Paris sightseeing can be daunting, thanks to the city’s overabundance of world-class museums – such as the Louvre, which comes with a lot of hype (and queues). Avoid the crowds around the Mona Lisa and head instead to the Musée D'Orsay, Musée Marmottan Monet and Musée de l'Orangerie for a glimpse at the greats of Impressionism. Or travel a little out of the city centre to Meudon, where the Villa des Brillants houses some of Rodin’s greatest sculptures within in his former home.

The Arc de Triomphe is worth the 284 steps it takes to reach the top. From the summit of this memorial, which honours those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, you’ll see straight down the Champs-Élysées, and be able to take in panoramic views of Paris and its most iconic structure – the Eiffel Tower, sparkling in the sun.

On the right bank of the Seine, this once-down-at-heel neighbourhood now shows off its aristocratic heritage with a slice of cool. It’s home to cultural heavy hitters the Pompidou Centre and Maison Européenne de la Photographie, and the picturesque Place des Vosges, as well as a thriving LGBT community. Head to hip Le Haut-Marais handsome squares and tree-lined streets which hide pocket-sized wine bars, cafes and boutiques.

Paris is the home of haute couture – no list of things to do in Paris can avoid a shopping spree. The Golden Triangle in the 8th arrondissement houses the luxury behemoths from Hermès to Louis Vuitton, and you’ll find fabulous French craftsmanship and designs at boutiques in hip Le Marais and bohemian Canal Saint-Martin. For antiques and pre-loved treasures, head to Saint-Ouen or Montmartre – and you can't miss the Art Nouveau spectacle of the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, with its ornate central glass dome and stunning view of the city.

For much of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Palace of Versailles lay at the heart of Europe – a gilt-covered symbol of France’s power, sophistication and culture. It fell into disrepair following the French Revolution, but now the palace’s glorious golden salons, its ornate artwork and magnificent gardens stand restored once again, a testament to the nation’s might across the years and a must-see on a Paris holiday.

In the fashion capital of the world, great finds are to be had at its many second-hand markets and boutiques. But for antiques head to the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, the largest antiques market in the world. Here a sprawling network of stands, shops and stalls are piled high with paintings, books, furniture and ornaments in enticingly eclectic heaps. There are treasures to be found – if you’re ready to go digging.

On the summit of Montmartre sits the glorious Sacré-Cœur church, and from it you’ll be able to take in panoramic views over the city – this is one of the best things to do in Paris. The surrounding area lies at the heart of the Belle Époque: in these streets Monet, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, Van Gogh and more lived, worked, argued and drank well into the night.

Crisp and flaky on the outside, light, warm and buttery on the inside: a croissant in Paris is not to be missed. But where do you find the crème de la crème of the country’s most famous pastry? Stohrer, the oldest patisserie in Paris, is a good place to start. They’ve been baking croissants since being founded in 1730 by Nicolas Stohrer, pastry chef to King Louis XV and inventor of the rum baba. The pastries are half the pleasure here: the other half lies in the store’s decadent 19th-century interiors.

Paris casts such a long shadow that even in death, its occupants are celebrated. The white sepulchres of Père Lachaise cemetery host luminaries from Balzac, Chopin and Molière to Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison. Where Père Lachaise offers peace, the labyrinthine tunnels of the Catacombs of Paris have a more eerie appeal: they hold the remains of more than six million people, housed within former stone quarries under the city and making for an unmissably spooky Paris attraction.

It’s easy to see why Monet was so inspired by his gardens in Giverny, overflowing with soft greens and pinks. This commune on the river Seine, about 90 minutes by car from central Paris, is the French countryside at its best, full of shuttered stone farmhouses and meandering streams – the perfect escape from Paris. While you’re there, check out the Museum of Impressionism Giverny and the Hôtel Baudy, which was the heart of artistic life in the village’s heyday.