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Politics aside, it’s generally agreed upon that Paris is one of the most charming and culturally rich places to visit anywhere in the world. Its constant presence in literature and song, its popular fashions, and the fact that it serves as the backdrop to so many movies, works of art, and closely-held personal memories cannot be overshadowed by a few international disagreements and spats that go so far as to involve the nomenclature of fried potatoes. Paris grabs everyone’s attention at some point, so if it hasn’t drawn you in yet, expect to feel its pull soon enough.

With its arrondissements, quartiers, and rues, Paris makes the simple act of looking at a map feel like a romantic adventure. It’s true that getting around might be a challenge; but luckily becoming lost along a cobblestone street lined with cafes that serve the finest coffee and pastries you’ve ever had isn’t likely to irk you too much. In fact, go ahead and venture out with no particular itinerary in mind for the quickest way to immerse yourself in the dynamic atmosphere of this delightful city. After this one-of-a-kind getting to know you session, you’ll be ready to see the famous sites in a more traditional way (saving room for more impromptu explorations in between, of course).

There is so much to take note of in Paris; hopefully you’ve stolen enough time away from work to properly fit everything in without having to rush around like a mad person. The museums alone could take years to allow every painting, sculpture, and trinket to be admired for all they are worth. From the Musee d’Orsay, where the impressionist masterpieces dwell, to the Louvre, where the Mona Lisa and a few other familiar faces will welcome you to the City of Light, you will achieve the odd sensation of replacing a dim representation of something with the brilliance of the real thing. This goose bump-inducing feeling is what separates pleasant vacations from marvelous ones.

Let the thrilling chills continue to rise up your spine as you seek out the Eiffel Tower, L’Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and all the other places you’ll know more intimately from now on. In addition to the attention-grabbing major players, there are also countless Parisian gems that may end up edging out the others as your favorite sights. Take the stairs of Montmartre for example, or the Palais Garnier. If these don’t sound familiar, it’s best to check them out on your own once you’ve unpacked your bags.

Even fashion neophytes know that Paris is a heaven for designers and purchasers of clothing, jewelry, handbags, and shoes. From haute couture to bargain racks, you’ll find what it is you’re looking for in the major shopping districts and sprinkled among the banks and patisseries, so be prepared to spend some time gazing into shop windows at all the awe-inspiring wares. Whether you bring home silly souvenirs, up-to-the-minute fineries, or more likely, a little of both, you’ll find Paris to be highly satisfactory when it comes to delivering the goods.

If you must, you can boil it down to neo-classical architecture, red wine, and a deeply entrenched cultural heritage, but Paris is so much more. It deserves to be explored with eyes wide open and every other sense acting on highest alert. You’ll taste amazing foods, hear the pleasing lilt of the French language, and smell the aromas of fresh baguettes, flower filled jardins, and the fruits of some of the finest vineyards in the world. Paris deserves some time and attention, so come with the willingness to learn and the energy to wander. You won’t be disappointed by your efforts to become acquainted with one of the world’s most intriguing regions, and you’ll likely return home feeling a bit more understanding and content with the knowledge that you’ve expanded your world view significantly.

To truly embrace this rendezvous with the city of romance, you’ll want to make your lodging experience just so. Paris is filled with hotels that range from modest hostels to luxurious suites, but don’t overlook the possibility of living like a local and reserving an elegant apartment or studio. Especially if you decide to stay for a while in order to truly get a feel for this European jewel, you’ll enjoy the experience of settling into a home-like residence outfitted with conveniences like a cute kitchen and special touches like a décor truly worthy of the adjective chic. Each property is different, so spend a little time picking out the one that best suits your needs, and more importantly, that holds the potential for the most divine enchantments.

No matter how you define the details, your trip to Paris is sure to be a treat. Study the guidebooks, recall the advice you’ve been given from Francophiles, and go online to select one of the many Paris Apartments that will likely speak to your adventurous soul. Everything seems to be coming together for a wondrous trip, so as they say, bon voyage.

