Paris - La Ville Lumière

When we twenty-first century travelers and tourists visit Paris, we are swept away by the magic, the romance, the unfamiliar cadence of this French-est of cities. We may forget that Paris was once a bastion of modern man's personal and political freedoms. For over two hundred years, Paris's nom de plume City of Lights not only conjured up the charming flickering of old Parisian street lamps, but was a metaphor for the fire of humanitarian enlightenment which ignited the minds of 18th century European thinkers and took flight in the ideas of civil libertarians and political dissidents like Voltaire and Rousseau. This was light so bright it led to the French Revolution and changed the world.

Paris has come a long way from her beginnings as a celtic fishing village. Conquered by Julius Ceasar and renamed Lutèce to become part of Roman Gaul, Paris has been continuously inhabited for over 2000 years. Always at the forefront of new trends in fashion, arts, architecture and education, gay Paree, as she was long known, has been a trailblazer right down through medieval generations to the stylish capital of modern times we know today.

There is much to see and a good map will help you get your bearings and save you time. No matter how many vacation days packed with sightseeing you can manage, they will only whet your appetite for Paris. The city is divided into 20 'arrondissements' (districts), with the first, Île de la Cité, at the center and the others running clockwise around it. There is much overlap of history: examples of Romanesque, gothic and classical architecture are to be found in many of Paris's landmark sights. Île de la Cité and Île St-Louis (1st and 4th arrondissment) are the oldest parts of historical Paris where you will find Notre Dame cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle. The Latin Quarter, 5th arrondissment, has been Paris's hub of academia for 800 years and still contains both medieval sites and Gallo-Roman ruins. St-Germain-des-Prés, the 6th arrondissment, takes its name from the oldest church in Paris, while the 7th is home to the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides, the dome church where Napoleon's remains were finally laid to rest almost 20 years after his death.

Traveling around Paris is easy, inexpensive and safe. The Metro (Paris's subway) is one of Europe's most modern and efficient public transit systems. Introduced in 1900, the Metro now has almost 400 stations serving 6 million passengers a day.

The climate year round is moderate so it's no surprise that Paris is a great city for walking, and is one of Europe's favorite spots for outdoor cafes and people watching. Wherever your sightseeing takes you, it seems you are never more than a block from the nearest cafe. Sit and savor a cup of world class coffee or a glass of fine wine.

Whatever your tastes and interests, Paris has a way to charm you. If this is the year you are finally going to take that Paris trip, take a look at some of the wonderful Paris apartment rentals available at Paris Apartments - ParisBy.Com

The best way to see this City of Lights is at your own pace. See a little or a lot. Paris isn't going anywhere and she knows that once you get to know her, you will always be back for more.
 

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The Eiffel Tower

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The Eiffel Tower
By far Paris's loftiest feature, in the hundred plus years of her history, she has been both revered and scorned. Having outlived her detractors from the nineteenth century, the Eiffel Tower these days is the iconic image of not just Paris, but all France.

Built for the Universal Exposition of 1889 to commemorate the French Revolution, Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel's 10,000 ton tower currently receives six million visitors annually. Its endlessly photographed image appears constantly in ads, articles, TV shows and movies the world over, not to mention the vacation albums, hearts and memories of countless tourists and Francophiles. To date the Eiffel tower has received over 200 million visitors since its completion in 1889.

The tower is currently 324m in height which includes the antenna. The height has varied over the years with different renovations. The tip may bend away from the vertical by as much as 18cm (7in) due to expansion of its 7,300 metric tons of iron as the sun heats one side more than the other.

The Eiffel tower is a construction on three levels affording visitors three different platforms with progressively more spectacular views as you rise higher. There are two restaurants where you can pause for a break in your Paris sightseeing day: Altitude 95 on the first level, and the Jules Verne which proudly sports a Michelin star, on the second.

Every five years the entire structure is re-painted (using 50 tons of paint) to prevent rusting. Visitors can vote on the next color to be used by means of a computer housed in the tower.

The Eiffel tower was the world's tallest structure for forty years until it was surpassed by the Chrysler Building in 1930. It has been put to good use since the early 1900s: its antenna was originally utilized for telegraph communications and later for radio and television transmission. The tower has even been used for scientific research. In 1910, German physicist Theodor Wulf used it to make measurements that resulted in the discovery of cosmic rays.

