Museums

If you’re planning to visit several museums it’s worth getting a Paris Museum Pass, which can be purchased at any of the 60 or so participating museums and art galleries – it will save you money and allow you to skip past the crowds. Some museums offer reduced or free entry on Sundays, but note that most museums in Paris are closed on either Monday or Tuesday, so plan your visit carefully to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet in the exclusive Marais district traces the history of Paris from its origins to the turn of the 20th century from a social perspective. The section on the French Revolution is particularly interesting, with models of the Bastille and the Guillotine as well as some frayed old tricolours and revolutionary pamphlets and documents. The building itself is interesting to visit – it’s a Renaissance mansion with a beautiful formal courtyard garden.

Hôtel des Invalides

The splendid Hôtel des Invalides was built by Louis XIV as a home for wounded soldiers. It’s now home to the Musée de l’Armée or military history museum, split across two galleries on either side of an impressive central courtyard. Most of the collection, which includes armour, uniforms and weapons, dates from the Napoleonic era and there are also several personal effects that belonged to the emperor himself – including his tent, his death mask and even his horse. The ticket also allows entry to Napoleon’s tomb, housed in l’Église du Dôme within the grounds of Les Invalides. The museum also has a large and interesting section on World War Two, dedicated to Générale Charles de Gaulle

Conciergerie

Part of the enormous Palais de Justice (law courts) in l’île de la Cité, the fearsome Conciergerie was the city’s main prison. From the 14th century to the early 20th century thousands of notorious prisoners were incarcerated here, and it was packed to the brim during the Revolution. Marie-Antoinette was detained here until her execution in 1793, as were several leaders of the Revolution. Highlights inside are the magnificent Gothic Hall, where the guards once lived, the 11th century torture chamber, Marie-Antoinette’s cell and 14th century tower, which houses the city’s oldest public clock.