PARIS
Paris :
PARIS, France is without question, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And it’s beauty can be found everywhere.
There are museums, art galleries, gardens, monuments, the Seine, the beauty of the every day life and the everyday streets of Paris, and then there is Paris ‘at night’.
There are restaurants to dine in, parks to sit in, and outdoor cafes scattered about the city where you can sit and watch as the Parisian life passes by you
The beauty of Paris is one of the reasons so many people chose to visit this amazing city.
A Paris Walk
Whether one is immersed in a feeling of awe, while gazing at the Eiffel Tower or Notre-Dame, or whether one is captured by the beauty of the simplicity of the fruit and vegetable stands that so comfortably mix in with the hustle and bustle of the cars and traffic in the heart of Paris, the feeling of beauty pervades Paris.
Canal st. Martin
One of the pleasant walks in Paris, especially at the weekend when you’re not stifled or agressed by the pollution of the traffic, as the canal does follow a very busy thoroughfare. The quai de Valmy and quai de Jemmapes are reserved for pedestrian traffic on Sundays.
The canal was originally constructed in the early 1800′s as a link with the Canal de l’Ourq to bring fresh water into the city, now running into the Seine after passing under the place de la Bastille.Consider taking a cruise on the canal as an alternative.Good starting points for the walk are the Jaures at the north end or Republique in the south, metro stations.
Walk from the Triumph Arc to Concord square
Champs Elysées is one of the most famous avenues in the world. It starts from Arc de Triomphe at “Charles de Gaulle-Etoile” ends down after 2.2km at Place de la Concorde the largest square of Paris.Along the avenue you can find some expensive stores (Louis Vuiton, Prada, Cartier etc) full of luxury products which are nice for window shopping only.
The Louvre
No visit to Paris is complete without seeing the Louvre.
A visit to the Louvre in Paris could be a vacation all in itself. One could spend days, if not weeks, walking though the vast halls of the museum soaking in the thousands of years of the amazing art that resides within its walls.
The collection of art and antiquities in the Louvre are divided into 7 departments: Oriental Antiquities and Islamic Art; Egyptian Antiquities; Etruscan and Roman Antiquities; Objects d’art; Sculpture; Graphic Arts; and Paintings.
It could take a half a day just to walk the total area the Louvre covers, and that would be without looking at the art. So one should consider spending two or three half days to truly appreciate the museum and its treasures.
Luxemburg Gardens
Although just a 15 minute walk from the Louvre, the Gardens of Luxembourg can whisk one far away from the fast city pace of Paris to a place of calm and serenity created by acres of trees, gardens, fountains and flowers.
With all the beauty of the Tuileries Gardens at the Louvre, the Gardens of Luxembourg has the added advantage of leaving many of the tourists and traffic behind as well, as the Gardens are a favorite of locals and students.
One of the most beautiful places in the Gardens is also one that is easy to overlook.
The Medici Fountain sits quietly off to the left as one first enters the Gardens from the left side of the Luxembourg Place.
Even though it is easy to miss it, it is a place in the Gardens not a place to be missed.
The Eiffel Tower
Probably the most famous landmark in Paris, and one of the most famous in the world, the Eiffel Tower was built for the World Fair in 1889.Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel it is a total of 320 meters high (approx. 1050 feet) and made from about 15,000 individual pieces of metal.
The Eiffel Tower has three stages –two with restaurants- that are accessible by lift or by foot.
Should one chose to climb the many (many) stairs, which lead to the top, the sense of accomplishment is usually found on the way back down.
But regardless how one chooses to get to the top,
The views of Paris from each and all the stages of the Eiffel Tower are stunning
Notre Dame
For centuries, the cathedral of Notre-Dame has been able to inspire in a person a sense of religious awe. Perhaps this can be contributed not just to its beauty and grandeur, but also to the fact that it stands on a site in Paris that has long been a place of worship. The ground that Notre-Dame occupies in Paris was first the site of a Roman temple, and then the site of a Christian basilica.
The construction of Notre-Dame began in 1163 and was completed in around 1200 with the towers being finished in 1245.
Above the three portals, one can view the Gallery of the Kings. Here, 28 statues represent the kings of Israel and Judea. In the center of the façade, are the statues of the Virgin and Child with Angels.
The Muse d’Orsay
The Musee d ’Orsay, with its focus on art from a more modern time, is a counterbalance to the Louvres’ focus on thousands of years of art and antiquities.
Originally built as a railway station (the Gare D’Orsay) it was abandoned in 1939 and began its transformation into a museum in 1978.
The museum, with its grandiose ceilings and maze like use of space, is a masterpiece of architecture as well as home to some of the world’s finest art.
