Paris, the most splendid city in Europe
By S. Parthasarathy at spmumbai@hotmail.com
Paris is viewed by many including me, as the most splendid and attractive city in Europe, if not the world. No matter if you come for business or pleasure, your visit to Paris will leave you with deep impressions, from the fashions of the Champs-Elysees to the arts of the Louvre; from the rich history of the Notre Dame cathedral to the modern design of the Centre Georges-Pompidou; from the exciting thrill of Disneyland Paris to the relaxed air of a small cafe -- Paris truly has something to offer to everyone.
The best way to go around in Paris is by public transport which consist of Metro , bus and RER trains. You must first be armed with a map and a book showing all the important places. These are available in every hotel, metro station etc. Paris is divided into a number of zones. While metro and bus mostly cover zones 1 to 3, RER trains cover the rest. All the usual places are within zones 1 to 3, as you can see from the following picture. The best way to cover these would be to buy a Carnet of 10 tickets which costs 52 F while a single ticket costs 8 F. If you also want to cover Airports , Disneyland and Versailles, it will be desirable to buy Paris Visite ticket that gives you unlimited travel for 1 day or Carte Orange ticket that gives you unlimited travel for 3 or 5 days on the selected zones. Carte Orange requires a photograph.
If you are planning to travel out of Paris by train , remember there are a number of railway stations in Paris and you have to know the correct one.The map below shows all the stations. The picture in the centre is the façade of Gare du Nord and on the right is the platform of Gare de l' Est. All of them are connected to metro and some to RER also.
Long distance coaches ( buses) depart and arrive from the coach terminus at Galleini, which is also a metro station within zones 1 to 3.
Contrary to popular belief, a single museum that contains the art from all the ages and all the styles does not exist in Paris. Louvre keeps art from Ancient Age till 1848. If you want to see Impressionists, you have to go to museum d'Orsey. Its exhibition contains Fine Art and craft from 1848 till 1914 and involves styles from Barbison school to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Also, you can see the impressionists in the Orangerie Museum. It also can be named as Museum of the Famous Names or Museum of the Weak Works of the Genius Artists. Next Modern age can be seen in the Art modern de la Ville de Paris museum. And finally, Centre Georges Pompidou - for those, who like contemporary art.Paris is a Photographer's Dream. But film sold in Paris is probably more expensive than anywhere else in the world, you will want to bring a good supply. All the photos appearing here were taken from the internet. You will also find a short description of the scene and nearest Metro station. I found this to be extremely useful and I am sure the information on this page will help you when visiting Paris.
1. Champs Elysees in Christmas Eve.
2. The Seine River in the evening. The high light builing is La Conciergerie, built in the 14th century. This photo was shot from Pont d`Arcole,? near by is the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and Notre Dame (both not in the photo). Metro: No. 1, 11, Hotel de Ville.
3. The Arc de Triomphe, found at the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle Etoile. It is aligned with the Place de la Concorde in one direction and La Defense in the other. RER A, Metro No. 1, 2, 6, Charles de Gaulle Etoile.
4. Place de la Concorde, Built in honour of Luis XV, but had the ironic fate of being chosen as the site of the guillotine which was to behead Louis XVI on 21 January 1793. In 1795, the square was renamed as Place de la Concorde. Metro: 3, 8, 12 Concorde
5. The Eiffel Tower, built in 1889, standing 320.75 meters tall. Access to 3rd level from 9am to 12midnight between 1 July to 30 September, 9:30am to 11pm the rest of the year. Lift to 2nd level: 45F, 3rd level: 60F. Metro No.6, Bir-Hakeim or Trocadero. RER C, Champ de Mars
6. Notre Dame,
Paris' best-known cathedral. Metro No.4 or RER C: Saint Michel
7. Sacre-Caeur, one of the symbols of Paris, Metro No 2, Anvers
8. Louvre. There should be a long story to be told of Louvre: the Palace, the Grand Design, the Pyramid and the Museum. In short, it is the must to visit to Paris. Metro No 1, Musee du Louvre. Open from 9am to 6pm, closed Tuesday and public holidays, 42F. Half rate on Sundays and free on first Sunday of the month.
9. Opera house,
It was started in 1862 and opened in 1875 to entertain the high society of Second Empire. RER A: Auber Metro 3,7,8: Opera
10. Tomb of Napoleon I.
Behind it is millitery Museum, ticket 38f for both. Metro No.8, 12, RER C, Invalides.
11. Moulin Rouge (red windmill),
along is the red light street. Shows in Moulin Rouge from 8:00pm to 10:00pm and 10:00pm to midnight, 550F including 1/2 bottle of Champagne. Metro No.2, Pegalle.
12. Second hand book market near Notre Dame, along the Siene
.You can find old stamps, souvenirs there.
13. Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges- Pompidou .
Though resembling one, it's not a chemical plant, It was considered too shocking for the heart of Pqris and was severely criticised when it was built. Devoted to cotemporrary art, it has been a huge success since it opened in 1977. Open from 12:00 noon to 10:00pm, closed Tuesday. Metro No.1, 11, Hotel de Ville.
14. La Defense, the most morden area in Paris.
At the center is the Grand Arc, aligned with Arc de Triomphe, Louvre. RER A, Metro No.1, La Defense.
15. Chateau de Versailles
was the residence of the court and seat of government on 6 May 1682 and remained so until the Revolution. Perhaps one of the most magnificent buildings in the world. RER C: Chateau de Versailles.
16. Eurodisney .
. RER A is the best way to get to Disney. It takes only about 40 minutes from Gare du Nord, Paris to Disneyland. Passport Prices varies between High season ( summer ) and Low Season . Photo shows the main entrance to Eurodisney.
17. Fountainbleu, located about 64km from central Paris. Take a train from the Gare de Lyon (Paris). Open from 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 5:00pm, closed Tuesday.
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