France has given us a plethora of influential artists over the years: Monet, Renoir and Cezanne, to name but a few.

Clearly, a pilgrimage to the country is a must for all art lovers around the world and when searching for art galleries, Paris, naturally is the place to head.

The Pompidou Centre is one of Paris’s foremost art galleries, with its recognisable, inside-out design. Known locally as Beaubourg, it houses a permanent exhibition of contemporary art. It is the most-visited art gallery in the city and comprises five floors; three of which contain the huge public gallery, books, microfiche and videos.

The top-floor Grande Galerie houses any temporary collections. 25,000 people on average, visit the Pompidou Centre every day, so you might want to pre book.

For hidden gems, seek out La Maison Rouge in Boulevard de la Bastille, which was opened in 2003. Independent guest curators organise the often controversial shows. The gallery is situated next to a great bookshop which is a renowned place for those in search of art books.

In the rue Vieille du Temple, you will find Galerie Xippas hidden within the Yvon Lambert gallery which, the Guardian calls “one of the most famous jewels in Paris’s crown of galleries”. Here you will find works by Chuck Close, Ian Davenport and Lisa Milroy as well as photographic exhibitions.

No art trip to Paris would be complete, of course without a visit to the Louvre. The building itself is a masterpiece. Take the Masterpieces of the Louvre tour and allow yourself to be led to some truly iconic works of art. See Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, which captures the riots in 1830 which led to the downfall of Charles X and provided character inspiration to Victor Hugo for his weighty tome, Les Miserables.

Follow the path to the beautiful Venus de Milo en route to Da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa. Marvel at Da Vinci’s glazing technique which plays with light and colour in ways that can only be detected when viewing the painting in person. Speculate as to why she is smiling.