15 Best Paris Instagram Spots

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Have you ever traveled to the famed City of Love? There are so many great viewpoints in Paris; it can be hard deciding what locations are worth it. This list of the best Paris Instagram spots has got you covered for your next trip.

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Arc de Triomphe

address: Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France

For one of the best views of the Paris city skyline, skip climbing the Eiffel Tower and check out Arc de Triomphe instead! You get a 360-degree view of Paris, La Defénse (the business district), and the Eiffel Tower.

To get there, take the metro to Charles de Gaulle Étoile. You can directly access the Arc from the metro station. If you end up above the ground on the Champs Elysees, make sure to go back down so you aren’t having to cross the hectic roundabout around the monument.  

Tickets to climb to the top are normally around 13 euros and free for children under 18. Like many other museums and monuments in Paris, EU citizens under the age of 25 also enter for free. They sometimes offer free tickets to anyone enrolled at European universities so be sure to flash your student card or visa if you’re studying abroad!

Pro tip: Go during the day AND at night for vastly different views!

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Atop the Pompidou

address: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France

Visit the Centre Pompidou in the 4^th arrondissement and you’ll likely see Parisians skateboarding, playing music, and snuggling in the plaza that surrounds the building. But for one of the best Instagram spots in Paris, look up: The rooftop bar and restaurant atop the Pompidou, Brasserie Georges, provides a stunning view of the Paris skyline at sunset.

As the sky turns pink, orange, and then purple, you’ll watch the city’s lights blink on. And the profile of the Eiffel Tower is unmistakable along the skyline.

Brasserie Georges, the Centre Pompidou’s rooftop restaurant, serves French food and an impressive array of wine. If you don’t want to spring for a (more expensive than typical) meal, order a cocktail or a dish of salted pistachios with a half-bottle of wine. Reservations are absolutely necessary on weekends, but I had no trouble walking in on a weekday.

If the weather is nice, aim to eat at an open-air table. But even if those are full, you can still step outside for an Instagram photo.

Plan to arrive a half-hour before sunset to capture the range of colors in the sky.

As long as you’re visiting the Centre Pompidou, a cultural center that contains everything from a library to a teen arts program, you should definitely visit its modern and contemporary art museum. Wander its three floors of 20th and 21st-century art (and take the outdoor elevator between stories). The Pompidou Museum remains open but with limited ticket sales to enforce social distancing. 

(If you visit the museum, don’t miss the open-air courtyards that are also phenomenal Paris Instagram spots to snag dramatic photos.) The entry is 14 euro.

For things not to do, check out my post on how to avoid mistakes that will ruin your trip to Paris.

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Canal St. Martin

The Canal Saint-Martin, which is extending over 4.5 km, is one of the best places to visit in Paris for taking some amazing Instagram shots. Located in the picturesque working-class area the canal amazes with many locks,

Venetian-style footbridges, lush green parks, lovely squares, and wonderful places to sit and enjoy the waterfront. Not surprisingly, that Canal Saint-Martin has become a popular meeting point for locals as well as tourists for having picnics at the canal banks.

Walking along the canal and enjoying the marvelous scenery is the best relaxing thing you can do in downtown Paris. Just take your lunch and some drinks and soak in the unique atmosphere of Paris. If you prefer dining out there are many nice and small restaurants and bars along the canal.

The nicest part of having a picnic is definitively between rue Dieu and rue des Récollets. Here you will also find the Hotel du Nord, built in 1885, which was the location of the film Hôtel du Nord by Marcel Carné.

However, in any case, don’t forget to take your camera or your phone. Canal Saint-Martin is one of Paris hidden jewels and offers many lovely photo opportunities to pump up your Instagram!

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Disneyland Paris

address: Boulevard de Parc, 77700 Coupvray, France

When thinking about the most instagrammable places in Paris, Disneyland is usually not the one that comes to mind first, but the park is actually full of amazing photo spots! You can find two parks right next to each other (Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park) and no matter which one you visit (you can do both in just one day), you will feel like walking in a real-life fairy tale.

