Ohh, Paris. It is hard not to fall in love with you, both as a tourist and a photographer. For the latter, you have prepared a candy at almost every corner. Being it the magnificent Eiffel Tower, majestic cathedrals and basilicas, elegant palace gardens or the playful streets of Montmartre, it seems that one never runs out of options. Let’s have a look at the most instagrammable places in Paris to enjoy this photo spot paradise.
The capital of France is one of the cities that serve as an open buffet for Instagram photographers. It’s not just about picking the 10 best places, you simply walk around and you find a great opportunity basically everywhere. The buildings, the cafés, the gardens, the churches, they all breath with the typical French elegance which so easily materializes on the camera. Still, here is my list of the top 10 most instagrammable places in Paris to help you find the very best in the city.
Top 10 most instagrammable places in Paris
Yep, picking the top 10 this time was a sort of Sophie’s choice, there are just so many places in Paris which could have made it. But don’t worry, you can be sure I will soon make another top 10 with the hidden gems. So let’s have a look now on my very favorites.
Trocadéro
You simply can’t leave Paris without a shot with the Eiffel Tower. And despite the huge crowds of tourists, due to its high placed terrace and wide open space leading to the Tower, Trocadéro still remains the best spot to get one. Try to come early and use the whole area to avoid tourists, wedding photographers, and other photobombers.
Arc de Triomphe
The monolith of French greatness and another great spot to cross off your list of the most instagrammable places in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe stands in the middle of the Charles de Gaulle Square, surrounded by a roundabout with heavy traffic coming from 12 different streets leading towards it. Believe me, your photos will look much better without a huge tour bus in the background, so don’t be lazy and wait until the traffic loosens up.
Basilica Sacre Coeur
The most elegant of the churches in Paris, sitting on the highest hill in the city – Montmartre. The place around the Basilica fills incredibly fast, so be sure to come early or walk around a bit and shoot it even from the back. You can also use the carousel on the foot of the hill to add a sprinkle of a fairytale feeling to your shot.
Pont Alexandre III
The most decorative of Paris bridges. Perfectly located, offering great panoramic views at the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, and the Grand Palais, it is a place you never get tired of as a photographer. Still, my favorite is the sunset shots with the Eiffel Tower.
La Maison Rose
Cute in every sense. That is my best way to describe this architectonic gem of Montmartre, Parisien artistic quarter. I am not sure if it is its pink color or the unregular shape, but I just wish to have it at home as a house for my kindergarten years collection of Barbie dolls.
Pont Bir Hakeim
It might seem just like yet another spot to take a photo with the Eiffel Tower, but Pont Bir Hakeim is so much more. Thanks to the two lines of steel columns supporting the bridge, it offers plenty of cool photogenic space to play with. And of course, you can always shoot the Eiffel Tower, either from within the columns or from the classical stone balcony in the middle of the bridge.
Louvre
Louvre is one of my favorite places in the whole of Paris. The combination of the massive Renaissance palace with the modern element brought by the glass pyramid on its courtyard simply has a special charm to it. Enjoy your breakfast in the super photogenic Café Marly or come after dark when the pyramid lights up into golden tones – Louvres offers plenty of amazing photo opportunities.
Jardin de Tuileries
Jardin de Tuileries is a dapper palace garden adjacent to Louvre. And as such, it doesn’t offer just perfectly maintained greenery, but a charming combination with the silhouettes of the elegant wings of the Louvre Palace. Check out the alley parallel to river Seine for its sweetest spot.
Palais Royal
A typical palace like dozen others in Paris one would say. However, what makes it special is the artistic installation of black and white striped columns of various sizes in the courtyard. Pick a height that you like and place the corner of the Palace behind you for the best composition. The twin lines of columns around the courtyard make for a great photo spot as well.
Opera Garnier
I have seen many opera buildings in my life, including the famed one in Vienna, but none of them reaches the beauty of Opera Garnier in Paris. There is plenty of great spots to capture it, but my favorite one is to go a bit further away on the boulevard and use it as a background to the busy traffic on the road.
Bonus tip: Cathedral Notre Dame
Cathedral Notre Dame, without doubt, deserves one of the top spots on my list. Unfortunately, this centuries-old beauty suffered terrible damage on 15th April 2019 due to a heavy blaze on its roof. Despite that, she managed to keep most of her original charm and I am sure that after profound restoration, it will come back in its full glory.
➯Katie’s tip: Square Jean XXII on the right side of the Cathedral is one of the best places in Paris for shooting cherry blossoms in March and April.
Let me hear from you
Paris is a paradise for photographers and “sans doutes” one of the most instagrammable places in the World. I showed you my top 10 most instagrammable places in Paris, but I am sure you would argue there are many others. So do not be shy and share them with me in the comments sections.
Love, Katie.