But the Eiffel Tower today needs no raison d'etre. The view from the observation platform, especially at dusk, out does any over-hyped glossy media image. As the sun goes down and daylight fades, Paris comes alive, street lights twinkling below, as France's incandescent capital becomes once more the fabled city of lights.
 

Notre Dame

© photographer Bogdan Varlamov; agency Dreamstime.com

Notre Dame
She occupies the Île de la Cité with the river Seine flowing like a kind of moat around her. You get the feeling she has spent the centuries standing slightly apart from terrestrial Paris. Built between 1163AD and 1345AD the cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris remains a triumph of gothic architecture with her soaring spires, flying butresses, ribbed ceiling vaults, large fields of stained glass, ornate stone tracery and of course, the wonderful gargoyles.

The enormous vaulted interior can seat 6,000. Once inside your eyes naturally rise toward the heavenly light filtering in through the marvelous stained glass windows high above your head. Notre Dame is the epitome of a sanctified space. But for many visitors the major attraction is the 387-step climb to the top of the famous towers.

You climb the winding, narrow passageway and enter a large area dominated by the huge 13-ton bell, with all around you a spectacular city-wide vista. You almost expect to turn and find Quasimodo swooping toward you over the gargoyles to grasp the bell rope and alert the city below. The near-360 degree view of Paris and the close-up views of many of Notre Dame's magnificent statues make the climb well worth the effort. There are twenty-eight of them on the west front alone.

Notre Dame has always been at the center of Parisian life and politics. It was here that French crusaders are known to have said their final prayers before departing for the Holy Land. The cathedral was plundered during the French revolution and much that was not carried off was destroyed. The grand old lady stood her ground and restoration went on for twety-five years.

Napoleon famously crowned himself emperor here, pre-empting the pope by taking the crown from the pontiff's hands to establish his own ascendancy. Over a century later Charles de Gaulle, then leader of the Free French government in exile, came here to give thanks when Paris was liberated from Nazi occupation during WWll. Many years later de Gaulle's requiem mass took place here as Paris bestowed the highest honor for France's most famous military leader, president and statesman.

Notre Dame is also the literal heart of Paris. 'Kilometer zero', the point from which all distances in France are measured, is located in the Place du Parvis. To get to Notre Dame take the metro to either Saint-Michel or Chatelet-Les Halles stations.

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Montmartre

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Montmartre
Montmartre is a fascinating mixture of old and new, seedy and sacred, bizarre and blasé. Within this section of Paris, the 18th arrondissement, you will find the cultural extremes of the bawdy Moulin Rouge and Musée d'Erotisme, cheek by jowl (excusez-moi le pun) with the Sacré Coeur Basilica.

The streets are cobblestoned and some of the hills are steep, so be prepared for a hike, particularly up to the Basilica Sacré Coeur. Montmartre is noted for its art and antique shops, bars and bistros.

The word 'bistro' comes from the Russian meaning 'quick'. It was first used in the early 19th century by hungry Cossack occupiers impatient for a meal. Classic bistros serving every delicacy from frogs legs to Tarte Tatin are still operating in Montmartre, some since 1793 in the Place du Tertre.

Montmartre's Espace Dali is France's permanent exhibit of the work of Salvador Dali. You can browse etchings, sculpture, engravings, lithographs, drawings and even some furniture by the master of Surrealism.

For a different art experience visit the Musée de Montmartre. This 17th century house holds apartments once occupied by Renoir, Utrillo and other famous names. Renoir's Moulin de la Galette, which sold at auction in 1990 for $78 million, was finished here. Among other works, there are several original Toulouse-Lautrec posters on display.

While you are touring around Lautrec's old haunts, don't forget to visit (at least the outside of) the Moulin Rouge in neighboring Pigalle, Paris's raunchy red light district. Very pricey ($100 or more), with a floor show garnering mixed reviews, the striking red windmill (moulin rouge) on the exterior is a photo-op not to be missed.

By contrast, the Montmartre cemetery located in the eastern part of the district, is a tree-lined pleasant park which affords a respite from city sightseeing. Wander among the tombs and mausoleums or find a quiet bench and relax surrounded by floral gardens.

