What To Do in Paris, France When You've Been There...Done It...
We are visiting Paris with no pre-conceived notions, no "to-do" lists, agendas and unaccompanied by adult children or grandchildren. What to do in Paris when you've been there...done it? A good questions with many possibilities depending on the time of year, day of the week.
- The flea market at Port Vanves? This market is held only on weekends and would have been great but we arrived on Sunday. This gave very little time to get there and still have enough time to really stroll and shop. A definite "next time"...
- Montmartre? We haven't explored this quarter since 1978. I would say it's time to return and revisit Sacre Coeur. Enjoy the views of Paris, take a walking tour through the Place du Tertre, look for the only Montmartre vineyard remaining in Paris, and try to recognize landmarks made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists... A definite "maybe"...
- We've never been in The Grand Palais des Beaux Arts, or the Grand Palace of Fine Arts, constructed in Paris in 1897 for the 1900 World's Fair. Passed it countless times at the edge of the Champs Elysses but never entered. There is a Renoir Exhibition taking place right now that runs until January, 2010. Perhaps...
There is a long and Official List of Paris Monuments that are considered to be the most important sights. Even though we've seen them all, one or two may be fit in for a revisit. However, here are Sheila's favorites listed in descending order of the "awe barometer":
The Eiffel Tower knocks my socks off every time. Just standing at the base of this incredible rusty, orange colored monument designed by Gustave Eiffel is a thrill and actually more impressive from the bottom then the top.
Notre de Dame de Paris is beyond description, especially if you ever happen to visit during High Mass. The choir, organ, stained glass windows - some of which date back to the Middle Ages. Seen from the front, back or up in the tower with the gargoyles while looking for poor Quasimodo and Esmeralda, Notre Dame is perfection.
The Bridges of Paris...View image... have to be walked over and seen from all directions. The Pont-Neuf is the oldest of Paris's bridges.
Centre Georges Pompidou of Modern Art is always interesting and thought-provoking even if you don't like modern art. A big plus is that Pompidou has late opening hours (until 10:00 p.m.), except Tuesdays.
Musee d'Orsay not only contains the biggest Impressionist collection in the world but the Orsay building constructed in 1900, was once a train station. The building has a built-in "awe" factor and that's before viewing Manet, Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc.
Of course you'll visit the Louvre. Everyone visits the Louvre but it is possible to be a tinge disappointed. As grandson, Josh, stated, "the Mona Lisa is so small." Not only is the famous painting "small," but you can't get close, the crowds are claustrophobic and it loses the impact expected when you hear the words, "Mona Lisa." The Louvre must be visited in small bytes to receive the full and stunning impact of over 35,000 works on display. We visited the Napoleon rooms, drooled over eye-popping jewelry, the Medieval Louvre with remains of the moat and keep of the original fortress, and Egyptian Antiquities. That took hours to see the "last time we saw Paris."
Paris is a very walkable city and you must walk to get the full impact. Head down the beautiful Champs Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, through the the big square of Place de La Bastille where the Bastille prison once stood...let them eat cake......and speaking of cake...View image, Ile de La Cite where the medieval city of Paris was founded, and through the different Arrondissements (districts/neighborhoods of Paris). Just keep on walking and discover your favorite spots until you can't take one more step.
I think we'll just play it by ear, begin walking and see where the feet lead us.
Fancy a quality holiday? - Click Here