Today the Musee d ’Orsay houses over 4,000 works of art starting from about 1850 onward. In the d ’Orsay one can view the works of such artists as Renoir, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
Lose yourself in the legendary jazz scene
Paris is jazz central, with a rich host of venues at which to see live gigs. Sprinkled across the left bank are traditional clubs like the Caveau de la Huchette – a medieval cellar that has been a mainstay on the jazz scene for 60 years. Across the river, in Les Halles, you’ll find the legendary Au Duc des Lombards. This wood-panelled, yellow-walled club is lined with posters of some of the greats who have played here: Kenny Burrell, Johnny Griffin, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. As well as international stars, it brings in plenty of local talent. For cutting-edge jazz, visit the New Morning, which embraces chanson, blues and world music.
Visit the literary landmarks of Paris
If you’re a book lover, then you’ll be in heaven. This is the resting place of many literary ghosts, whose great works you’ll find lining the shelves of atmospheric bookshops and cafés. To the south, in the Cimetière du Montparnasse, you can take an atmospheric stroll amid the headstones of famous writers: the philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are buried side by side, and Baudelaire, Beckett and Guy de Maupassant can also be found beneath the trees.
Meanwhile, in St-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank, there are cafés where you can follow in their footsteps, including Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots and Les Editeurs. The shops La Hune and Galignani offer a wide selection of French literature, and the super cool Librairie 7L proffers a cosmopolitan range of photography titles.
Visit Flea Markets
Paris flea markets are full of curiosities, from stained glass windows to Philippe Starck pieces and Eames chairs and even three-metre clock faces. Key stops on the market trail are the sprawling Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt, the quiet, tree-lined Marché aux Puces de Vanves and the contemporary design market Les Puces du Design.
One of the few remaining flea markets where you can uncover gems at bargain prices on bric-à-brac stalls is the Marché d’Aligre. It’s where all the serious dealers go when on the hunt for original antiquities from across the country. But watch out for overpriced books and kitchenware. At the adjacent Marché Beauvau, you can stock up on fresh fruit and veg, groceries and meats to prepare a rustic French meal.
Worship the Sun King at Versailles
Centuries of makeovers have made Versailles the most sumptuously clad château in the world, so it needs a full day to do it justice. The palace we know today was largely designed under the reign of Louis XIV: the two splendid wings of the Cour des Ministres and the Chapelle Royale so pleased the Sun King that he moved his court to Versailles, then rarely set foot in Paris.
In the late eighteenth-century, Louis XV added the sumptuous Opéra Royal, used for concerts by the Centre de Musique Baroque. Summer weekends are the best time to see the garden, when the fountains play to music. Indoors, the highlight is the Hall of Mirrors; composed of 357 of them, it’s literally dazzling.
Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe, another instantly recognizable symbols of Paris, stands at 50 m tall (it is 45 m wide). It is located in Place Charles de Gaulle (on the right bank of the Seine). It is part of the historic axis (it forms a straight line with the Lourve coutyard, the smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.
Cimetiere Pere Lachaise
This famous cemetery at the Phillipe Auguste or Pere Lachaise metro stop is an excellent place to spend a quiet Sunday morning in reflection. Maps onsite show you graves of some of the notables resting among vast Pere Lachaise’s trees and stones, such as writer Honore de Balzac, composer Frederic Chopin, Jim Morrison of ’60′s band the Doors, writer Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde. Allot plenty of time to wander Pere Lachaise.
See Free Movies at Parc de la Villette
Entrance to this 86+ acre park and gardens at the edge of the Paris suburbs is free. Check out street art, free music and, in summer, free movies where you’ll meet people.Take the Line 5 metro to Porte de Pantin.
Centre Pompidou
A gaudy architectural exclamation point designed to look like a building turned inside out first opened in 1977 and reopened in 2000 after an extensive renovation. Free first Sundays for everyone and always for those under 18, the Pompidou Center’s huge collection spans the 20th century and is a must-see for contemporary and modern art lovers. Plus, the adjacent square by the quirky Stravinsky Fountain is a dynamic spot to bask in Paris’s sprawling cross-section of culture.
Victor Hugo
Lived at the Place des Vosges’s Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée for 16 years (1832-1848) and wrote many of his works here, including much of his epic novel, Les Misérables. Examine manuscripts and first editions at the Maison de Victor Hugo and tour his apartment, which chronicles his life before, during, and after exile. Admission is always free.
Culture
Navigate the countless neighborhoods of Paris’s 20 arrondissements for a true sense of the city’s eclectic culture, from Montmartre to the Latin Quarter and the Marais, the Canal St-Martin, St-Germaine-des-Près, and more.
Families
Blow off steam in one of the city’s public parks, where grassy knolls are sprinkled with playgrounds and carousels, like the Park André Citroën, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Square Willette (in front of Sacre-Coeur), and Jardin des Plantes.
Paris Rando Velo leads free Friday night bike tours of the city, meeting at 9:30 p.m. in front of the Hotel de Ville. Each ride lasts from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The group also hosts similar rides on the third Sunday of the month at 10:30 a.m.
For further questions feel free to contact your Dental Planner, in any way you deem necessary.
