I can’t say that I was very impressed with the city, but the desire to come here for a week and live quietly in the center, eating croissants for breakfast, remained. I hope we can do it someday.
There are many attractions in Paris and its environs, but in 2 or 3 days you can easily see the main, most famous and popular ones. And ideally, you need to spend more time in the city.
For those who want to save time on preparing for the trip and immerse themselves more fully in the atmosphere and history of the city, I would recommend using the services of a personal guide in Paris. In my opinion, individual excursions are much more interesting than organized excursions with their own big amount people and a hackneyed program. Moreover, you can always agree with a private guide on a time and day convenient for you and adjust the excursion.
Below are selected high-quality author's excursions, take a look, maybe something will suit you. First of all, check out the Walking Tour of Montmartre if you are short on time, and the Sightseeing Tour One Day in Paris. I liked the last one, it’s convenient, you can see all the most important things in 7 hours.
Among the main attractions of the world and one of the favorite tourist places in Paris is undoubtedly the Louvre. The museum is located in the heart of the French capital, on the right bank of the Seine. For the first time, the museum building was opened to the public on August 10, 1793. Among the most famous paintings of the Louvre are “La Gioconda” by Leonardo da Vinci, “The Beautiful Gardener” by Raphael, “The Little Beggar” by Murillo, “Self-Portrait with a Thistle” by Durer and many others. The halls are decorated with sculptures of Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace and others. Of the three hundred thousand exhibits in the museum, 35,000 are presented to the viewer. At the entrance to the Louvre there is the famous Glass Pyramid, which was designed by the famous American architect Bei Yuming and is the prototype.
"Manhattan" of Paris. Quarter of Defense (La Defense). This is an ultra-modern business district of Paris, which is located in the suburbs of the capital, in the Hauts-de-Seine department. More than 20,000 residents live here in a residential area, and 150,000 employees out of 1,500 come to work every day various organizations. One of the distinctive views of the quarter is considered to be the Grand Arch of Fraternity, opened on the occasion of the bicentenary of the French Revolution. The name of the area comes from the name of the monument to the Defense of Paris, erected in honor of the soldiers who defended the city during Franco-Prussian War. Ten years ago, EPAD Chairman Bernard Bled proposed the project plan "La Defense 2006-2015", which involves the construction of three skyscrapers with a height of more than 300 m, as well as numerous offices and residential buildings. There is also a tower consisting of 4,000 mirror panels, which creates the impression of a mirage. And the squares and streets are decorated with unusual landscape compositions, statues and sculptures.
One of the most famous cathedrals in Europe is Notre Dame Cathedral, or Notre Dame de Paris, which is located in the heart of Paris - on the Ile de la Cité. The gaze of many tourists is attracted by the sculptures of saints and the “gallery of kings” consisting of 28 figures of the biblical kings of Judea. A separate attraction is two 69-meter towers, on the balustrade of which sit the famous gargoyle chimeras. This place is considered sacred because the famous Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ is kept in the Cathedral Treasury. Every year over 14 million people visit this famous European monument.
Père Lachaise is one of the most famous necropolises in the world. 60 celebrities are buried here, who during their lives had a huge influence on the development of science and art in France. In this place rest the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire, writer Honore De Balzac, founder of endocrinology Claude Bernard, professor of anatomy Joseph Ignace Guillotin, French actress Annie Suzanne Girardot, famous banker James Rothschild, Italian artist and sculptor Amedeo Clemente Modigliani, Polish composer and virtuoso pianist Frederic Francois Chopin and many other celebrities. The famous cemetery is located in the east of the city, in the 20th municipal district of the capital. Every year more than two million people come to honor the memory of great scientists and artists.
Among the many museums in Paris, one of the most famous is the Wine Museum. It was opened in 1984. The museum's wine cellars, which were located on the site of the building, belonged to the Abbey of the 13th century, and the Minorite monks began making wine in the ancient quarries. The length of the museum is about 1 km. The museum attracts tourists not only with a unique collection of wines from the best winemakers in France, but also with wax figures of the monks who created this wine. Experienced guides here introduce visitors to the tradition of properly uncorking a bottle, and also offer to taste rare varieties of French wines. The museum also displays wax figures of celebrities considered connoisseurs of this drink: Dionysus, Napoleon Bonaparte, Bacchus and Balzac.
