What to do/Places to go/things to do in PARIS?

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Rillifane

Most of the major sightseeing destinations are in a relatively narrow band on either side of the Seine which runs thru the center of Paris. Paris is a very compact city to begin with and there is also a very convenient and very dense (lots of stations) public transportation system. So yes, everything is quite easy to get to.

So, on the first day head for Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite, the island in the Seine where Paris began centuries before the birth of Christ.

By way of orientation, the Latin quarter is in the Left Bank which is south of the Seine and the Right Bank is to the north of the Seine. The Eiffel Tower, which can bee seen from many vantage points is to the west. So facing the Eiffel tower your left is south and your right is north.

In the plaza in front of Notre Dame you'll find the point zero marker from which all distances are measured in France. Notre Dame itself is a "working" church and the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. Entry is free to the church itself but the "treasury" and the bell tower have entrance charges. Skip them on this trip. (This is the first place I go when I arrive in Paris. I also always light a candle at the Statue of the Virgin Mary in thanks for being in Paris again. (Odd given that I'm not a Catholic but what the heck). )

Continue on past Notre Dame and at the tip of the Island you'll find the Memorial to the Deportees. Take a moment to visit. ItвЂ™s a moving experience.

Cross over the Pont St. Louis to another small island, the Ile St. Louis. This has some gorgeous architecture and is the home of Berthillion, the iconic ice cream maker. Just walk up the center of the Island on the rue St. Louis en Ile to number 31. There will likely be a line but its worth a little wait. This may well be the best ice cream you ever eat.

Now cross the Pont Marie onto the Right Bank and turn to your right. Walk along the river to the rue St. Paul and then left to the rue des Franc bourgeois where you will see the Place des Vosges on your right. The Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris is one of the most beautiful squares in the world. For more information: http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/placedesvosges.htm

From the Place des Vosges walk west along the rue des Franc bourgeois. The MusГ©e Carnavalet which occupies a superb 1548 palace and is devoted to the history of Paris will be on your right. You probably don't have time for it on this trip but the building exterior is worth a look. The area you are walking through is known as Le Marais, which means "marsh." It was the first area settled on the right bank and today has been extensively rehabbed. its also the center of the Gay community in Paris.

Continue on in the same direction and you'll come to the Centre Pompidou that houses the Museum of Modern Art. The big plaza in front is generally filled with street performers. Comics who do involved audience participation routines are a regular feature. Relax and check it out if you see one. Don't hesitate to join in. They are used to dealing with English speaking tourists and its all in good fun.

Now continue walking west along the pedestrian path that leads from the south end of the plaza crossing the blvd Sebasterpol and on to the Forum des Halles. This area used to be the main food market of Paris (that's now out in the suburbs). The replacement is this huge shopping mall. Its website (in English) is http://en.forumdeshalles.com/vue/form/forumdeshallesuk/accueil/accueil.htm

Continue west along the rue Berger to the Place Quetin and turn south along the rue de Pont Neuf back towards the Seine. You'll cross the rue de Rivoli (a great shopping street) and as you continue on, the Tour St. Jacques, the only surviving part of a church built in the 16th century.
Crossing the Pont Neuf (the "New" Bridge is actually the oldest bridge in Paris) you're back on the Ile de la Cite. Turn to your right and the medieval fortress called the Conciergerie is there. This building was used to house prisoners during the Revolution. It was here that Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before meeting her death on the guillotine. You can view her cell and the courtyard where prisoners waited to be taken to their deaths.

Continue on along the river to the small park at the end of the Island. This is where Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar was burnt at the stake. It is said he proclaimed his innocence as the flames engulfed him and called upon the KIng and the Pope (who had connived in his arrest and torture) to join him before God for judgment. Eerily, both men died mysteriously within the year.

The little Tavern Henri IV which you will see across from the park is a nice place to stop for a glass of wine and end your first day of sightseeing.

DAY TWO

Start the day at the Louvre. In a brief visit it is always difficult to say how much time should be spent here. This is a vast museum and to even spend a minute or two looking at each of the 35,000 objects would take a couple of months. You might want to do a bit of homework and check out the official museum website to figure out just what you want to see. http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home_flash.jsp To be honest I find anything more than a few hours here to be exhausting. I'll assume you would agree in planning the rest of the day.

