From a trip to France, tourists bring souvenirs, romantic memories and magnificent photos of the sights of Paris. In this famous city of love there are a huge number of places that are definitely worth a visit. But in order for the impressions to be really pleasant, and the disappointment did not find at the very beginning of the trip, you should learn more about this wonderful city.
The French are calm people and do not like it when in public places someone begins to speak loudly or even scream. This also applies to the behavior of children. In addition, you will definitely make a remark or even be fined if they see on the street with a cigarette – in Paris there are laws against smoking.
Scrupulous French will not appreciate or even condemn if you are “wrongly” dressed. Even in the heat, it is not customary to appear in the city center in shorts and T-shirts. And when going to a restaurant, you should painstakingly treat the choice of an exit costume.
It is best to get around Paris by public transport. A taxi in the French capital is quite expensive, since the cost of the tariff includes both a trip and being in the car, and once in one of the traffic jams you can be left without a significant amount.
Eiffel Tower
The most famous and visited attraction of the French capital is located on the Champ de Mars. The masterpiece, made according to the idea of the architect Gustave Eiffel, never ceases to amaze tourists. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 by the time of the World’s Fair.
It was planned that in a few years it could be dismantled, and although many representatives of the Parisian intelligentsia demanded to do it much earlier, believing that the structure would disfigure the city,the tower still stands in its former place.
The height of the tower exceeds 320 meters. It has three observation decks, which are located at a height of 57 m, 115 m, 276 m. The total weight of the metal structure is 12 thousand tons. Having climbed to the platforms of the tower, tourists can not only take pictures against the background of an indescribable landscape, but also visit restaurants and cafes.
The Eiffel Tower has an interesting feature. When heating its parts with the rays of the sun, it can slightly deviate to the side. In the evening, when the design is illuminated by about 20 thousand light bulbs, it looks especially impressive.
“To be in Paris and not to visit the main attraction we could not afford, so we went to the Eiffel Tower. The queue lasted an hour and a half, there was a very strong wind at the top, and we only reached the middle. Then there was no strength or time to rise. But the beauty is amazing and the view is great!”
Arc de Triomphe
The legendary Arc de Triomphe in Paris adorns the famous Charles de Gaulle Square or, as it is also called, the Place de la Star. To the center of the square, as the rays converge 12 avenues, including the famous Champs Elysees. The Arc de Triomphe was built by order of Napoleon, who thus wanted to perpetuate his triumph over many countries of the world.
The height of the structure reaches 50 m. Images of this attraction of Paris can hardly convey its power and luxury. Initially, the architect Jean Schalgren began to work on the project, but he did not live to see the completion of the work. In total, the construction of the Arc de Triomphe took about 30 years.
The completion of the construction occurred during the reign of Louis Philippe, and the new architect was Abel Blouet. On the arch you can see several sculptural compositions made in the ancient style by other masters of art, as well as the names of bloody battles that were won by the French and the names of famous commanders.
“In appearance, the Arc de Triomphe, although it looks monumental, but I did not feel anything special when I examined it. Just a monument that the French erected in honor of their conquests. But now, having risen to the observation deck, I enjoyed the beautiful view of the city. With children, it is better not to climb here – 200 steps along the spiral staircase are overcome quite difficult. “
Notre-Dame-de-Paris
One of the main attractions of Paris is Notre Dame Cathedral. The construction of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-Paris began at the beginning of the XII century and ended two centuries later. After the completion of construction, the cathedral was a place for the wedding of royalty, and for magnificent solemn funerals and for coronations.
Dilapidated and badly damaged during revolutions and uprisings, the cathedral received a “start” in a new life in the mid-19th c., when its restoration and restoration began under the guidance of the architect Viollet-le-Duc. Today, the eyes of tourists from all over the world appear luxurious decoration of Notre-Dame-de-Paris.
About religious events tell numerous frescoes and wall paintings. There is no lighting in the cathedral. Light penetrates through a huge number of large and small stained glass, and, refracted in colored glass, it creates a special, mysterious and mysterious atmosphere.
To be at the walls of the famous cathedral, you need to take the metro to the cite station or St-Michel.