One of the world's masterpieces of architecture is Versailles, or the Palace of Versailles, created almost four centuries ago. The Versailles ensemble, consisting of a palace and a park, is considered the pinnacle of architecture of the era of the development of absolutism and French classicism XVII century. The main attractions of Versailles are the Main Building of the Palace with the ostentatious luxury of bedrooms and halls, the Hall of Mirrors with 17 mirrors in gilded sculptures and lamps, the famous libraries and the theater, the oval hall of which is illuminated by 10 thousand candles. Versailles Park is a landscape composition framing the Carriage Museum, three wide thoroughfares, the Armory Square with Ministerial wings and sculptures symbolizing War (“Victories of the King over the Empire and Spain”), and Peace (“Peace and Plenty”), as well as the Royal Chapel, which served as a place of ceremonies for the rulers of France.
Of course, the most famous landmark in Paris is the Eiffel Tower. Thousands of tourists come to the French capital every day just to see this magnificent 300-meter structure. The most visited here are the three excursion floors: one of them houses a chic restaurant, and the other two are designed so that visitors can admire the panoramic view of the metropolis. From 7 pm the Eiffel Tower begins to glow and blink as if Christmas tree, giving the capital of France a special romantic charm.
The majestic Albert Kahn. This is a small private garden, represented by a variety of compositional and color styles, which for more than a hundred years has delighted not only ordinary tourists, but also true connoisseurs garden art and professional florists. The garden was created by the famous philanthropist and banker Albert Kahn, who designed the landscape based on his impressions while traveling around the world - America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. The “visual fairy tale” begins at the entrance to a stylized Japanese garden, covered with pink and red thickets of rhododendron, with the symbolic Mount Fuji, created in 1988 by Japanese landscape artist Fumiaki Takano. In the improvised “Japan” you can find village houses tea, original lanterns, bridges and numerous trees and shrubs - bamboos, cherries, azaleas... Following the Japanese garden there is an entrance to english garden, across which there is a picturesque English bridge on stone supports, there is a small lake and a collection of rare trees. The Palmarium in the central part of the garden was created by the prestigious landscape painter of those years, Achille Duchesne. The delights of Albert Kahn's garden also include a fruit garden-rose garden and a “forest zone”.
One of the newest attractions in Paris is the Disneyland Resort Paris, which opened on April 12, 1992 and is located in Marne-la-Vallee. The number of visits to this park increases every year and today totals approximately 13 million people per year. Disneyland Paris is represented by two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, as well as the Disney Village entertainment park, with many restaurants, shops and cinemas, a golf course, respectable hotels and even residential areas. The main symbol of Disneyland Park is considered to be Sleeping Beauty Castle, around which 5 theme parks are grouped. The park impresses with the originality of its attractions: an adventure island with labyrinths, a pirate ship, a ghost house, a karting track with gasoline vehicles and many others. There is also an attraction for Aerosmith fans - the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster roller coaster.
One of the largest mosques in France, located near Botanical Garden- in the 5th arrondissement of the Latin Quarter. The mosque's minaret is 33 meters high and is designed in Spanish-Moorish style architectural style. In addition to the minaret, the Great Mosque of Paris has its own school, library, prayer hall, and hall for confessions. With the exception of closed sacred premises, tourists can visit any hall of the mosque. Also on site Paris mosque a tea room is open where guests can enjoy mint tea and oriental sweets.
If you come to Paris for the weekend, or you only have two days to spare, you can use our route. By the way, if you have only one day to sightsee in Paris, then you can use route No. 1
Route No. 2.
