France Travel Guide
Paris
Paris is at once chic and scruffy, traditional and modern, hectic and sedate; there is a large lively immigrant population and all of this adds up to one of the world's most exciting cities to visit.
Under Napoleon, Paris was de facto capital of mainland Europe and there is a tendency for Parisians to continue with this view. Certainly as capital of France the city has maintained its influence as the most significant centre of population, power and commerce in the country. Paris has become the heart of a huge intercontinental travel network. On a map, all roads lead not to Rome but to Paris. The city began life as a fishing village but once Clovis chose it - in the 6th century - as a base from which to administer his kingdom its future was assured.
Where to Go and What to See
The Eiffel Tower
This Parisian icon stands head and shoulders above the rest of the city. Built in 1889 by Gustav Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition it was to have been demolished at the exhibitions end. At the time it was the worlds tallest structure - just over a thousand feet - and on a clear day it can be seen from over forty miles away. Such was the feat of engineering that although it weighs over 7000 tonnes it exerts hardly any pressure on the ground. On a clear day, the views from the top are magnificent.
Hotel des Invalides
Originally built as a home for disabled soldiers this now hosts one of the world's best military museums. It is also home to Napoleons Tomb, which is in a church originally designed as last resting-place of the 'Hotels' instigator Louis XIV.
The museum has military artefacts from across the globe and down the ages but its most significant part is devoted to exhibits from the Napoleonic era.
Montmartre
For a slice of street life, the streets of Montmartre are a must. Originally, a farming community distinguished by its windmills in part it retains something of a rural feel. At other times it is an utterly 21st century place to be, the streets of the Pigalle district are shabby, crowded and lined with sex shops and peepshows. The most popular part for tourists is the area around the Sacre-Coeur. With its five shiny white domes, the basilica has been much derided. It has something of a Byzantine look to it and most of Paris can be seen from the top of the domes.
Montmartre is also famed as an artists colony, at the turn of the 19th century many writers and artists made it their home including Zola and Toulouse-Lautrec. The Moulin Rouge is still there, a slightly disappointing shadow of its former glory.
Bois de Boulogne
For a relaxing stroll amongst trees and flowers, this park is one of Europe's finest.
Arc de Triomphe
This was initiated by Napoleon, in 1806, to celebrate the victories of his armies, ironically it was not completed until 1836, 21 years after Waterloo. It is the worlds largest triumphal arch and is now central to the ceremony of state funerals.
The Arc stands on an island in the middle of the place Charles-de-Gaulle the famed star shaped roundabout that is testimony to the chaotic nature of French driving, allegedly.
The Champs Elysees, the most famous road in Paris, leads from here towards the Louvre via the formal gardens of the Tuileries and the equally chaotic traffic of the place de la Concorde.
Notre Dame
Considered by many to be the finest Gothic Cathedral in the world, this is the building immortalised by Victor Hugo in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. The Cathedral stands on an island in the Seine (Ile de la Cite) the site where Paris was first begun. The cathedral was started in 1160 and completed around 1345 and although time, over enthusiastic revolutionaries and pollution have beset the building it is still stunning. Particular highlights include the massive 31ft Rose Window, the carved stone choir screen and the classic graceful columns sweeping up to the roof. For the brave there is the chance to ascend one of the square towers to get a Quasimodos eye view of the area.
Also worth a look whilst on the island is Sainte Chapelle, another fine example of French Gothic architecture and the Conciergerie. This latter building, despite having been used in happier times by the Kings of France, is most notable for its part in some of the bloodier excesses of the Revolution.
Simple Pleasures
Although a major city, with all the hustle and bustle that entails, Paris is also a place that will allow you to take your time. Take a leisurely stroll, as people have done for many years, along the Left Bank by the Seine. Take an hour or two to sit and have a coffee or an anisette at a street Café, relax and watch the world go by. The French do.
A Word to the Wise
Paris is not the cheapest city in the world to visit and many of the most popular attractions can get crowded in the summer. However, with a little planning, it is possible to find places off the beaten track to eat and to stay that do not cost the earth. Planning is also the key to missing the queues and getting maximum enjoyment. To try and rush Paris would kill the pleasure of the place, there are many churches, museums and galleries, there is the Opera and the Ballet not to mention the shopping. Try and pick from the menu of choices what your favourites are and enjoy them to the utmost.
And now for the piece de resistance...
The Louvre
Until the Revolution, this was a Royal Palace at which point it was first used to exhibit some of the riches of previous Kings. The collection was added to over the years, Napoleon contributed considerably and it is now one of the largest and finest collections in the world.
Due to the scale of the place it is probably impossible to take it all in at one time, be discerning.
The museum is divided broadly into 7 sections; Oriental antiquities, Egyptian antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, Sculpture, Decorative Arts, Painting and Graphic Arts. The painting section is the largest and includes work from all of Europe's finest. French artists are well represented but so too are the Italians, here is where Leonardos Mona Lisa resides. The crush around this lady is least either early or late in the day.
The other lady in demand is the Venus de Milo, a third century Greek statue, found in the Greek and Roman antiquities section.
More controversial and modern is the much criticised glass pyramid that now stands as the main entrance to the museum.
Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
As mentioned previously Paris can be costly although there is, as one might expect a huge amount of choice. This applies to both dining and accommodation. Outside Paris there is also a vast array of places to stay and many people prefer to escape the hurly-burly of the city by doing this.
French food and particularly Parisian food has a world wide reputation, the choice is tremendous and in part reflects the colonial past of the country and the current influx of immigrants from all over. Haute Cuisine in the big hotels and restaurants is expensive but there are plenty of places to choose from that offer excellent food at reasonable prices.
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