After the Louvre head towards the small Arc du Carousel at the west end of the Louvre grounds. This is one of three triumphal arches arranged in more or less a line with the Arc de Triomphe in the Middle and the modern Arc de la Defense at the other end.

Continue walking and you'll be in the Jardin des Tuileries, all that remains of what was once the site of a palace built in the 16th century by Catherine de' Medici, widow of King Henry II. (The palace burned down in 1871).

You'll exit the gardens at the Place de la Concorde. This is where the guillotine stood in revolutionary days and where the King and Queen along with hundreds of other Royalists were executed. Today there is an Egyptian obelisk on the spot.

To you right is the Jeu de Paume, a museum of contemporary art, (http://www.jeudepaume.org/site/frameset.php?idModule=7) and to your left the Orangerie (http://www.musee-orangerie.fr/documents/anglais2.pdf) Either or both is worth a visit but you may already be museum weary today.

Crossing the Place de la Concorde you are at the beginning of the Champs Г‰lysГ©e. This stretch is surrounded by greenery and you'll find several little crepe and sandwich stands. Remember that people don't eat dinner untill 8 or 9 so you may find a little snack is in order. A crepe with ham and cheese is quite sustaining (you order it by saying "crepe avec fromage et jambon s'il vous plait).

At the intersection of the Avenue Winston Churchill you'll see the Grand ( http://www.rmn.fr/gngp-gb/index.html) and Petit (it houses the collection of the City of Paris) Palais to your left. The Palais de la decouverte is also here (http://www.palais-decouverte.fr/index.php).

To the north along the Aveneu de Marigny is the Г‰lysГ©e Palace which is the official residence of the President of France.

Continuing on along the Champs you'll be passing thru some of the most glitzy shopping in Paris. In truth, this is probably not the best place to buy but its certainly a great place to look.

At the end of the Champs is the Place Charles deGaulle (formerly the Place D'Etoile) in the middle of which is the Arc de Triomphe. DonвЂ™t try to cross the street but take the underground walkway that you'll see on your right. Under the Arc is the French tomb of the Unknown Soldier and an Eternal flame. There is also a tribute to the American troops who fought in France.

You can take an elevator to the top of the Arc and this is highly recommended as one of the best views in Paris.

You should now be exhausted and can grab the metro back to your hotel concluding your second dayвЂ™s sight seeing.

DAY Three

Take the Metro line 2 to the Anvers stop. Get out and look for signs directing you to the Montmartre Funicular. It will cost you one metro ticket each to ride it to the top where you will find Sacre Coeur, the national church of France in all its white onion domed splendor and what is arguably the best view of Paris.

You can spend a little time just wandering around Montmartre. Picasso and Utrillo, among others, used to frequent this area. The Lapin Agile, once just a local bar, was the haunt of many an artist but the area is largely a tourist trap these days.

The Place de Tertre is where you will find one of the world's largest collections of really hideous art for sale.
Still the view and the church is worth the trip.

Walk down the stairs on either side of the Funicular and head back to the Anvers metro station. Turn right on the blvd there and walk to the Place Pigalle. This is the infamous "Pig Alley" as GI's in World War II called it. It is the haunt of some of the least attractive streetwalkers on Earth (but quite safe...at least during the day). Keep walking and in a few blocks you'll find the famous Moulin Rouge (it means Red Windmill). Its now an expensive tourist trap but the exterior is worth seeing given its history and association with the artist Toulouse Lautrec.

Continue down the street and turn left of the rue Batignolles. Get on the metro at the Place Clichy and take line 13 marked "Chatillon Montrouge" to the Miromesnil stop.

Change to line 9 direction "Pont de Sevres" and take it to the Trocadero stop. Exit the station and you will be at the Palais de Chaillot, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. This is the best view of the tower.

Walk down and cross the river and have a look. Its really not worth going up. There are usually long lines and th

parmamagoo

this is a good site for hip things to do.
http://www.explorerpod.com/journeypod-destination-guides/paris

louvre and eifel are a must, notre dame, left bank... so much to do and see..

Homer

Dine at Restaurant Jules Verne in the Eifel Tower. Have you hotel call to get reservations, but good luck at this late date. For two, cocktail apiece, chefs tasting menu, bottle of house champagne, bottle of evian water $650
Best money you ever spent. Window seat facing Trocadero. Good luck

James C

Here are the attractions to see in Paris http://123phototravel.blogspot.com/2008/01/paris-france.html

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