A. Arc de Triomphe.
B. Trocadero.
C. Eiffel Tower.
D. École Militaire.
E. Palace of Invalides.
F. Pont Alexandre III.
G. Musée d'Orsay
H. Church of Saint-Germain
I. Montparnasse Tower.
J. Luxembourg Gardens.
K. Pantheon.
L. Notre Dame Cathedral.
M. Ile Saint-Louis.
N. Place de la Bastille.
P. Tuileries Gardens and Louvre.
Q. Place Vendôme.
R. Moulin Rouge.
S. Basilica of Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre.
As in all capitals of the world, all the main attractions are collected in the city center, where its development actually began. IN in this case The length of the route is 25 km. To thoroughly explore all the sights indicated on the map you will need two days. This also includes a boat ride on the Seine and a walk along the Avenue des champs Elysees.
We begin our journey around the city, like most tourists, from the Arc de Triomphe (A), erected by order of Napoleon, after the Battle of Austerlitz, in honor of the military revolutionary victories of France. Napoleon himself never lived to see the end of construction. You can climb the Arch for a fee. In our opinion, it is a waste of time, not so much money.
Here you can see the Eiffel Tower, walk along the Champs de Mars, and see the Invalides Palace (E), the construction of which was started by order Louis XIV dated February 24, 1670 as a nursing home for honored army veterans (“disabled war veterans”). It was one of the first nursing homes in Europe. Next you will pass by the Alexander Bridge (F). The bridge was founded to commemorate the Franco-Russian Union by Emperor Nicholas II.
Walking along the embankment of the Seine River, you will come to one of the world's largest collections of European painting and sculpture from the period 1850-1910 - Musée d'Orsay (Orsay Museum) (G). Anyone interested can visit this museum, and we go further and go to the walls of the Saint-Germain Church (H), next to which there are restaurants, a large number of which are scattered throughout the city center, where you can stop for lunch.
After lunch we continue our journey further, namely to the Montparnasse Tower (I). This is a modern skyscraper with 57 floors, height - 210 m. On the upper floors of the skyscraper there is a cafe, a souvenir shop and an observation deck, which offers panoramic views of most of the city.
After visiting the tower, we set off further along the route we have compiled. Next stop is the Luxembourg Gardens (J). Very beautiful palace and park ensemble, located in the center of Paris. Here you can visit the palace, or you can limit yourself to a walk in the park, which will leave you with many positive emotions. Like many attractions in Paris, this park was laid out in 1611/1612. commissioned by the Medici family, Marie de Medici. Be careful, you don’t notice how time passes in the park and you can linger there for a long time. But time pushes us and we go to Notre Dame Cathedral (L).
On the way to the Cathedral, we will see a pompous building - the Pantheon (K). The Pantheon was built on the grounds of the Abbey of Saint Genevieve. Construction was carried out according to the vow of King Louis XV, who vowed to build a new temple in the abbey if he recovered from a serious illness. The building was founded in 1758 and completed in 1789. By the time the temple was completed, the king had been overthrown, and the revolutionary government ordered the transformation of the church into a mausoleum of the great Frenchmen.
Finally, we come to the very heart of Paris - Notre Dame de Paris (L), the construction of which began in 1163, under Louis VII of France, and ended only in 1315, along with interior decoration. If the Cathedral is open, you can go upstairs for a fee.
Here, next to the Cathedral, you can buy tickets for a boat and take a ride along the Seine, around the island of Saint-Louis (M), then to the Eiffel Tower and back to Notre Dame Cathedral.
Enough for the first day. For the evening, you can leave a walk along the famous Avenue des champs Elysees (Champs Elysees) glorified by the French singer Joe Dassin.
The next day, begin your journey from Place de la Bastille (N), which takes its name from the Bastille fortress, destroyed during the Great french revolution. The square is the intersection of more than ten streets and boulevards.
Next you will find the Louvre and beautiful gardens The Tuileries (P) were defeated by Catherine de Medici in 1564. Before this, there was a landfill here, right outside the walls of the Louvre fortress. After a stroll through the park, where you can also have lunch, head further through Place Vendôme (Q) to the famous Parisian cabaret Moulin Rouge, which means Red Mill.
The last point on our journey will be the Sacré-Coeur Basilica (Basilique du Sacré Cœur - “Basilica of the Sacred Heart” (S)) - a Catholic church built in 1876-1914. in Roman-Byzantine style, located on top of the Montmartre hill.
