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What to see in Paris - top 9 sites
Essential: buy the Michelin Map no. 54(PARIS 1:10,000) - an excellent map showing every street and alleyway, to a scale of 1 cm = 100 metres. Our references are to its map squares
1 EIFFEL TOWER Michelin Map ref: J7
Built in 1889 for the Centennial Exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, at which time it was the tallest structure in the world. Height 320 m / 1,051 feet. There are three levels to visit: Stages 1 and 2 (steps or lift; this lift ends at Stage 2), and Stage 3 at the top (lift only, starts from Stage 2).
Best approach: Go to TROCADERO Métro stop (Lines 6 and 9), and come out at the Palais de Chaillot, a vast 1930's complex set high above the River Seine offering a stunning first view of the Eiffel Tower. Walk down amongst the gardens to cross the Seine and arrive at the base of the Tower.
Suggestions:
1. If you have time to be choosy, avoid a muggy or rainy day when visibility is poor.
2. Arrive 15 minutes before opening time to avoid too big a queue - or go anytime between 7 and 10 p.m. when the queues are sometimes lower because people are out eating: sunset and the lights of the city at night can be spectacular. 3. If you feel fit, take the steps to Stage 2: it is much cheaper, and it is fun - you see a lot of detail of the structure of the legs. Note: if you walk up, you have to walk down - if in doubt, therefore, just walk to Stage 1. You buy the ticket for the lift at whichever Stage you first catch it.
2 NOTRE DAME Michelin Map ref: K15
Built between 1163 and 1345 on the Ile de la Cité, the original Roman core of Paris. One of a string of famous Gothic cathedrals in northern France, built in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries (Reims, Laon, Sens, Chartres, Amiens, Beauvais).
Fine West Front with carved portals (framing the doorways), Rose Window, and two towers (226 feet high). Striking flying buttresses girdling the Nave and the East End. Famous gargoyles (at roof height, visible from the towers).
Suggestions:
1. Go up the Towers (368 steps, you come out on the platform at the base of the towers themselves): the view is superb, not just of the city and river, but of the exotic gargoyles too. Entry is at the foot of the north tower, just around the lefthand edge of the West Front as you look at it.
2. Look out for any concerts held in the Cathedral - it is a spectacular setting, especially at night.
3. Enjoy some nearby sights: on the Ile de la Cité a 'must' on a bright day is the Sainte Chapelle [map ref J14; entry through Palais de Justice], built for Loius IX in the thirteenth century - a modest sized chapel with extraordinary stained glass.
At the end of the island, take a break in the Vert-Galant Square, the grassy park which ends in a small point looking out towards the Louvre.
4. The Ile St. Louis to the east of Ile de la Cité is a 17th-century development: art galleries, restaurants, and a perfect lunch spot - take a baguette down to the south-facing quays (Quai d'Orléans) from where you have a superb view of Notre Dame.
3 ARC DE TRIOMPHE Michelin Map ref: F8
Built in the early nineteenth century to celebrate the victories of Napoleon's 'Grande Armée'. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with eternal flame, underneath. Spectacular view from the top of the 12 avenues which radiate out from the Place Charles de Gaulle (previously known as the Etoile - the star) - most famous is the Champs Elysées (full of airline offices, cinemas, cafés)
4 LOUVRE MUSEUM Michelin Map ref: H13
A museum since 1793, the Louvre started as a royal palace. It has recently (1982-97) been completely - and radically - renovated, vastly improving it. Worth visiting even if you do not have time to go into the Museum itself - the Pyramid and the areas below it are free. N.B.: The museum is massive, so you need to be very selective.
Suggestions:
1. If the queue at the Pyramid entrance is absurdly long, try entering underground (entrance by the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel - a 'mini Arc', not to be confused with the real thing, visible in the distance!) - if you come on the Métro you will quite likely be directed underground anyway. All the courtyard to the west of the Pyramid up to the Tuilleries Gardens has a vast underground shopping mall beneath it, which includes an alternative entrance to the Museum's Reception Area (immediately under the Pyramid). The mall includes an inverted glass pyramid 'dropping' down from above, and the actual remains of the moat which used to encircle the Louvre palace.
2. From beneath the main Pyramid, enter the Museum via PAVILON SULLY - that way you will go past the medieval remains of the original Louvre castle.
3. Limit yourself! The Mona Lisa is in Pavilon Denon, 1st Floor; the Venus de Milo is in Pavilon Sully, 1st floor.
4. Enjoy some nearby sights: the Palais Royal on the opposite side of the Rue de Rivoli is a quiet collonaded square, a haven of relative quiet.
The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge across the Seine with pleasant views.
The Tuileries Gardens offer greenery, seats for a rest (by the pond at the far end), and lead to a new bridge over the Seine to the Musée d'Orsay.
5 MUSEE D'ORSAY Michelin Map ref: H12
Built as a railway station in 1900, converted in the 1980's into a museum for all French art from 1848 to 1914. Contains the top collection of Impressionist paintings anywhere - you will see dozens of familiar images.
