I visited Paris' main attractions in under 12 hours - one was completely overrated

When someone says you only need one day in , believe them. With sturdy legs and a can-do attitude, this only took me 12 hours to see its main and learn its history, but one iconic sight was so underwhelming I left after 10 minutes.

Though this was my first time in , I travelled with my Luxembourgish friend who has frequently explored the city, so we combined forces to curate a detailed itinerary. With a full day at Disney Land Paris due and a trip to the Palace of Versailles, we decided not to spend money on entering the other museums, but we would see the classic tourist sites. Our hotel was situated in Paris East, only a few stops on the metro from our first visit, The Centre Pompidou.

Le Centre Pompidou

Also known as the Beaubourg, The Centre Pompidou is a postmodern high-tech complex home to the largest museum for modern art in Europe. It was built between 1971 and 1977 and designed by three emerging architects at the time: Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, and Gianfranco Franchini.

Just viewing the outside of the building was stunning and incredibly fascinating. The designers took on the idea of an "inside-out" building where you can see all of its structural systems, including brilliantly colored pipes, stairs that cross the entire building, and you can view the elevators move from the outside.

My friend and I sat on top of the cobbled hill that faced the building and basked in its fascinating glory. Watching how the building functioned was incredible; my friend described it as "life-size Lego."

The Louvre

Our next stop was the Louvre Museum, but on the way, we could see the Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been under construction since the fire in 2019 and now reopened to the public. However, we agreed to visit once the restoration work is completed, but its mighty presence was felt and abundant from across the river.

The Louvre Museum was stunning to witness. Don't be fooled by the glass triangle; the museum is massive, spanning 72,735 square meters, and named the biggest museum in the world.

We didn't spend long here, as it's a hotspot for overcrowded tourists, so we decided to skip out on having a staring contest with the Mona Lisa. You could spend the whole day wandering throughout the museum, viewing timeless and historical paintings and sculptures.

We then took a magical walk through the Jardin des Tuileries, located right next to the Louvre. This nature-filled walk is free to enter and full of blooming flowers and archaic sculptures where tourists and locals can set sail a small boat to float in the ponds and have a delightful picnic near the calming splashing sounds from the fountains.

The full walk takes around 35 to 45 minutes, but we stopped and sat on the free garden chairs located around the entire park. At the end of our walk, we reached the Place de la Concorde, which is known as one of the places of execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution.

Arc de Triomphe

Continuing our history tour, we took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. The metro in Paris can be daunting and as crazy as London, but the maps are quite simple to follow. A full-day pass was only 12 euros each, which is just over £10.

The Arc de Triomphe was a surreal and powerful place to visit. In the interior, which is free to walk through, lie the names of people who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic wars.

The inscription was beautiful, educational and a special way to honour their fallen soldiers - a must visit for all tourists.

Eiffel Tower

Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower, a completely underwhelming attraction. Don't get me wrong, seeing the Eiffel Tower pierce its way into the scenery as we explored prior destinations was exciting, but it was better from afar than up close.

As we stood there, I realised it offered nothing else once the wow-factor of "I'm officially in Paris" wore off. We only stayed about 10 minutes until I was over it.

However, I did learn that the Eiffel Tower was launched in 1886 for the 1889 Exposition Universelle competition, which marked the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

Due to its appearance, it was initially met with mixed reviews, but it is now the main staple of France. After spending five euros on some sorbet, the rain began to pour, and we headed back to our hotel in Paris East.

Altogether, we spent around five hours exploring these attractions and rested at the hotel for three hours before heading to Moulin Rouge, where we enjoyed a much-needed drink at the back of the famous Cabaret house.

Underrated must-do visits

As you'll spend a lot of time walking, going to the main attractions, I recommend visiting the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre on a different day once your legs rest a little.

This historic Catholic church is located on a major hill, but you can spend a few euros to take the Montmartre funicular (it is like a train/elevator).

At the top, you will be greeted by this stunning all white building. Many visitors rest on the stairs outside as they gaze upon an incredible high-top view of Paris, or they add a lovers padlock with their names to the fence opposite the church. Head to the cute village next door that makes you feel like you have been transported back in time.

On your way back, stop by the Père-Lachaise cemetery. The walk through this graveyard was far from eerie but completely fascinating and ethereal. Literacy nerds should visit Oscar Wilde's tomb.

I would also take the time to visit the Palace of Versailles and its gardens. Explore what was once a modest hunting lodge built by Louis XIII, which was then transformed into a magnificent palace by Louis XIV.

The gardens offer a fabulous and very French fountain show, which gets you excited to walk through the massive 800 hectares of stunning woodlands.

Or you can book your own golf car to explore, hitch a ride on the train that runs through the gardens, grab a tandem bike or paddle on a boat through the Grand Canal.

Don't forget to head half a mile towards the back of the gardens to visit Marie Antoinette's secret village, also known as the Queen's Hamlet in Versailles. On your way, stop by the temple of love, where I may have manifested my dream partner (I'll keep you posted if the city of love helped me find love).