Paris; it’s considered to be one of the most romantic places in the world and is ever-popular as a tourist destination. A great choice for a short break or long-weekend, there’s a dizzying array of sights and places to see and it may seem like there’s never enough time to take it all in.
While it’s certainly impossible to take advantage of all the attractions the city has to offer in a short space of time, this article has come up with a selection of five of the attractions you have to see if you’re in Paris.
It’s seems virtually impossible to escape the landmark with which Paris is most commonly associated; every film with a scene in Paris has it looming in the background, walk anywhere resembling a tourist destination and there’s people with bunches of models on a key chain trying to sell you a miniature version of it; I’m talking, of course, about the Eiffel Tower.
Built for the World Exhibition in 1889, the Eiffel Tower rises 300 metres out of the ground and stands out in the Paris skyline, visible from all over the city. Seeing the Tower up close reaffirms like no other attraction that you are in the French capital and demonstrates just what a feat of engineering it was.
A magnificent iron framework made up of around 12,000 pieces of prefabricated iron fit together with something like 7 million nails. For those that don’t suffer vertigo or get easily bored with queues you can head to the top and get a view of Paris that’s unrivaled.
Another of Paris’ most famous attractions and one of the most visited museums in the world is the Louvre. Nestled in the heart of Paris in the 1st arrondissement on the banks of the Seine, the Louvre displays around 35,000 works of art including some of the most famous pieces in history with the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory amongst its collection.
While you may well have seen the Louvre on television, postcards or in magazines, until you’ve seen it in person there’s no way to appreciate the size of the gallery. Occupying a staggering 60,000 square metres, the Louvre sees around 8.3 million visitors a year through its equally iconic Pyramid entrance and underground lobby which also serves as one of the strangest places to find a shopping centre. Beware, though, if you plan on seeing the Mona Lisa, there’s a bit of a queue and taking in the entirety of the collection is something that could set you back a whole day at least.
If you’re still in the mood for art then it’s worth taking a stroll to the Musee d’Orsay (that’s Orsay Museum) on the left banks of the Seine and it’s collection of French art dating from 1848 to 1915. Built in the Gare d’Orsay, the railway station architecture allows the museum a unique layout with a long, high, ceilinged ground floor gallery perfectly suited for the sculptures it contains. This author suggests a bit of time should be spent taking in the model of the Opera House interior and the miniature Paris through the glass floor in front of it.
The Orsay Museum is home to a breathtaking collection of impressionist masterpieces including works by Vincent Van Gogh (Self Portrait, Starry Night Over the Rhone, The Siesta), Manet (The Luncheon on the Grass), Cezanne, Monet, Whistler (including the famous Whistler’s Mother) and many more with sculptures by Paul Gauguin and Degas’ famous studies of ballet dancers’ movement.
If you make it up the stairs to the collection of impressionist art, be sure to take a look through the large clock and enjoy another great view of the city, on a clear day you can see straight across to the Sacre-Coeur Basilica – another of those sights you should see.
Set in the Montmarte district known for its many artists, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica (which translates as Basilica of the Sacred Heart) was completed in 1914 after a pledge to build a church if Paris emerged unscathed from the Purssian war and as a moral condemnation of the sins of Paris with a basilica true to Christian traditions. The architecture stands as a contrast to the more Romanesque stylings of the city and looks more like an Eastern temple.
The outside of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica is an example of excellence in architecture and the, free to enter, interior is no exception. When you emerge, though, be warned that on a summers day the sudden hit of daylight may leave you squinting for while across yet another jaw dropping view of the city below as the basilica sits atop a hill. The highest point in the city, the butte Montmarte is no small climb even for those in prime health. Give more than a thought to the lift service and save your legs.
Another and perhaps more famous of Paris’ religious buildings is the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The religious heart of the city, the Celts had a sacred ground here, the Romans used the site to build a temple to worship Jupiter and a Christian basilica was built in the 6th century with work on the Cathedral beginning in 1163 and finally completed in 1345.
The first cathedral to be built to such a scale, the Notre Dame Cathedral is a huge testament to faith at 128 metres long with two 69 metre tall towers and a 90 metre spire which was added in the 19th century. While many of the cathedral’s famous sculptures and gargoyles were destroyed during the French Revolution many remain and the Cathedral was restored between 1991 and 2001.
As imposing as the Cathedral’s frontage is, there’s no way to prepare for the size of the interior. Walking into the Notre Dame is like walking into an aircraft hangar. The impact of which is something you can’t experience from a postcard.
There’s plenty to see and do in Paris and, when your feet have tired from walking the streets there’s plenty of coffee shops and cafes to rest and take stock in over a crepe and coffee.

Everyone will memorize something personal about Paris. I thought it would be a rich idea to start writing a brand new series of articles in which I would offer each time a motley of ideas: obscure sites to see, off-the-wall museums to visit, quaint shops to shop at, and other things to do (for free or for money) in Paris. Starting now!

Here is another article in this series.

Organ Music Anyone?

Notre Dame Cathedral is not just an awesome medieval work of art. Every Sunday at 4:30 PM the official organ player of the Cathedral sits at his keyboard, and fills the enormous structure with sounds from outer space. Anyone who attended these concerts will tell you that religious music takes a whole new meaning in this sanctified place. Goosebumps guaranteed. Notre Dame Cathedral is located on the Cite Island, at the Cite metro station. There is more about it on my Paris guide paris-eiffel-tower-news.com.