If you visit Montmartre in mid-October you might catch the Grape Festival. Hosting the only vineyard in Paris, Clos Montmartre (at 12 Rue Cortot) was planted in 1933 and has 2,000 vines under cultivation. Most varieties grown in France are represented and the wine lover won't be disappointed.

Most visitors will want to conclude their Montmartre sightseeing with a trip to the Sacré Coeur Basilica at the top of the hill. Whether standing on the white steps or up in the dome, the views are spectacular. Go early to avoid the crowds and the heat.

Montmartre is accessible via several metro lines. M12 (Lamarck-Caulaincourt) or M4 (Chateau-Rouge), Blanche station.

Sacré Cœur

© photographer Luis Fernando Curci Chavier; agency Dreamstime.com

Basilica Sacré Coeur
The site of Sacré Coeur has long been an attraction for religious figures and groups. Though dedicated to peace and brotherhood, the building owes its birth on the site to the misfortunes of war and violence. In the 3rd century, the first bishop of Paris, St Denys, was beheaded here. A Benedictine Abbey occupied the entire hill until rioters of the French Revolution burned it down. After France's defeat by the Prussians during the war of 1870, two Catholic businessmen initiated the Sacré Coeur project to boost French morale and restore national pride. Financed by contributions from wealthy benefactors together with a national subscription of small donations, work began in 1875 and was finished in 1914. Due to the outbreak of WWI, the consecration was delayed until 1919. Despite its late 19th century origins, the Sacré Coeur looks much older in style, a blend of Romanesque architecture topped with Byzantine-style domes. The 19-ton bell, Savoyarde, is one of the largest in the world. The basilica is made of travertine, a type of stone which leeches calcite. Despite centuries of polution and grime, continual weathering erodes the exterior exposing the chalky white finish which keeps the basilica dazzling in full sun. Sacré Coeur's art includes two bronze equestrian statues over the triple arched main portico, one of Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) and the other of Saint King Louis lX. There are numerous mosaics and paintings covering the interior vaulting, including a large figure of the Virgin and Child, and the 'Christ in Majesty' mosaic which adorns the apse... one of the largest mosaics in the world. The crypt contains a relic that many of the faithful believe to be Christ's sacred heart, from whence the basilica derives its name. Sacré Coeur sits on the top of Montmartre hill, the highest point in Paris. The structure rises 129 meters above-sea level. You can climb to the top of the dome for an extraordinary panorama of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. You can also climb up inside the dome for some spectacular views of the interior. The grounds include a contemplative garden with fountain. Next to the basilica is the still-standing 6th century St. Pierre de Montmartre church. You can drive to Sacré Coeur on a narrow, winding one way street up through the Montmartre neighborhood. There's a funicular rail car which will take you to the top for the price of a metro ticket, or you can get a workout by walking from the metro station at Abbesses, and taking the long flight of steps up to the basilica.

The Palace at Versailles

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Versailles Palace
As you approach the gates of Versailles you inescapably have the feeling of entering not a palace but an entire city. The impression is justified given the massive scale of the building and the even larger grounds.

Beginning as a modest château of stone and slate to serve as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII (13th), Versailles blossomed - figuratively and literally - during the reign of his son. By 1682, after 20 years of work, the 'Sun King' took up residence... and then building really began.

At its height the grounds covered 1,800 acres and housed over 1,500 fountains besides the enormous palace. Around 300 remain today. Around the grounds are several distinct gardens. Watered by a system only part of which were 150km (90mi) of canals, the gardens and fountains are themselves a show on Sundays.

Covering 250 acres, the gardens were designed mostly between 1661 and 1700 and continue to amaze visitors. Be sure not to miss the large Fountain of Apollo, with the sun god driving a chariot of horses out of the surface.

Also on the grounds are huge stables. Closed to the public for almost 200 years, they were originally home to 600 horses owned by Louis XIV (14th). Now home to 20 Portuguese Lusitanian horses, the indoor arena is decorated with a sculpture and drawings of which the Sun King himself would have been proud. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the stables and watch a morning dressage with costumed riders. ('Dressage' is an equestrian term which refers to training horses to move in complex patterns similar to a dance.)

But, of course, it is the château itself that forms the (literal and symbolic) center of the place. With 700 rooms no single visit could encompass more than a small piece of the total.

