the centre of traffic madness and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

The Arc de Triomphe stands at the junction of a number of busy roads. To reach the Arc you have to take an underpass. The arch itself is very impressive both inside and out. The inner surfaces are devoted to listing generals of the various battles fought by Napoleon. The outside has statues, and nearby is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the eternal flame.

The Arch was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, but was not completed until 1833-36. It is modelled on the Arch in Rome.

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

The Place des Vosges was originally called the Place Royale. It was built on the site of the Hotel deTourelles, where King Henri II was wounded and died in a tournament. Catherine de Medici had the royal residence demolished and she moved to the Louvre..The Place des Vosges was the model for many squares throughout Europe. It is a true square [140x140 m] and surrounded by linden trees. All the houses were built of the same red brick and have tall sloping roofs with dormer windows. Vaulted arches stand on square pedestals. A statue of Louis XIII was erected in the centre and there are 4 fountains . Today there are flower beds. Access to the square is through triple arches
The square was home to a number of prominent persons like Cardinal Richelieu, Victor Hugo, Madame de Sevigne and others.

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Address: Place des Vosges

The Church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and is based on the Pantheon in Rome.. At the start of the Revolution only the foundations and the grand portico had been finished.
In 1806 Napoleon decided to erect a memorial, a Temple de la Gloire de la Grande Armée ("Temple to the Glory of the Great Army"). There was a competition and a jury to select a design, but the Emperor decided to commission Pierre-Alexandre Barthélémy Vignon to build his design.. The existing foundations were razed, preserving the standing columns, and work begun anew. , but the commemorative role for the temple was superceded by the building of the Arc de Triomphe.
After the fall of Napoleon, King Louis XVIII determined that the structure would be used as a church, and it was finally dedicated to Mary Magdalene. as a church in 1842.

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Centre Georges Pompidou to me is a monstrosity. It looks like some multicoloured factory building, and does nothing to blend in with the buildings around it. Each side has a different look, but none are attractive. The side on the main road is all coloured piping. The front has escalators in plastic/glass tubes worming their way up the building. Nearby is an animated fountain.
However, it seems to be popular as the queues waiting to get in testify. As a result I cannot comment on the contents and art inside.
It was built 1972-6 and opened on January 31 1977.

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Address: Place Beaubourg, 75004
Directions: Métro: Rambuteau ; RER: Châtelet-Les Halles

Montmartre is a beautiful, but very touristic, part of Paris. It is built on a hill and offers fantastic views of Paris. The streets are cobbled and rather uneven, so take care. There are cafes galore, some with historical background.
It is associated with artists like Toulouse-Lautrec and even now artists accumulate in the square with their paintings on display for sale. Stalls sell souvenirs, and of course the main attraction is the Sacre Coeur.
There are so many lovely houses which make the area so photogenic. It definitely is a place not to be missed.

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Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

I've always been attracted to the Sacre Coeur since I saw pictures of it in my French book at school. But must admit that the reality disappointed me somewhat.
The Sacré Coeur Catholic basilica was built at the end of the 19th century at the top of Montmartre hill in Paris. Its famous white wedding cake-like architecture dominates Paris. , and its steps are a welcome place to sit after climbing the steep streets leading to it.. It attracts many pilgrims from all over the world.There are many spectacular views to be seen over Paris from in front of the Sacre Coeur.

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Address: Montmartre
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

The Cathedral was preceded by a Celtic site,Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica, and a Romanesque church. The construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. It was Bishop Maurice de Sully's idea to replace the Romanesque church or cathedral of St. Etienne (founded in 528) - but construction was not completed until nearly 200 years later .

This popular site has a large square in front of it, good for accomodating all the sight seers who want to take pictures, and to queue to go inside. It was too cold and windy the day we went, so we only saw the external features. The facade is beautiful , but I prefer the viw from the back which empasises the sheer bulk of the building, and gives interesting views of the attractive spires.
Well worth the visit on a sunny day.

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Address: Place du parvis de Notre Dame , 75004
Directions: Métro: Cité; RER: Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint Michel-Notre Dame

My first view of the tower was from the hotel breakfast room, but thereafter it cropped up between buildings and trees wherever we went. Enough has been written about it elsewhere. I don't like heights, and wasn't interested in counting the rivets, so was quite happy to see it from a distance which gives a good photograph.
Again it is such an important symbol of Paris that it must be seen. Good viewing can be got from above the Champs de Mars,or from the river itself.
The French were wise not to demolish the tower after the Exhibition ,for which it was built , closed.

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

The Louvre is enormous, and the best way to realise this is from the river. It was originally a palace, before becoming the repository of the treasures of France, including the Mona Lisa, and The Venus de Milo, for example. It needs days to be able to see everything, and we only had two days to enjoy Paris. To get in may take hours of queuing , which we did not have, so will keep the visit for another occasion.
As the Director says: Open to all since 1793. From the outset, the Louvre has embodied the concept of a truly "universal" institution. Universal in the scope of its collections, it is also universal in its appeal to some 6 million visitors every year: a 21st-century museum rooted in 200 years of innovation." How can this be appreciated in only a few hours?

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Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

The Seine is crossed by a variety of bridges, some dating to the 16th century and some more recent. There are cast iron bridges, stone bridges, arched bridges, wide/narrow bridges, some with statues, some only for pedestrians, one for pedestrians, motor vehicles and trains. The best way to see them is by taking cruise along the Seine.
I think the Pont Neuf and Pont Alexandre III are the most interesting.

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Address: along the Seine