The Louvre and Its Surroundings

Begin your morning inside the Louvre, where over 35,000 works span millennia — from the enigmatic Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory of Samothrace to Egyptian antiquities and Renaissance masterpieces. Stepping outside, the formal allées of the Tuileries Garden lead you past centuries-old sculptures and reflecting pools toward the vast Place de la Concorde, where a 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk rises between ornate fountains. From there, the route heads north to the neoclassical La Madeleine, a church built to resemble a Greek temple with 52 towering Corinthian columns, before continuing to the elegant Place Vendôme, the global capital of haute joaillerie crowned by its Napoleonic column. The day concludes at Printemps Haussmann, whose classified Art Nouveau dome and free rooftop terrace offer sweeping views across the city skyline. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays; booking timed-entry tickets online in advance is strongly recommended to avoid long queues.