Thousands of nobles and their servants lived here in the late 17th century, as Louis managed his government with tight reins within the palace gates. Which were always left open, interestingly, in order to give a sense that the palace was 'owned by the people of France.'

Throughout the château are paintings, sculptures, wall hangings and structural elements drawn from all over Europe.

One of the main attractions is the 73m (239ft) long La Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors.) Bearing no resemblance to a fun-house, the high mirrors line the walls on one side with seventy windows open to the gardens on the other. Still impressive, the mirrors were the latest technology of the time and awed even jaded visitors. Set off by Corinthian pillars of green marble, the room (which once hosted many a formal dance) still dazzles.

Viewed by thousands of tourists and vacationers daily, remember that the château can be quite hot and stuffy in the summer, even outdoors. Dress appropriately for your Versailles sightseeing days... comfortable feet should outweigh any fashion considerations. The grounds and palace are open to visitors year round and can be reached via the RER line C: Versailles – Rive Gauche.

The Champs-Elysee

Champs-Elysées
Paris's most famous tree-lined boulevard, made for strolling, daydreaming, skateboarding, people watching, and of course canoodling on a park bench, begins at the Arc de Triomphe and ends 2km (1.2mi) east at the Egyptian Obelisk, cleaving through the 8th arrondissement.

Paris sightseeing along this famous avenue will include all the attractions of a world class city... outdoor cafes, upscale bars, and chic restaurants, (plus the ubiquitous American fast food chains which do take the shine off Parisian chic, it must be said, but you don't have to go there;) cinemas, theaters, boutiques and hotels with shopping that rivals Fifth Avenue in New York.

Originally parkland, by the late 1700s the Champs-Elysées had become the street to see and be seen on. Beginning in 1916 Louis Vuitton formed an association to transform it into a commercial shopping area. The inspired mixture of commerce and fashion is thriving to this day.

The character of the road changes along its length with one part forming the commercial area (Place Charles de Gaulle) and the other a walking area lined with chestnut trees and flower beds (Place de la Concorde). After Unirii Blvd in Bucharest it is the widest avenue in Europe.

Above the greenery rise two large buildings, the Petit Palais (which is anything but small) and the Grand Palais. Both house several rotating exhibits. Overflowing with neo-classical carvings and statuary they both deserve a look.

There are dozens of shops - everything from the Gap, Lacoste or the Disney Store to specialty boutiques. Through them the Champs-Elysées maintains the reputation for fashion it has enjoyed since the mid-1800s.

Along with the designer stores there are several first class hotels. Pay a discreet visit to the Hotel Napoleon, termed 'the place' by Errol Flynn, or the Frontenac, or one of the dozen other grand old establishments which have all been excellently maintained over the years. Even if you can't afford to stay, the lobbies make for delightful exploration.

Not only the hotels, but the avenue itself has enjoyed several upgrades over the years. The latest, completed in 1993, widened the sidewalks to allow for greater foot traffic. Even the streetlamps have been refurbished. The results help to maintain the avenue's reputation as "la plus belle avenue du monde" ("the most beautiful avenue in the world").

To reach the Champs-Elysées, take the metro to Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile, George V or Champs-Elysées Clemenceau.

 
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The Louvre
Unquestionably the most famous name in the world of art museums, The Louvre richly deserves its renown. Enormous, and filled with irreplaceable treasures from around the world and throughout human history, the Louvre has something to fascinate everyone.

The building itself is something of an historical and art adventure. The construction of the original structures began as long ago as the 13th century, though the present museum has its origins in the sixteenth. The existing Château du Louvre, which forms a large portion of the floorspace, was begun in 1546.

The subject of sporadic expansion efforts for the next three hundred years, the only major alteration in recent times was the addition of I.M. Pei's glass pyramid completed in 1989. Initially disliked by many vociferous Parisians, the Crystal Pyramid forms the current entrance to the Louvre. The change had one advantage in that it provided easier access to the museum to large numbers of visitors. Through the entrance and down an escalator one enters a world of 6,000 years of every style and type of art known to man.

Within the museum walls are Egyptian sarcophagi, Persian and Greek artifacts, medieval and Renaissance paintings, 19th century classical and Romantic sculptures and a smattering of the latest forms. Some estimates run as high as 100,000 pieces, but in truth no one could know with certainty.

