(Just click on any Red Spot)
Paris At A Glance. A picture tells a thousand words, so
here's presenting 6000 of them ...
[Notre Dame] [Louvre] [Glass Pyramid] [Eiffel Tower] [Arc of Triumph] [EuroDisney]
Paris has its humble beginnings on the Île de la Cité when members of a tribe called Parisii set up a few huts there. By the middle ages, the city had grown to encompass both banks of the Seine River (la Rive Seine) but Île de la Cité still remained as the center of royal and ecclesiastical power. The splendid 12th century Notre Dame Cathedral is built here.
The
Cathedral is considered as one of the
most magnificent piece of Gothic architecture ever. Its
construction began in 1163 but was only completed at around 1345.
Some of the exceptional features include the three spectacular
rose windows: one over the west façade and one on the north side
of the transept which has remained virtually unchanged since the
13th century.
View the Cathedral’s ferocious looking gargoyles and a good deal of Paris from the top of the west façade after climbing 238 steps. Entry is 31FF (reduced rate 20FF).
Free concerts are held every Sunday at 5:30p.m.
A bridge connects the Île de la Cité to the Île Saint-Louis where old houses and narrow streets date back to the 17th century. This place is great for a quiet stroll as the grey stone houses that line the quay and streets impart an almost provincial feel. It is said that the best ice cream in Paris could be found here: Berthillon at 31 Rue Saint Louis.
The Latin Quarter used to be the stronghold of the academics. It is so named because up till the Revolution, all communication between professors and students took place in the de rigeur language for academics - Latin. In those days, students would gather at its numerous cafés and exchange ideas; now, le Quartier Latin has become increasingly touristy with shop-lined Blvd Saint Michel.
Akin to New York’s Fifth Avenue, this is one place where you will wish that you have more cash with you. Shops are lined on both sides of the street coupled with a good selection but overly priced cafés. Shopping and people watching seem to be the main pastimes there. See COOL Links for a virtual tour of the Champs Élysées. The Main Tourist Office is situated at the end of the street near the Arc of Triumph.
Trying to cross one of the 12 avenues of the world’s largest traffic roundabout is purely suicidal. The only sane way to get to the base of the arch is via the underground passageways from its perimeter. It costs 31FF to get to the platform atop the arch.
L’Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his imperial victories but remained unfinished when he started losing battles and then entire wars. It was finally completed in 1830s.
This cobbled square between the Jardin des Tuileries and the eastern end of the Champs Élysées has a 3300-year-old Egyptian obelisk right in its center. The obelisk was given to France in 1829 by the Ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali.
Louis XVI, his wife Marie-Antoinette as well as 1343 others were guillotined between 1793-95 at the peak of the French Revolution.
It is probably the most well known monument of Paris, but it was decried as a monstrosity by the literary and artistic elite when it was built for 1889’s Exposition Universalle (World’s Fair). The Eiffel Tower is 320m tall and divided into 3 storeys. For backpackers, climbing the stairs to the 2nd storey will cost 12FF and then taking the lift to the last storey will cost another 16FF; this will be exactly half the price if you are to take the lift all the way to the pinnacle.
The view at the top is not something to be missed. You will be able to see the entire landscape of Paris stretching for miles all round. For acrophobics however, swaying at 320m may not be all that enchanting.
Some itsy-bitsy trivial before you scale that 320m tower:
This green garden at the Eiffel Tower deserves a mention even if most guidebooks do not consider it a "monument". The reason is because it is an absolutely nice place to spend a delightful afternoon by lying on the grass and gazing at the Eiffel Tower. In the evening, this field is also a great place to position your camera on a tripod to capture that all famous shot of Eiffel Tower in its illuminated glory.
The illuminated garden and golden statures illuminated at night are across the Pont d’Iéna from the Eiffel Tower. The colonnaded Paris and Passy wings of the Palais de Chaillot (1937) house a few museums e.g. Musée de la Marine, Musée du Cinéma and the Musée des Monuments Français (all closed on Tuesday).
On 14 July 1789 the prison that symbolised the ultimate despotism of the ancien régime, La Bastille, was stormed by a mob of angry Parisians. This incident became synonymous with the French Revolution. In 1830, a 52m-tall column (Colonne de Juillet) was erected in its center and it stood tall ever since .
The extravagantly opulent entrance hall with its multicoloured marble and gigantic chandelier sets the ambiance in this monument designed by Charles Garnier in 1860. Even the ceiling of the auditorium is worth taking a second look as it was painted by Marc Chagall in 1964.
