The storyline of Paris can be followed along the banks of its iconic River Seine. On both the Right Bank and the Left, evidence of the city's 2,000-year history, the figures who shaped it across the centuries, and the artistic and architectural movements that originated here can be seen.
Journey with freelance travel writer Barbara Noe Kennedy as you discover Paris, including intriguing sites, historical aspects, and art in this virtual exploration using maps, photos, videos, and other visuals.
September 29 The Right Bank
Begin where the city itself started—on Ile-de-la-Cité, the Roman fortress where Clovis I established his palace. Take in the Gothic masterpiece Sainte-Chapelle with its stunning collection of 13th-century stained glass before discovering the tucked-away Place Dauphine, one of the city’s most charming squares. Visit Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, magnificently restored after the devastating 2019 fire, before hopping over to the Right Bank to explore its wealth of treasures, including the Louvre, the Jardins des Tuileries, and the fashionable Marais district. Finish up the day in bohemian Montmartre.
October 6 The Left Bank
The lively Left Bank has historically been the home of Parisian intellectuals, artists, and musicians. Take a look at three Latin Quarter museums—the newly renovated Musée de Cluny; the Musée d'Orsay, with one of the largest collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in the world; and Musée Rodin, dedicated to the sculptor—then pay tribute to the most famous Left Bank landmark, the Eiffel Tower. The journey continues to the leafy expanses of Bois de Boulogne, home to the striking Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton, before heading to Montparnasse, where echoes of its bohemian past linger. Conclude your virtual Paris adventure with excursions beyond the city, including the Impressionist village of Auvers-sur-Oise and the grand Palace of Versailles.
Kennedy is a former senior editor at National Geographic Travel Publishing. She served as an expert on National Geographic Expedition tours to Italy and France.
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