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Paris District Guide

Once just a village that settled on the "Ile de la Cité" (City Island) on the confluence of the Seine's two branches, Paris has vastly expanded over the centuries, taking the surrounding villages under its wing and making them its own. Nowadays the City of Light - a name Paris earned during the age of the Enlightenment - is made up of several arrondissments or districts, numbered from 1 to 20 and logically ordered with the 1st in the centre and the others following on in a clockwise spiral. The differences are vast and varied between the districts, both in terms of the populations and attractions, which together make up the multifaceted city we know and love.

Paris The Main Sights

The best place to start is at the most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower. Try to get there for 9am to beat the queues. You might feel energetic enough to climb the 360 steps to the 1st level but, of course, the most spectacular panorama is from the 3rd level, up at 274m and accessible by lift only.

After viewing from on high, you can get a closer look at some of these monuments by taking a relaxing boat trip along the Seine. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, cross the main road towards the Pont de l'Alma bridge and go down a flight of steps on your right, following signs to the "Bateaux Parisiens". The one-hour rides start and finish here; they leave twice an hour during peak periods and a guide provides an interesting multi-lingual commentary.

Back at the Pont de l'Alma, cross the bridge and walk up through the Trocadéro gardens to the Esplanade. You'll be feeling hungry now, but if you fancy a change of scene, head for the métro, take line 6 to Charles de Gaulle Etoile and exit on the Champs-Elysées for a great choice of fast-food and traditional eateries.

Once on the Champs Elysees, you can head for the Arc de Triomphe via the underpass, and even go up to the top; whether you choose to do this or not, you should definitely walk down the "world's most beautiful avenue". It is very long but you can hop on a No. 73 bus going downhill to see it all. At the bottom of the Champs Elysées you will hit the Place de la Concorde with its Egyptian Obelisk. A leisurely stroll through the Tuileries gardens will then take you to the Louvre and its controversial pyramid entrance. You can either have a look inside, visit an exhibition or have a snack in one of the many cafés in the Carrousel.

Another 15-minute stroll along and across the Seine, or a métro ride from Louvre to Hotel de Ville (line 1), will take you to Notre-Dame Cathedral to view the exquisite Gothic architecture and stained-glass windows, before taking a well-deserved rest.

Paris Hotel de Ville, le Marais, Places des Vosges, Bastille
This tour concentrates on a relatively small area of Paris where there is a lot to see and do.

Start at Hôtel de Ville (métro lines 1 & 11), Paris' City Hall. The intricately decorated façade is exquisite but guided tours are rather complicated to organise, so simply linger a while and enjoy the splendour of the outside.

From Hotel de Ville, head 200m north up the Rue du Renard, to the multi-coloured, Pompidou Centre, also called Beaubourg. There may be an exhibition you're interested in, but even if there isn't, take the escalators up to the roof for the view and maybe a coffee. Outside, groups of musicians and artists will entertain you at all times of day and night, and the neighbouring streets are great for souvenir hunting.

On the northern side of Beaubourg, go east along Rue Rambuteau. This is a typical Parisian market street where you can buy food for a picnic, or stop at one of the cafés or wine bars - but be careful; the food shops close between 1 and 3.30pm. This road will lead you to the Rue de Francs Bourgeois and the heart of the Marais district, famous for its large, mansion-like "hôtels particuliers" and museums, including the Musée Picasso and the Carnavalet (fascinating history of Paris). If you don't fancy a museum, just take your time looking at the ancient buildings and interesting side streets. The Rue des Francs Bourgeois will lead you to the Place des Vosges, a perfectly preserved example of seventeenth-century Parisian architecture, where Victor Hugo once lived. Walk around this elegant square, which is now home to luxury hotels, restaurants, art galleries and boutiques, to get a feel of regal life long ago.

From royalty to revolution, the tour now heads for the Bastille. Rue de Birague on the south side of the Place will take you into Rue Saint Antoine. Turn left here and walk a few hundred yards to the Place de la Bastille, site of the famous storming and commemorated by a column representing freedom. From Rue Saint Antoine, cross over towards your right to the large concrete and glass Opéra Bastille, and have a quick look at the boats moored in the Port de l'Arsenal. You can visit the foyer of the opera house but you have to book a place on a guided tour to see the rest, unless you have tickets for a performance. The Bastille area, especially Rue de la Roquette and Rue de Lappe, is an excellent place for dinner as there is a vast choice of bars and restaurants. So get yourself a glass of wine, sit back and soak up the atmosphere of one of the youngest and liveliest parts of Paris.

