The Paris we know and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

My affair

When you are outside - savour her from different angles

believe me the view of Eiffiel tower from different places is so cool and beautiful in their own way ..thats why I have tonnes of photos of this legendary tower , be it from Place de la Concorde , be it from Trocadero, be it from Pont Alexandria , be it from Notre Dame or be it from Pont De Bir Hakiem ...every shot is perfect , every shot is mesmerising ! try to savour her from every angle , not just go up the tower and leave ...

*When you are inside- explore every inch of her

There are two ways in getting up to the tower , if you are lazy or dont feel that fit that particular day , head straight to the line on your right ( if you are coming from Trocadero ) for the lift which will take you up to the tower in a few seconds but we warned that the queue is much longer and its of course much more expensive .

But if you are on a budget or you are so fit that climbing those few hundred steps means no sweat ( like me hahaha- please proceed to the queue or entrance on the left. The reward of climbing would be that you will be able to enjoy the scenery of paris at your own pace at different steps level, you will also see dummy contruction workers hanging on the steel and finally you can declare to the world that you have CLIMBED the Eifiel Tower.

Trust me its a great location for black & white and Sepia pics...so savour each corners and rivets of the tower and soak there for an afternoon just watching the ever-busy mortals below performing their worldly chores...seeing each passing moment of Paris...

see the next tips for more on the stuff on the tower...

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Address: Trocadero
Directions: You can't miss it!!!

A small wish - Did you know that I did not go up to the Effiel Tower during my 2004 trip in Paris eventhough I was hanging around there for about 1 week ? I made a wish, and in 2005 I am there again and I finally climbed the tower because I have a reason to do so now ...I guess its the right time ...becos my little wish came true ....

Do you know ?
1) Built in 1889 originally for Universal Exhibition and Centennial of the French Revolution

2) Number matters ...2,500,000were used to hold the
18,038 steel pieces together and 352 lighting projectors of 1000 watts are
used illuminate the icon of love.

3) That the pressure on the foundation of the Eiffiel tower is said to be the same as the
pressure of a chair ?

4) Her maximum sway in wind is 12 cm

5) She was the tallest Structure in the World: 1889-1930 (until Chrysler Building toppled
her )..sigh ..now probably she is not even near the top 10 list of the tallest structure in the
world.

5) There were Parachute Descent: 1984 by two Englishmen,Bicycle Descent: 1923 Journalist
( one is said to have not make it ...maybe you wanna find out when you are up there )

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Warning - The Eiffel Tower is about the only tourist site in Paris that does not participate in the Museum Card, which allows admission to about 90 sites for a fixed discount price

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Link on official website of the tower - http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/
Link to the entrance fees - http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/pratique/acces/page/tarifs.html?id=2_3

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Address: Trocadero
Directions: You can't miss it!!!

This place is probably overshadowed by the towering Eiffel just a stone throw away from it ...but just like life itself ...if you cant fight it then ...might as well join it ! Thus, I guess the Palais de Chailot and Trocadero fountains have been living side by side with the majestic tower, complementing it with her own history and provide one of the most stunning platform to view the Lady of Paris ....Built by architects Carlu, Boileau and Azema in 1937 at a time when the French colonial empire was only second to the British, it is only natural that a Navy Museum which showcase the grandeur and supremacy of the French Navy over 3 centuries is conceived here in the Palais. ( Visit pass to this museum is part of the Musee and Monument pass ).

Unfortunately the Mankind Museum which shares the same residence here is somewhat not as famous as the Navy Museum. If the Navy Museum displays the grandeur of the French Navy this Mankind Museum which was formerly know as Museum of Ethnography gives you a glimpse into what the French Explorers find during their voyages to the New World ( could have been a cool museum for the locals to have a glimpse of the new land found by their explorer but now perhaps its hey day is slowly passing.

Trocadero fountains

This place is also named the Trocadero as a remembrance of the French victory in Spain in 1823. At that time, the French king intervened there to help restore the Spanish absolute monarchy.

