Arrondissement

Each arrondissement has its own unique character and selection of attractions for the traveller:

• 1st | 1er. This is the centre of Paris. Included here is the Musée du Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, Les Halles, Palais Royal, Comédie-Française, and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel .

• 2nd | 2e. This is the central business district , the Bourse (the Paris Stock Exchange), Passage des Panoramas.

Take the time to enjoy the bars and restaurants in the Montorgueil area.

• 3rd | (3e). Archives Nationales, Musée Carnavalet, Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers, Hôtel de Soubise, and the northern, quieter part of the Marais.

• 4th | (4e). For many of our trips to Paris we stay in this arrondissement - in an area known as Le Marais. Major sights include the Notre-Dame de Paris, the Hôtel de Ville (Paris city hall), Hôtel de Sully, Rue des Rosiers and the Jewish Quartier, Beaubourg, Le Marais, Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville - a busy department store, Centre Georges Pompidou with is impressive art collection, l'atelier Brancusi, Place des Vosges,and the scenic Île Saint-Louis.

• 5th | (5e). Jardin des Plantes, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Musée de Cluny, The Panthéon, Quartier Latin, Universités, La Sorbonne, Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, Église Saint-Séverin, La Grande Mosquée.

• 6th | (6e). Jardin du Luxembourg as well as its Sénat, Place Saint-Michel, Église Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Germain des Prés.

• 7th | (7e). Tour Eiffel and its Parc du Champ de Mars, Les Invalides - it also holds a military museum that is very interesting, the Musée d'Orsay in the previous railway station is a stunning art gallery, and Pthe arisian mega-store Le Bon Marché.

• 8th | (8e). The famous Champs-Elysées - which we have found to be a somewhat over-rated walk, the Arc de Triomphe which is worth a visit, the Place de la Concorde, le Palais de l'Elysée, Église de la Madeleine, Gare Saint-Lazare, Grand Palais and Petit Palais.

• 9th | (9e). The Opéra Garnier, the department store Galeries Lafayette, and the Folies Bergère.

• 10th | (10e). The Canal Saint-Martin which is very pleasant for an early morning walk, Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Passage Brady, Passage du Prado, and Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.

• 11th | (11e). The Église Saint-Ambroise - which is on the list of churches for the church tour of Paris..

• 12th | (12e). Opéra Bastille - the new Opera House, Bercy Park and Village, Promenade Plantée, Quartier d'Aligre, Gare de Lyon, Cimetière de Picpus.

• 13th | (13e). Quartier la Petite Asie, Place d'Italie, Gare d'Austerlitz.

• 14th | (14e). Cimetière du Montparnasse - the cemetery of many of France's intellectural and artistic elite. Gare Montparnasse, La Santé Prison, Denfert-Rochereau and the Paris Catacombs.

• 15th | (15e). Tour Montparnasse, Porte de Versailles.

• 16th | (16e). Palais de Chaillot, Musée de l'Homme, the Bois de Boulogne, Cimetière de Passy, Parc des Princes, Musée Marmottan-Monet, Trocadéro, and Avenue Foch.

• 17th | (17e). Palais des Congrès, Place de Clichy, Parc Monceau, Marché Poncelet.

• 18th | (18e). Montmartre Cemetery - built below street level in the hollow of an old quarry. Main entrance off Avenue Rachel under Rue Caulaincouret. Montmartre, Pigalle, Barbès, Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, Église Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre.

• 19th | (19e). Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Cité de la Musique, Canal de l'Ourcq - more for cycle or boat trips away from Paris than through the City, and Canal Saint-Denis - this canal is not scenic, instead go visit the Canal Saint-Martin.

• 20th | (20e). Cimetière de Père Lachaise - the largest cemetery in Paris. Located on Boulevard de Ménilmontant. Métro station Philippe Auguste (Line 2) is by the main entrance. The Metro Station Père Lachaise (Line 3) 500 metres from a side entrance. The Gambetta stop (Line 3) is by the entrance near the tomb of Oscar Wilde. From there it is a downhill to visit the rest of the cemetery. This is the cemetry where Jim Morrison of the Doors is buried and you can expect crowds near his tomb.

• La Défense. Although it is not officially part of the city, this skyscraper district on the western edge of town known for its modern architecture and public art. I must admit, despite the travel time to get there, I enjoyed a morning walk around La Défense.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Built in the 12th and 14th Century is the one of the most recognizable cathedrals in Europe. Climb the towers to go to the roof and see the gargoyles up close. Take some time to walk around the back side of the cathedral to see the flying arches that make the building of the structure possible. Of course, walk through the cathedral which is rather dark and, on a sunny day, have light shine through the stained-glass windows leave an impression you will never forget.

This is a very important structure to France. In fact, French roads have distances that are measured from the 0 km that is marked by a square in front of the entrance to the cathedral.

 

Arc de Triomphe

I don't know why it took a number of visits to Paris before I toured the inside of the Arc de Triomphe. Well worth it. From the top you look out and see the twelves roads that radiate from the traffic circle. Most of the roads are named after one of Napoleon's battles.

Naploeon has it build in 1806 and it was completed some 30 years later. The structure is covered with reliefs and sculptures that depict scenes of Napoleon's battles.

 

Tour Eiffel

The Paris landmark. Standing 324 metres and weighing 10,000 tons it was built for the 1889 World Fair. It took two years to complete. It did not go over well with Parisians when it was built and in 1909 it was almost taken down. But, because it was great for antenna it was left and now... well it is Paris.

