2

Days in Paris

The Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris is known for its splendid location, towers, flying buttresses, and spire. For centuries, the 70 metres high Notre Dame Cathedral remained as one of the tallest and most precious edifices of Paris. Visitors coming here admire the beauty of the cathedral as a masterpiece carved out from French Gothic architecture.

Till date, it is rightly acknowledged to be one of the most significant Middle Age monuments of Paris.What makes the Notre Dame Cathedral as a unique monument is its unique revolutionary medieval design. The brilliance of the innovative Gothic flying buttresses technology is evident in every nook and corner of this cathedral.

Founded in the year 1163, the construction of this magnificent structure lasted for around 200 odd years with tonnes of architects’, stonecutters’, and carpenters’ contribution. The magnificently stained stunning windows here filter every ounce of the ethereal light that strikes the cathedral. In the evening, the illumination created by the votive candles amplifies the spiritual sense of the ambience here.

The cathedral has twin towers which are opened for visitors. To enter the tower, you need to make your way through the left side of the front doorways and then climb the 387 steps present there. The moment you make it to the top, you will be treated with a splendid view like never before.

The Louvre Museum, officially known as the Great Louvre, is the national museum of France and is situated on the right side of the 12th-century fortress of Philip Augustus. It is the most-visited museums of the world that preserve a collection from ancient civilization to the mid 19th century.

The magnificent, baroque-styled palace and museum sit on the bank of the Seine river in Paris. It is one of the biggest tourist attractions in France and the entire Europe. The Louvre’s collection includes Egyptian antiques, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, crown jewels, paintings by old masters and artifacts from French nobles among other such things.

Its collection spans from the sixth century BC to the 19th century AD. More than 35,000 works are on display at any given time at the museum.

Our eyes love a pleasant view and you can get that in Paris. A dividing yet unifying landmark of the city of lights- the Seine River is the pride of Paris. It is also known as ‘Sequana’ for its snake-like path across the city. River Seine has been an onlooker of the evolution of Paris. Since the time of Parisians in 250 B.C., Seine has been the harbinger of prosperity through its navigable waters.

Even today, its commercial importance is valued by the people of Paris. The banks of Seine locate most of the city’s landmarks. Sailing through the slow-paced water, you get glimpses of every important and magnificent structure, gardens, cityscape and cheerful people.

Its riverside has been the dwelling place of popular names like Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and Napoleon Bonaparte. The river has been a source of inspiration for several artists. The beauty and cultural importance of Seine made its banks a part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Palais Garnier or  is one of the most renowned and impressive landmarks located within the city of Paris. It symbolizes the opulence of the Second Empire. Commissioned by Napoleon III in the year 1861, the present-day structure of the Palais Garnier is nothing short than a luxurious architectural delight.

The moment you step inside, you will see a big chandelier hanging from the Opera Garnier ceiling staggered in 7 tonnes of pure bronze.

The entire Opera Garnier is a brilliant masterpiece of classicism, and eccentricity. The main façade here was tailored as a theatre set. It was entirely dedicatedOpera Garnier to the lyric piece of art with stone columns and arcades. Every single element of this grand edifice is adorned with elaborate statues, carvings, and sculptures. 

The auditorium is a definite sight to behold with a plush bloody red and golden seating area. The stage in the auditorium is massive enough to accommodate a total count of 450+ artists at one go. 

Montparnasse Tower has got everything that makes it an ideal place to start and end your day with. It offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the entire city of Paris. Especially, the 56th and 59th observation floors of the Montparnasse Tower offer a stunning view in almost all directions.

The tower has got its name after the Greek mountain – Mount Parnassus and is currently known as the gigantic skyscraper of Paris.  Within a flash of 38 seconds, you will be elevated from the bottom, right up to the indoor observatory in the tower through Europe’s fastest elevator. On the 56th floor, you have various films, viewpoints, and interactive activities, all awaiting your presence.

The observatory on the 59th floor of this gigantic tower is much more enjoyable. And why not? Standing 210 meters from the streets, this 59th-floor observatory offers more pristine and breath-taking views of the city. Apart from this, the newly opened panoramic rooftop terrace features a phenomenal window to give you a lustrous Parisian panorama.

Do not forget to pack your DSLR while visiting here. The views of the Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower from here are simply amazing. And you are surely going to thank the Montparnasse for blessing you with ample memories to carry forward for the years to come.

Spread over the 5th and 6th arrondissements of Paris, the Latin Quarter is a culturally and geographically rich area in France's romantic capital. It graces the river Seine on its left bank and roughly encircles the University of Paris or Sorbonne.

The Latin Quarter is known all over the world to be an educational centre. Besides the historic University of Paris, institutions including École Normale Supérieure, the École des Mines de Paris, Panthéon-Assas University are present in the area.

Even the Schola Cantorum, the Jussieu university campus, and the École Polytechnique educational institutions have been established in the area very recently. Due to the presence of such significant centres of education, this area has a vibrant student life, bistros, pubs, restaurants, malls and cafes.

If you are looking to spend your vacation amidst the lively streets of Paris, the Latin Quarter is one area you shouldn't miss exploring.