The parks are beautifully decorated and you can find many colorful buildings and gorgeous gardens inside which scream for an Instagram photo. If it wouldn’t be enough, Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the middle of Disneyland Park will surely leave you speechless!

Disneyland is only a one-hour train ride from the city which makes it one of the best day trips from Paris. Trains leave from the Gare de Lyon station every 15 minutes, if you have a pass that’s valid for Zone 5 then your train ride to Disneyland is already included in it. Both parks open at 10 am and since they usually get very crowded during the day, go there early if you want to shoot some pictures without the crowds!

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Eiffel Tower

address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France

If there’s one place that captures and in fact personifies the romantic image of Paris as the “City of Love”, then it’s the Eiffel Tower. It is not only the most popular place to visit but also one of the most instagrammable locations in Paris that have to be included in your Europe trip itinerary.

No wonder people are generally seen having photoshoots at the Tower, adding some attractive photos to their Instagram feed. Named after the famous engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is located on the Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement in Paris.

It is just 3.5 km away from the city center and can be easily reached by train. You can either take a regional train RER C to the Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel station or Line 6 of the metro to the Bir Hakeim station to get to the Eiffel Tower.

One of the best Paris Instagram spots to capture the Eiffel Tower, besides the garden area next to the Tower, is the Trocadero. It gives you multiple vantage points like the staircase and the Main Square to capture the Eiffel Tower in all its glory. Come here during the early hours of the morning to get the best opportunity of clicking the Eiffel Tower without crowds.

Another photo spot to get the best photos of the Eiffel Tower is from the Seine river. There’s a street near Trocadero overlooking the Seine river with the Eiffel Tower in the background. It gives a great angle of the Tower and makes it look royal and majestic.

What makes the Eiffel Tower special is its crazy architectural design. This 324-meter technological marvel of an attraction looks dreamy, especially at night, with the glittering lights adorning the Tower switched on for 15 minutes every day from 8 pm to midnight.

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louvre

address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

Paris truly has a vibe to it like no other. From cute cafes to colorful macaroons and iconic structures all around, Paris has plenty of picturesque and gram-worthy spots, and capturing the dazzling Eiffel Tower is on almost everyone’s list. But this delightful city also has other glimmering architectures equally beautiful, if not more, that qualifies as the perfect Paris Instagram spot. Shots taken in and around the Louvre museum are perfect additions to enhance your Instagram feed.

What makes this so special? Well, it is only the world’s largest museum, housing world-famous artifacts, art pieces, and relics from all across human history. Not just from the inside but even the external structure of this museum is unlike any other. It’s iconic, part of history, and a complete treat to the eyes.

The best way to get to the Louvre is by metro and there are two metro stations close by at about less than 5 minutes of walking distance from the museum. They are Palais Royal Musée du Louvre and Louvre Rivoli.

An ideal time to go when it comes to getting that perfect shot would be just before sunset. This is perfect as the sky is not pitch dark yet, there is still some light, and the lights on the Louvre pyramids slowly begin to come on.

It’s an absolutely surreal experience watching such an iconic monument shine as the sun slowly sets and stars appear. You most definitely would want to capture this moment for the gram and mainly as a postcard memory to take back home.

A tip, try getting the picture of this impressive structure from a distance and an angle on either of the sides rather than from the front. 

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Montmartre

The City of Lights is filled with picture-perfect Paris Instagram spots, but Montmartre is such a unique area to get that perfect Instagram photo. There are so many different options to snag that photo in Montmartre. You can head to the famous Moulin Rouge, the breathtaking Sacré-Cœur, or just a cute little alleyway you look down.

Montmartre is a district in Paris just north of the main part of the city. It is a super easy spot to get to as you can either take the train or hop in a cab. The cab ride is about 20 minutes. If you pick the train, you can take it to a few different stops, but Anvers – Sacre Coeur brings you nice and close to Sacré-Cœur.

