The best photography locations in Paris. Updated for 2024 and the Paris Olympics
Looking to return home from your Paris trip with the most beautiful set of photographs? Here’s my list of the best photo spots in Paris, along with some tips on working out an itinerary to maximise your photoshoot time.
Let’s begin my guide for this year with the event that will possibly determine the locations of your Paris photoshoot in 2024 - The Paris Olympics.
Beginning Friday, July 26, 2024, and running through to Sunday, August 11, 2024, many of the locations I usually use (and recommend below) will be inaccessible leading up to, and after these dates. Not only during the games themselves but also due to the infrastructure required to be both built and dismantled. As well as the structures and the games themselves, there will be an estimated 15.3 million visitors expected to visit Paris and its surrounding areas.
So is it worth planning a photoshoot in 2024 and if so where can we shoot?
Absolutely! Here are some suggestions that will help us create a beautiful set of photographs:
The Louvre - still accessible and one of my favorite locations in the city. It will be busy given the influx of visitors, but plan to shoot here early in the morning, or in the evening when most people are at dinner and I can always make this location work for us.
Private venues such as your hotel - many of the nicer hotels in Paris have some stunning areas in which to shoot, some even have perfect views over the Eiffel Tower.
View from the terrace at the suite of the San Regis Hotel
Paris backstreets - Paris is a huge city with many different neighborhoods, all with a slightly different feel and vibe but all very ‘Paris.’ Think quaint backstreets, cafe scenes, and beautiful architecture. What about an evening stroll through the romantic, cobbled streets of Montmartre? Let’s go and explore!
Our studio - we have a beautiful studio in Paris set in a traditional Haussmann building. Bonus - there are views over the Eiffel Tower from the balcony.
Areas that will be inaccessible:
Ile Saint-Louis - the main island we can possibly use early morning or later in the evening but the areas on the riverside will be inaccessible.
Pont Alexandre III - completely inaccessible.
Pont Bir Hakeim - completely inaccessible.
The quay along the Seine River - completely inaccessible.
The Eiffel Tower - completely inaccessible from the surrounding area.
My main advice for creating a beautiful set of photographs in Paris in 2024:
Be flexible, let's expect the unexpected, explore Paris together, take the time to enjoy a drink on a photogenic Parisian terrace, use your hotel if it’s suitable, and consider finishing with some shots in our studio, mixing a little classic studio portraiture into your Paris photoshoot.
With the Paris Olympic details out of the way, here are some tips and location options to help plan your photoshoot:
A common mistake when planning a Paris photoshoot is trying to fit in too much within our allocated timeframe. Too many locations or outfit changes can create a rushed and stressful experience, the very thing we want to avoid.
Your Paris photoshoot should be fun, relaxed and stress-free. In fact, it should be one of the highlights of your trip. Feeling relaxed and at-ease translates perfectly into beautiful photographs.
Locations: I recommend working around one location per hour of shooting. Why? This allows us to take our time and thoroughly explore each area, taking time to find interesting little corners that can help make your photos unique and more personal. Also, more time for photos and less time traveling! Paris is a relatively small city, but it is a congested one! Getting stuck in traffic can eat into your photoshoot time.
However, we can of course plan to take photographs at several locations, we just need to adjust your overall photo session length to accommodate for potential traffic/travel times.
And now, without further ado…onto locations!
Ile Saint-Louis
Up first Ile Saint-Louis, the oldest part of the city, think shady narrow streets, a stroll on the cobbled quayside, bridges with views over Notre Dame, very classic Paris with beautiful, old architecture.
Examples:
Ile Saint-Louis Location style tips
Ile Saint-Louis along with its narrow streets and numerous café terraces can be a great location to show off a more smart, casual style. Ladies, those flowing dresses can look magnificent in the breeze down on the quayside.
The Louvre
Secondly the Louvre and the surrounding area, a stunning French Chateau right in the centre of the city. Mix things up with some images on the edge of the Tuileries gardens with time to take a stroll into the neighbouring Palais Royal, this is one of my favourite areas. Incredible architecture, covered passageways, open gardens, and extremely pretty light, ensure an amazingly varied set of images. Plus because of the covered arcades and grand entrances this is a great location in less than ideal weather!
Examples:
The Louvre Location style tips
Starting off with the neighbouring Palais Royal, a more casual outfit for strolling through the arcades and gardens works wonderfully. For the Louvre itself, which is a stunning Chateau in the center of the city, you can really pull out the stops with a dressier outfit, it’s pretty much impossible to look overdressed when being photographed in the magnificent surroundings this location has to offer. If the timing of your shoot allows, think of mixing two different styles at this location - one more casual around the Palais Royal and something dressy for the Louvre courtyards.
Pont Alexandre III
Extravagant, ornate with certain shots offering great views of the Eiffel Tower in the background, Pont Alexandre III has to be one of my favorite bridges in Paris. Different angles give us a lot of options for the photos, plus the nearby Petit-Palais and its stunning architecture give an equally opulent feel with an entirely different look.
Examples:
Pont Alexandre III style tips
Feel free to really glam things up at this location. As mentioned above, the bridge is one of the most extravagant in the city, mix that with the nearby Petit-Palais, and its grand, gold-gilded entrance, you have a location where you can pull off the most stunning designer gown/suit with ease.
The Eiffel Tower
Finally of course how can we forget - The Eiffel Tower! We have several locations to choose from all offering great views, however, please note the area of Trocadero (photos 1 & 3) is only available for sunrise shoots.
Examples:
Eiffel Tower Location style tips
The Eiffel Tower area is extremely versatile when it comes to wardrobe choice. The main Trocadero area really suits a more dressy outfit. You can easily pull off that designer gown and sharp suit here. The nearby bridge, Pont Bir-Hakeim is one of those locations where both dressy and casual work equally well. There’s often a breeze on the bridge so those flowing dresses can look amazing. The gardens behind the Eiffel Tower being more suited to a casual look.
As you can see in Paris we’re spoilt for choice. All options offer a beautiful set of photographs and as the images above show, for both morning and early evening shoots we can make each location appear that you pretty much have the city to yourselves.
If you’re looking for more tips on “What to wear for your Paris photoshoot” I have an entire post on that very subject that you can read here.