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Address: Place du Trocadero
Directions: Metro:Trocadero

This is the second place which you should not miss ...besides Louvre ...I purposely visit only one museum during each of my visit to Paris, so I have the whole week enjoying other beauty of paris ( or just do nothing in Paris lol) and I think you should do the same else you will be experiencing the " stendhal's " syndrome . I read about this during my trip in Florence , it supposedly means dizzying disorientation some tourists experience when they encounter masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. Trusr me , Louvre alone is enough to give you a stendhal's syndrone because it is much much bigger than the Uffizi in Florence, so be very careful in choosing the number of museums to visit during yoour trip in Paris.

People say it picks up where the Louvre stops ...how true ...where you can be mesmerised by the various art schools and movement from Neo-Classicism to Realism to Naturalism to Nabism and others ..which starts around the 18 th century ..

A brillian collection of workds from great artist like Renoir , Monet , Van Gogh , Manet and Redon Odilon . Besides the must see of the above artist. There are others which will captivate you ( it has captivated me which surprisingly come from the Naturalism movement )

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Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay station
Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

I was walking to and fro this bridge ...no , not because its too enchanting ...but because I forgot to visit some over here and there and I was desperately looking for some water. Saw so many Asian couple taking their wedding photos here ....hmmm..so dear VTers who are tying the knot soon ....here is the place

The history
Alexander III Bridge) is Paris's most elegant bridge, ornamented with fine sculpture work, adding its own charm to an already beautiful site. The golden mythical and biblical statues which adorn the bridge makes other bridges pale in comparison , I have see the Charles bridge in Prague and have to say that Pont Alexander III is more amjestic ...but again ...they have different history and beauty of their own.

Built in only in a short period of two years by the engineers Résal and Alby, the first stone was placed by Tsar Nicholas II,but the structure was only opened at the 1900 Universal Exhibition.The keystones are decorated with two compositions in beaten copper representing, upstream, the Nymphes de la Seine (the Seine Nymphs) repesenting the arms of Paris, while tthe downstream, the Nymphes de la Néva (Nymphs of the Neva) the arms of Russia by G. Récipon.

On the bridge parapet, at the foot of the pillars, are four enchanting or should I say dramatic groups of water spirits (nymphs) with fish and seashells sculpted in beaten copper by L. Morice and A. Massoule, while the four monumental candelabra surrounded by cupids and sea monsters are by the sculptor, H. Gauquic. Please make sure that you stock enough water supply coz you will be taking lots of pictures here and my experience told me that you have to walk quite a distance to get a bottle of water.

To get to the Pont Alexander III:

Left Bank: exit Métro Les Invalides, head north toward the Seine

Right Bank: exit Métro Champs-Elysées Clemenceau, go south toward the Seine on Avenue Winston Churchill.

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Ever wonder what an Obelisk is doing in Paris ? Isnt it supposed to be in Egypt ?

Well it actually comes from Luxor. Mehemet Ali, vice king of Egypt, gave it to France in 1829. It marked initially the entrance of the Amon temple, palace of Ramses III. Its twin is still in place in Luxor.

Whats written there ?

Nevermind . But when you walk closer you will notice that the whole column is bathed in hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs was the writing of the Ancient Egypt and the word "hieroglyph" means "sacred writing".

This monolith has been cut in a single block of pink granite, it is 23 m high and 1.70 m large at its base. Its weight is 230 t. The stone comes from the quarry of Syene. The surface of the needle is burnished, and 3 columns of hieroglyph are engraved on each face. They relate the reigns of Ramses II and III. It was carried out around 1550 B.C.

The transport from Luxor to Paris requires a journey of more than 2 years. That I believe is a pure showcase of man's determination or perhaps a King's gesture of friendship ? The task is quite huge that a special boat had to be built to allow it to sail on the Nile, on the Mediterranean Sea, around the French Atlantic coast, and on the Seine River with such a heavy load.

After the obelisk landed in France , it was gloriously erected at the Concorde Square on 22 October 1836 and the day marks the begining of a new icon in Paris, though foreign but blends with the Parisian mood beautifully.

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Will you see a Concorde here ?

Besides being the chopping place during the French Revolution , this place offers a great view of Paris, some nice shots and a little sprinkle from the huge fountain. But remember dont stand too long near the fountan , coz you might be blocking someone's photography session - of course that happened to me , sigh. Move your butt my friend ...

