I will always have Paris!

Everyone who knows me knows that I know and love Paris almost like a native.  Whenever a friend goes to the City of Lights, they will contact me for help with things to do.  I love to help out, so I have thought about it, and have come up with a few of my favorite places and things for me, and also for first timers.  As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea.”

Quelque chose à manger? Something to eat?

My favorite restaurant is a restaurant traditionnel – Bouillon Chartier.  It’s located in the 9^th arrondissement (neighborhood). The restaurant itself is a throwback to the 19^th century with beautiful ceilings, mirrors, lamps and luggage racks for all those purchases you have made.  The menu is vast with traditional dishes at great prices.  The waiters are dressed in their usual outfits and are willing to help out those who might have trouble deciding what to order.

Bouillon-Chartier, 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre | 75009 Paris

https://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/

If it is your first time to Paris, I recommend that you stop at any café and sit on the terrace (if the weather is good) to do what the French love to do – people watch. Just be aware that smoking is still permitted at outside tables.  There is usually a limited menu with croque monsieurs (grilled ham and cheese sandwich), roasted chicken or steak with fries, and some salads. Lots of wine and beer though!

So many museums, so little time !

There are 130 museums within Parisian city limits. If this is your first time to Paris, you must visit the Louvre. Once a royal residence and now the world’s largest museum, this gorgeous place is so large that you need to commit to at least several hours and to also wander through lesser known galleries.  These days, the Louvre is so popular that you really should purchase your tickets online before showing up at the Pyramid.

Highlights include the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and the Egyptian collection from Napoléon Bonaparte’s campaign. Wear comfy shoes and leave big purses behind!  

www.louvre.fr

My favorite museum is the Musée de l’Armée – the Army museum – which is located in the Hôtel des Invalides.  This complex also houses Napoléon’s tomb.  Antique artifacts and information cover the history of France’s warfare from Saint Louis to the war in Indochina.  This museum is a must-see for any history buff!

https://www.musee-armee.fr/en/english-version.html

Take a walk!

So many places to see, so little time!  Where to go?

Tulieries Garden to the Arc de Triomphe

            Leave the Louvre, cross the street then stroll through the Tuileries Garden to the Place de la Concorde.  Stop for ice cream in warmer weather, or hot chocolate when the weather is crisp.  The Place de la Concorde was once where folks were guillotined during the Revolution; it is now the home to the Obelisk, a gift from Egypt.  Keep going onto the Champs-Elysées, have a crepe while you appreciate the gardens before continuing to the shops that line the busy part of the boulevard.  To reach the Arc de Triomphe, take the tunnel, don’t try to cross the roundabout that is fed by 12 streets!

Like the High Line in New York?  

Try the Promenade Plantée, built on an abandoned railway in the 12^th arrondissement.  It is beautiful, and you get a lovely view of the city from the elevated walkway.  You will definitely need comfy walking shoes to go along its 2.95-mile length.  There are plenty of stairs that you can use to get to street level and wander through places that tourists often ignore. 

The Opera District (and shopping!)

Located in the 9^th arrondissement, the Opéra Garnier is the iconic symbol of the area.  Also known as the Palais Garnier, it is a tourist attraction for its architectural and historical importance.  The inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera, the Palais Garnier does indeed have a water source beneath the building, but it is not open to the public.  You can take tours through the Palais Garnier and see the beautiful ceiling created by Marc Chagall.

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/visits/palais-garnier

Behind the Palais are located the two largest department stores in Paris, le Printemps and les Galeries Lafayette.  My favorite is The Galeries Lafayette, which was was created in the 19^th century and boasts a beautiful stained glass dome above the makeup and perfume department on the ground floor.  There is a terrace too, on the roof that gives everyone a beautiful perspective of Parisian rooftops and the Eiffel Tower, too!  There are plenty of shops in the Opera district, so make sure you have someone to help you carry your purchases!

https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/

Le Louvre

Bonjour tout le monde,

When in Paris, is is almost mandatory for all first time visitors to go to the Louvre.  They see the Mona Lisa (la Joconde, in French), and then...What? What else is there to see in the Louvre?  

There are so many things to see in the Louvre, which is considered the largest art museum in the world.  However, it has not always been such a famous landmark.

Situated in the premier arrondissement of Paris, on the Rive Droite of the Seine, the Louvre, in some form or another, has existed in the same place since around the 12^th century.  Historians consider that the Louvre got its start as a fortress built by Philip II.  Legend has it that there might have been another structure on the site, but no one really knows, so Philip gets the credit.

As with any new owner, successive French kings (Charles V, François I^er, many Louis) added to and altered the palace to suit their needs and architectural style.  François I^er renovated his Louvre in the French Renaissance style, and began acquiring the art that would be the nucleus of the Louvre’s art portfolio.  That includes La Joconde, which was a gift to him from his good friend, Leonardo da Vinci.

Over the following years, the Louvre served as a royal palace, a home for artists (when the royal residence moved to Versailles by Louis XIV). During this time, since the royal attention and treasury was concentrated on Versailles, the Louvre was left unfinished in parts and began to fall into bad shape.  Just before the start of the French Revolution, the royals rediscovered the huge building by the Seine, and began restoring it.  Interestingly enough, the French Revolutionaries took interest in the Louvre.  The new National Assembly created a national museum in the Louvre.  This National Museum opened on August 10, 1793; its exhibits contained more than 500 paintings and decorative arts, much of which had belonged to the royal family and other nobles.

Napoleon Bonaparte lived in the Louvre, even as it was still a museum, and renamed it the “Musée Napoléon”.  He kept La Joconde next to his bed; he added to the museum’s collection by acquiring art and statuary through his military campaigns.

What I find most intriguing is that during World War II, when Paris was under German control, most of the artwork had already been shipped elsewhere to prevent it from being confiscated.  Art works were sent all over France and hidden in châteaux, basements, and even caves.  Huge pieces like Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo were also packed up and shipped out.  After the war, all the pieces were returned to the Louvre. 

Now the Louvre is a must-see spot for tourists.  They crowd into the room where La Joconde is shown behind bullet proof glass.  Even though you are not supposed to take pictures, flashes go off every instant.

Then what do you do?  There are so many other interesting things to see in the Louvre, including the lowest part of the 14^th century fortress, accessed by stairs.  Decorate arts – furniture and art pieces arranged in their “natural” settings.  Egyptian sculptures, even some crown jewels! 

When you’re finished, go out through the lobby level to the shopping mall and food court.  It is a little pricey, but foods from different parts of the world can be eaten for lunch – my favorite is the Middle Eastern shop with rice and couscous.   The mall has some shops that you will recognize – Fossil anyone? – and some real gems that sell beautiful bracelets and earrings. 

So, next time you’re in Paris and you go by the Louvre, just think of all the history that has taken place within the walls, and all the cool art that you can see.

All the information that you will need on getting to the Louvre, when it’s open, admission prices, etc.  http://www.louvre.fr/en

The Apollo Room in the Louvre, dedicated to French artists; it also houses some of what crown jewels are left.  Very cool place.