Ah, Paris. It’s hard not to sigh when you utter the name of the French capital. Unequivocally, it’s one of the world’s most breathtaking cities. From museums bursting with masterpieces to public gardens laden with bright blooms, Paris is equally alluring both indoors and out. Add in picturesque cobbled neighborhoods, grand Haussmannian boulevards, and the Seine River snaking through it all, and you’ve got a real stunner on your hands. That’s why in Paris, it’s a rather short distance from “sigh” to “sight.” You don’t need a designated plaque or monument to tell you when you’ve stumbled upon something important to look at. Just open your eyes.

And yet, Paris is so much more than just a pretty face. French philosopher Victor Cousin wrote in the 19th century that "moral beauty is the basis of all true beauty,” and in Paris it definitely seems that the exquisiteness of the natural and built environments is no accident. Rather, the city’s splendor flowered from its embrace of “Liberté, egalité, fraternité”–the French Revolution-era motto of liberty, equality, and brotherhood. You may have dozed off during that part of European History class, but suffice it to say that these ethical principles have ensured that Paris has been on the receiving end of some of the greatest artistic, architectural, and cultural creations in modern times.

So, as you set out to see the Paris sights, you might want to start by pursuing a little fraternité (brotherhood, or sisterhood, as the case may be). As Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne once advised, “Keep good company–that is, go to the Louvre.” At the Musée du Louvre, you’ll be surrounded by the impeccable company of artistic masters, from Botticelli to Caravaggio to Vermeer. Yes, this is also where you can glimpse the fetching, world-famous Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo among 35,000+ works of art skillfully curated in a former royal residence. The slightly more manageable Musée d’Orsay is also a fine example of the virtues of fraternity–works from the “brotherhood” of Impressionists (Monet to Manet, Gauguin to Van Gogh) grace the walls where passengers once congregated to board the rails. The glass-domed Belle Époque train station that houses the museum is a sight in and of itself. Speaking of glass, don’t miss a stop at Galerie-Musée Baccarat, where crystal-studded luxury items custom crafted for royalty by the House of Baccarat are on display (join the club by picking up your own Baccarat piece in the onsite store).

Follow up the fraternité with a helping of egalité, or the happy coexistence of diverse Parisian subcultures. One of our favorite activities is simply walking through the city’s many colorful neighborhoods and people-watching along the way. The winding cobblestone streets of Le Marais are chock-a-block with artsy boutiques and galleries, but the yummy falafel stands and Jewish delis interspersed among them are a reminder of the area’s history as the Jewish Quarter (today it’s also a thriving center for gay life). In trendy Canal Saint-Martin, you can commune with the bobos (or bourgeois-bohemians) in funky shops and cafés along the Seine. Don’t forget to explore the garden- and boutique-studded side streets in addition to the pretty iron footbridges spanning the canal (you’ll recognize them from the film Amélie–this is where Audrey Tatou’s character famously skipped rocks).

Round out your sightseeing experience with a dose of liberté, or freedom, by veering away from culture for a taste of nature. We love packing a picnic and simply lounging in one of the city’s lush public parks. Grab a bench among the immaculately manicured royal gardens at lovely Jardin du Luxembourg. Or, stop for an alfresco café au lait in the charming Jardin des Tuileries. Though stepping inside the park’s Musée de l’Orangerie would pull you away from nature, glimpsing Monet’s Nympheas (his series of water lily paintings) isn’t too far afield.

If you really want to go all out on the liberté front, break free of the cars and subways completely. Bateaux Parisiens offers Seine river cruises with entertaining commentary in multiple languages and stunning views (be sure to catch the boat at sunset). But for some, taking to the streets on two wheels may be the best way to see the city. For short hops in nice weather, renting a bicycle makes for an ideal way to drink in the cityscape. Vélib' is a city-sponsored bike rental program that lets you pick up and return your bike to any of the many convenient kiosks (there’s one every 300 meters). How fitting that “vélib'” is actually a contraction of "vélo liberté." Translation? “Freedom bike.” Vive la révolution!

Photo of Musée du Louvre courtesy of Rictor Norton & David Allen on Flickr Creative Commons