Why not get lost in the middle of the square , amidst the buzzing cars and surrounded my monuments of the past ...all in one ..one in all...

the history if you are interested

The Place de la Concorde, which is the largest place in Paris, is situated along the Seine and separates the Tuilerie Gardens from the beginning of the Champs Elysées. It is in the 8th arrondissement, or district, of the city.
Jacques Ange Gabriel, Louis XV's architect, began construction in 1754 and completed it in 1763. It was thus called the Place Louis XV. The place was constructed to hold an equestrian statue of Louis XV that the city of Paris commissioned in 1748 from Bouchardon to offer to the king. The place formed an octagon bordered by large moats that no longer exist. In contrast to older places that were closed, la Place de la Concorde, largely open, served as an intersection as well as a decoration. The equestrian statue marks the intersection of two principal axis: the East-West axis from the perspective of the Tuilerie Gardens and the Champs Elysées, the North-South axis from the perspective of la rue Royale and the bridge created in alignment. With respect to urban accomplishments, it is the greatest achievement of the Enlightenment in the capital.

It became the Place de la Révolution and held in its center the guillotine that executed in particular Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton, Robespierre, and 2800 others between 1793 and 1795. It is said that the smell of blood was so strong that a herd of cattle refused to cross the place.

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Address: Metro 1, 13 : Concorde

I guess the tower is much more famous than the church , that is why you got to pay €6.00 to go up there. If you wanna see some Gargoyles and The Hunchback But when I was there it was free, coz its National Heritage day

Warning - Not for the weak hearted coz there are many steps to climb and the stairway is very narrow.Plus some passage way on top of the tower is very very narrow. So dont wear your branded clothes :-)

and the small door ( I would call it a small opening ) to go up to see the Notre Dame bell is even more daunting ...but if you are there arent you gonna visit Guasimodo ??

But when you are up there, you will realise its worth it, you get to see the Seine River, Sacre Cour and Pantheon to name a few.

The view up there ? One word - splendid !!!!

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Address: Ile de la Cité

When I visited this place ...the entrance fees was waived ...see how good planning can save you a few Euro ..why free ? cos its some Heritage Day Celebration ...what can I say ? Merci Beaucoup

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Part of the first palace of the kings of France (They later moved to the Louvre palace), the Conciergerie (right on the picture) became the first Paris prison in 1391.

Located on the Cité island (below on the picture) near-by the Notre-Dame cathedral and the Sainte-Chapelle, it became famous during the 1789 French revolution: in 1793 and 1794, 2780 men and women were sentenced to death and detained in the Conciergerie until they left for the Concorde square where they were beheaded. Marie-Antoinette, queen of France and sister of the king of Austria, was among them.

The Conciergerie well deserves a visit for its history and Gothic architecture. It includes three superb Gothic halls from the 14th century. Its facade on the Seine river (above) is a reminder of Paris during the Middle Ages.

The Conciergerie is located 1, quai de l'horloge 75001 Paris. It is open from 10am to 5pm, or 6pm (from April to September). Its visit can be combined with the visit of the Sainte-Chapelle. Save time and money using the Museum and Monument pass.

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When I visited this place ...the entrance fees was waived too :-)...see how good planning can save you another few Euro ..viva la.. Heritage Day Celebration ...what can I say ? Merci Beaucoup ....Je'taime paris...

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A little history

Beautiful and gigantic murals of St Genevieve adorned all the walls and there is a crpyt down which house famous French man and women , amongst them

Louis Braille - Cell 25
Marie and Pierre Curie - great scientists. Cell 8
Victor Hugo - writer. Crypt XXIV
Emile Zola - writer. Crypt XXIV
Alexandre Dumas, Sr - writer. Crypt XXIV
Voltaire - philosopher
Jean-Jacques Rousseau - musician and philosopher

History

While Louis XV was taking care of his health, he promised that if he recovered, he would build a church to replace the half-ruined Abbey of St. Genevieve. Situated on the Montagne St-Genevieve, it had a commanding view of the city. The foundations were laid in 1758, but due to financial difficulties, it was completed in 1789. Revolutionaly government changed its mission from a church to a mausoleum for the remains of great Frenchmen.

Daily: Apr-Sept 09h30-18h30; rest of year 10h00-18h15. Admission: EUR7; Concessions: EUR4.15. Under-12s: Free. CMM

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Phone: 33 1 43 54 34 51
Address: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris