Take my advice, Paris is a great starting point for your European travels. Often referred to as the city of lights, it is a bustling, multi-cultural metropolitan city that is alive and vibrant with endless culture and history; you can’t help but feel a true sense of joie de vivre.
We didn’t plan anything beyond the first two days in order to maintain the most flexibility for our travels, but we had decided before hand that we would spend those first days at Disneyland Paris. When we arrived we caught the train from the airport to Marne la Vallee, and walked to our hotel in Val d’Europe. I won’t spend a lot of time talking about Disneyland. It was a good way to get our bearings, and to start planning the next leg of the trip, but I think because we had such a great time in Hong Kong Disney, that the Paris Disney paled in comparison. That’s not a bad thing, but I think it reinforces the simple truth that you can’t recreate experiences.
Once we got settled, we moved hotels downtown and got started on the real exploration we were craving. On the list was the Louvre, the Catacombs, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and last but not least, the Eiffel Tower.
Our first stop was the Catacombs. What are they you ask? Human bones, lot’s of human bones. Most of the great buildings and monuments in Paris are built from stone mined from under the city. By the eighteenth century, Paris had issues with overflowing cemeteries, and they decided to use the leftover mine tunnels as a way to store the remains. It is estimated that there are the remains of up to six million people stored in the catacombs. I’ll admit its a bit morbid, but it’s a really cool experience, and totally worth the visit. My only suggestion is to get the online quick pass to jump the line. The cue for admission without the fast pass is hours long, and you’ve got better things to do rather than hang out in a never ending line.
The next stop was an all day visit to the Louvre, and it got off to a rocky start. We took the twenty minute subway ride to the terminal underneath the Louvre, and headed to the entrance, only to realize we left our pre-booked tickets back at the hotel because we hadn’t discussed who would bring them. After a quick round of finger pointing we decided my wife would make the mad rush back to get them and hopefully make it back in time to enter within the specified timeframe. Suffice to way, it was a stressful start, but she made it back in the nick of time. This may have influenced the reason my wife’s favourite part of the museum was that they served wine in the cafeteria.
Full disclosure, I won’t be able to do the Louvre justice in my blog. You could spend a month inside and not see everything; nor have the time to fully appreciate what it means to be so close to the great works of art from around the world. The museum is an exhibit unto itself, the architecture, ornate design and painted ceilings leave your senses overwhelmed, and the exhibit sections combine to form a seemingly endless labyrinth of hallways and corridors adorned with statues, tapestries, paintings and antiquities. For a history buff like me and my son it was heaven; for my wife and daughter, a never ending day, but they were troopers.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous works of art. I’ll admit, I don’t understand what makes it so esteemed, especially considering all of the other great works of art at the Louvre, but I’m also not an art major. I did enjoy elbowing my way through the scrum of people working their way to the front of the line to catch an unobstructed view of her portrait; the experience of getting through the mass of people is almost more memorable than seeing the painting itself. That aside, the Louvre is an incredible opportunity to look into the windows of history through the eyes and painted expression of the artists themselves. Truly awe inspiring!
After the Louvre we walked through the courtyard, past the reflecting ponds, and connected to Champs-Elysées. The historic walk along the boulevard is a straight line to the Arc de Triomphe; a 50 meter high monument dedicated to French military engagements and fallen soldiers. This iconic monument is worth the time when visiting Paris. On the way, we also took a ride on the Big Wheel at Place de la Concorde; from the top of the ferris wheel you get unobstructed views of the surrounding area.
While walking around, stop and have a Nutella crepe from one of the street vendors, this simple treat gets my vote for one of the best street foods ever!
The next day we made our way to Notre Dame Cathedral. Often referred to as the best example of French Gothic architecture, it’s most famous for its use of flying buttresses in the exterior design. When you enter the Cathedral you are immediately taken aback at the size of the interior and you can’t help but feel humbled by the experience. The outer walls are lined with ornate stained glass, sculptures and paintings; while the centre is reserved for mass, with rows of pews facing the sanctuary. We were fortunate to have visited on a Sunday, while mass was taking place. To be present and witness a service, with all of the somber pomp and ceremony that entails was a wonderful experience. It’s really great that the patrons of Notre Dame allow visitors during mass, what a fantastic way to gain a full appreciation of this historic institution.
Behind the Cathedral is a park that leads you onto the walkway above the Seine River. From Notre Dame it’s about a five kilometre walk to the Eiffel Tower. You can easily catch a cab or a bus, but I highly recommend walking. The scenery along the river is beautiful, and there are lots of little shops and cafe’s along the way. Just beyond the Eiffel Tower is Île aux Cygnes. This small, artificial island on the Seine River is home to a quarter size replica of the Statue of Liberty that was unveiled in 1889, and for any movie buffs, featured in the second National Treasure movie.
The Eiffel Tower is amazing to see in person. It rises high on the Paris skyline, and is an absolute requirement to ascend. If you do nothing else while you’re in Paris, take the time to visit the tower. You can get off at different levels, but if you’re not afraid of heights, the top level is the place to go. The views of Paris are spectacular; you can see the city sprawl into the distance, and get a birds eye view of the many historic sites. At the top they also have a place to buy a glass of champagne, that somehow makes the view all that more enjoyable when shared with your travel buddy….my daughter may also have a first memory of sipping some bubbly, but I won’t confirm or deny.
Paris has a really cool vibe. The old cobble stone streets, narrow alleyways, and sidewalk cafes are everything I had envisioned. Although we took in the highlights, we barely scratched the surface of the things to do. You can get anywhere in the city by train, subway or bus, but walk as much as you can, there’s so much to see. Aside from a few meals at cafes, we mainly ate baguettes or bought groceries to make our own. Ending the day with fresh bread, cheese and wine was pure bliss. We loved our time here, but the next stop was Berlin by train.