S Morris

Paris Montmartre
It is worth spending the best part of a day in this one area alone to give you time to explore all the narrow, winding nineteenth-century streets and alleyways, visit the magnificent Byzantine-style Sacré-Coeur Basilica and enjoy the views.

Start at métro Anvers (line 2) and turn right up Rue Steinkerque. This road is full of cheap clothes shops so you might want to bargain hunt before sightseeing.

At the top of Rue Steinkerque, either climb up the steps or, for the price of a métro ticket, take the funicular on your left. From the summit, the panorama spans a 50-km radius, so spend some time on the terrace or sit on the steps to monument spot.

Wander around inside Sacré Coeur and then, if you like steps and views, there are 200 more to climb to reach the dome (access from outside the church on left).

Back on the ground, go round to the left of Sacré Coeur, and you'll reach the famous Place du Tertre where café tables, waiters, artists, souvenir vendors and visitors jostle for pavement space. This is where you'll find most of the restaurants, so ignore the high prices, sit down and enjoy the general atmosphere.

From here, wherever you go, you'll be in picturesque, cobbled streets lined with beautiful old houses and buildings so walk slowly and look around. Armed with a good street map, basically walk in a wide circle to the left of the Basilica starting in Rue du Chevalier de la Barre. Don't miss the vineyard in Rue Saint Vincent, which produces several bottles of wine a year, or the ancient Moulin de la Galette in Rue Lepic.

Finish this tour at Place des Abesses and walk along Rue des Abesses. Full of grocery shops, cafés and wine bars, this is a fun and trendy place to spend the evening, unless of course, you have tickets for that oh-so-Parisian landmark, the Moulin-Rouge cabaret in Place Blanche.

If you are with children or just a little tired, let the Montmartrain take you round. It starts in front of Sacré Coeur and gives you a guided tour through the streets of Montmartre, finishing up in Place Pigalle.

Paris Attractions
Paris Eiffel Tower
Paris just wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair, at 300m it was then the world's tallest building. Not everyone was happy when it was first built; many considered it an eyesore and wanted it pulled down, but today it is one of the world's most visited monuments. The first and second floors can be reached using the stairs, and lifts take visitors to the magnificent view at the top. Admission (elevator to the top): EUR9.90 Adults; EUR5.30 Children under 12.

Paris Arc De Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoléon in 1806 to celebrate his victory at the battle of Austerlitz and the glory of French armies, the arch was not finished until 1836 by Louis-Phillipe and cost ten million francs.

The construction was entrusted to Chalgrin, who built a model of the arch on the real site in 1810 for Napoléon's wedding to Marie-Louise, daughter of the Austrian ambassador. The Emperor did not pass through the completed, real version until his funeral procession in 1840. Forty-five years later Victor Hugo's wake took place under the arch. Today you can see the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, killed in the First World War, and his flame, lit as a memorial to all those killed in action.

The Arch is a site both of memories and current events and celebrations. The lists of the dead will move you. The cars that drive around the monument will terrify you! Standing in a direct line between the Louvre and the Grande Arche de la Défense, the monument links the past with the present and offers amazing views. A truly impressive landmark, 50 metres high and 45 metres wide, Paris would not be Paris without it!

Admission: adults 40F (EUR 6.09); 12-25 32F (EUR 4.87); under 12s free.

Paris Louvre
Originally built to defend Paris against the Vikings, this Renaissance palace became a museum in 1793. Today it houses impressive collections of Etruscan, Egyptian, Oriental, Roman and Greek artefacts as well as sculptures, paintings and other works of art ranging from the Middle Ages up to 1850, including Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic "Mona Lisa." Architect I.M. Pei's amazing glass pyramid, commissioned by the President François Mitterrand, caused a sensation when it was added in 1989. Admission: EUR7.50 (EUR5 after 3pm); free for children under 18.

Paris Place De La Concorde
Originally known as place Louis-XV, this square was created between 1755 and 1775 by the architect, Gabriel. Renamed Place de la Révolution in 1792, a guillotine was installed and 2800 executions took place including that of King Louis XVI. Louis-Philippe christened it Place de la Concorde in 1830.

The Louqsor obelisk, a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt to King Charles X of France, has been standing in the centre of the square since 1840. The eight statues representing France's largest cities and the two fountains were also added at this time. The square is home to one of Paris' most prestigious hotels, the Hôtel Crillon.

Paris Palais de Chaillot
Situated almost at the foot of the Tour Eiffel, the Palais de Chaillot was built on the hill of Chaillot by the architects Azéma, Louis-Auguste Boileau and Jacques Carlu for the Great Exhibition of 1937. This Neo-Classical monument, shaped like a banana cut in two, is composed of four pavilions and two wings, each measuring 195m in length. It is adorned with sculptures and bas-reliefs from the Thirties, as well as gold inscriptions by the writer, Paul Valéry.

