The Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and art museums

Begin at the top of the Champs-Elysees with a climb to the rooftop terrace of the Arc de Triomphe, where twelve grand avenues radiate below and the city stretches to the horizon in every direction. From there, stroll down the full length of the avenue itself, lined with flagship boutiques, historic cinemas, and chestnut trees, before turning off toward the Grand Palais, recently reopened after a major renovation, its vast glass-and-iron nave now flooded with natural light for rotating exhibitions. Directly across the avenue, the Petit Palais offers a free permanent collection spanning antiquity to the early twentieth century, housed in a Beaux-Arts gem with a mosaic-lined courtyard garden. Continue to Place de la Concorde to take in the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk and the ornate fountains, then finish at the Musee de l'Orangerie in the Tuileries Garden, where Monet's eight monumental Water Lilies panels wrap around two oval rooms in what has been called the Sistine Chapel of Impressionism. The Grand Palais and Petit Palais are closed on Mondays, while the Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays, so plan for Wednesday through Sunday to see everything.