your friends are coming to visit: 10 things to do with them

1. Bateaux Mouches

The Bateaux Mouches (boat excursions on the Seine) are a fantastic way to discover Paris in an hour or more. They can also be extremely romantic. They will take you on a ride along the Seine, allowing you to discover the beauty of the monuments standing on its banks and the exquisite bridges it flows under. Truly a beautiful experience any time of the year.
Price:8 Euros (about $12.00) and up.

2. Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe stands in the middle of the "Place de L'Etoile" (Star Place) named after the star shaped design of the cobblestones surrounding the Arc. You can climb the stairs to the roof for a breathtaking view of Paris' rooftops and the 5 avenues each departing from the tips of the star. One on these avenue is the Champs Elysees which offers a variety of shops and restaurants. The Arc also holds a museum, mostly dedicated to Napoleon the tomb of the French Unknow Soldier.
Price 8 Euros(about $12.00), open daily from 10:00am-11:00pm

3. Eiffel Tower

Built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition, the Eiffel Tower commemorates the 100 year anniversary of the French Revolution. Now one of the most well know monuments in the World, you can climb its 1652 steps, or take an elevator, to see the most breathtaking view from the top. Really great to do around 4pm in the winter month and wait for the sun to set over Paris. The first floor host one of the greatest restaurant in Paris "The Jules Verne" where reservations must be made, pricey but worth the experience.
Prices vary from 3,80 to 11,00 euros ($4.50 to $13.00), open daily from 9:30am to Midnight.

4. Les Invalides

Ordered by Louis XIV in 1670 as an old soldiers home, the Invalides include 4 separate museums; Army Museum, the Museum of Maps, Museum of the Liberation Order and Contemporary History Museum. You'll also find the St-Louis-Des-Invalides Church, where Napoleon Bonaparte is buried. A great museum of history of France's battles and army men, kings and emperors, this is a must visit.
Open daily from 10:00am-5:00PM

5. Le Louvre

The Louvre is first home of the Kings of France. Now a museum, it holds an amazing permanent collection of French art (paintings, furniture etc...) and also hosts grandiose exhibitions from around the world. The museum is enormous and will take more than one day to visit if one wanted to explore every corner of it. There is also a shopping mall underneath the museum.
Prices vary from 8,50 euros to 11,00 euros (About $10.00 to $13.00), open daily from 9:00am-6:00pm, closed Tuesdays and holidays, open 'til 9:45PM on Thursdays.

6. Montmatre et Sacre Coeur

This little village perched on the hill in the north of Paris is an artist's paradise. With the Moulin Rouge at its feet and the Sacre Coeur Basilica on its very top, this hill holds many splendors. One can walk around the village all day discovering its cafes and restaurant, narrow streets and artists.
Basilica is free to visit and is open daily from 6:45am to 11:00pm

7. Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral

Home of the "Hunchback", this cathedral is spectacular. Its restoration, completed a shot time ago makes it a jewel standing on along the Seine. A short walk away, you can visit les Halles, pedestrian only maze of eclectic shops and restaurants. There you will also find the Pompidou Center which holds the National Museum of Modern Art and the Beaubour Library.
Free, donations accepted. Open from 6:00am to 11:00pm

8. Quais de la Seine

Bordering the Seine, starting across from Notre-Dame are a series of "bouquinistes" (book sellers) where one can find treasures to take home. You will find old book and magazine prints, old postcards and pictures, art prints and paintings. You can descend the nearby stairs for a walk on the river's banks.

9. The Opera

Home of the "Phantom", the Opera Garnier is a monument that can not be missed. One can still enjoy miraculous operas or classical concerts in the walls of this 19th century accoustic treasure.

10. Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde

The Tuileries, the Louvre's gardens include many sculptures and fountains as well as cafes and restaurants. At the doors, you will find a Ferris wheel which was erected for the 2000 New Year's Eve. At its feet, lies The Place de la Concorde, the largest place in Paris, with its many has been completely renovated and in the middle of it is the famous Obelisk of Luxor, given to the King Louis Philippe by Mohamed Ali, viceroy of Egypt.