PARIS, AND ITS NOT-TO-MISS ATTRACTIONS

The seen and unseen, the touristy and non-touristy, the adrenalin and the heart

When we talk about Paris, there is one question I can never quite answer. And that is, how many days does it really take to extensively cover Paris? Because frankly, it is extremely difficult to extensively cover Paris. Not because Paris is a big city, but because it has so many contours, so many facets and so many stories rolled inside it. So it totally depends on what you are here for: history, architecture, nightlife, churches, romance, food, music, or a little touristy mishmash of all of it. So the first Paris tip is: set your priorities.

That said, let's move on. Before going into what I suggest are things you shouldn't miss, I guess it isn't a bad idea to take you through a general walk around Paris. Because that's how Paris is best seen - by foot.  Actually, that calls for another quick tip. WALK. As much as you can. Because:

a.   Most of the touristy places are situated at walkable distances from one another;

b.   Going by open air tourist buses is a disastrous idea, since Paris can be pretty congested and the buses move at little better than snail-speed;

c.   You obviously get to notice the city in better detail;

d.   Brisk walk is good for health, especially since you would need to digest all those pastries you will want to eat while you are on the Parisian streets!

Paris basks in splendour. Its regalia is strewn around the city, in the form of renaissance buildings, archways, theatre buildings, remnants from the Second World War, and so on. Fancy looking at these when you're  taking a walk (or a bus, if you're lazy despite my suggestions, or a taxi, if you are not just rich but also a tad stupid with your money):

The last two pictures are of a Church. Just saying. 

Alright, walking on.  Now here's a tentative list  of things you shouldn't miss. Your hits on google would disclose 372634 other places in Paris. Like I said in the beginning, it is oh so difficult to extensively cover Paris.

a.   Basilique du Sacré Coeur and Montmarte - Simplistically translated, the Church of the Sacred Heart and the Mountain of the Martyr, respectively. (Oh, and another quick tip: Learn a little French. Un peu. Helps. You know, directions and all.) Do them first, since they are comparatively farther off from the other touristy places. So better be done with it, yes?

The Church is quite beautiful from inside, but the best thing about this place is the view of the city.

Did you just mutter that you believed the best views are only from Eiffel? Ah, Paris myths. True, the Eiffel does give an amazing view of the city, but it's not the only point from which you get a beautiful panoramic view of Paris. (In fact, there's one more, which I shall come to later).

And while you enjoy the view, listen to a bit of harp. That old, mellifluous, forgotten instrument. Here:

Walk around Montmarte, and grab a coffee while watching artists at work. And if you're a quaint alleyway lover, you will love this part of the town.

b.   Notre Dame Cathedral -

Considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, the construction of this cathedral dates back to the 12th century AD, making it one of the oldest churches in Europe. Despite subsequent vandalism, Notre Dame has been successfully preserved and its architectural brilliance continues to impress.

Even the interior of the Church is worth a visit, particularly for the grand organ on display inside.

Since the Notre-Dame is on the banks of the Seine, like most of the other important places, it isn't a bad idea to start your tourist explorations around this area with Notre-Dame.

c.   Hôtel de Ville- Or the city hall in Paris. A five minute walk from the Notre-Dame, this is the city administration building. Admire from outside, and move on.

I am sure you have been able to translate the above inscription.

d.   Centre Georges Pompidou - A short walk away from the above. The whole idea of this building was to project artistically what is inside the structure of a building.

Now depending on whether you get abstract art/architecture, you would like or dislike it. However, the building is pretty unconventional to look at, and it's fine if you don't wish to go in. Grab something from one of those amazing patisseries on the way, if you're a hog like me.  (Parisian patisseries and cafes are famous. Grab a quiche while on the trot, or sit for a bit for a quick glass of rouge.)

e.   A ride on a Seine - OK cheat time. Your legs need rest, agreed. And while you take that rest, hop on to a batobus. That’s what these things are called.

You cannot come to Paris and not take a ride on the Seine. Simply for the beauty, the serenity, the tranquility of it. Travel to one of the few stops, which is one or the other tourist spots. I would recommend: get off at Champs-Élysées (we will get to the pronunciation and the place in a while).

The ride is filled with these bridges you see. I remember incidentally listening to "Like a bridge over troubled water", when I was taking this particular ride. You get to see the Notre Dame, the Supreme Court (that's the lawyer in me talking, but hey, it's a beautiful building), the Musee de Orsay (to which I shall shortly come) and other buildings as you enjoy the ride. Look around. You'd be particularly lucky if the sun is setting, or if it has started to drizzle a bit.

Imagine getting off at your stop, and encountering something like this:

Paris is often, quite quietly romantic.

f.    Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe - Get off the batobus and walk towards the Arc de Triomphe. Look down and you the see the boulevard of Champs-Élysées (pronounced roughly as, "shawnz-ay-lisay").

The Arc de Triomphe, or the Arch of Triumph, dates back to the early 19th century, when Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned it. It has since been the hallmark monument for parades and gatherings. You may wish to read up a littlle about the history bit before you visit for your interest, but that is PURELY OPTIONAL.