“This is a real work of architectural art. I admire the incredible beauty of the facades of Notre-Dame-de-Paris and its interior decoration. I was struck by the organ music, which can be listened to here on Sundays. “
Louvre
It is to visit the Louvre in the French capital come connoisseurs of beauty from different parts of the globe. For more than two centuries, this luxurious castle serves the homeland as a museum in which the most interesting exhibits are stored, and in fact once it was the main residence of kings.
However, the history of the Louvre has never been unambiguous. At different times, it was threatened with demolition, luxurious balls with a large number of nobles and beautiful ladies, replaced the desolation of rooms and halls, which today contain unique objects of art.
The total area of the palace is more than 60 thousand square meters. meters. Tourists here are presented about 35 thousand exhibits, but even more is stored in storage, so as not to expose objects and paintings to the destructive power of humidity and light.
Every year the Louvre is visited by about 10 million people. It is rightly called one of the most famous museums in the world. The royal palace is located at 99 rue de Rivoli.
“It will not be possible to inspect the Louvre in one day. And for a week, too. Prevents you from enjoying the famous masterpieces of the crowd, which constantly pushes you, forcing you to move on. And so I want to stay longer near the Venus de Milo or the Mona Lisa. I will dream of visiting the Louvre again.”
Champs Elysees
The Champs Elysees is the most famous street in Paris, which is located in the 8th arrondissement and stretches from place Charles de Gaulle to place de la Concorde. It is the largest street of the French capital. The length of the Champs Elysees is about 2 km, and the width is 71 m.
A few centuries ago, there were wetlands where the French nobility arranged hunting. The contribution to the appearance of the Champs Elysees was made by Marie de’ Medici and King Louis XIV. The first ordered to ennoble the territory, making it a continuation of the Tuileries Park, and the second gave the order to build 3 roads here at once, along which it would be possible to move in different directions without hindrance.
On this road, the king and his retinue traveled from the Tuileries castle to Versailles, admiring the beautiful views of the surroundings. Gradually, the street has become a favorite place for walks of citizens and today continues to delight with its magnificence and indescribable feeling of romanticism and tranquility.
“Very busy street. Lots of people and machines. A pleasant place, only the feeling that you are on the famous Champs Elysees, is delightful. Lots of shops and restaurants. In good weather, you can safely walk along the entire avenue from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.”
Pantheon in Paris
The Paris Pantheon is a famous tomb in which the remains of famous and significant people for France rest. The history of the Pantheon began with the appearance in the mid-18th c. near the city center of the church of St. Genevieve.
The cathedral was built in an unusual modest style for the French. Its entrance is decorated with a Greek portico with columns, and the roof of the building is crowned with a majestic dome resting on massive marble posts. In troubled revolutionary times, the Pantheon avoided the sad fate of many city churches only because it was decided to bury great people in it.
The Pantheon today remains a mausoleum, but the bodies of the great are brought into its doors not immediately after death, but only after 100 years, in order to find out during this time whether the person was really outstanding and deserves such honor. In the luxurious hall of the cathedral there are regular excursions, during which you can learn the interesting history of the French kings and revolutionaries, who so dramatically changed the fate of the country. The famous cathedral is located in the Latin Quarter, and is open to the public daily.
“Very beautiful hall in this cathedral. High ceilings, through the dome shine the rays of the sun – the only source of light in the Pantheon, chic columns and sculptures. We were lucky, and there were few people in the temple, so we managed to consider everything very carefully. I highly recommend it to everyone!”
Sacré-coeur Basilica
The construction of the Sacré-coeur Basilica, like many temples, lasted for several decades. Initially, the place for it was chosen on the Montmartre hill, and this temple was dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Franco-Prussian war. During the construction, it turned out that the place is not too suitable for the construction of the temple due to the sprinkling of soil and the work was stopped.
A few years later, under the leadership of the chief architect of the project, Paul Abadi, the strengthening of the site began, for which about 100 mines were dug, and it was decided to build the temple itself from a lighter material – limestone. Today, from any district of Paris, you can see this beautiful, majestic building, shimmering in different shades from milky to pale pink.
