In the City of Lights – Paris

There has been so much written, sung and said about Paris that most visitors arrive here with all kinds of expectations – and most of these expectations are usually met if not surpassed. Whether for its famed cuisine, art, culture, architecture, history, fashion or perfume, Paris delivers the goods. Its way of life has been celebrated in art and literature – cafés and croissants, chateaux and wine, baguettes and bohemian living, and amour and attitude.

The best way to get to know Paris is to walk. Most Parisian attractions can be found along the Seine and on the two islands located on it. The best place to start  is at the Arc de Triomphe. This walk takes about 2 hours if you don’t get sidetracked by the cafes and shops that line the 2-km long Champs-Élysées. On your way you see the Eiffel Tower, pass the Place de la Concorde, the Louvre Museum, the Musee d’Orsay – known for its collection of Impressionist art – and stroll down the Left Bank to your last stop, the Notre Dame on Ile de la Cité .

Parisian neighbourhoods each have a distinct flavor of their own. Just a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower is Trocadero which offers a cultural mix of monuments and museums. St. Germain-des-Pres on the Left Bank has a youthful, bohemian air that is probably due to the student community that lives there. It is also known as the Latin Quarter as lessons at the Sorbonne University were once conducted in Latin.

Every summer Parisiens can look forward to  a little beach activity right in the heart of the city on the bank of the Seine. Paris Plage, which opened in 2002, continues to be a haven for sun bathers and those looking to cool off come summer. There are lots of other outdoor activities with roller-blading and even rock climbing. The Jardin des Tuileries and the Bois de Boulogne are the lungs of the city and provide great outdoor recreation.

Famous all over the world for its haute cuisine and fine dining, Paris is also teeming with welcoming bistros and cafés that offer cuisine at affordable prices. Allard, located in historic St. Germain serves authentic French cuisine for between €23 – €35 per head and was listed as one of the top 10 bistros by GAYOT.com. French actor Alain Delon is one among many celebrities who have sampled its cassoulet. Also remember to try the famed brasseries of Paris. These eateries started life as beer taverns and the word brasserie means “brewery” in French. You can have a meal for roughly €11 – €30 and experience a slice of Parisien life. Bofinger (pronounced bow-fahn-jay) at Rue de la Bastille, the oldest brasserie in France, is described by The Observor as “a museum of Belle Epoque decor” and figures on its list of top Parisien  brasseries for its food and ambience. The two staples on any brasserie menu worth its salt: choucroute (sauerkraut with smoked sausage, ham knuckles, belly pork) and fruits de mer (a seafood-laden platter). 

Shopping hotspots would be the Champs-Élysées, St. Germain-des-Pres and Avenue Montaigne. Don’t forget to visit the 10-story department store, Les Galeries Lafayette, whose windows at this time of the year are decked with the store’s traditional “luminous lace.” It also has the world’s biggest Christmas tree decorated with more than 55,000 lights. On a Sunday the shops along the Canal St. Martin and the Champs-Élysées offer a perfect location to browse.

Nightlife has always enjoyed a good reputation in Paris with some of the world’s most well-known theatres, cabaret and opera being here. Le Lido, the Folies Bergere, Crazy Horse Saloon and Moulin Rouge are the most popular. If you want to catch a play try the Comédie Française,  Odéon – Théâtre de l’Europe,  Théâtre de la Ville, or Théâtre du Chatelet. For opera take your pick of  Opéra Garnier or Opéra de la Bastille. At any given time there are any number of shows and exhibitions taking place in Paris.

 For a taste of the bizarre don’t forget to visit the catacombs, the Sewer Museum and Montmartre Cemetery. The catacombs date back to Roman times and are the remains of underground limestone quarries from where the stone for the buildings of Paris was quarried. Later the catacombs were used to hold the remains of Parisians. The “Sewer Museum” gives an inside peek at a section of the 2000-km long Parisian sewer system. Montmartre Cemetery houses the tombs of Émile Zola, Edgar Degas, Alexandre Dumas as well as many famous artists, and are adorned with beautiful sculptures.

Finally, remember to catch that hot air balloon ride from Fontainbleu on the city outskirts when you tire of the city lights. Or rather if….

By Chitra Mogul