BlogThe Paris 2024 Olympics are finally here! Today, the historic opening ceremony graces the City of Light. Each competing nation will float down the Seine toward the Trocadero, where the Olympic cauldron will be lit in a first-of-its kind ceremony not held in a stadium.
Palais de Chaillot
More than ten thousand athletes will be competing in this year’s games, including some of the most famous in the world! They’ll arrive by boat at the site of the former Palais Trocadero, where the Palais de Chaillot was erected for the 1937 Paris Expo. This popular site features unrivaled views of the Eiffel Tower and will make a magnificent backdrop for this event.
Eiffel Tower
Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, we’re sure you’ll be seeing a lot of it over the next couple of weeks, too. Constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair, this 1,000+-foot-tall wrought-iron tower is the tallest structure in Paris and was the tallest in the world until 1930. It is Paris’s most famous landmark and a hugely popular tourist destination due to its architectural significance and its panoramic views of the city.
Arc de Triomphe
At the West end of downtown Paris’ most famous street, the Champs-Élysées, you’ll find another massive Paris landmark–the Arc de Triomphe. This monument has stood since 1836 and memorializes the soldiers who died in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.
Notre-Dame
If you thought the Arc de Triomphe was historic, the famous Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral was completed all the way back in 1345. In fact, the cathedral took nearly two hundred years just to be constructed. It is one of the most famous and visited Catholic landmarks in the world. A fire in 2019 caused major damage and the cathedral remains closed to visitors until December 2024, but you can still visit it virtually and see the scale of the reconstruction efforts here at VGT.
Louvre Museum
No virtual trip to Paris is complete without taking in some art, and the Louvre Museum is one of the finest art museums in the world. From above, the iconic Louvre pyramid can be seen, which was designed by I.M. Pei and has stood since 1993. Inside the museum, a collection of some of the most famous paintings and artifacts can be found, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.
Versailles Palace and Gardens
A short train ride outside of Paris will take you to the infamous Palace of Versailles, where the powerful Sun King Louis XIV and his descendants ruled France while living some of history’s most opulent lives. Though the royal family was forced out of the palace in the French Revolution, tourists now flock to this site to take in its grandeur. The massive interior is lined with art and the still-maintained gardens are a marvel as well.
These are just some of the incredible sites to be seen in Paris! There are many included here on VGT (click on the nearby tab on any map) and even more we haven’t yet captured. If you find more interesting spots, please add them for us. Pictures and stories for any of these sites will also enhance the virtual touring for others, so please share!
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