It houses the Musée de l'Homme, the Musée de la Marine, the Musée du cinéma Henri Langlois, the Musée des Monuments français, Chaillots National Theatre and the Cinémathèque française. In front of its façades lie the Jardins du Trocadéro.

Paris Tour Montparnasse
Even for locals, the Montparnasse tower offers a fairytale view of the city - accessible thanks to Europe's fastest lift that whisks you to the top in just 38 seconds. From here, 200m up, or from the bar/restaurant on the 56th floor, the panorama extends for miles. Situated above Montparnasse station, which serves the west of France, the tower is home to offices and businesses. Just by the restaurant is an exhibition that traces the history of Paris since 1858.

Admission: around EUR7.62

Paris Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris
Climbing the 387 steps to the top of this masterpiece is well worth the effort for the spectacular view. Construction of the first great Gothic cathedral began in 1163 and was largely completed by 1212; the rebuilding of the two transept gates in 1270 marked its completion. The west face is adorned with three richly decorated doorways and crowned with two 69m towers. The cathedral is busy at the best of times; especially on Sundays, when much of the building is closed to visitors. Admission: (cathedral) free; (towers) around EUR6.

Paris Les Halles
The Halles used to be a huge fruit and meat market, and was called the "belly of Paris" by Emile Zola. Today, it has become one of the biggest underground (the Forum des Halles) and outdoor clothes shopping areas in the French capital, attracting a young and mixed clientele. A few streets away lies the Centre Georges Pompidou (Georges Pompidou Centre) cultural center, renovated and better than ever for the new millenium.

Highlights of this area include the picturesque Rue Quincampoix, Place Igor Stravinsky with Niki de St Phalle's amazing and colourful fountain sculptures, the pleasant Café Beaubourg serving coffee and tasty light meals and the rooftop of La Samaritaine department store with its great views of Paris.

Métro: Les Halles, Réaumur-Sébastopol RER: Châtelet-Les Halles

Paris Sacre Coeur
This Romano-Byzantine basilica overlooks Montmartre, one of Paris's most picturesque districts. Its distinctive dome rising up over the rooftops, the basilica offers the perfect vantage point from which to survey the city. Inside, the mosaic of Christ and the crypt are of particular interest. Commissioned by the Catholic Church, building began in 1875 under the watchful eye of architect Paul Abadie, and was finally completed in 1914. Admission: (basilica) free; (crypt and dome) around EUR4.50.

Paris Chateau De Versailles
Tired of Paris, the Sun King (Louis XIV enjoyed likening himself to Apollo, God of the arts, peace and the sun!) commissioned architects Louis le Vau and Jules Hardouin to build the château of Versailles in 1668, on the site of his father's small hunting lodge. It became the largest palace in Europe, accommodating up to twenty thousand courtiers at a time. Charles Le Brun, the painter, designed the interior, whose highlights include the Royal Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. The Grand Trianon (1687) and the Petit Trianon (1762) are also in the park. The former, built in stone and marble, housed Louis XIV's mistress, whilst the latter, a small manor house, was home to Louis XV's mistress.

Admission: Château EUR7, Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon EUR5

Paris Place Vendôme
Follow the Rues de Castiglione and de la Paix to one of the most famous squares in Paris. Intricately linked with the history of France since its creation in 1685, this architectural jewel was commissioned by King Louis XIV and designed by Jules-Hardouin Mansart. The arcades of the exquisitely fronted mansions that surround the square form a sort of intimate salon in the heart of the capital. Not surprisingly, it was adopted by Paris' aristocracy.

Prestigious banks and the emblems of French elegance still cluster around the Austerlitz column that Napoléon erected. Labels of luxury such as Chaumet, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Guerlain, Chanel rule the roost. Whilst you're here, stop at the Ritz hotel or the Palais de l'Elysée (the President's residence). Yes, this really is the home of luxury, elegance and power.

Paris Disneyland
Doing its American cousins proud, this French addition to the family is spreading a little more of the Disney magic around. Visit Sleeping Beauty's castle and meet Mickey Mouse, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or the pirates from Peter Pan. Small children will love the razzamatazz of the Disney parade, while older kids might prefer to pick out their favourite rides while touring the site on the park's own mini railway. In July and August the park stays open late and there are fireworks every evening at 11pm. Admission (high season/low season): CAD38/29 Adults; CAD29/25 Children.

© 2003 by wcities.com Limited

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