400 Steps to the Gargoyles and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

Notre Dame's architechtural beauty will take your breath away. It is one of the most magnificent churches in the world. Definitely climb to the roof and see the gargoyles they are worth every step!

The top of the cathedral was amazing. The gargoyles are all unique and very well preserved even after a thousand years of exposure to the elements. My favorite was the rabbit eater. We took lots of pictures. I couldn't get enough of the view. From the top of Notre Dame you can see all of Paris it seems.

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Address: Ile de la Cité
Website: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/notre-dame/

After our run-through Notre Dame's Nave, we headed across the street to St. Chapelle. I don't know much of the history of La Chapelle except that it was designed as a shrine to house Christ's crown of thorns and the true cross. After flashing our museum cards we were ushered through a pretty thorough security check before we reached the inner courtyard of the Palais de la Justice. Louis IX built the church in the thirteenth century and it is one of Paris' most amazing visual experiences. We entered through a small door on the ground level into an exquisitely colorful chapel with Fleur de Lys, castles and stars painted on the walls and columns. We later learned that the bottom floor was where the servants were allowed to worship. After marveling at the gothic woodwork and the cozy dimensions of the chapel we went up the turret stairs to the upper level.

Emerging from the confines of the passageway we were rewarded by a sight that was absolutely magical. The vaulted roof seemed to be levitating atop a sea of Medieval stained glass in a glorious display of light. The supporting columns were thin and seemed almost invisible. It was difficult to imagine how the structure did not simply collapse upon itself under the weight of the stone roof. Unlike some of the other churches in Paris, St. Chapelle's proportions were smaller, causing the space to feel much more intimate and warm. The rose window above the balcony was equally breathtaking and this space truly felt like the work of divine inspiration. If you ever find yourself in Paris don't skip St. Chapel!

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Phone: 01 53 73 78 50
Address: Boulevard du Palais
Directions: Sainte-Chapelle is inside the Palais of Justice on Ile de le Cité-- a few minute walk from Notre Dame. Métro : Cité, Staint-Michel, or Châtelet. RER: Chatelet -Les-Halles, Saint-Michel
Website: http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Sainte.Chapelle/

After our five hour trek through the Louvre, the cool air outside beckoned. The Tuilleries Garden is peaceful with scattered fountains and beautiful statues. There are folding chairs by the fountains. We sat for a while and watched the water and the pretty manicured grounds beyond. The Arc de Carousel was to our back and the Arc de Triomphe and Cleopatra's Needle could be seen in the distance. The Tuilleries is an excellent spot to take a break from sightseeing.

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Directions: Near the Louvre

Like all churches in Paris, St. Eustache is very old and under massive restoration. It was great to just sit in the dark, watch the votives burn, and stare up at the stone ceiling high above. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Agnes and it's most striking characteristics are the ornate pillars, arches and choir. It is gothic in style on the inside but Renaissance in style on the outside. Some of the famous tombs
inside this church include those of Moliere, Richelieu, and the marquise de Pompadour. On the exterior of the church, there are numerous gargoyles, which makes the architecture particularly admirable.

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Address: 2, Rue du Jour, 75001 Paris

At around noon we headed back and too another train to the Museum D'Orsay. The Orsay used to be a train terminal and it still looks that way: Curved roof, gigantic clock and lots of room. The Louvre moved a few of their collections to the Orsay since they were running out of room (hard to imagine). My favorite pieces were
Van Goh's self portrait and "The Origin of the World" by Courbet. The Orsay was awesome. I liked the layout and the scale. If you are in Paris, don't miss this museum.

Some of the highlighs are works by Manet, Degas, Rodin, Courbet, Van Goh, Cabanel, Ghaughin, Seurat and others.

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Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

Pont Alexandria III is undoubtedly Paris' most beautiful bridge. Definitely cross this bridge before heading towards the Champ Elyses.

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The Cluny Museum was awesome. The tapestries were exquisite! The Unicorn Tapestries were in this circular gray room where the low key lighting accentuated the deep reds and blues. These five pieces have never been separated from one another and they are truly magical. We were awed. We saw the excavated remains of ancient Roman baths, tombs of bishops and crusaders, fragments of manuscripts and stained glass, paintings, sculpture, furniture and much more. The museum itself is gothic in style which is very appropriate. For anyone who enjoys Medieval Art, this is the place to go.

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Phone: 01 44 67 96 60
Address: 6, place Paul Painlevé
Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/