Versailles: This amazing palace is the second most visited monument in the lle-de-France region. It even ranks ahead of the Eiffel Tower in tourist visits! Aside from its stunning touches of gold, it has many incredible features within, including the "Hall of Mirrors". You can also visit a private park on ground which includes fountains and canals surrounded by flower beds. There are also royal apartments on ground, to include the apartment of the well known Marie Antoinette! The area surrounding is very family friendly and includes coffee shops, restaurants, and crepe stands within all the nearby streets. Fun fact: The Hall of Mirrors served a purpose. The halls were kept very dim to protect the walls and ceilings from smoke damage. The mirrors in the halls would reflect a few candles and provide light for the whole area! .

The iconic Eiffel Tower. The most stunning wrought iron structure I have ever laid eyes on! That being said, I honestly thought it would be bigger. However, the fact that it is one of the most recognized structures in the world, must make the engineer Gustave Eiffel jump with happiness from his grave. At the time of its construction in 1887 it was highly criticised by some of France's leading artists as well as intellectuals for its design. It has three levels, the third one only accessible with the lift. Interesting fact: During WW2 Hitler visited Paris. The French cut the lift cables on the Eiffel Tower so that he would have to climb the steps if he wanted to reach the top of it.

Arc de Triomphe: Ordered to be made by Nepoleon in 1806, this massive piece of art sits in the middle of a very wide traffic circle. The circle itself might not seem "fun" to drive in, but at least there is something pretty to look at :) Under the arc there is a grave of an unknown soldier who died in WW1. The arc was meant to honor those who gave their lives during the Napoleonic wars and French Revolutionary wars. Fun fact: The Arc was originally meant to be an elephant. The artist who proposed that idea wanted a giant elephant to be a three level building with stairs leading up to the elephants gut.

The Louvre Museum: The Louvre is an absolute must if you are in Paris. It is not only a historic monument, but it is the worlds largest art museum. Yes, I said art museum, but if you you are not a fan of art, no worries, there are several things to appreciate within this massive underground paradise. It is family friendly and full of interesting things to see. World famous paintings and sculptures lie within. However, the architecture is also captivating! Its size has significantly increased since its original opening in August of 1793 when it only held 537 paintings. You could easily spend an entire day inside, but if your time is limited I suggest looking ahead at what you want to see most. They have a wonderful app called "Audioguide Louvre" that is fairly detailed about where things are, as well as a full audio tour option if you are planning on doing the entire museum. Fun Fact: The Louvre was originally a fortress built in 1190 before the royal family decided to move into Versailles and it was turned into a museum.

Venus de Milo-Louvre Museum

Notre Dame is an exquisite cathedral in Paris. I might be a little bias because this is where my husband of 20 years, proposed a vow renewal to me on our anniversary. Even if you have no knowledge or personal connection to it, I would say this is a must see! It is a medieval Catholic cathedral which was first started in 1160. It was mostly complete by 1260 but had major restorations after damage through the years. This is a wonderful stop while you are in Paris even if you are not religious. Many people who do not have a denomination go just to appreciate the architecture alone. Its is truly stunning. Fun fact: The kilometer zero of France is located on the parvis de Notre Dame. This is the beginning of all the roads in the country.

Notre Dame Cathedra side view

The Picasso Museum is definitely something that was on my personal list of must do's. It wasn't as good as some other art museums and certainly not as large, but it was cozy and easy to navigate. Staff was helpful. Picasso's art is definitely different than others in that area. Its unique and the museum holds many of his "self portraits" There are also numerous drawings of his wife, including bad times they had. Lots of information about why he drew each thing and several copies of each piece as it was being perfected before completion. Fun fact: He has a very long actual name: Pablo Diego Jose Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Remedios Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso

The Moulin Rouge: What is really great about the Moulin Rouge is that the performances are not limited to people who only enjoy dance/music. It is much different than visiting a ballet or something to that nature. There are extravagant performances with hoops, roller skates, snakes, and water tanks. Its pretty amazing to watch. I recommend skipping the dinner and spending the money on a VIP ticket instead. You get wonderful treatment and are served with champagne and seats while everyone else is standing in line. Fun fact: Opened in 1885, the Moulin Rouge was Paris's first electric building!