Paris is a bustling city where any tourist can find their new favorite place. One trip to Paris will never be enough time to see everything that you want to see. While visiting the Eiffel Tower for the twentieth time last week, I overheard a tour guide say that you would need fourteen days of non-stop sight seeing to be able to pack in everything this city has to offer. I easily disagree, you need much more time, as I have been here over four months and still know I will leave not having seen many important sites. With this being said, I have thoughtfully picked out the top places and things to do in order to get the most out Paris in four days.
The history of Paris stretches back over 2000 years and Christianity was introduced to the city around the second century. Christianity played a big role in the development of the city and this can be seen through several popular churches and cathedrals. The iconic cathedral in Paris is Notre Dame, which was started in 12 AD, and provides the best example of traditional French Gothic architecture. Inside the cathedral, visitors can make their way to the Archaeological Crypt where they can see Roman ruins that have been preserved since the 1960’s. The ruins are believed to be from the earliest Parisian settlers. Since being completed in the 1300’s, Notre Dame has been standing for the latter half of Paris’s history. The story of the city’s history can be seen through this cathedral, from the riots of the Huguenots, the French Revolution, and World War Two, many alterations and restorations occurred from these events, which has made the cathedral look how it does today. (Students should also cross the river and visit the bookstore Shakespeare and Company).
More Christian and Gothic influences can be seen through the Sainte-Chappelle royal chapel. This chapel is home to the largest and most intricate 13th century stained-glass collections in the world. Stepping into the chapel, one can view stories from the Old Testament from the 15 panes of stained-glass. Like Notre Dame, the Sainte-Chappelle chapel has been standing for nearly 800 years and has gone through several re-creations to combat Paris’s history. Visiting these two religious building can easily and quickly give a tourist a brief history of the city they are staying in, and also provide amazing detail and art to appreciate.
If these religious monuments weren’t enough, the group should take the time to visit the Le Marais area to get cultured with Jewish history. This area is easily walkable from Notre Dame. Le Marais is known as the Jewish District and is home to many Jewish monuments, a museum, and delicious challah, falafel, and pastries. It is easily my favorite district in Paris, and students will see why when they visit.
More history waits to be discovered in Paris. The next site to see is the Palace of Versailles. A quick 40 minute train ride out of the city center takes you to this magnificent piece of architecture and history. The best way to gather the most information from the Palace is to do it with a tour guide who can enlighten students on the historical events that occurred right where they are walking. The Palace of Versailles holds nearly 400 years of world history in its chateau and has been the site of many political movements, like the Treaties of Versailles. Not only does it hold rich history, but the artistic endeavours that went into to constructing it can quickly amaze anyone.
Similar to London, Paris has a river that played a part in its history. I suggest doing a river tour along the River Seine in order to get an understanding of its history and ties to helping Paris become the city it is today. A river tour is also the best and quickest ways to see more popular buildings in Paris. One can spot the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Grand Palais, parts of the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay, and the traditional and famous Parisian architecture that fills the whole city.
Another popular place to tour, one which I have done myself, is the area of Montmartre. This tour will start at the Moulin Rouge, wind through the artistic vistas of the area, and end at the Basilica de Sacre-Coeur with a view of the city. The cobblestone streets are lined with striving artists showcasing their work and some of the buildings even have art painted on them. Sacre-Coeur is also another great monument of Paris. One doesn’t even need to see the inside to notice the time and commitment that went into building it. This area is also home to great and authentic French cuisine, a great place to stop for lunch after climbing the 300 steps to Sacre-Coeur.
If the students are allowed free time, I suggest them taking the metro to the Louvre, walking around the outside and seeing the popular glass pyramid, then walking straight for about a mile and ending their journey at the Arc de Triomphe. This seems like a lot of walking but Paris’s most popular tourist destinations lie along this strip. One can see the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, the Eiffel Tower in the distance, the ferris wheel, the Champs-Elysees, and finally the Arc de Triomphe. If the students have free time at night, I suggest them taking the metro to Trocadero to see the Eiffel Tower. The tower is much more magical in the night sky, as it lights up and sparkles every hour. If the students are looking to see the less touristy side of Paris, I recommend they visit any of the numerous gardens and parks that lie in the city. My favorite include the Jardin des Plantes, Jardin du Luxembourg, or Bois de Boulogne. Paris is known for its gardens and they are a great place to take a breather from the hustle of the city.
As much as I enjoyed London, I would easily argue for a visit to Paris. Paris is much larger and there is always places to see. I also enjoy the architecture of Paris much more than London. Since Paris is within the Schengen area, students can see how being a part of the EU can shape a country, such as witnessing first hand the Syrian refugee crisis, as many refugees find shelter in the metro system. Paris is a hub for history, fashion, architecture, and so much more. There are countless museums, cathedrals, restaurants, gardens, and streets to get lost in that tell the history of the country better than any book could. It is impossible to fit Paris into four days, which will leave students wanting to come back and see even more.
No comments:
Post a Comment