Montmartre Hill is the highest point in Paris - 130 meters, one of the most popular attractions of the French capital. You can climb Montmartre via the famous stairs or by cable car.
These are, perhaps, all the main attractions of Paris. The list, of course, is not exhaustive and you can adjust it at your own discretion and discretion.
The easiest way to see all of Paris is to ride on a double-decker tourist bus. Or better yet, two days and several routes. Or better yet, take a river boat along the Seine. And all this for one ticket! How to choose a route, where and how to buy cheaper tickets and what you need to know before buying. As well as reviews about tourist buses in Paris
Keywords: Tourist buses, tour bus routes in Paris, what to see, excursions, personal experience and recommendations, reviews of a trip to Paris.
In any major tourist center you will definitely come across bright double-decker buses - double deckers - sort of huge tourist convertibles that take tourists around the most interesting places. Such buses operate on the “Hop-On/Hop-Off” system - this means that passengers who have purchased a ticket for such a bus have the right to an unlimited number of trips for the entire time for which the ticket is valid. Usually tickets are available for one or two days. The routes are exclusively tourist routes, from one attraction to another. The buses are equipped with audio guides in several languages, and throughout the entire route you can listen to the guide’s story in native language. This concludes the small introductory educational program, let's move on to the details :)
In Paris you will find two or three types of such buses: yellow double deckers of the company "L" Open Tour, red buses of the company "Le Cars Rouge" and noticeable double deckers of the world leader "Big Bus"
These buses differ in cost and route. Let's compare these two offers so you can choose which one suits you best.
I’ll tell you the cost of tickets right away (the price is online, a little on the spot, but more expensive). Alas, prices have changed, not in a favorable direction for tourists...
*Prices may vary. From many years of experience, I can safely say that tickets are only getting more expensive.
As you have already noticed, there is a difference in price, but not astronomical. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to overpay and end up getting exactly what I expected.
Red buses do everything 8 stops: from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower, stopping at Les Invalides in the south and reaching the Opera in the north. This is the least interesting option, but this is the case, since most tourists who come to Paris for one day travel approximately along this route. But this is not the clear favorite of our review.
L'Open Tour Company(yellow buses) offers 4 routes, which intersect at certain stops where you can change to another route. On four routes in total more than 50 stops!. In the picture below you can see the yellow bus routes:
One of the Open Tour routes completely follows the route of Le Cars Rouge buses; on the orange route you will get acquainted with Latin Quarter(Montparnasse, Luxembourg Gardens, Sorbonne, etc.), the yellow route passes through the most “non-Parisian” streets (Amsterdam, Moulin Rouge, sex shop district) and reaches Montmartre (Sacré-Coeur Basilica), and the blue route will introduce you with the Place de la Bastille, the National Library and many attractions of the eastern districts of Paris. This is such a rich program. All routes, of course, are accompanied by an audio guide in Russian.
Big Buses follow 2 routes and make more than 12 stops near the most significant attractions, including Montmartre. Plus, the company offers combined tickets that include not only bus trips, but also, for example, a cruise on the Seine, which are very popular and ultimately cost less.
Tickets can and should be purchased online; it is simple, convenient and noticeably cheaper than the cost of tickets directly from the driver or at the company’s office in Paris. The process is simple: pay for the ticket, receive a voucher by email, print it out, present it to the driver when you first board, and in return you receive tickets, a booklet with a map, and headphones. All!
Tourist buses in Paris. Our choice
Based on personal experience: during my first trip to Paris, I bought tickets for the yellow bus L "Open Tour for two days, if my memory serves me correctly. To see as much as possible geographically, and also in quality public transport. I can say that it was educational and quite convenient, but, in my opinion, it was too redundant. The long routes around the Bastille and Montparnasse weren't particularly interesting, to be honest. There wasn’t much choice back then, there were only two companies, but the short route of the red bus didn’t suit me at all.