Once you are here, climb up! This monument offers one of the most breathtaking views of the city and the Eiffel Tower (I know I still haven't spoken about it).

Champs-Élysées from the top of the Arc. Believe me, you won't regret the number of steps you climb after you get to see the views. 

Once you have been to Arc de Triomphe, walk towards Champs-Élysées, or you may just take a little stroll around the place, and admire the architecture around you.

All the above places can be covered in a day (yes, with your food and wine time). If you do decide to follow this itinerary, it must be getting a little dark by the time you'd have finished your walk around Champs-Élysées, and now we shall proceed towards our next destination.

g.   The Eiffel Tower -

Reach the Eiffel Tower just a little before ten o'clock at night. That’s from when, every hour for five minutes, you get to catch glittering lights being turned on at the tower. And you should try not to miss that. Next, pay ten Euros and take the lift to the third floor. Oh and it is extremely normal for people to be speechless on seeing the view from the top floor. Take your time to admire.

h.   Moulin Rouge -Glorified extensively in pop culture, Moulin Rouge is synonymous with nightlife in Paris.

This photo was taken during the day because I didn't have the money to splurge on cabaret shows here. You can see the Moulin Rouge on your way to Montmarte. However, if you do wish to do 'something stupid', do pay a visit to Moulin Rouge at night. In which case, do write me an email with further details and photographs (skipping embarrassing moments, of course).

i.     The Louvre -

A walk away from the touristy places around Seine that I spoke of earlier, the Louvre Palace houses one of the biggest museums in the world.  Louvre is really a complex, and with an immense range of collections from across civilizations at different points in history, getting around the Louvre is taxing. So the tip is: Try to stick to your time allotted to see Louvre. You would end up crossing it.

Other Louvre tips:

1.   For a few Euros more, get an audio guide. It would help if you know the essential, not-to-miss collections, especially if you have a time constraint

2.   Get yourself a map. Locating where you are is important. Locating where you wish to be is even more important.

3.   Don't spend too much time staring in awe at everything. Worst idea ever if you wish to complete Louvre.

Once you are done with Louvre, you would be hungry. To regain some calories and breath, visit Le Café Diane, located in the heart of the Tuileries Gardens at Louvre.  Try rabbit meat here. Yum!

j.    Place de la Corcorde - Walk from the Tuileries gardens at the Louvre to the Place de la Corcorde, one of the main public squares in Paris (and Paris does seem to have quite a lot of them for revolutions, rendezvous and French leaves). 

The Obelisk of Luxor

For its historical association with the French Revolution, the architectural beauty of the Obelisk of Luxor, or Star Trek references, this square becomes a cannot-miss place in Paris.

k.   Musée d'Orsay - If you are an art lover, then you just cannot afford to miss the Musée d'Orsay. But  then again, if you are an art lover, I don't have to give you any introduction to this Museum, since you definitely would have heard of it.

Built over three floors, this museum houses some of the finest collections of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces, and has an exhaustive list of paintings by Monet, Manet, Van Gogh and Courbet, to name a few. My suggestion is, keep a fair amount of time reserved for Orsay. You definitely don't wish to miss out on masterpieces such as this:

l.     Bastille, Place des Vosges and the Victor Hugo museum - The reason why I am tagging these three places together is because of their proximity to each other, and relative distance from the other places. Take the metro to Bastille. (Advisable not to walk: it's a long walk, and the metro is quite a convenient mode of transport in Paris if you don't wish to walk).

Though the fortress of Bastille no longer exists, except for a few scattered remains of the ruins, the monument and the square are worth a visit.

At any point of the day, you are likely to see painters and poets sitting in cafes about the square of Place des Vosges. And if you are a Victor Hugo fan, pay a visit to his house here. Some original manuscripts from Les Misérables have been preserved, and so has the bedroom of its author. 

m. Jardin du Luxembourg - If you want to just take a breather from rushing from one monument to the other, or are tired of seeing so much architecture and history around Paris, go to the Luxembourg Garden. The Pantheon is close by, just in case you feel like going to one of those monumental buildings you were running away from.

n.   Café Les Deux Magots - While most cafés are recommended for the food, this one is an exception. In fact, this café might just unnecessarily burn a huge hole in your pocket, so don't venture in. But you might just want to visit the place that has had patrons like Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso and James Joyce, among others. And that’s the only reason why Les Deux Magots features in the 'to-visit' places.

o.   Père Lachaise Cemetery - Why visit a cemetery, you ask? For starters, it has the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Alfred Chopin and Jim Morrison, among other mortals. Take the metro to Père Lachaise rather than attempting to walk it.

Among places I've written about on this post, visit Père Lachaise last. So that it may seep in when you leave Paris that 'this is the end, beautiful friend'.

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Post Script

When you are in what is (arguably) voted the most romantic city in the world, you have to pay a visit to the Pont des Arts, or the bridge of locks, crossing over the Seine, where lovers attach padlocks with their names engraved, on the railings of the bridge and throw the key into the river. The idea is that this gesture locks the love between them forever. I have not gone into a statistical analysis of the successful cases, but in June 2014, part of the parapet of the bridge collapsed under the weight of so much love.