Paris Photography Guide – The Best Photo Spots in Paris

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its stunning French architecture and unique landmarks. Whether you’re an amateur photographer hoping to capture some memories from Paris to share with friends and family or a professional looking for some picturesque shooting locations, this Paris photography guide can help you take amazing photos in the French capital. Check out these best photo spots in Paris for wonderful pictures and stunning views of the city!

Check out all my posts about France before your trip to this beautiful country!

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Paris Photography Guide – Tips for a Perfect Shot

Tip 1: Get up early! If you want to get photos of iconic sights without tons of people, you’ll have to wake up early to beat the crowds. It can be a pain to wake up early, but I’m sure a little French espresso and a croissant will revive you!

Tip 2: If you can, get a room with a view! I love getting rooms with views of the Parisian streets because they make a perfect photo backdrop! Bonus points if they have a balcony!

Tip 3: Find the overlooked areas in major attractions. Even in the busiest parts of Paris, you can find great photo spots just by walking a little farther past the crowds of tourists. You can find empty rooms of interesting artifacts in famous museums like the Louvre by visiting corridors that don’t house the most famous works of art. Walk around side streets to take great shots with a city backdrop.

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The Best Photo Spots in Paris

1. Palais Royal – At the top of my list, the Palais Royal is one of my favorite photo spots in Paris. The former palace has lovely gardens, stunning architecture, and interesting black and white striped columns. Palais Royal is just a short walk from the Louvre, so you can easily stop by when wandering through the 1st arrondissement. Read my full guide to the 1st arrondissement for more things to do and see in this area!
2. Place des Vosges – This square, located in Le Marais, is one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. This perfect square of French buildings looks out onto a manicured green park, ideal for quintessentially Parisian photos.
3. Eiffel Tower – You can’t visit Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, so I had to include it in this Paris photography guide! It seems like everyone who comes to Paris takes the classic Eiffel Tower shot. Most people take photos of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero or the Champs de Mars. While these locations give great views of the tower, they can be very crowded. I like going down the streets near the Eiffel Tower to get photos of the tower peeking out between buildings! Fun fact: the light show that happens every hour on the hour once the sun sets is actually copyrighted by the artist who created it, so taking photos or videos of this display is technically against copyright law!
4. Tuileries Garden – In the heart of Paris between the Louvre Museum and Concorde, you’ll find the beautiful Tuileries Garden! This is one of the best photo spots in Paris because you can see so many Parisian monuments from the garden! The area also has lots of statues and flowers and cafes where you can sit and have a glass of wine while taking in the atmosphere! This is a really beautiful park, and even though it gets pretty crowded, it can be a great place to take pictures.
5. Luxembourg Garden – Luxembourg Garden is a large park located in the 6th arrondissement. The Luxembourg Palace (now the Senate building) is really beautiful, and the gardens and fountains are really lovely. This is also a great spot to stop for a picnic!
6. Montmartre – No Paris photography guide would be complete without Montmartre. This neighborhood was home to the most famous artists in the world during the Belle Epoche era, and its artistic past is still visible today. If you wander up the streets leading to the top of the hill, you’ll pass several picturesque homes and cafes. In the main square, you’ll find artists painting while tourists pass by. The iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica at the top of Montmartre is really unique and worth taking a photo of. Read my full guide to Montmartre for everything you need to see, eat, and do in this neighborhood.
7. Markets – There are so many interesting markets filled with food, antiques, and more throughout the city. My favorite market for taking photos is the flower market on the Île de la Cité- it’s so colorful and vibrant! The flower market turns into a bird market on Sundays, which is also very interesting to photograph.
8. Shakespeare and Co – If you love book stores, you should visit Shakespeare and Co, a quaint English bookstore with an adorable facade. It’s right across the river from the Notre Dame.
9. For a view of the skyline, there are several options. Lots of people opt to go up the Eiffel Tower, but I prefer the views from other locations because I like to have the iconic monument in my shot. If you want a great shot of the Eiffel Tower, go up to the viewing deck on Montparnasse Tower. You can also go up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for great views of the Champs-Élysées. Before the Notre Dame closed because of the damage from the fire, you could get amazing views of the city by going up its towers, so hopefully, they’ll reopen this to tourists in the near future.

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Elizabeth Everywhere’s Paris Photography Guide

These are just a few of my best photo spots in Paris! Almost every street in the French capital is beautiful, so I recommend grabbing your camera (or phone) and exploring the city to see what you find! Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed your favorite picture-perfect spot in Paris so I can add it to the list!

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