EIFFIL TOWER and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

The Eiffel Tower (French: Tour Eiffel, /tuʀ ɛfɛl/) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River in Paris. The tower has become a global icon of France and is one of the most recognizable structures in the world

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

The Seine (pronounced [sɛn] in French) is a major river and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie in France. It is also a tourist attraction, with excursion boats offering sightseeing tours of the Rive Droite and Rive Gauche within the city of Paris.
The Seine river in Paris offers some of the greatest urban landscape in the world.

You will best discover this landscape through a walk on the left bank quays or on a river cruise.

From Bercy upstream to the Orsay museum downstream, you can leisurely walk on the left bank quays as long as you want and admire the perfect Parisian landscape.
Always remember Paris is a city that you will best discover by just walking around.

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Directions: Walking couples give the left bank quays a romantique atmosphere unique to Paris.

In the heart of Paris, alongside a beautiful and historic river, take your time and envoy Paris at her best

The Gothic loftiness of Notre-Dame dominates the Seine and the Ile-de-la-Cité as well as the history of Paris. On the spot where this majestic cathedral now stands, the Romans had built a temple to Jupiter, which was followed by a Christian basilica and then a Romanesque church (the Cathedral of St. Etienne, founded by Childebert in 528).
Seen from the exterior, the building appears to be High Gothic. Notable features include the profusion of colonnettes and tracery screens, the horizontal and vertical ordering of the facades, the imposing size of the rose windows, and the delicacy of the flying buttresses

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

The Triumphal Arch dates back to 1806, when Napoléon commissioned Chalgrin to build an arch to the glory of the French Army. Construction on the Arch began in 1806, restarted in 1825, and was not finished until 1836. The Arc de Triomphe is built on the model of ancient Triumphal Arches, but it stands alone because of its monumental size: 50 meters tall and 45 meters wide (164 by 148 feet). The four magnificent high reliefs are crowned by Rude's masterpiece, "The Departure of the Volunteers in 1792".

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

Champs-Elysées (The Elysian Fields) is probably the most famous promenade in Paris and one of the best-known in the world. Its name is taken from “Elusia” that in Greek mythology meant a place where heroes come to relax.
It stretches from the Palace de la Concorde in the east to the Arc de Triomphe that stands on the square of Charles de Gaulle in the west. Its western end is bordered by many luxury shops, cinemas, theatres, night clubs, cafés and fast foods. The other end is surrounded by the Champs-Elysées Gardens (Jardins des Champs-Elysées). This stunning arranged area is decorated with some fountains and there are grand buildings including the Grand Palais and the Petite Palais (both originally built as temporary constructions for World Fair) at the southern side and the Elysées (the residence of French Presidents since 1873) at the northern side of the Gardens
Nowadays it is the place where Parisians celebrate most of the major events, such as New Year’s Eve, military parades held on the National Holiday on the 14th July or such events as celebrations of the victory in the World Cup football in 1998. It is also famous for being the last stage of Tour de France. Similarly in the past, Champs-Elysées was the place where many events were celebrated, like the liberation at the end of the World War II.

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Equestrian statue. Originally ommissioned in 1874 by Napoleon III; this is a revised version of the statue Frémiet made at that time.

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Address: Rue de Rivoli - Place des Pyramides
Directions: In front of Hotel Regina, in case you "fall" on it by chance !!

The Louvre is an immense and old palace of Kings of France, turned into the biggest museum in the world. The Louvre Museum (French: Musée du Louvre) has been for the first time opened to the public in November 1793, during the French Revolution, almost a month after an execution of the King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette.
The last buildings of the palace were built in the second half of the 19th century. It is only in 1989 that an important addition to the Louvre has been completed – a 70 x 70 meters big, underground reception hall for the visitors of the museum, lit with the natural coming from the glass pyramid built on its roof.
Designed by American Chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei, the pyramid has a square base with each side 35 meters long. It is covered by almost 700 glass panes and the whole mythology has been created around their exact number (678 according to some people, 666 according to the others), as having a special meaning, or a magic power.

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Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

Les Invalides comprises the largest single collection/complex of monuments in Paris, including:

Musée de l'Armée
Musée des Plans-Reliefs
Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération
L'Eglise de St-Louis-des-Invalides

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The idea to build the Sacré Coeur Basilica (The Basilica of the Sacred Heart) was initiated by two influential businessmen Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Rohault de Fleury just after the war of France with Germany in 1871. They vowed that if the war will end and Paris will be spared, they would build a church as redemption for the people of Paris for their sins.
In 1873, the project to build the church has been approved by the French National Assembly and a competition among the architects has been announced. The project by Paul Abadie to build an immense basilica in a Romano-Byzantine style has been selected among the 78 projects. The construction was completed in 1914, in the eve of the next Franco-German war.
Today, the high, white dome tower of Sacré Coeur built on the top of the Montmartre hill is the highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower, with a view of Paris and its suburbs stretching until the distance of 50 km.

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Directions: Montmartre is one of the few hills in Paris, and the views from the church square are magnificent. In fact, next to the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur is the second highest point in Paris.
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

Montmartre was a little village on the outskirts of the city of Paris until it was discovered by artists in the nineteenth century.
Montmartre is one of the few hills in Paris, and the views from the church square are magnificent. In fact, next to the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur is the second highest point in Paris.
Montmartre still retains its village qualities. Old houses jostle together in its narrow lanes.

In the 19th century, artists liked the quality of light on this hill, out of the smoke, grime and noise ofthe centre of Paris. Many famous painters lived and worked here, Van Gogh, Lautrec, Seurat, Monet etc.

It is still the haunt of artists but today these are painters who provide the tourist market with souvenirs. The Place du Tertre at the foot of the hill comes to life with artists' easels during the afternoons. It is also reputed to be the place in Paris where you are most likely to have your pocket picked .... so be careful when you visit!
The streets surrounding Sacré Coeur and Montmartre come to life in the evening. The police presence keeps a watchful eye

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