Now it’s a different matter - BigBus has appeared in the markets, and these guys know their business - their buses “snoop” around 19 of the most important capitals of the World. And their offer is especially attractive, including a river boat trip along the Seine ( Classic Ticket + River Cruise= 1 day bus + cruise; Deluxe Ticket= 2 days bus + cruise)
BigBus routes in Paris
Important! If you are going to purchase tickets for one of the buses, then pay attention to combined tours that include a bus ticket (Big Bus or L "Open Tour, your choice) and tickets to the museum plus a river boat trip on the Seine. The point is: that such combo tickets provide the opportunity to go, for example, to the Louvre or Notre Damme without a queue(Skip-the-line), and this is very important, since queues in Paris are a real scourge for tourists; you can easily stand for about two hours at the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, and sometimes longer. The most popular ticket at the moment is the Tower + 1 day Big Bus + river cruise with audio guide (85€)
You can choose a sightseeing bus or choose a combined tour to suit your taste using the link below.
We start our route from the Invalides' Home. This is a whole complex of buildings where museums are located (Army Museum, Museum of Plans and Reliefs, Museum modern history), monuments military history France, as well as an existing nursing home for war veterans. The most interesting thing here is the tomb of Emperor Napoleon.
It's very nice to walk through a public park - the Champs de Mars and sit for a while on the grass with tourists from all over the world. Many people have breakfast here and at the same time invent new poses for photos with the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower is located in the northwestern part of the Champs de Mars. Under the tower you will see several queues. Make sure you queue for the elevator and not the stairs. Be sure to climb top floor and remember morning Paris.
A light lunch at the most famous restaurant in Paris, located on the Eiffel Tower, will help strengthen the feeling of magic. Nothing lifts your spirits like a glass of champagne at 125 meters in the air.
We get down from the tower and cross the bridge over the Seine. Very soon we find ourselves at a majestic building consisting of two arched pavilions. Between these pavilions there is a platform - it is from here that the most wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower opens in the city. Inside the palace there are several quite fascinating museums: the Museum of Man, the Museum of the Fleet and the Museum of Architecture.
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Address: 150 Avenue des Champs Élysées, Paris Go to page |
You can walk along the av. Kleber or take a short bus ride to one of the symbols of Paris - the Arc de Triomphe. There is a small museum inside the arch, but the most interesting thing is at the top - Observation deck, from where a beautiful view of the capital opens.
Next we move along the Champs Elysees. This street extends from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. It is one of the most beautiful streets in Paris, so it has become a favorite place for walking among Parisians and tourists. You can walk or take a bus one or two stops. Be careful, the length of the Champs Elysees is two kilometers. There are shops, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and much more.
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Address: 3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, Avenue Dutuit; |
Towards the end of the Champs-Élysées you will see two neoclassical exhibition halls - the Grand and Petit Palais, and the Open Palace. U Grand Palace magnificent multifaceted glass roof. Due to the collapse of a glass ceiling panel in 1993, it was closed for 12 years, but is now welcoming visitors again.
Small Palace - permanent collection - free, fees are charged only for temporary exhibitions
Open Palace - 8 €, preferential categories 6 €, 3 € or free
The Grand Palace is only open during exhibitions and events
Small Palace - Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00
Open Palace - Tue-Sat 09:30-18:00, Sun and holidays 10:00-19:00
The magnificent architecture of the church has made it one of the main attractions of Paris. You can sit on the steps of the church for a while and enjoy the views.
We walk along the Boulevard des Capucines to the Paris Opera. The Garnier Opera House in Paris is one of the most famous opera houses in the world and is incredibly beautiful. If time permits, be sure to attend the opera or ballet in the following days.
Further along rue de Mogador we go up to the Church of Saint Trinity. From there we take a bus or walk to the Place de Clichy metro station. You're probably hungry, and a small French restaurant will help you out here fast food- Flunch. It will show that French fast food is like no other.
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Address: Montmartre, Paris |
Having gained strength after dinner, we move towards the famous Montmartre hill. We climb the hill on foot from the Abbesses metro station, line 12. Montmartre is the highest point in Paris and one of the city's most popular attractions. There are theaters, museums, squares, churches and, of course, cabarets. Do you remember the Moulin Rouge, where you can see the famous cancan every evening? Yes, he is located right here.
