"What places are worth visiting in Paris?" - I asked Google this question when I came to the capital of France for a few days in November of last year. But really I had one sunny day to see the unique face of Paris!
Is it possible to see such a large, famous city in one day? After looking at the map, we chose these places, which were located in a diameter of 15 km, and decided to walk as long as time and physical strength allowed. So, I invite you to visit seven famous places of Paris together in one day...
Of course, the main goal was the business card of Paris - The Eiffel Tower
This grand architectural metal structure, which later became a symbol of Paris, was built in 1889 and was originally intended as a temporary structure. It was the entrance arch to the Paris World Exhibition.
The giant iron tower is the most visited photo object among tourists all over the world. We watched the funiculars take people up to the top of the tower. There is a restaurant on the first floor, an observation deck on the second floor, and you can see Gustave Eiffel's old office on the third floor. I would really like to climb to the top of the tower to admire the surroundings of the French capital from a height. But we had too little time. You need to register in advance.
We saw the Eiffel Tower from afar. Surrounded by golden autumn trees, her austere beauty looked breathtaking. On a sunny day, it looks slender and elegant, and with the onset of dusk, it lights up and looks mysterious. The tower is especially beautiful during the New Year holidays, when its structures are decorated with colorful garlands of bright lights. Illuminated by electric bulbs, it looks like a huge Christmas tree.
Our next goal was the famous bridge across the Seine - Alexander Bridge 3
We are filled with admiration for this grand masterpiece, which is considered a symbol of peace between France and Russia. Made with a maximum height of 6 meters in order not to obscure the beauty of the Champs Elysées.
The decorative decoration of the bridge shows the grandeur of this era, including golden figures of angels and winged horses.
We stop in the middle to admire the view of the Eiffel Tower, which is very well visible from here.
I really like to stand on the bridge and watch the water flow in the mighty river. The Sena is one of the largest rivers in France, which flows into the English Channel.
There are more than 30 bridges across the river within Paris. It is interesting to watch tourist steamers sail under the bridge.
There are lanterns on both sides of the bridge. And there are also sculptures of majestic lions. Paris is considered the city of love, so there is, of course, a beautiful tradition: lovers come here to make a wish, which will certainly come true if they kiss each other passionately here. The Alexandre 3 bridge is protected by the government as a monument of history and culture.
I stop on the bridge to take some photos of the magnificent sculpture of a lion with an angel, which seems to be guarding Paris. The Eiffel Tower can be seen in the background.
We continue along the river, enjoying the only sunny day in the French capital and our walk in the golden autumn...
The next famous place we wanted to see is the legendary Notre Dame Cathedral, which is located on the small island of Cite in the middle of the Seine River. Notre Dame is one of the most popular sights of Paris and a true symbol of the city.
I approached this cathedral with excitement, about which I had heard so much and wanted to visit inside. But 5 years ago, a fire broke out in Notre Dame, and the unique spire burned down. Approaching, we saw that the Cathedral was closed. But the music of a French street accordionist was playing on the square and it was very atmospheric!
Unfortunately, the famous Notre Dame de Paris was closed for restoration. And we were able to photograph this architectural masterpiece from one side. But I took one photo in this article about Notre Dame Cathedral so that you can see the beauty of this cathedral inside.
Initially, the cathedral took almost 200 years to build and was built on the site of St. Stephen's Basilica - the first Christian church in Paris. The first stone was laid in 1163, the construction of the walls of the cathedral choir was completed by 1177, and the western facade - the future central entrance with two towers - by 1200. The work was finally completed only in 1345. From an architectural point of view, Notre Dame is considered one of the most magnificent examples of Gothic architecture. But this is not entirely accurate. It contains some features of the Romanesque style of Normandy: the presence of double side longitudinal naves and upper galleries. This is often forgotten, paying attention only to the upwardly striving elements of Gothic.
