1. Euro Disneyland, Paris – 14.5 million visitors.
Disneyland Paris, also known as Euro Disney, is a theme park & resort in Marne-la-Vallée, in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. The theme park is located 20 miles from the centre of Paris and lies within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne. As the only Disneyland theme park in Europe it attracts visitors from all over the continent, as well as the rest of the world. Disneyland Paris is by far the most popular tourist attraction in France.
2. The Louvre, Paris – 8.3 million visitors
The Musée du Louvre, Grand Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is one of the world’s largest museums. The tourist attraction is the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, France and is located on the Right Bank of the Seine. Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres. Its timeless pieces attract visitors from all over the globe.
3. The Eiffel Tower Paris – 6.8 million visitors
The Eiffel Tower is perhaps the iconic image of France. The iron lattice tower, nicknamed “La dame de fer” or “the iron woman”, was built in 1889. It is located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, and has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower, which is the tallest building in Paris, is the single most visited paid monument in the world with 6.8 million visitors a year. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair. It was the tallest man-made structure in the world from its completion until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930
4. The Georges Pompidou centre and museum of art, Paris – 5.5 million visitors
The Pompidou Centre is a complex in the Beaubourg area of Paris, designed in the style of high-tech architecture. It houses the Bibliothèque publique d’information, a vast public library, the Musée National d’Art Moderne which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe, and IRCAM, a centre for music and acoustic research. Because of its location, the Centre is known locally as Beaubourg. It is named after Georges Pompidou, the President of France from 1969 to 1974 who decided its creation, and was officially opened on 31 January 1977, since when it has received over 150 million visitors.
5. Château de Versailles, near Paris – 5.3 million visitors
The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles. When the château was built, Versailles was a country village. Today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some twenty kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful palaces in the world.
6. Orsay museum of the 19th century Paris – 3.2 million visitors
The Musée d’Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine, housed in the former railway station, the Gare d’Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts edifice built between 1898 and 1900. It holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography, and is probably best known for its extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces (the largest in the world) by such painters such as Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Many of these works were held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the museum’s opening in 1986.
7. La Villette science museum, Paris – 3 million visitors
The Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie is the biggest science museum in Europe. It is a public establishment of an industrial and commercial character specializing in the fostering of scientific and technical culture. Created on the initiative of President Giscard d’Estaing, its goal is to spread scientific and technical knowledge among the public, particularly for youth, and for creating public interest in science, research, and industry. The Cité has a planetarium, a submarine, an IMAX theatre and special departments for children and teenagers.
8. Parc Astérix theme park, Plailly north of Paris – 1.6 million visitors
Parc Astérix is a theme amusement park in France, based on the stories of Asterix, a popular French character. Situated approximately 22 miles north of Paris and 20 miles from Disneyland Resort Paris, in Plailly, it opened in 1989. It is especially well known for its large variety of roller coasters, and has begun incorporating rides and themes from historic cultures such as the Romans and the ancient Greeks.
9. Futuroscope theme park, Poitiers – 1.6 million visitors
Futuroscope, or Parc du Futuroscope, is a French theme park based upon multimedia, cinematographic futorscope and audio-visual techniques. It has several 3D cinemas along with other attractions and shows, some of which are the only examples in the world.
10. Arc de Triomphe, Paris 1.5 million visitors
The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l’Étoile. It is located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The triumphal arch honours those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. On the inside and the top of the arc there are all of the names of generals and wars fought. Underneath is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I.