The museum itself is an eclectic collection of styles, the consequence of its many additions and changes over the centuries. Much too large to see in one day, pick a few favorite periods or countries and focus on them. The best strategy is to opt for several visits but that will not be possible for most of us.

There are works of art in the Louvre so famous they are known even to those with little interest in art... Leonardo's Mona Lisa, the marble Winged Victory (Nike) of Samothrace, the armless Venus de Milo from Greece, 100BC. There are well-known works you may not be able to name but whose image you may well recognize - Delacroix's Liberty Guiding the People, Vermeer's Geographer or Lacemaker, Ingres' The Bather, David's Marat Mort.

There are literally thousands of pieces on display. Many of the walls are covered from floor to very high ceiling with paintings ranging from miniatures to thirty foot canvases. You'll get some idea of the scope of the Louvre's holdings if I tell you that most of the collection is in storage at any given time.

And there are a lot of those walls... several thousand square meters of them in a dozen different major buildings, the various parts are also on several different levels, many connected only by steps. When you tour the Louvre, be prepared to cover some ground.

Fortunately, there are benches scattered about and stairs in many places, providing several places to rest. The exterior too provides opportunities to take a break. Enjoy the passing parade of people in Les Jardins Tuileries... the gardens which originally were the Tuileries Palace gardens before the palace was burned down in 1871. The ruins were torn down before the onset of the twetieth century, but now, in the twenty-first, plans are being discussed to rebuild the Tuileries Palace and use it to display some more of the Louvre's stored art collection.

Lines can be long. Best to buy a ticket in advance or purchase one of the many available multiple-tourist-site passes. The museum is easy to reach via the metro. Exit at the Palais Royal or Louvre Rivoli stations.

Arc de Triomphe

© photographer James Steidl; agency Dreamstime.com

Arc de Triomphe
Though less artistic than its older cousin of Porte Saint-Denis, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile is the more famous and far larger. Set atop the hill of Chaillot it forms the center from which radiate a dozen busy Parisian avenues.

There are in fact several "Arc de Triomphe's" in Paris. A large arch with two thick towers surmounted by a large horizontal section has been a popular architectural feature since the time of Louis XIV in the late 17th century.

But the one located at the intersection of the Champs-Elysées and the Avenue de la Grande Armée (along with 10 other streets) is the one sought out by most visitors.

Its elaborate carvings and friezes make the work an artistic delight, but the monument's sheer size - unimaginable merely from photographs - turns it into an architectural marvel. The Arc is 50m (164 ft) high, 45m (148ft) long, and 22m (72ft) wide. The vaulted passageway is 30m (98ft) tall.

As you stand underneath the Arc (though given the traffic in Paris, never in the center, unfortunately) you're overwhelmed by the massive stone. Here it's easy to imagine Napoleon's armies marching triumphantly down the boulevard and through the opening. Commissioned in 1806 and completed in 1836, it was constructed for the purpose of celebrating Napoleon's victories. Ironically, Napoleon never had the chance to do so as he was defeated by Wellington at Waterloo in 1815.

The Arc de Triomphe can be seen from several different sections of Paris, in part thanks to the Parisian zoning restrictions forbidding the construction of tall buildings.

There is a tunnel under the street from one side to the other and a spiral staircase in the interior of the arch. Inside, there's a small museum with displays pertaining to its history. From the top, the views, as they are anywhere above Paris, include the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, and are awe-inspiring. Admission covers both the museum and access to the top.

At the Arc's base are four large relief sculptures set on the bases of four pillars. Engraved around the top are names of major victories of the period. Along the sides are the names of 558 generals - those underlined died in action. Since the end of WWI the Arc has held the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, commemorating those killed between 1914 and 1918. The permanently burning Flame of Remembrance forms a touching part of this impressive monument.

The Arc de Triomphe is most easily reached from the Charles de Gaulle – Etoile metro station. Or simply stroll down the Champs-Elysées, you can't miss it.

The Seine

© photographer Elena Elisseeva; agency Dreamstime.com

The Seine
Whether seen by a long, leisurely walk or from one of the many excellent tour boats, the view along the Seine in Paris is a delight.

The river flows nearly 800km (480mi) from Dijon through Paris and into the English Channel. But even the short section through the city provides enough sights to satisfy the most avid traveler.

