by Oana Stanica.
I have visited Paris a couple of times by now and have never stopped being amazed whenever I return; each time, it is as if a whole new city is coming alive in front of my eyes, over and over again.
Since I have friends who live in Paris, I have never stayed at hotel. Nevertheless, I can recommend staying at a rented apartment near the main attractions of the city, or a student residence near the Jardin du Luxembourg.
To get into town, I mainly used metro and RER. The price ticket depends on where you travel. For areas 1-3, the ticket is 1.70 Euros, but when purchasing 10 tickets at once, I just paid 12 Euros. At one station, I also picked up plan of the metro and RER stations, which is a useful for getting around the city.
During the first 2 days, I decided to see the city from above:
Tour Eiffel. The unpleasant part was that I had to stand in line for about 30 minutes just to get a ticket. Afterwards, I discovered that tickets can be bought online from the site: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr. This way, you avoid the crowds. I took the elevator to the top of the tower and even though I am not fond of height, the amazing views made me forget about the tower as it swung in the wind. I admired the tour, also during the night, when the twinkling lights make it a magical sight.
Tour Eiffel at night
Tour Montparnasse. In just a few seconds, the elevator took me up the 56 floors. Though it was not as high as the Eiffel Tower, the view was beautiful nevertheless.
Arc de Triomphe. Even though there are elevators, I preferred to take the stairs, like most of the visitors. The view of Champs Elysées during the evening is just stunning and the pancake I had after getting down made that day an even more beautiful memory.
Of course, I should not forget the wheel from Place de la Concorde, where I decided to climb and see the city up from above.
After seeing the city from above, the next day I decided to take a glimpse at the underground history of Paris. What better way to start than the catacombs of Paris, to which I got by taking the RER B to station Denfert Rochereau.
Being the curious person that I am, I also decided to visit the sewers of Paris, Pont de l’Alma, metro station Alma Morceau. I must admit, the smell inside is not a real tourist attraction so I would not recommend it for the faint hearted.
A visit to Paris would not be complete without getting to Versailles and seeing its beautiful gardens and fountain shows. I took the train (RER) from Les Invalides station. Tickets cost 6 Euros and I arrived in Versailles in 30 minutes. Across from the station I found a McDonald’s, where I picked up some croissants and muffins to go. After a 10-minute pleasant walk, I reached the impressive courtyard of Versailles.
The fountains at Versailles
In order to avoid the ticket queue, I decided to visit the gardens first. I entered through the restaurant located near the ticket booth, picking up some water and juice. After that, I paid for tickets in the gardens – 8 Euros per person. I received a map of the gardens and sat on the stairs, like hundreds of people waiting to see the fountain show. Music resounded in every alley of the gardens; it was mesmerizing.
The gardens are only a small part of what there is to see in Versailles. A good way to see the Little and Great Trianon is by renting an electric car for 30 Euros / hour.
To learn more about the castle, gardens, outbuildings, and access program, I highly recommend the official site: www.chateauversailles.fr. It is constantly updated and very interactive. In addition, you can find out what cultural events are taking place when you plan to visit.
My evening ended in a great way with a cruise on the Seine on le bateau mouche. The cruise lasted about 2 hours, during which I got to see the main attractions of Paris, starting with Notre Dame, Tour Eiffel and its beautiful lights, Dome des Invalides, Place de la Concorde, as well as the numerous bridges crossing Seine.
The next day, which I spent in Montmartre, made me realize how many wonders this city still has to offer. To visit the entire area, I chose a tour with the little city train, which started from Place Blanche, next to the Moulin Rouge, and lasted about 40 minutes. Of course, in order to get to Sacre Coeur, I could have taken the funiculaire, which takes you up 50 meters to the top of the church.
From above, the view is marvelous. I walked along the streets, glanced at the city from the stairs of the church, and ate at one of the terraces in Montmartre. Relaxing, I breathed the air that so many artists have breathed in Paris. For more info about Montmartre, check out: http://www.montmartrenet.com
From Pont au Double, close to Notre Dame, passing across the small church St. Julien le Pauvre, one of the oldest churches of Paris, I entered the Quartier Latin. The Quartier Latin is famous for its vibrant atmosphere, but also for the places to visit near it: Musée de Cluny, Le Pantheon, the church St. Germain des Prés, inside which there is the sculpture by Picasso, “L’Hommage à Apollinaire”, the palace of Luxembourg, the National Museum Eugene Delacroix and the Coins Museum.
Although I am not a fan of museums, in two days, I managed to squeeze in three of the most important ones: the Louvre, of course, in which I spent half of the day admiring the Egyptian art more than the paintings. (To visit all 7 sections in the 3 wings of the museum, one would have to take at least 4 days, I estimate).
Second on my museum list was the Musée d’Orsay, housed in the former neo-classical train station, the Gare d’Orsay. Last but not least, I headed to the Rodin Museum, which shows works of the great French sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Today, the artist is recognized as the father of sculpture. In the museum’s courtyard, I stood and admired three of his most famous sculptures, (1) the “bourgeois Calais” which commemorates the heroism of six citizens, (2) “The Thinker” and (3) the “Gate to Hell,” an unfinished work.
Personally, I could not leave Paris without a little bit of shopping. To do so, I headed to the Champs Elysées, Châtelet les Halles, Rue de Rivoli, and also paid a visit to Galeries Lafayette.
Overall, it takes more than a week to visit all of the important points of interest in Paris. For a first visit, I would recommend to have at least 10 full days to get a small glimpse of the city of lights. And I am sure, even if there are many other beautiful places in the world; one would retain unforgettable memories of Paris and a never-ending desire to visit again.