"The City of Lights - Paris (under... " a Paris Travel Page by bee77

"I like Frenchmen very much, because even when they insult you they do it so nicely".-Josephine Baker

A quick background on Paris
The capital and largest city of France, in the north-central part of the country on the Seine River. Founded as a fishing village on the Île de la Cité, Paris (then called Lutetia) was captured and fortified by the Romans in 52 b.c. Through the succeeding centuries, Paris has grown to be the commercial and industrial center of France. It is the cultural and intellectual center of international renown. For centuries, the city has cultivated an indefinable unity of atmostphere that has fascinated writers, poets, and painters. Paris is called the City of Light in tribute to it's intellectual preeminence as well as its beautiful appearance.

(I must preface that I was only in Paris for a couple days, therefore my list isn't complete but I think is a good representative of what Paris has to offer.)

1. Eiffel Tower - you just can't beat that view from the top. Plus the structure itself is AMAZING!
2. Musee D'Orsay - dragged the boys here. We didn't have much time but I was in heaven for a couple hours. I'm huge impressionist fan!!
3. Sacre-Coeur/Montemarte - very touristy but great view from the top.
4. Cafes - esp in Latin Quarter (Saint Germain des Prés). They just fascinated me because I've never seen anything like it in the US. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the people-watching.
5. Champs-Elysee Ave - for you shopping fans
6. Arc de Triomphe
7. Le Louvre - ok, so I didn't go, lines were too long but I still say it's a must-see.
8. Notre Dame Cathedral - flowing with tourists though.
9. l'Ile de la Cite - heart of the city.
10. Le Metro - convenient, reasonable and fairly inexpensive way to travel. Love it! A blessed relief after my many hours of commuting by car!

There are so many places to visit and see in Paris that I was a little overwhelmed at first. I was only there for a very short trip (2 days), so we made a point of visiting the major tourist attractions. Perhaps one day in the future, I wil get the chance to visit the other more obscure areas of Paris, as well as take the time to spend more time at each place. We made our round traveling via the Metro and L'Open Tour Bus - which was great because we could hop on/off at any stop. I would recommend the tour for first-timers because the bus stops at over 50 major places and you could spend as much time at each stop if you wished...it is completely flexible. Yes, that green/yellow bus is a sight for sore eyes but it was very convenient. If you're the adventurous type, grab a map and get on the Metro. (C'est fantastique).

August is definitely a "tourist" month and when half the city locals leave the city for their holidays. About 1/3 of the stores/cafes are closed and almost everyone you run into are tourists. You might want to keep that in mind, should you visit in August.

Paris definitely grew on me. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first but as I explored the city (with my brother and friend, Dave), Paris definitely caught my imagination. Like any places, there are good and bad...and things that are just plain ol' different but that's what's wonderful about traveling to new places. You gotta embrace it, and go with it!