Eiffel Tower, the best known monument of Paris and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

The Eiffel Tower is a must see and not only because it seems that you can see it from virtually any spot in Paris! It was built for the 1889 world's fair, designed by Gustave Eiffel. It stands 300 meters tall (1000 feet) and weighs 9,700 tons but is said to exert only as much pressure as a man sitting in a chair. Until 1930 it was the tallest structure in the world when it was surpassed by the Chrysler Building in New York.

The Tower was not always regarded as highly as it is today, it was set to be destroyed in the early 1900s when a practical use as a wireless radio antenna was discovered and it was saved. Imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower!

Since January 1, 2000, every hour after dusk, 20,000 bulbs sparkle for ten minutes, a recent article said they were going "green" and cutting the amount of time they sparkle from 400 to 200 hours per year (picture 3). While we were there in August 2008, the sparkle was followed by the Eiffel Tower illuminated in blue with yellow stars to mark France's 6 month presidency of the EU. It was only supposed to be this way for 2 months from June 30, 2008, the eve of the French presidency (picture 2).

On a Chicago note, one of the big concerns for the Columbian Exposition in 1893, coming so soon after the 1889 World's Fair, was that they wanted to "out Eiffel" Eiffel and create something grander than the Eiffel Tower. The Ferris Wheel was the answer, the original has long been gone from it's home in Chicago's Hyde Park but you will find one at every carnival (though not nearly as large).

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Address: Trocadero
Directions: You can't miss it!!!
Website: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/

Most recent visit August 2008

Although many of the figures that you can see from street level on the lower part of the cathedral are true gargoyles, decorative waterspouts used to preserve the building by diverting the rain water away from it, the more photographed figures on the upper levels are grotesques or chimères since they do not appear to function as waterspouts but are still referred to by most people as gargoyles. I didn't see that any of these famous gargoyles had any function besides gazing over Paris and forcing tourists to work off a bit of the rich French food by climbing 387 steps for a better view of them.

Climbing to the top of Notre Dame is really the only way to get a good look at these gargoyles, they are located on the Galerie des Chimères (Grand Gallery) that connects the two towers. The climb is broken down into three stages, the 1st stop in a gift shop, the 2nd stop at the Galerie des Chimères and the 3rd stop at the top of the south tower. No elevators to help you out here!

The current gargoyles on the Galerie des Chimères are not original to the building, they date to the restoration started in 1845 by architect Viollet-le-Duc. Incidentally, Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame was written in 1831 before the renovation by Viollet-le-Duc and one of the original illustrations I saw had a couple of gargoyles on that level, did his illustrations inspire the addition of these gargoyles? Or were these just replacements?

Access to the towers of Notre Dame is included on the Museum Pass but you can't use the Museum Pass to skip the line like you can at other attractions. The line was well over an hour long when we arrived at around 10:30am, just a 1/2 hour after it opened. Someone in front of us said their friends got right in by getting there shortly before it opened. So get here early, especially in peak season!

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Directions: Closest metro: Cite

If you are at Notre Dame, St. Chapelle is very close and definitely worth a visit. Work on the two storied chapel started in 1246, built to house the relics of the True Cross. After waiting in a long security line, presumably because the chapel is next to the Palais de Justice, you enter the lower chapel where the common folk such as servants worshipped. It's beautiful and ornate but nothing compared to the sight you have after heading upstairs to the upper chapel where the king and his courtiers worshipped, 15 brilliant blue stained glass windows make the walls almost entirely of glass. Try to go on a day when the sun is shining through those glorious windows.

The Museum Pass doesn't help you much here, everyone waits in the same security line I think. We didn't visit in 2008, we didn't have time to wait there after the enormous line for the towers of Notre Dame.

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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 Cite-- a few minute walk from Notre Dame. Metro : Cite, Staint-Michel, or Chatelet. RER: Chatelet -Les-Halles, Saint-Michel
Website: http://www.pbase.com/francist/chap&page=all

The Conciergerie, built by Philippe the Fair, was part of the first palace of the kings of France. It became the first Paris prison in 1391 and, despite it's long regal history, became famous during the time of the French Revolution when many were detained here before being taken to lose their heads, compliments of Madame Guillotine. Among the Conciergerie's more famous "guests" were Marie Antoinette and Louis VXI.