We walked around, stopped at a small bridge over a tributary of the Seine, and I took some photos of the cathedral against the background of the river and tourist boats.
The evening was approaching, and then I remembered a place that I wanted to visit without fail. As the weather was sunny, I wanted to go for a walk in Luxembourg Park, which I had been impressed with when I read about the places of interest to visit.
When we got here, the gate was already closed. But it was still light outside, so I took some photos through the bars of this gorgeous park, which deserves a separate visit. I will definitely schedule it sometime this summer when I come to Paris for the second time.
The Luxembourg Garden is a palace and park ensemble in the center of Paris, a landmark of the city. A former royal park located in the Latin Quarter of Paris. It occupies 26 hectares. The Luxembourg Palace is located in the park, where the Senate, the second chamber of the French Parliament, sits.
I have taken some images from google so you can see the beauty and majesty of this place.
We hurried through the streets of Paris to our next famous spot, admiring the architecture of the French capital along the way. In the light of the lanterns against the background of the autumn shining leaves of the trees, the french balconies looked like carved works of art.
On our way we went into another park for a while. Our attention was attracted by luxurious houses of royal majesty and bushes near them in the form of labyrinths. It was park Tuileries
Jardin des Tuileries is the central garden of Paris, located between Rue de Rivoli, Place de la Concorde, the Seine and the Louvre. The total area of this park is 25.5 hectares.
Today the Tuileries Garden is one of the largest Parisian parks. It was built with all architectural rigor, trees are planted here in even rows, geometry prevails everywhere! In the 17th century, it was customary to organize many parks in this style, since architecture proclaimed power over nature.
On the smooth streets of the Tuileries Garden you can find many statues that appeared here in the second half of the 20th century.
While walking between these green labyrinths, we even saw the famous French rat :) Here you can rest your soul among the many greenery, enjoy the sounds of falling water in the fountains. There is also a Ferris wheel nearby.
We enjoyed our walk on an autumn evening in Paris, where each house was grand and unique. Ahead of us was another famous place, which is a business card of the capital of France.
The triumphal arch seemed to glow with a white glow, admiring us from afar with its grandeur. It is a kind of gateway to the main street, which is one of the most expensive streets in the world.
The Paris Arc de Triomphe, located on the Place Charles de Gaulle, is one of the most famous Parisian monuments, one of the symbols of the city. The design of the arch “in ancient Roman style” was developed at the behest of Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate the victories of his “Great Army”. The composition of the single-span Triumphal Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum was taken as a basis.
We stood for a few minutes near this magnificent arch, watching the cars pass by it. And many people took memorable photos against the background of this truly triumphant building.
And this is where the famous main avenue of Paris is located Av. des Champs-Élysées is an iconic street for Parisians, where they come on days of national triumph or sorrow. For the whole world, the Champs-Élysées is a symbol of luxury and wealth, one of the most fashionable streets in the world.
Do you know the origin of the name Champs Elysées, the famous avenue in Paris? This royal avenue takes its name from Greek mythology, we tell you.
Once upon a time, I often heard this name, but I always thought that it was big spacious fields and never thought that it was a central street with the most expensive real estate in the world. Before the New Year, when the garlands are lit on the trees, it really creates a magical impression of grandeur and luxury.
Elysium - in ancient Greek mythology - the underworld, a beautiful field at the western end of the earth, where immortal heroes and the righteous are blessed. Another name is the Elysian Fields - in Greek mythology, it is a part of the underworld where the souls of the blessed and the righteous reside; a wonderful country of eternal spring, eternal peace and prosperity, without diseases and suffering.
These were our impressions during one sunny day of our walking tour of the famous capital of France. When we got on the plane and returned to Turkey, those three days spent in Paris remained in my memory a vivid moment...
The second year of our #TheLongestTrip is coming to an end.
We're spending this winter in cozy little Kemer and I hope I'll find time to share with the Pinmapple community all the exciting places I've visited.
Thank you for your support 😊