The construction of the basilica was completed in 1923 Today not only religious pilgrims come here, but also tourists interested in architecture and art. More than 200 stairs lead to the entrance to the building, and, climbing the hill, you can see the extraordinarily beautiful surroundings of Paris.
“A delightful church with an unusual, slightly elongated dome and a mixed architectural styles. Even a person who does not understand too much in construction and architecture will see here an amazing combination of the incompatible – romanticism, Renaissance, Gothic and Byzantine style. I loved it!”
Tuileries Garden
This landmark of the city appeared in Paris thanks to Marie de’ Medici. The royal residence seemed to her too gloomy for the life of children, and she ordered to build the Tuileries Palace for her sons, and around it to create a beautiful park. Later, a significant contribution to the arrangement of the park will be made by King Louis XIV – a lover and admirer of everything beautiful.
Today, the Tuileries Garden is a favorite vacation spot of the city and tourists. The embodiment of tranquility and tranquility, it allows you to forget about the noisy city streets for a while, walk along 5 alleys, the main of which leaves the square at the entrance to the park and stretches through its entire territory.
In the park you can see a lot of beautiful plants, flowers, bushes. Birds swim in artificial reservoirs, and along the perimeter of the park and along the alleys there are sculptures made by a variety of sculptors and artists of the country. In the western part of the park there is an art gallery where you can get acquainted with the work of such celebrities as Picasso and Renoir.
“Quiet, peaceful place – an ordinary park. Sculptures can certainly be seen, especially there is nothing to admire. Once you visit the Tuileries Garden, you can no longer waste time on its inspection, preferring other attractions. “
Versailles
On the site of the famous palace in the middle of the 17th century there was a small hunting lodge, in which King Louis XIII stayed during the hunt. Later, this place was chosen for the construction of the palace complex of Versailles. It was built with the French kings’ inherent love of luxury and beauty and has become a favorite place for balls and feasts. It was the walls of this castle that witnessed intrigues, romance novels and conspiracies.
The atmosphere of Versailles Park is gorgeous. Huge fountains, bizarre patterns of mowed lawns and shrubbery and a magnificent Mirror Gallery, entering which it seems that the walls themselves are moving, thanks to the huge number of mirrors.
Versailles is worth a visit at least in order to feel endless peace and tranquility. Only here you can fully feel how much the French kings loved the luxurious decoration and wealth. Gold, crystal and expensive fabrics were the objects of interior decoration, and even tubs for flowers were cast from precious metals. You can get to Versailles from Paris by train. Travel time is about 30 minutes.
“Great place, very luxurious and big garden. The interiors of the palace rooms and halls are striking when you begin to understand that this is only a small part of the luxury in which the kings and their families, the great rulers of France, lived. For a trip to Versailles, it is better to choose the warm season so that the weather does not spoil the impressions. “
Disneyland Paris
The famous paris amusement park is located 32 km from the center of the French capital in the town of Marne-la-Valais. Disneyland Paris is a whole city with its own hotels, restaurants and, of course, attractions.
Disneyland was founded in 1992 from the first years of its existence, it has earned great popularity among residents of Europe and tourists from other countries. The main part is located in the center of a huge territory, where 5 theme parks are concentrated around the sleeping beauty castle. You can get to any end of Disneyland by mini-trains, which constantly run between attractions, hotels, shops and restaurants.
Ghost House, Border Country, Robinson’s Hideout, Pirate Ship and Adventure Island are just a tiny part of what delights young tourists. Disneyland has rides for children, as well as for adults with strong nerves. Here you can see how famous stunts from famous films are filmed or ride on ships with Indians and heroes of Westerns.
“I have not received such vivid impressions for a long time, and my 10-year-old son was incredibly delighted. We spent 3 days at Disneyland, and I didn’t want to leave! Prices here are not cheap, but the stay in the park itself is worth it. At the ticket office at the entrance there were no too large queues, but to get to the attractions, I had to suffer in anticipation. It’s the best amusement park in the world!”
Paris is equally charming at any time of the year, but most of the tourists come here in spring and summer, when the quarters are covered with greenery and you can walk through incredibly beautiful parks. It is believed that the capital of France is the city of lovers who come here to feel romantic feelings even more strongly. But in France, it will be equally interesting for both children and elderly people.
