Monday, May 5, 2008

Paris, France

The first weekend of May we took our first venture into France, and I'm not sure there's a better place to start off than Paris. We were very fortunate, and though the weather forecast called for chances of rain all four days we were there, it was sunny and warm.

Here first is a common sight if you're touring Paris. Atop the highest part of the city (the neighborhood of Montmarte) is the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, or the Sacred Heart. This neighborhood was also my favorite in the city. There were many cafes and shops and art dealers of all kinds. It was a really lively sector also, and more decently priced than the rest of the Paris.

Here is the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It was large and Gothic, but it did have some really unique features that made it quite special. I loved the gargoyles that hung from the walls and perched on top of the roof. We were able to climb the stairs and sit right beside them as we looked out across the city.



The stained glass inside the cathedral was also very impressive.


Here is the Pantheon of Paris, which is basically like a big famous funeral home.


The Louvre Museum is perhaps one of the most famous in the world, and perhaps if you saw everything inside its massive five levels you could make it through in less than a day. We did not stay there all day, and I still enjoyed the exquisite hallways and decorated rooms of this palace-turned-museum. It is the home of the Mona Lisa (yes, it is small) and also the Venus de Milo and many other works of art.


Climbing the Eiffel Tower was a treat. There are several levels before you get to the top. The first level is probably not even halfway up. Though the view from the top of the tower was breathtaking, I especially liked the views of the tower from other parts of Paris.

There are several popular parks nearby the Eiffel Tower, and many people like to sit and wait for night to fall and the tower to light up at night. For about fifteen minutes or so, the tower actually sparkles with twinkling white lights. The best part is when they first turn on and everyone watching gasps at once.

This is the view from on top the tallest building in Paris, the Montparnasse Tower. Being so high up, it's of course a great place to see the sun setting behind the Eiffel Tower. I don't care who you are, it's quite the romantic spectacle.




One of the most modern areas of Paris is La Defensa. There are many tall commercial buildings, and there was a monument built to mimic the classical Arch of Triumph, located on the same street just minutes away. The gigantic white arch, the Grand Arch, is over twice the size of the other.


The original Arch is nonetheless impressive though, as it remains the center of a huge roundabout that spins out into twelve major avenues.



The tomb of Napolean Bonaparte is located inside this building with the golden dome, called Les Invalides. The complex has the tomb and chapel, another military chapel, housing for retired militants, and also military museums.

This is the chapel near Napolean's tomb.

Here is the famous Paris Opera house, the Palais Garnier. This palace/opera house is renowned for its monumental staircase and fantastic showroom lined with chandeliers, columns, and paintings.

Though I loved the Louvre, my favorite museum in Paris has to the the d'Orsay. It's not as large, nor is the interior as impressive as the palace of the Louvre, but I really liked the mix of classical and modern artwork in the Musee d'Orsay, by painters such as Van Gogh, Monet, & Renoir.

One of Van Gogh's most famous works in the museum is his self portrait.


The Moulin Rouge is Paris's biggest and most lavish cabaret house. It's located near Montmarte in the city's red light district. It's a truly interesting area of town, to be sure. The shows' prices were a big high for Abby and I to entertain, but I'm sure that they're top notch.

Last is a shot of the Centre Georges Pompiduo, which houses a large public library and also the National Museum of Modern Art. The escalator is located on the outside wall of the building, which adds a cool effect to its industrial style. Located right in the center of Paris, the Centre also has a nice plaza surrounding it, with many interesting cafes and restaurants.