Every single day that I spent in Paris, I walked around as much as I could and took in all the sights. Naturally, I couldn’t come to Paris and not be at least somewhat of a tourist, so I hit nearly all the famous places, saw the sights, ate the baguettes, and enjoyed every minute of it!
La Notre Dame
There is something divine about churches that incessantly draws me to them. The peace, quiet, and cleanliness in a church are reflected on me upon entering and spending some time within the haven - away from the outside elements, bustling crowds, and annoying noises. I can’t say that I am religious, but there is certainly some sort of spiritual part in me that thrives in churches. Not all, I must add, but the Notre Dame is certainly one that I feel at peace in. It’s beauty, history, magnitude, and shelter (and of course the wonderful garden area behind it) make it a must-see monument for anyone traveling to Paris.
La Tour Eiffel
From any angle, any distance, and in any light, the Eiffel Tower is probably Paris’ most famous landmark. During the day, it towers high above the rooftops and shows off its grandeur. But once the sun sets, it’s most sought-after secret is revealed: a thousand sparkling lights contrasting the night sky, indulge visitors in a dazzling light show, displaying the most magical sight in Paris.
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Historic, monumental, tombs out of aged stone covered in moss and wild flowers fill every inch of this cemetery, where thousands of people rest in peace. Many are famous - Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde - and many bear classic French names that have been passed down for centuries. On a gloomy day like the one during which I visited, the Père Lachaise takes on a mystical and intriguing air, making it an almost spooky, bone-chilling place for a stroll.
Le Louvre
Ah the Louvre - brings back flashes of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, one of my favorite books. The glass pyramid and the repurposed palace give the museum the air of cordiality and importance. Seeing as it is the most famous French museum, even on the off-season days, the entrance lines are infinitely long; and though the original Mona Lisa (La Joconde) is housed within, I, remembering how small and inaccessible she is, decided against visiting this time.
Instead, I visited the Musée d’Orsay, where there was a temporary Van Gogh exhibit in addition to many of my favorite impressionist paintings. Definitely worth visiting and purchasing the audio guide for additional interesting information about select works of art.
In one of my favorite arrondissements - Le Quartier Latin - I remember this fountain from my first ever visit to Paris when I was very young, when I fell in love with the city, country, and the language, prompting me to learn French in middle school and throughout high school. Though a very touristy area, it’s very lively and interesting in itself, so the many tourists do not detract from the experience at all.
Fontaine Stravinski - Centre Pompidou
So many great associations with this fountain, where many of these quirky sculptures spew water and add to the unique atmosphere of the Centre Pompidou, which is an inside-out building nearby. In middle school, we had an assignment to draw a post card depicting something famous in France and I chose to draw this exact sculpture. It’s so nice and heartwarming to see that through all these years, such a wonderful part of Paris has not changed and still brings back happy memories.
How are the Parisians? Are you trying to speak French? I may be going through Paris too in a few months...
ReplyDeleteThe Parisians are great! Nothing to complain about, though right now I'm in Lyon and compared to here, the Parisians are not as friendly. Because Paris is such a big, metropolitan, bustling city, the life is very fast paced and the people reflect that a lot. I would compare Paris to New York, but Paris is much cleaner and less sketchy for the most part.
DeleteEverywhere I go in France I try to speak French but in Paris as soon as they would find out that I spoke English fluently, they would speak English to me and not give me a chance to practice my French. Here in Lyon, however, (blog post to come) people actually speak French to me; not sure whether that's because less people know English or because they are more compassionate.
But overall, I absolutely love Paris - there's so much to see, even besides the main attractions. I could walk around Paris all day and not get bored because everything is so captivating and beautiful. I highly recommend visiting it if you haven't already. Spring is gorgeous, but from what I remember, the summer is also wonderful and not too hot.