Not far from the Abbesses metro station is another amazing attraction of Paris. The Wall of Love very quickly became extremely popular among both Parisians and tourists from all over the world. The author of the project has been collecting “I love you” inscriptions in a notebook for many years. different languages. As a result, over more than 10 years, he collected 1,000 inscriptions in 300 different languages and dialects.
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Address: Place du Tertre 75018 Paris |
We rise higher. You can walk, but the funicular is more fun, especially since you can pay for the journey with a regular metro ticket. Next we find ourselves at famous square Place de Tertre. This is the heart of Montmartre, a haven for artists and musicians. The place is amazing, you should definitely buy some souvenirs here.
We go further and find ourselves at the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. This amazing architectural monument is located on the top of Montmartre hill and can be seen from afar. A large wide staircase leads to the church, from which you can see a view 50 kilometers into the distance. Sit down and enjoy the view of Paris at night.
The wonderful garden, which occupies 26 hectares, is very much loved by the Parisians themselves. There is a very beautiful one here Luxembourg Palace, built for Marie de Medici, the Luxembourg Museum and magnificent fountains.
This is an amazingly beautiful building, unique monument architecture of France in the early Gothic style, the spiritual center of Paris and one of its main attractions. Notre Dame de Paris is an active Catholic church, be sure to visit it. Please note that the cathedral offers free tours in Russian on Wednesdays at 14:00 and Saturdays at 14:30.
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Address: Sainte-Chapelle 4 boulevard du Palais 75001 Paris |
The magnificent 13th century chapel once served as a repository for sacred relics brought by the Crusaders from Constantinople. Inside there are unusually beautiful colored stained glass windows. See also the Palace of Justice and the island's pointed square with a statue of Henry the Fourth.
After visiting this large quantity sights and before even more, you need to have lunch. The restaurant "Ipopotamus" is famous for its meat dishes There is a special menu and some entertainment for children.
The Louvre is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world, and undoubtedly the largest and most popular museum among tourists in France. Don't be afraid of the lines, they move quickly. Of course, it’s difficult to say how much time it’s worth spending there; you can’t see everything at once or twice. However, three hours may be enough for your first acquaintance.
The magnificent garden is located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. Here you can catch your breath a little after walking around the museum.
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Address: 1, rue de Bellechasse |
We go to the Place de la Concorde and then across the bridge to the Musee d'Orsay. This museum of fine and applied arts in Paris is one of the most visited museums in France. It houses one of the richest collections of European painting and sculpture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
That's right, we come to the Eiffel Tower again. The thing is that Paris is a unique, inimitable city and it needs to be seen in all its glory. There is only one way to do this: see Paris from the Eiffel Tower in the morning... and then again in the evening. These two types cannot even be compared, it just needs to be done!
Paris! So many eras fit into this word. The undisputed center of the world for at least a couple of hundred years in its entire history. Is it possible to visit France and miss Paris? I think no. At first, when I imagined my route, I didn’t even plan to visit the capital. He seemed to me big city, full of African-Americans and Indians. But the beauty of my travels is that a combination of happy circumstances can adjust the route, making it even more interesting. So this time, the guys from the next trip, literally after an hour of talking with me, invited me to visit Paris. I didn’t agree right away, but when I called them and arrived in the capital of France, in the end I was very pleased with the visit. Map of Paris and my route on it.
I hitchhiked to Paris from the city of Tours, but traveled the last part of the journey by commuter train. The guys from the parish of Jehovah's Witnesses, who were the last to give me a ride that day, helped me get on the train - a rather nice mixed couple: a dark-skinned guy and a fair-haired European girl. The funniest question they asked was why were Jehovah's Witnesses “expelled” from Russia? Putin did this? I was surprised by the fact that the Witnesses were “expelled” from our country and honestly told the guys about this, in turn surprising them even more.
If you are planning to fly to Paris, then keep in mind that there are 3 airports: Charles de Gaulle, Orlais, Bovy. Each can be reached by trains (trains) and buses. From Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris one of the most convenient ways— train RER B (about 10 euros).