Get Me a Couscous for Free

At the “Les Fontaines” bar, the owner opens his kitchen and serves free couscous to all on Fridays and Saturdays. You are only required to order one drink per person, which is anyway desirable when you stuff yourself with semolina. “Les Fontaines” sits at 153 rue Saint-Maur, in the 11th district. The closest metro stations are “Belleville” and “Rue Saint-Maur”.

British and Celt Rock in Paris

In 30 years from now, people will talk about the Guinness Rock Tavern as this mythic British bar where to listen to live rock music while downing a Guinness Stout. A new band every night will entertain you from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am. I am still so thankful I didn’t live right above the place! Take the subway to the “Chatelet” station, and walk northwards to 31 bis rue des Lombards. That’s the place where it’s loud.

The Green Miles

That’s something so peculiar you won’t want to miss it. On top of the remnants of what used to be an inner railroad line, the City authorities have developed a 3-mile walkway which links the Bastille square to the Vincennes Woods, along the Daumesnil Avenue. Halfway between Bastille and Vincennes, the Reuilly Gardens offer a nice halt. There is no such walkway in any city I have ever visited. Access it from the “Bastille” subway station. You can see a few views of it at paris-eiffel-tower-news.com

Where Queen Marie-Antoinette Spent her Last Night

Queen Marie-Antoinette was beheaded during the French revolution in 1793. It is said her hair turned entirely white during the night before her execution. She was held captive at the Conciergerie Museum, a royal palace built on the Cite Island in the early 13th century. The medieval atmosphere penetrates your very soul along a visit which will lead you through the castle and its infamous cells. Free admission, and you keep your head on your shoulders. The address is 2 boulevard du Palais, on the Cite Island. The nearest metro station is “Cite”.

Each of these Parisian spots will spice up your trip to Paris. I often recommend the subscribers of Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com to get out of their comfort zone to soak in uncommon sights and bring them back home. Paris is best visited in a free-spirited way, outside the ‘channels’ built by travel guides. Not that the circuits they offer are uninteresting. But having lived some 25+ years in the French capital, I personally believe (and my friend photographer Angel Sanguinetti is of the same opinion) that there is a lot more to Paris than just the regular course served by reference guides. I urge you to try and dare new things. It will be more rewarding, and you will be in a position to recommend your own friends new best ways to discover Paris!

Walking tours Paris France – 2. Ile de St Louis

Walk from the Ile de la Cite (after visiting the famous Paris Notre Dame) to the adjacent island of Ile de St Louis via the Pont St Louis – what a contrast – on Ile de St Louis the pace of life changes, the tourist masses disappear, the elegant buildings line the streets, peace and quiet descends especially at the weekends, so just stroll around soaking up the atmosphere. It is surrounded by the River Seine and you can see excellent shots of the river on this website  www.travelguide.tv/paris/tours.

Have a glass of wine at one of the tiny cafes, visit some of the wonderful delicatessen shops, smell the fresh bread in the boulangeries, buy an icecream on Rue St Louis, explore some of the wine shops, indulge in a piece of true French cheese, and know you are in the heart of Paris.  This island is in the Paris River Seine, alongside the more famous island, Ile de la Cite, famous for the Notre Dame Cathedral, Palais de Justice, etc.  For more videos of Paris, www.travelguide.tv has a spelendid set of tourist videos.

On Ile de St Louis, you can visit the Museum of Adam Mickiewicz (the Polish poet who lived in Paris for many years).  The museum is open only on Thursdays from 2pm to 6pm and you can arrange a guided tour by contacting the Paris Museum in advance – telephone (1) 43 54 35 61.      

The church on the island, St Louis en l’Ile, dates from the 17th Century and look out for the great iron clock at the entrance.  The outside is a little unimpressive but inside it is glorious.  Inside you’ll see a statue of St Louis and he is holding a Crusader’s sword.  St Louis gave his name to St Louis in Missouri USA.  The church is Baroque in style and is richly decorated.  On occasions the church is closed to visitors – usually when the choir is practicing.  However, watch out for the concert programme – there are wonderful performances mainly in the summer months during the Festival Musique en l’Ile.

Another wonderful sight on this small island is the Hotel de Luzun.   It is on Quai d’Anjou but unfortunately unless part of a private tour you can’t see the interior.  One of its famous features though is the drainpipes – yes the pipes to guide the rain from the roof, etc and you can enjoy these as you stroll past – look out for the fish feature on some of them.

Once you have “done” the Ile de la Cite and Ile St Louis, the heart of Paris France, you are ready to visit the rest of Paris. Check out the Paris France Video website to see the attractions of Paris.   Here you can also use the interactive map of Paris, check the weather and immerse yourself in the wonders of this great city.

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