Suggestions:
1. A very busy place - get there early.
2. In the midst of the Impressionist galleries take time out to look through the glass of the giant clock face window (halfway along, on the right) - Sacre Coeur is visible sitting high above the city, with the Seine and the Tuileries Gardens right in front of you.
6 MONTMARTRE & SACRE COEUR Michelin Map ref: D13 & 14, C13 & 14 Montmartre used to be a suburb of Paris, became a haven for artists of all sorts in the second half of the nineteenth century, and still retains a village-like atmosphere. It is built on a hill, with steep staircases, little parks, an overcrowded central square (Place du Tertre), and the Sacre Coeur church on top. Sacre Coeur was built in the late 1800's - dark inside, it is best known for its white exterior, and the excellent view from the dome.
Suggestions:
1. A good starting point is Abbesses Métro (Line 12; map ref D13), heading up to approach Place du Tertre from Place JB Clement (dividing line between ref. D13 and C13); come down from Sacre Coeur via the staircases on rue Chappe (ref D14, one block west of the funicular railway - you can use a Métro ticket on that).
2. Rue Lepic street market (leads up from Blanche Métro, Line 2; map ref D13) is particularly lively in the early evening.
7 MARAIS DISTRICT Michelin Map ref: J16 & 17, H16 & 17
'Marais' means marsh. The area was very fashionable in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries - it contains many fine buildings from the period, particularly 'Hotels', in the sense of large private houses. Modern museums here include the Picasso Museum (opened in the 1980's) and the Maison Européenne de la Photo (opened in 1996).
Museums: Musée National Picasso [5 rue de Thorigny, map ref. H16/17 divide]
Maison Européenne de la Photo [corner of rue Francois Miron & rue de Fourcy, map ref. J16]
Suggestions:
1. A good walk would start on the rue St Antoine (J17), going north on rue de Birague to the Place des Vosges (fine seventeenth century square), left on rue des Francs Bourgeois, right up rue Payenne to Musée Picasso, cutting back down rue Vielle du Temple to rue des Francs Bourgeois to finish near the Pompidou Centre
8 LES HALLES / POMPIDOU CENTRE DISTRICT Michelin Map ref: H14&15
'Les Halles' were the huge market halls - they were taken down in the 1960's (when the market moved to the suburbs), and replaced by a combination of shopping mall, transport hub, park, and lively entertainment area. The Pompidou Centre, famous for having all its service pipes colour-coded and placed on the outside of the building, opened in 1977 - it houses the modern art collections of the city.
Suggestions:
1. Take the lift up to the Pompidou Centre's roof . Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; noon - 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
2. Since this area is interesting but not worth a special visit, consider combining it with a stroll through the adjacent Marais, or visit it en route to/from Notre Dame or the Louvre.
9 LATIN QUARTER Michelin Map ref: K13 & 14, J13 & 14
Getting its name from the language used by students in the middle ages, this is the Left Bank of the popular imagination, the focal point of protests in the May 1968 rebellion: a warren of small streets, evidence of student life, cheap restaurants, book shops, and - at the western end, around the church of St Germain des Pres - the cafés made famous by the intelligentsia of the mid-twentieth century: Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp, Café des Deux Magots. There are two big wide streets: boulevard St Michel runs north-south, boulevard St Germain runs west-east.
Suggestions:
1. There are two good ways to combine this area with other sites: A. Cross over from Notre Dame, cut down rue St Julien (by St Julien le Pauvre church, map ref. K14/K15 divide), rue St Severin, and over boulevard St Michel to rue St André des Arts; end at Mabillon (Line 10) or St Germain des Pres (Line 4). B. Cross over from the Louvre on the Pont des Arts (ref J13), go round the righthand side of the Institut de France down rue de Seine; turn left down rue de Buci, which becomes rue St André des Arts, bringing you out at St Michel (Métro, Line 4, RER C).
2. Nearby: the Jardin de Luxembourg (400 metres south of boulevard St Germain) is the ideal place to relax and watch the world go by. Boating pond, greenery, seats. The Palace which overlooks the gardens is used by the French Senate.
Other Things to do / places To See
A. Street Markets: There are many. Try Rue Lepic in the early evening (Blanche Métro, Line 2; map ref D13), rue de Levis (Villiers Métro, Lines 2 and 3; map ref. D10), or rue Mouffetard (Censier Daubenton, Métro Line 7; map ref. M15). Ile de la Cité flower market is in place Lépine (J15).
B. Boat Trips: Pleasure boats go from (amongst other locations) near the Eiffel Tower (Left Bank), Pont d'Alma (Right Bank, map ref. H8), and by the Vert-Galant Square on the Ile de la Cité (map ref: J14). From April to September there is also a 'Batobus' service which stops at Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, Pont des Arts, Notre Dame and Hotel de Ville.
C. Pont d'Alma: If you catch a pleasure boat from Pont d'Alma (map ref. H8, top right corner) you are right by the scene of the car crash which led to the death of the Princess of Wales on 31 August 1997. Flowers are left at the (existing) flame-shaped monument on the west side of the busy road junction; the crash occurred in the underpass, the car entering from the east side having driven along Cours Albert 1st from the Place de la Concorde.