Paris

Overview of Paris by Concierge Plus

Paris is the eternal symbol of splendour, always shining and gorgeous: as Ernest Hemingway said, "Paris is a moveable feast".

Paris is the heart of France, the heart of Europe and maybe the heart of the whole world. An encounter with Paris grows into eternal love as love at first sight.

 Start your tour of Paris with visiting its symbol – the Eiffel Tower, where Gustav Eiffel hoisted the French flag having mounted it in March 1889. Since that time “The Iron Lady” has become the most popular public construction in the country and in Paris. If you are brimming with energy and health, you can go up the 1792 steps, or the elevator will quickly lift you up to the altitude of 174m opening a wonderful, more than 90km panorama. At the altitude of 115m you can visit the world famous Jules Verne.

Having descended, take a walk along the Champ de Mars stretching from the Seine to the Military School – it’s just very beautiful there. Don’t give up on a walk to the top of Montmartre to the steps of The Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (Sacred Heart). But do it closer to dusk as it is precisely at this time that Paris, spreading out at your feet, is especially beautiful.

 Having visited the biggest royal palace and the greatest museum of the world – Louvre, which has a collection of great pieces of art from different epochs from the entire world, take a walk on the Champs Elysees – the famous avenue terminating with the Arc of Triumph built in 1836 and reminding of the victories of Napoleon’s Empire. Carrying on your walk, you will find yourself on the Concorde Square in the centre of which there is an obelisk once decorating the grave of Ramses II in Luxor 3000 years ago, received as a gift to Louis-Philippe by the Egyptians and placed here in 1836. Visit the Vendome Square crowned with a 44-metre triumphal Vendome column. This column was made after the model of the Trajan’s column in Rome and is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs cast from captured Austrian guns. The bas-reliefs depict the Austrian march of the Great army and the heroic deeds of Napoleon I, his statue in a Roman toga crowning the column.

 Once you’ve found yourself on the island of Cite take a look at the Palace of Justice, where the first 12 kings of the Capetian dynasty lived. Conciergerie is a former royal castle and dates back to the times of Philippe the Beautiful. Since 1400 the castle was a state prison where the queen Marie Antoinette was kept.  Nowadays the museum Conciergerie is a part of the Palace of Justice complex housing municipal services, court and the Office of Public Prosecutor. Go down to the embankments of the island of St. Louis. These are the real Parisian embankments with lovers, fishermen and marvelous panoramas of the Seine. You can also go to the wonderful Dauphine Square, relax, drink coffee, go out to the edge of the island of Cite opening a fabulous view of Louvre and the Seine.

 Be sure to visit the Latin Quarter with the Parisian University – well-known Sorbonne where Cardinal Richelieu was buried. The cardinal’s hat is hanging above his tomb and, as the legend goes, if it falls, his soul will be released from hell. Pantheon with the famous Frenchmen such as Zola, Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Rousseau buried there is situated a bit further away. Above the Latin Quarter towers a 58-storey complex-tower Montparnasse – a shining black skyscraper built in 1973 which changed the look of the district of Paris popular with the bohemia of the 20s. Here in the area of Montparnasse you will see a monument to Balzac. Further pay attention to the remarkable complex – the House of Invalids built in 1671 at the order of Louis XIV. Today it is the burial place of the French military heroes including Napoleon I. It also houses the Museum of the Army and the armory exhibiting wonderful military costumes.

 What is Paris without its magnificent architecture? The Palais Royal, the Vogues Square – architectural masterpieces of the monarchist epoch, the Centre Georges Pompidou and buildings in the new business district Defense demonstrate the ultramodern face of the city. The entire Paris – wonderful palaces and bridges, wide green boulevards, marvelous fountains, beautiful parks, cozy streets with romantic public gardens and private residences - spreads out on the banks of the Seine as a symbol of eternity. The sun has been shining above Paris for over 2000 years and at night the city puts on thousands of lights – its streets shine even on the darkest nights. The museum panorama of the city is worth worldwide fame: the museum of Orsay, the museum of Rhoden, the ethnographic museum, the museum of modern history, the museum of the Army, the museum of contemporary art at  the palace of Tokyo, the museum Carnavalet, the museum of the history of France at the palace of Soubise and many other sights that will suffice for many trips to Paris!