La Tour Eiffel can be seen changing shades from cocoa to gold as dusk fades to dark. The lights along its four pillars melding into the spire are only one of the many sights not to be missed.

Joining the left and right banks (the 'rive gauche' and the 'rive droit') along this ancient river are bridges themselves no stranger to time.

The oldest extant is Pont Neuf, ironically called 'the new bridge', whose first stone was laid by Henry III in 1578. Continued during the reign of his successor Henry IV in 1598, the construction was an enormous undertaking for the time. Finally completed in 1607, the bridge itself is, in a sense, older than France. At the time, the country was still split into the independent regions of Burgundy, Champagne and Normandy.

One of its newer cousins is the Pont d'Austerlitz constructed from 1854 to 1885. Comprised of five cast iron arches with a span of 32m (105ft), it rests on four piers and two stone abutments - the supports for the ends of the bridge. Pont d'Austerlitz has been widened twice from its original 13m (43ft) to the present 30m (98ft).

But not only youth and age are represented along these shores. Elegant beauty, in the form of the Alexander III, is also here. Opened in 1900, the bridge connects the Grand Palais on the right bank to the Invalides on the left. With pillars decorated by a gilded bronze Pegasus and large lampposts encircled by cherubs and nymphs, the Alexander III is among Paris' most artistic public works.

The many tour boats provide another way to see the sights. Some are small, others larger, but they all offer a relaxed way to see the bridges and parts of Paris from another point of view.

The visitor can enjoy a glass of wine as the lights come on along the Montparnasse. The larger boats even offer lunch or dinner. Tours are given in English and French. Several glide as far as past the Eiffel Tower and back past Notre Dame to Quai Henri IV.

Accessible from the center of the Pont Neuf, just walk down to the tip of the island, du Vert Galant.

Once you've completed the boat tour, don't forget about the other attractions. From the exit it's just a short walk to many other things to do and see.

Just down the bank is one of the finest art museums in the world, the Musée d'Orsay. And there are several small galleries and shops along the way. Be sure to walk down the stone steps to the river itself and see the bridges from underneath as well.

Enchanté!

Pompidou Center

Pompidou Center
Known to Parisians simply as Beaubourg (after the neighborhood), The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou is a museum of modern art rivaling the best in New York or London.

By design, so to speak, the architecture of the 1977 building is in sharp contrast to the traditional surrounding houses of Paris' oldest district.

Looking like a cross between a hyper-modern factory joined to a low-rise office building, it accurately reflects its contents. The red, blue and green pipes on the rear are only one example of the tradition busting goals of its makers.

Air conditioning ducts are in blue, water pipes are green and electrical conduits are colored yellow. Escalators are in red and the ventilation shafts are white in the underground areas.

The architects goals were to 'turn the building inside out', and they've largely succeeded. A low glass box that looks like the scaffolding is yet to be removed, the modern heir to Bauhaus displays air-conditioning ducts and metal stairs on the exterior.

All the better to provide space for works on the interior, so it's said.

Sponsored by and named after the French president, the museum is a faithful reflection of the art trends of the last century. Every recognized name of the last hundred years is here alongside hundreds lesser or entirely unknown. Among the collection of 56,000 works are well-known names such as Matisse, Pollock, Miro, Braque, Chagall, Dali, Duchamp, Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Klee... even Kelly and Warhol.

The Ten Lizes Warhol is not to be missed. An array of five small paintings atop another five, the work depicts Elizabeth Taylor in the now-familiar Warhol style. Multi-hued, multi-contrast and sharp-grained it presents Warhol at his Warholyist.

All the art movements of the last century are represented. There are examples of Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism along with many that have no names.

Built at a cost of $100 million, the cultural center houses four major activities within its million square feet: the exhibits, a reference library, a center for industrial design and a center for music and acoustic research.

Ride the Plexiglas escalator to the top where there is a panoramic restaurant, 'Le Georges' at level six. One can sit and look out on the street performers at the Place George Pompidou in front, or view the nearby Stravinsky Fountain.

Pricey, but with good views of the skyline, the visitor can see Montparnasse, the Eiffel Tower and much more. Rest and refresh before continuing to view the massive collection.

The museum is easy to find. Take the metro to Rambuteau or Hotel de Ville.

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