Once you get there, it’s so important that you walk around and take everything in, in order to find your perfect Paris Instagram spot.

I suggest heading to the Sacré-Cœur area and wandering around there. Once you’re up there, the view of Paris is out of this world. You turn down a corner and suddenly have a picture-perfect view of the Eiffel Tower and are seeing it from a different perspective than when you’re in the city center. 

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Moulin Rouge

address: 82 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris, France

Paris is crammed with Instagram-worthy spots, making it difficult to select just one to top the never-ending list. But the Moulin Rouge, that fire-engine red-tinted French landmark, has to be one of the most iconic places to feature on your feed.

Constructed in 1889 and located a stone’s throw from another photo Paris Instagram spot, the Montmartre district, the Moulin Rouge is more than just the inspiration for Baz Luhrmann’s film of the same name. It was where the ‘can-can’ dance was first born, and a place where Paris’ rich and famous would descend to see the dance, and the debauchery in action.

Think dancers adorned in jewel tones, oversized elephants in the courtyard, and opulence all around; the Moulin Rouge represented European decadence at its best.

While the original house was razed to the ground in 1915 it was rebuilt to the glory it is today.

Want to capture the perfect shot of it? Make sure you wait your turn! Not only do will you need to contend with other avid Instagrammers vying for the perfect exterior shot, but often you’ll find delivery vans obstructing your view. The trick to capturing one of these epic Paris Instagram spots? Patience.  

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Palais-Royal

address: 8 Rue de Montpensier, 75001 Paris, France

One of the most unique places to visit in Paris is Palais-Royal, which in the last few years has become a very popular place for its incredibly instagrammable. 

The palace is tucked away in a small street at a short distance from the Louvre. While in the past most visitors would literally happen to stumble upon it, many are now actively seeking it as the background of their photos. 

The main building of Palais-Royal used to be called Palais-Cardinal, for it was the property of Cardinal Richelieu, who lived there until he died in 1642. Following Richelieu’s death, the palace was acquired by Philippe II Duke of Orléans, who held the monarchy once Louis XIV died in 1715 since Louis XV was only 5 years old then and too young to reign.

The palace is currently the seat of the Constitutional Court of France and of the Ministry of Culture. The building is beautiful, but the best bit for Instagrammers is the permanent exhibit of striped columns of different sizes.

The best time to visit to have the place to oneself is early in the morning before tourists arrive. Palais-Royal, which is free to visit, is open every day from 7:00 or 7:30 am till late.

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Parc Monceau

address: 35 Boulevard de Courcelles, 75008 Paris, France

A hidden gem in the 8th arrondissement, Parc Monceau provides a perfect photo opportunity to capture colorful flowers mixed with 18th-century history and Parisienne romance. In 1769 the Duke of Chartres, cousin of King Louis XVI, acquired the area of Monceau to build a place of celebration that would include an English-style garden.

The gardens have appeared in many movie scenes; however, this charming park remains a secret that is enjoyed mostly by locals.

To get your shot, arrive by metro at the Monceau stop, located right at the park’s main entrance on Boulevard de Courcelles where it meets Rue de Prony and Rue Georges Berger. Although entrance to the park is free, the best photo actually resides outside of the park gates!

Walk east of the entrance towards Boulevard Malesherbes, and you will see some gorgeous flowers with the Classic Colonnade just behind them.

The sight is almost magical, like an oasis in the middle of a concrete neighborhood. Through the fence, you can photo the entire colonnade, or zoom in for a close-up to avoid getting the trash can in your shot. There is also something romantic about this spot, maybe it’s the flowers, the couples walking hand in hand, or maybe it’s just Paris.

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Rue du Trésor

Rue du Trésor is a cute dead-end street tucked away from one of the busiest streets of the busy Marais neighborhood. It is truly a hidden gem as very few people stop by it and there are only a few shops and bars there.