Tickets to Paris from Moscow
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Paris is very conveniently connected to commuter trains for 100-150 kilometers, which smoothly turn into the metro. You can buy a single ticket from the suburbs 100 km from the capital to a specific metro station in the center of Paris. I really didn’t pay anything and didn’t find out the cost of such a ticket, because I literally ran into the train, no one checked anything on the train and I only had to buy a metro ticket (to get off it). Another feature is that it is impossible to buy a ticket for the Paris metro at the exit. Therefore, if for some reason you are a free rider, then it is very difficult to get out; the double turnstile system reliably protects the city budget from hares.
Paris is a modern city, well prepared to receive guests. So it won’t be difficult to find and choose the right hotel or hostel in Paris - there are thousands of them!
Having reached the accommodation of my new Parisian friends in the Malakoff district, where I was fed dinner and wine, I finally relaxed. I love hitchhiking, and I can do it, but it’s obvious that it’s a rather energy-intensive way to get around, and sometimes even I want to avoid going out on the “high road” for a couple of days.
The couple who hosted me are very interesting guys. A 40-year-old Chinese programmer from Hong Kong working for Intel and a 55-year-old man working in a mid-level position for the French government. They've been living together for 8 years and they're the coolest gay guys I've ever met. They did not show in any way that they were a couple, only the fact that they slept in the same room gave them away.
In Paris, the extensive metro and stations are not very far from each other, so using it to move around the city is quite convenient.
First of all, I visited the Sacré-Coeur Basilica and Notre Dame Cathedral.
(Sacré-Cœur) - The Church of the Sacred Heart on Montmartre Hill, the highest point in Paris (130 m), is worth a visit just for the views. From here you have a good panorama of the city.
The basilica itself is not very old, its construction was completed just over 100 years ago (1914), but it is beautiful.
Temple of the Sacred Heart on Montmartre Hill (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) is perhaps an attraction that definitely cannot be missed in Paris. The majestic Cathedral is an example of a vibrant gothic style with a history of more than 8 centuries. Visiting Notre Dame Cathedral is completely free, but you need to wait in line for about 30-40 minutes. Believe me, it's worth it.
Inside you will find stunning stained glass windows and statues, high vaults, large layout and images of the stages of reconstruction from century to century.
It’s a grandiose building, no matter how you look at it. By the way, be sure to walk around the building from all sides; it looks special from behind.
Notre-Dame de Paris is located on the Ile de la Cité, and if you go to the Ile Saint-Louis, you will see the luxurious city hall building of the Hotel de Ville.
Paris, like any old city in Europe, is located on a busy river, here it is the Seine. The embankments of the Seine are very conveniently landscaped, there are places for walking and for bicycles, rentals of bicycles, roller skates, small cafes with coffee and street dancers, free toilets.
Moving along the Seine to the west from Notre Dame, you can walk to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
The Louvre is amazing, it's a pity I didn't have time to visit it.
From the Louvre via Arc de Triomphe at Place Carrousel it is worth a leisurely stroll through the Tuileries Gardens to the Place de la Concorde and the Fountain of the Seas.
The famous Champs Elysees begin from the Place de la Concorde, which ends at the equally famous Arc de Triomphe.
At night, the Arch sparkles in the light of the lanterns with special colors, sending you into some kind of French film about love.
The evening ended with an amazing light show of the Eiffel Tower from the observation deck in the Trocadero Gardens - this the best place to watch the tower in the evening. In the summer, every evening at 11 o'clock the Eiffel Tower literally lights up with thousands of lanterns - it's worth seeing at least once.
A few words about prices in the capital of France. Both days at lunch I bought food from the supermarket: tabbouleh salad, Camembert cheese, bread, tomatoes - all this did not cost more than 5 euros. And I had dinner with my friends, and every time they refused to take money from me. Eating at a small Chinese restaurant or a hamburger shop costs at least 12-15 euros per person. Wine - from 5 euros per bottle. For 5 euros you can get good wine, but it’s better to take from 7-8. But of course, if you can afford it, stop by in the morning for coffee and a fresh buttery croissant, and in the evening have a glass of wine and sit on the terrace.