Included on the museum pass and easy to combine in a morning with Notre Dame and St. Chappelle.

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without a stroll down the most famous boulevard in Paris, the Champs Elysses. A good place to start, on a beautiful sunny day, is at the Concorde metro station. In the winter, the stroll is best at night, when the trees are lit with white lights.

Gaze into the shop windows as you make your way to the Arc de Triomphe, stop and have a crepe from one of the street vendors along the side.

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After strolling up the Champs Elysses, head over to the Arc de Triomphe, climb up the 284 steps to find an amazing view of Paris and watch all the traffic driving round and round and round from the 12 streets radiating out from the Place Charles de Gaulle where the Arc sits.

It was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon, shortly after his victory at Austerlitz, but it was not finished until 1836.

There are four relief sculptures at the base of the Arc commemorating The Triumph of 1810, Resistance, Peace and The Departure of the Volunteers, more commonly known as La Marseillaise. Beneath the Arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and eternal flame commemorating the dead of the two world wars.

Entrance to the top of the Arc de Triomphe is included on the Paris Museum Pass. Do not stand in the ticket line to purchase tickets if you have the pass. The Arc is open past normal museum hours, until 10:30pm or 11pm, it's a nice place to visit both in the day and evening hours.

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Address: Place Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile
Directions: Metro Line 1, 2, RER A : Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile

Last visit August 2008

The Musee d'Orsay is my favorite art museum in Paris, perhaps even in the world as it features my favorite period for art, impressionism, the collection covers the years between 1848 and 1914 and I believe it is the best impressionist art collection in the world. I think we have visited on each of our 5 trips to Paris, c'est magnifique!

The building itself was built as a train station for the 1900 World's Fair and was opened as the Musee d' Orsay in 1986.

The line for the museum is usually long, I kissed my museum pass as we strolled up to the special entrance and waltzed right in. Worth the price just for that!

If I had just a short period of time I would walk to the opposite end of the museum from the entrance and take the escalators straight up to the 5th level to the impressionist and post-impressionist collection including many works by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas and all of the other famous impressionist painters. You'll also find many of these same artisits on the ground floor in the pre-impressionist collection.

Closed: Monday
opening hours 9:30am-6pm, Thursday until 9:45pm
included on museum pass (make sure to go to special entrance C to skip the ticket queue), discount rate after 6pm on Thursday, 4:15pm other days

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Address: 62 rue de Lille
Directions: Metro: Solferino
Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

Although my favorite art museum in Paris (and perhaps the world) is the Musee d'Orsay, a visit to the Louvre, even for a short bit, is a must see in Paris.

The Louvre is a very, very large place and it is quite useful to sit down with the map and figure out where you are going.

Most people include the following on their must see list at the Louvre-Mona Lisa (good luck getting near to it if it's busy), Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and Michelangelo's Slaves.

The Louvre is included on the museum pass and has a special entrance in the Richlieu passageway for card holders.

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Website: http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home_flash.jsp?bmLocale=en

The Arc du Carrousel, copied from the Arch of Septimus Severus in Rome, was built in 1806-8. The 6 bas-reliefs are of Napoleon's victories in 1805 campaigns.

On the top of the Arc was placed the four bronze horses "borrowed" from St. Mark's in Venice and "returned" in 1815 so the ones seen on top today are replicas.

Before it became a name for a merry go round, Carrousel was a name for a knight's tournament.

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Address: Place du Carrousel, near the Louvre

1/29/06 update: read in the paper that La Samaritaine is closed due to safety violations and that Paris' best department store view is now from the rooftop cafe at Galeries Lafayette, near the old Opera

If you are near the Louvre, take a short diversion and head to the top of the Samarataine for a beautiful view of Paris!

This is one of my favorite Paris tips as it is free and involves a beautiful view of Paris. Take the elevators up to the 9th floor and walk up the stairs to the 19th floor terrace for one of the best views of Paris.

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Address: 19 rue de la Monnaie
Directions: Just to the east of the Louvre, on the same side of the river

metro: Louvre-Rivoli