It also has a particular history as it was supposed to be one of the main streets in the neighborhood but the construction was halted when a treasure was found during the excavation work, hence the name (Trésor meaning treasure in French).

The lovely cobblestone street, the trees and bushes in the background, the pink storefront, and the typical, but often empty French café will make for the perfect Parisian photo opportunity.

Explore different angles or just stand in the middle for a quick photoshoot. This is also the perfect place to get your French café picture. I recommend you come in the morning during the week, as le Marais is incredibly busy during the weekend.

To get there, you can take the metro to Hotel de Ville or better yet, walk from your place, making sure you have plenty of time to explore and maybe discover another hidden gem that will make you want to settle down in Paris for some time!

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Sacré-Cœur Basilica

address: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris, France

The Sacre-Coeur Basilica is an absolutely beautiful church located in Montmartre. It’s truly one of the most underrated places to explore in Paris and is one of the best Paris Instagram spots. To get to the top, you have to either walk up a bunch of stairs or take a quick and fun funicular!

From the church, you can look out and see all of Paris. It truly is such an amazing sight and is one of the best places to see a city from above. For an even better view, pay a small fee to go all the way to the top of the church. It’s only around 300 steps and you can even see the Eiffel Tower from there!

You could even visit at night to see the city lit up from above. Keep in mind that it gets really busy here around midday, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.

While in Montmartre, be sure to also walk around and explore the rest of the area. The whole area itself is truly picturesque and lovely, no matter the time of day, and is filled with great Paris Instagram spots.

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Seine River

The Seine River is truly one of the best Paris Instagram spots. It goes straight through the city and actually passes by some of Paris’s most iconic sights, including the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral.

One great way to explore the Seine River is to actually do a cruise. These are usually quite affordable (tend to be under $20 USD) and are offered during the day and at night. This is an easy way to get great photos of the river because the boat and tour guide actually does most of the work for you; all you have to do is snap the shots!

Another perfect way to see some of the sights along the Seine River is to go on the bridges that cross it. From the bridges, you can get a great view of the Seine River and also the monuments along with it, such as the photo I took above of the Eiffel Tower.

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Tuileries Garden

address: Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris, France

This long stretch of gardens boasts the Louvre at one end and the Place de la Concorde at the other. Created by Catherine de Medici as the “front yard” of the palace in the 1500s, the Tuileries became a public park after the French Revolution. For hundreds of years now, it’s been a place where Parisians meet and enjoy the outdoors. 

The tree-lined lanes and little cafes with their red umbrellas offer delightful settings for photos. Or pose in one of the Paris chairs that sit around the fountains. Flower gardens add scenic color. And the distinctive architecture of the Louvre serves as a backdrop.

The Eiffel Tower rises in the distance from various viewpoints in the Tuileries. And a small Arch de Triomphe stands at the end of the gardens, perfect for a Paris theme. While the larger one is straight down the Champs Elysees, the Tuileries arch, commissioned by Napoleon I in 1806, is also distinctive.

Whether it’s gardens or fountains or a typical Parisian café you are looking for, you’ll find it in the Tuileries. Add in the landmarks that are in and around the Tuileries and you are set for memorable photo locations that capture the spirit and heart of Paris.

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Versailles

address: Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles, France

This list would be incomplete if Versailles was not on it! This palace is most well-known for being the home of the notorious King Louis XIV during the 18th century. Though you do have to pay to see inside the palace itself, the gardens are completely free to explore and are actually even more instagrammable than the inside.

You can easily get to the palace by utilizing the trains around the city and the buses. You can then walk right over to the gardens and have so much room just to explore. I recommend renting a bicycle at the gardens so that you can cover more ground and find more instagrammable spots that way.

It’s also best if you were to visit earlier in the day. These gardens can get extremely busy (because they’re free and so popular) so the earlier you visit, the fewer people there will be.

Trust me, Versailles is one of the best Paris Instagram spots.