You can walk the stairs, not for free however, or take one of the elevators that travel up the east, west and north pillars. We have always taken the lift.

Go up to the top platform for great views.

Metro: Bir-Hakeim - this is on the Line 6 route and it runs above the ground so you get to see the Tower as your approach the station. Or, Trocadéro if using Line 9.
RER: Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel.

Of course, there is an iPhone App.

 

The Louvre

 

This is the world's largest museum. Plan to see a section and enjoy it. If you try to see to much it all just becomes a blur.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays. You can buy advance tickets from the Louvre's website.

The Louvre Palace was built in the 12th Century and then rebuilt and expanded many times. Only a portion of the 12th century walls are visible in one area.

In 1682 Louise XIV decided to live at the Palace of Versailles and the Louvre became a place to house the royal collection. During the French Revolution it was decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum. It opened to the public in 1793.

The collection expanded under Napoleon, however, when he was defeated at Waterloo, part of the collection was returned to the original owners. The collection grew again in size under Louis XVIII and Charles X.

Many want to see the paintings and sculptures. Two glass-roofed sculpture courts contain the famous Marly horses on the ground floor of Richelieu. The Italian Renaissance pieces are in the Denon wing. The Grand Galerie and Salle de la Joconde have the Mona Lisa. Great ready for an unbelievable crowd of people.

Metro: Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre station

 

Galeries Lafayette

After a few days of galleries and museums the only gallery I want to talk about is the stunning department store Galleries Lafayette. Located on Boulevard Haussmann and just up from the Opera House.

While there are Galeries Lafayeete in major cities across France, the Paris store is the most spectacular.

There are actual three separate buildings and mens wear is in a building all its own.

The main building has a massive attrim under a dome all in impressive art-deco architecture.

The food floor is also great where we will pick up some fantastic food and then head out for picnic along the river.

The restaurant at the top of the store offers very good food at reasonable prices. It feels so good to sit, enjoy some wine and classic steak and fries. Nothing gets more French than that for lunch!

Metro: Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette
RER: Auber

 

Métro | Metropolitain

The metro signs and a fair amount of the "modern" architecture is art deco - love it - again check out the classic Metro Signs like that at the Chatelet Station, pictured to the left.

The Métro opened in July 1900 and has expanded to the full network it is today. There are 16 different lines and by using the Métro you will be able to travel to just about everywhere in Paris.

Plan your trip, check the name of the final destination on the line as that will tell you what line/platform to look for.

Your Métro ticket can be used on a Zone 1 RER train.

You can buy tickets one at a time from a attendant (where available) or a machine. Also, a package of 10, a carnet (car-nay) is another means of reducing the overall cost. It is better to have tickets always on you as some of the stations will not have attendants.

The RER is the Regional Express Network, there are five lines (A to E) and they run from central Paris to much of the Ile-de-France. The trains are faster as there are typically less stations. There are fare zones.

Sacré-Coeur Basilica

A visit to the Sacré-Coeur is a double win. Not only because the church itself is stunning, but from the top of the hill there are incredible views of Paris. Plan to visit it in the early evening as the light starts to fade and Paris begins to sparkle.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart started construction in 1875 and was fully completed in 1914.

The three arches of the main portico has statues of Joan of Arc and King Saint Louis IX.

The bell is one of the heaviest in the world and weights 19 tons.

Outside the church is a shinning white structure. Inside is is dimly lit. The apse mosaic is the largest in the world.

You can climb to the top of the dome, and it gives you, after the Eiffel Tower, one of the highest views of Paris. While the church is open from 6 am to 11 pm the Dome and the crypt close at 6 pm. So if you go in the evening to see the lights of Paris you will not be able to climb the Dome.

Metro: Anvers or Abbesses
Funicular: from Abbesses station for the price of one Métro ticket.

Canal Saint-Martin

Maybe on your first visit to Paris you may not get up to walk along the Canal Saint-Martin, but on your second, third and ongoing visits here is one of the quite and scenic moments in Paris.

Napolean I, in 1802, directed the Canal to be built and it was paid for by a new tax on wine - now in France, that would raise a lot of money!

It was an important route, but by the 1960s traffic along the canal was very litte. It almost was filled in and became a road but luckily it was saved. There are sections of the canal, from Rue du Faubourg du Temple to the Place de la Bastille where the canal is now covered.

I am not sure what I was expecting when I head out to see the canal the first time. It is right in the city, running along some very busy streets. On Sundays, two streets running parallel to the canal, Quai de Valmy and Quai de Jemmapes, become pedestrian and cyclist only.

Metro:
Lines 4 & 7: Gare de L'Est
Lines 3, 5, 8, 9 & 11: République
Line 11: Goncourt
Line 5: Jacques-Bonsergen

Panthéon

Panthéon means every god, and while this was originally a church dedicated to S. Genevieve and held her rrelics, there have been numerous changes and now the Panthéon is a mausoleum holding the remains and distinguished people of France.

 

Looking for Food

Food is all over Paris. But one of the the more famous strees is the Rue Mouffetard in the 5th arrondissement. This is where famed chef Julia Child shopped! There is an open market also.

Travel + Leisure Magazine ranked Maison Kayser, rue Monge, 14 in the 5th arr) as being the spot. Pierre Hermé at 72 rue Bonapart is always noted as one of the places to go for the best croissant.