The Opera is open from 11a.m. to 4:30p.m. daily except Tuesday. Entrance is 28FF. L'Opéra-Garnier is used for ballets and concerts; opera performances now take place at Opéra-Bastille.
This magnificent building has its early history in 1200 as a fortress. It was given a new lease of life when rebuilt in the mid-16th century as a royal palace before becoming a museum in 1793.
Le Louvre is perhaps the finest art museum in the world; a close second will perhaps be New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its art artifacts and sculptures have been assembled by the French government for the past 5 centuries and it has become a veritable collection indeed. The most famous work is undoubtedly Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’. Other famous masterpieces are Michaelangelo’s Slave Sculptures and the Venus de Milo. Due to the size of the Museum, it is impossible to cover the entire ground in a day. See the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo then focus on the Section that intrigues you most: that should take up the better portion of your day. See Absolutely COOL Websites for a link to the Museum.
A striking 21m-tall glass pyramid face the entrance of the Museum. It was commissioned by François Mitterrand and designed by American architect I M Pei. Similar to the Eiffel Tower, it faced bitter opposition from the French initially but is now widely acknowledged as a brilliant piece of art.
The entry fee is 40FF (20FF reduced rate); on the first Sunday of every month, entry is free! Le Musée du Louvre is open daily except Tuesday.
Linking Le Louvre to the Place de la Concorde is Le Jardin des Tuileries. Imagine the French aristocrats strolling elegantly in this garden admiring the flowering greens and statues. Unfortunately, the heavy tourist traffic has stripped this garden of most of its former prettiness. What remained are a few marble statues (most have been removed to the museums) and chairs where you may have a picnic lunch and cool your heels.
We spent several enjoyable hours in the Garden doing what the French does best: savouring life. Armed with a good book and a sandwich, this place is still ideal for a cheap and tranquil retreat away from the hustle bustle of Parisian life.
To many of my friends who have visited Paris, this remained their favourite and most fondly-remembered museum. Its atmosphere is friendly without the imposing grandiose of Le Louvre. More importantly, its exhibits span from 1848 to 1914 comprising of familiar names such as Renoir, van Gogh, Monet and Matisse.
Le Musée d’Orsay is housed in a former train station built in 1900. It is opened everyday save Monday from 10a.m. (9a.m. on Sunday and in summer) to 6p.m. (9:30p.m. on Thursday). Entrance costs 35FF (24FF reduced rate)
Game for some nocturnal activities? Only a few blocks away from Montmartre, a tranquil residential area, is one of Paris’ major sex districts - Pigalle and Blvd de Clichy. They are lined with striptease parlours and prostitutes. Besides the hanky panky, there are however some legitimate nightspots and all-night cafés.
Cheap accommodation could be found at Pigalle provided you do not mind the sight of severely underdressed women hanging around.
If you are out of francs and nonetheless
still yearn to do something 'French', this lovely garden allows
you to do just that. Parisians flock here to sit, read or
sunbathe beneath the trees or by the fountains.
The Palais du Luxembourg at the northern
end of the Garden was built for Marie de Médicis,
queen of France from 1600 to 1610. It now houses the Sénat,
upper house of the French parliament.
Shopaholics rejoice! Both departmental stores are situated conveniently next to each other (in fact, Galeries Lafayette have 2 stores, one on each side of the road!) Of course, to go on an uninhibited shopping spree, you will need lotsa Francs or several credit cards. You may find it difficult to find bargains especially when France's TVA (sales tax) is a hefty 15.68% on the purchase price of most goods. To avoid any embarrassment at the cashier, do note that prices that include TVA are often marked 'TTC' (all taxes included).
Here's a way (though complicated) to save on the TVA provided several conditions are met:
Basically, you will just need to fill out the proper export sales invoice at the time of purchase then having it stamped at your port of exit. Reimbursement will take place by mail or bank transfer within the next 30 days. phew*
[disclaimer: rates and policies may have changed. Please check with the Main Tourist Office along Champs Élysées for the latest update]
Is there any corner on this earth that one is free from the influence of Mickey & Co.? This USD 4 million theme park raised much public outcry and concern from France’s intellectuals when it opened in April 1992. But like McDonald’s or Steven Spielberg’s movies, there seem to be no stopping this themepark in attracting thousands of visitors every week.
Euro Disney is open daily year-round from 9a.m. to 7p.m. (11p.m. on Saturday and Sunday) All day entry costs 225FF for adults and about 150FF for children aged three to 11.
How to Get There
Take RER line A4 from the Nation stop to the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy terminus. The journey takes about 35 min and runs every 10 or 15 min or so.