Even more convenient than the metro is a bicycle. I rode my bike all day, using the city's rental system - there is a dense network of stations throughout the city where you can pick up and return a bike. To use it, you need to register on the website, link your bank card, from which 150 euros will be blocked to guarantee the safety and return of the bike after use. Yes, this is a lot, but the amount will definitely be unlocked a few days after the end of the last use, so you don’t have to worry about the money. The cost of rental for 1 day, if you fit within 30 minutes of use in a row, is 1.7 euros or 7 euros for a week, even cheaper if you plan to use it constantly, for 1 or several months.
If you do not meet the 30 “free” minutes, then for each 1 hour started you will pay another 1 euro. Only once did I have a situation where I could not meet the 30 minutes - in the city center in the evening at some stations there are no free space to return the bike. In the morning, at some remote stations, on the contrary, there are no bikes at all; people really actively use the rental system to get to work or university from the outskirts where they live. However, there are still many more advantages. The main thing is that everyone, even tourists, can really use this system; there are no restrictions that only a citizen of the country can use it, as in some cities. There are a lot of bike paths around the city, so you don't have to ride on the roadway.
I spent the second day on a bicycle, becoming more and more immersed in the unique atmosphere of Old Paris interspersed with modern shades. So I highly recommend a bicycle for getting around Paris - convenient, cheap and environmentally friendly!
Special place in French capital occupied by beautiful parks. One of the most notable is the Luxembourg Garden (Le Jardin du Luxembourg). By the way, you can’t ride a bicycle in the parks here; you need to park it at the entrance. And if you still decide to ride it around the territory, you won’t even travel 100 meters before some grandfather threatens you with his fist - you’ll get drunk, they say, you kid! =)
Another violation for which you can even be fined is riding on a bicycle path “in the wrong direction.” The Parisian police stopped me when I was violating the direction of traffic and forgave me and let me go without a fine, having learned that I was a tourist. But I had to turn around, go in the permitted direction and make a big detour to get to the place I needed.
If you are not indifferent to modern buildings and urban movements, it is worth a look at the multicultural center of Georges Pompidou (Le Center Pompidou) in the Avant-garde style. Surprisingly, this is the most famous object in the capital after the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
In addition to exhibition spaces, the Pompidou houses cinemas, a theatre, a public library, a café and a restaurant. The center is given a special charm and value by observation platforms with the most picturesque views of Paris in the very center of the city.
My conclusion is that in 2 days, of course, I didn’t cover even a 10th of all the remarkable places in the capital, but it was enough to fall in love with Paris and want to return. So if you have 2 days and are wondering where to spend them, Paris is waiting for you! All that remains is to choose tickets and hotel.
| Where | departure date | Return date | Find a ticket |
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Gerona | |||
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Pisa | |||
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Milan | |||
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Bologna | |||
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Barcelona | |||
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Rome | |||
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Venice | |||
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Porto | |||
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Warsaw | |||
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Stockholm | |||
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Dublin | |||
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Alicante | |||
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Krakow | |||
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Madrid | |||
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Vilnius | |||
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Budapest | |||
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Debrecen | |||
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Faro | |||
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Marrakesh | |||
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Wroclaw | |||
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Timisoara | |||
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Varna | |||
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London | |||
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Lisbon | |||
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Geneva | |||
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Bratislava | |||
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Sofia | |||
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Berlin | |||
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Palermo | |||
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Fes | |||
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Copenhagen | |||
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Craiova | |||
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Iasi | |||
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Bilbao | |||
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Gdansk | |||
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Naples | |||
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Bari | |||
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Rabat | |||
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Valencia | |||
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Bristol | |||
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Vein | |||
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Manchester | |||
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Poznan | |||
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Palma de Mallorca | |||
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Nice | |||
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Thessaloniki | |||
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Tangier | |||
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Liverpool | |||
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Amsterdam | |||
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Toulouse | |||
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Stuttgart | |||
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Prague | |||
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Catania | |||
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Southampton | |||
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Cluj-Napoca | |||
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Malaga | |||
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Oslo | |||
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Skopje | |||
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Biarritz | |||
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Seville | |||
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Glasgow | |||
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Bucharest | |||
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Nador | |||
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Bordeaux | |||
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Cologne | |||
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Dortmund | |||
|
Florence | |||
|
Cardiff |
