A Walk in Paris

Paris… How many books written about it, how many movies taken, how many dreams tied to it, how many hearts lost and found there… If you have to see one city in the world, make it Paris. It didn’t charm me right away, as I was there during a rainy season, but it slowly surrounded me with its intoxicating vibe and I was in love.

Paris, like many other cities in Europe, combines both the very old and the very new, yet in Paris the contrast seems striking. Start at the Arc de Triumph and walk down Champs Elysees (the commercial part of it) and you will see new offices, shops and bigger streets. Just don’t try the traffic circle by the Arc… it requires quite a skill.
Take the walk further east and you will end up in the park that will eventually turn into the older part of town. It’s amazing how the old and the new coexist in one city, but that’s what Paris is about – a mix of widely different districts (called arrondissements) and there are 20 of them. The royal history is everywhere, in monuments and city corners.
And the 1st district is the center of the city – all the other arrondisements loop around it like a pinwheel. The river Seine divides Paris into the Left Bank and the Right Bank (Rive Gauche and Rive Droite). Finding your way around is easy – there are plenty of Metro stations around and people are extremely friendly, especially if you try a little French [see box for a few useful phrases]. There are certain areas you should definitely see in Paris and there are also some quirky ones ordinary tourists may skip. Here are my suggestions.

Place de Vosges and Ile St. Louis

This is probably my favorite place in Paris. It is slightly off the beaten track but it is the epitome of French life to me and it is close to a few other interesting spots. Bring your walking shoes and plan to be here for the day.
Take Metro to the Bastille station, cross Place de la Bastille and head northwest down Rue St. Antoine and then right on Rue de la Birague. You will find yourself at Place de Vosges – my favorite square in Paris. Inside, you will find a lovely park with kids playing on the green and adults sitting around in dozens of little cafes. Stop around one and take in the view.

The square is surrounded by a row of 17-th century buildings, one of which is former Victor Hugo’s house and now a museum. Not surprisingly, this area is Le Marais, the one Hugo wrote about so frequently in his books. Take a tour of the Museum. It is free and quite entertaining – the house is small, but it will give you interesting insight both into Victor Hugo’s life and a glimpse into French history.
Leave Place de Vosges and head south towards the Seine. You can go back to Rue St. Antoine and take it west to Pont Marie – not a short walk, but you will really enjoy the historic French buildings on the way.

Pont Marie is a good place to cross into Ile St. Louis. This island is still in the same 17th century style and many buildings on the island have plaques telling you the history and owners. Ile St. Louis is fairly small and full of little shops, galleries and restaurants. This is the Paris I always imagined – cobble stone streets, picturesque 2-story buildings and pastries. Speaking of pastries, Ile St. Louis has the world famous ice cream shop – Berthillon. There are other places in Paris that serve Berthillon ice-cream, but this one is the original. Flavors are very intense – try chocolate or pistachio – and you will truly satisfy your sweet tooth. At the eastern end of the island, you can take the stairs down to the water and have a wonderful view of Paris – sit around here and enjoy your ice-cream.

Notre Dame

Within view from Ile St. Louis is Ile de la Cite. You will know it by the sight of Notre Dame – one of the most celebrated cathedrals in Paris. This is the first island of Paris, where it started back in the 3rd century BC. If you are not tired from the previous walk, continue into La Cite down one of the many bridges (ponts). Or take the Metro to Maubert-Mutualite, take Rue de Bievre north and cross the bridge into the island. Walk down one of the picturesque quays and again witness the well-preserved Parisian history.

Rue d’Arcole will take you to Notre Dame. Spend some time outside and just take in the sight of the giant cathedral, which may seam quite menacing and very powerful from the outside. Once inside, you will be in awe by the stained glass windows and the many religious and historic artifacts. After Notre Dame, head west towards the tip of the island to Place Dauphine, which will lead you to Pont Neuf – the oldest bridge in Paris. Another route is to head west to Rue de la Cite and take it south to the streets of La Sorbonne – one of the oldest and most famous universities in France.

Museums

Paris is full of art – it’s on the streets, in the buildings, in little galleries all around town. You can view a lot of local artists work on display up on Monmartre. However, nothing compares to the biggest gem in Paris – the Louvre. This is where many of the world famous works of art are housed, including the Mona Lisa. You should probably plan for a day here – there is so much to see that it can easily take a day or more. Cour Caree is the oldest part of the Louvre (16rth century) and it is absolutely luminous at night. Across the square is the world-recognized pyramid constructed by I.M. Pei. The pyramid is definitely a contrast to the rest of the Louvre – both in age and shape. The pyramid is where you will find the entrance to the museum. You will also have a great view of the Seine and the city from this point.

Not far from the Louvre, on the other side of the Seine is Musee d’Orsay, an ode to the late 19-th century French art. Musee d’Orsay looks like a train station, because that was its original purpose until the late 80s when it was devoted to French art. There are many great temporary exhibits at the museum and the collection of impressionist art is astounding.

More ways to see Paris

You can’t come to Paris and not see the symbol of Paris. Make your way to Metro Trocadero and walk southeast towards Tour Eiffel. There is a nice park right nearby – Parc du Champs de Mars – many Parisians are just lounging here in good weather.
You can go up during the day and see a lot of the city on a clear day – you are able to go outside and see it from different levels. Or better yet, come at night. You can have a lovely dinner at the Jules Vernes restaurant in the middle of the Eiffel Tower. And then go all the way up and take in a night view. Every night there is a lights show on Tour Eiffel and it is quite enchanting to see it all light up.

If you like to shop, stop at Galleries Lafayettes. Don’t forget though that this building comes with a view. Go up to the top floor and from the roof you can see all of Paris, including Monmartre – quite a sight!

Another popular and romantic way to see Paris is from the famous boats (bateux). They are covered with glass and you can have a lunch or dinner cruise on the Seine and take in all the sights of Paris. In fact, I would suggest you start and end with a cruise – take one at the beginning of your stay so you can see a lot of places and get an idea of what you would like to explore in detail. And end your stay with a night cruise, taking one last look as the music plays and it’s just you and Paris and you know you have to be back.