Between 1787 and 1799, France passed through a period that would change the future of the country completely, an event that became known as the French Revolution, in which the main stage was Paris.

The French Revolution was marked by a bloody period called Reign of Terror, where an estimative of 18,000 to 40,000 people were killed by means of the guillotine, by the hands of the revolutionary army, including the royal family and even important figures in the revolution like Georges Danton.

Despite the fact that it took place more than 200 years ago, many French Revolution buildings are still present nowadays to silently tell us the stories of this bloody yet important period of France, and most of these French Revolution historical sites can still be seen today.

15 French Revolution Places to Visit in Paris

The French Revolution period is a historical marker that helped to shape the world as we see today. It not only gave an end to the absolute monarchy that had been on for centuries, as it also started to create the political world we have today.

Visiting these historical sites in Paris will give you an idea of how it was like to be in the capital during the French Revolution. As although it influenced the whole country and later the world, it was in Paris that the Revolution took place.

TOURS YOU MAY LIKE:

French Revolution sites to visit in Paris

Palais Royal

Built in 1633, it used to be the official residence of the royal family until the Palace of Versailles was built.

On the eve of the revolution, its gardens served as the stage for Camille Desmoulins, a journalist, and politician of the time, he climbed on a table to the Cafe du Foy and called the people to arms. Two days later the Bastille was stormed.

Hôtel des Invalides

Built as a hospital for wounded soldiers, by Louis XIV, it is known nowadays as the War Museum, it was stormed by several thousand men on the morning of 14 July, who plundered its armories before heading to the Bastille.

Nowadays it is a museum where you can visit see items related to wars as well as tombs of important figures mostly related to the wars as well. One of the most important pieces of the museum is the tomb of Napoleon.

Place de la Bastille

This used to be the place where the Bastille prison, a famous prison fortress during the French Revolution, stood until the “Storming of the Bastille” event, where a confrontation between civilians and the old Regime took place in the afternoon of 14 July of 1789.

The Bastille was totally destroyed during the Revolution and little has remained of the old Bastille building. In 1899 a small section of the wall was uncovered in the platform Number Five of the Bastille metro station, which can still be seen today.

During the excavation of the metro, part of the Liberté Tower was found. The tower was dismantled and later reconstructed in a nearby garden southwest the Place de la Bastille.

It is also possible to see on the ground of Place de la Bastille some outlines of the fortress.

The Storming of the Bastille marks the start of the French Revolution, and despite the fact that it only contained seven inmates in the time of the storming, it was a symbol of abuse by the monarchy. In its place now, stands the July Column that commemorates the July Revolution of 1830. Nowadays the Place de la Bastille is a symbol of the leftists in Paris.

Notre Dame

During the French Revolution, Notre Dame suffered sacking, pillaging, and destruction. With the rise of the Enlightenment ideals and the dechristianization of the French population, Notre Dame officially became the ‘Temple of Reason’ and then was used as a wine storehouse.

Panthéon

The word Pantheon means “Every God”, and was normally used by pagan people to name their houses of worship, however, the Pathéon of Paris was originally built to be a church called the “Eglise Sainte-Geneviève”.

It was only finished shortly before the start of the French Revolution in 1789 and turned into the “mausoleum for the great men of the Nation” in 1791 by the revolutionary government.

Some of the important French figures buried here are Voltaire, Rousseau, Alexandre Dumas, Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, Jean Moulin, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie.

Versailles Palace

Completed in 1751, Versailles was firstly built to be the hunting lodge of France’s King Louis XIII. Being transformed into the sumptuous residence we see today, by his son and successor, Louis XIV.

The apartments of the King and Queen, as well as the famous Hall of Mirrors, were built and the palace became the official residence of the French royal family in 1682, when King Louis XIV moved to the palace, until the French Revolution.

It was here that King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette used to live until 1789 when they were stripped of power and brought to the Tuileries Palace, in Paris, and ultimately beheaded.

In the 19th Century, the Versailles palace was turned into the Museum of the History of France by King Louis-Philippe. Versailles can easily be visited as a day tour from Paris. Do reserve at least half a day to visit the main areas of the palace, including the gardens, the apartments of the King & Queen, and the Hall of Mirrors.

You can buy the tickets online to save you time, as some days, especially during summer and sunny days, the palace gets a bit crowded. You can get there by train or take a tour with a minibus leaving from Paris.

TOURS YOU MAY LIKE:

Jardin des Tuileries

Tuileries Garden is what is left of the old Tuileries Palace, the palace was burned and destroyed in 1871 by the Paris Commune.

However, in 1789, during the French Revolution, it was here that the royal family was brought to from Versailles and held under surveillance until they were transferred to the Temple and later publically killed. Nowadays the Jardin des Tuileries is the charming garden in front of the Louvre Museum.

Palais du Luxembourg

During the Revolution, the Luxembourg Palace was transformed into a prison. Major figures of the Revolution were detained here, like Danton and Camille Desmoulins (the instigator of the French revolution) in March 1794.

Le Procope Cafe

Opened in 1686, this is the oldest Café in Paris. Considered nowadays a historic monument of the city, Le Procope Cafe still preserves its interior authenticity. During the years the cafe received many remarkable guests, like Napoleon, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Benjamin Franklin.

The cafe keeps some interesting items like Napoleon’s hat and the last letter from Marie Antoinette to Louis XV. It is believed that this was the place where Marie Antoinette’s death warrant was signed.

Conciergerie

The building was part of a complex called Palais de Justice, originally a royal palace and the home of governors of Ancient Rome. It was the official residence of the French monarchy until Charles V moved the royal palaces to Marais in 1358 following the Jacquerie revolt.

It was later turned into a prison during the French Revolution. More than 2.600 prisoners were tried here, including Marie Antoinette, who was brought here from the Temple on August 1st, 1793, and separated from her children. Danton was also held here.

Nowadays it is a museum, the cell where Marie Antoinette was held was reconstructed and you can have a feeling of how it was like when she was here.