The first patented shaved-ice machine heralded a snowy wonderland of iced treats at a favorite New Orleans summer shack.

The celebrated eyesore created by starry-eyed sweethearts.

France's third-largest necropolis offers a peaceful respite from a busy port city.

This pair of running lions engraved on animal bone is one of the earliest artistic depictions of big cats.

This unusual piece of Renaissance art depicting the bodily horror of crucifixion and skin disease may have been inspired by fungus-induced hallucinations.

This prehistoric figurine is the oldest known realistic depiction of a human face.

Explore this medieval cathedral by trying to spot all the malevolent monsters hiding in its beautifully colored windows.

Peeing dogs guard the Roman hunting goddess atop a fountain at France’s Château de Fontainebleau.

A copy of the Statue of Liberty greets visitors to the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi.

The tradition of open-air secondhand and antiquarian bookselling in Paris dates back to the Renaissance.

The opulent home that inspired Tintin's Marlinspike Hall and the adventures within.

This ancient theater was once the home of fierce gladiatorial battles.

This bridge was constructed from the rubble of the infamous Bastille.

There has been an astronomical clock on this spot since the 14th century.

The great Italian Renaissance painter was laid to rest here in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert.

A series of abstract, silly sculptures represent the works of a great modern classical composer.

This historic island prison holds one of the dungeons from the Count of Monte Cristo even though it is a work of fiction.

This life-size replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame is also a tribute to Princess Diana by default.

Twelve grave-faced marble angels guard the emperor's tomb at Les Invalides.

This former “ante-chamber to the guillotine” has been refurbished to illustrate the brutal history of French justice.

The water-powered carriages are long gone, but for over a century this funicular railway has been the fastest route to the highest point in Paris.

The curious underground history of keeping Paris clean.

How did a French journalist’s grave become the sexiest statue in the cemetery?

Paris' fabled purveyor of exotic taxidermy and natural history curios.