?
  • What does rest actually look like for you?
  • What is one thing you wish we did more of?

Going solo

  • What is the first thing this place is showing you that you didn't expect?
  • What does this version of you know that the home version tends to forget?

Free printable

25 questions for your Paris trip.

A printable PDF to fold into your bag and open somewhere new. Written by a licensed marriage and family therapist.

We'll never share your email. See our Privacy Policy. Sojourn is a guided reflection companion, not therapy.

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From Sojourn, a guided journey for before you go, while you're there and after you're home, for couples and solo travelers. It's a reflection companion, not therapy. Facts last checked 2026-10-25. Spotted something out of date? Email support@sojourntravel.app.

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