Paris

Under the old régime, this was the place of popular celebrations, but it became associated with the bloody events of the Terror after Louis XVI, Danton, Robespierre and many others were executed here. In 1795 it was renamed Place de la Concorde in a sign of national reconciliation.
Louis-Philippe, wanting to bring royalists and republicans back together, chose a monument without any political significance in erecting the Obelisk of Luxor in the center of the square, presented as a gift by the Egyptian Viceroy Méhémet Ali.
After a two and a half year voyage from the banks of the Nile the granite monolith, whose ancient hieroglyphics were carved more than 3,000 years ago under Ramesis II, was erected in front of 200,000 spectators, on October 25, 1836.

Constructed in 1862 by the young architect Charles Garnier in the style of the Second Empire, the Opera was completed in 1875 in the first days of the Third Republic.
It was the largest opera house in the world. An interesting point is that this massive edifice is built on an underground river, which continues to fill a subterranean lake.
Legend has it that the Phantom of the Opera, created by Gaston Leroux, continues to carry out his hair-raising activities.
An absolute must: The great staircase, of which the first ten steps form a magnificent elevator cage, the ceiling frescos in vivid colors created by Marc Chagall in 1964 and the immense crystal chandelier weighing six tons.
Tickets for ballet performances at the Opera are hard to come by. However, if you are unable to obtain some, you must try to experience the gold and velvet ambiance of the building itself (the main entrance hall is open from 11 am to 4.30 pm).

Installed on a domain of more than 40 hectares right in the heart of Paris, on a right bank of the Seine, the museum of the Louvre offers approximately 60 000 m ² of showrooms dedicated to the conservation of representative objects of 11 millenniums of civilization and culture.

The churches of St-Eustache and St-Germain l'Auxerrois held the first Parisian marketplace, dating from the beginning of the 12th century. In 1183, Philippe Auguste enlarged the marketplace and built a shelter for the merchants, who came from all over to sell their wares. For centuries, until the marketplace was moved to Rungis, The Halles were the "stomach of Paris". The liveliness once associated with the area has disappeared, even if the new modern shopping mall, the Forum des Halles, still attracts a large number of people.