France

Housed in a grand 16th- to 19th-century palace stretching along the Seine River, the Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) in Paris is one of the largest and most important museums in the world, displaying over 300,000 objects.

Named for the President of France (1969-74) who commissioned the building, the Centre Pompidou was completed in 1977 as an arts and cultural center. It is a notable example of high-tech, “inside-out” architecture.

Dubbed the “Cathedral of the Rive Gauche,” Saint-Sulpice is one of the largest churches in Paris. It was constructed sporadically between 1646 and 1745 in the Late Baroque style.

Like the neighboring Petit Palais, the Grand Palais was built for the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1900. Ever since, it has hosted art and technology exhibitions as well as occasional sporting events.

Famed for its stained glass, this beautiful 13th-century Gothic chapel was built by King Louis IX as a royal chapel to house important relics of Christ.