Paris – France

Paris – France

Romantic Paris Vacation

Paris, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with 45 million tourists every year.It is the most glamorous city in Europe,  full of attractions, Shopping and restaurants, museums and public gardens, tree-lined boulevards and monuments, architecture and music, everywhere you go in Paris there is something new to discover. Historic landmark buildings and contemporary architectural wonders remind you of the city's pride and grandeur.

Relaxed quarters such as the vibrant Marais, elegant St-Germain and romantic Montmartre are ideal for street-browsing, shopping and café-sitting, and the city's lack of open space is redeemed by beautiful formal gardens, by the pathways and pavements that run beside the River Seine, and by endless hidden or unexpected havens.

Location
Paris, the capital of France, is located in northern France on both banks of the Seine River, 145 km (90 mi) from the river's mouth on the English Channel.
It includes two islands, the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité, which form the oldest part of the city. Paris has several prominent hills, of which the highest is Montmartre at 130 m (427 ft).

Best Time to Visit Paris:       Although summers are sunny in Paris they can also be very hot. The best time to visit Paris is either in the late spring (May & early June) or in the fall, from September to late October. And winters, although cold and rainy, are a very romantic time to visit Paris ! Avoid Paris in August, as the city generally shuts down for the month while Parisians take vacation and many stores and restaurants close. 

Route Map:
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Routes to step in:

By Air:            Paris has two major airports - Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly International Airport. Almost all major international airlines, including Air France, Air Canada, British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines and Lufthansa operate direct or connecting flights to Paris from cities across the world.

Paris is just 1 hour 5 minutes by flight from London, 8 hours from New York, 15 hours from Los Angeles, 15 hours 5 minutes from Singapore and just over 25 hours from Sydney.

By Rail:             Paris has 6 major railway stations each of which serving a particular area of France. Paris is connected by rail to London by the Channel Tunnel and high-speed trains take a little over 3 hours to cover the distance between two European capitals. A state-of-the-art high-speed railway network (TGV) connects Paris with all major cities of France.

By Road:            The Anglo-French Eurotunnel connects Kent in the UK to Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France (approx. 35 minutes journey). The tunnel is linked to UK and French motorway networks. The international Paris bus terminal at Porte de Galliéni is served by Eurolines buses from cities across Europe, including London and Brussels.

Sight Seeing in Paris:
Nearly every square inch of the Paris city seems to be seeping with history and beauty. All of it is worth seeing and exploring, but there are some Paris tourist attractions that simply shouldn't be missed. I’ll pinpoint here some of the best Paris sights and attractions, that are chosen for their mass popularity, historical importance, or sheer aesthetic appeal.

Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris. It was built by Gustave Eiffel for the World Exhibition of 1889. It is one of the most famous monument and internationally recognized symbol of the city. The Tower sits at the top of the Champs de Mars, a beautiful green esplanade, which is perfect for sitting and reading or playing a pickup game of football. After a trip to the top, either via stairs or the glass elevators that allow you to see the views of the city in all her glory, try having lunch at the famous Le Jules Verne restaurant , Café de l’Alma or Le Café du Commerce.

The Louvre

The main highlight of Paris, is of course the Louvre, one of the most extensive art museums in the world and one of the great highlights of a visit to Paris. With hundreds of thousands of items, spanning the entire range of human history, it is also the most visited museum in the world. Also you can view  Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and other famed paintings here. 

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is the world's largest traffic roundabout and the meeting point of 12 avenues. Commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon to commemorate his imperial victories, it was not completed until 1836. From the viewing platform at the top (284 steps up), you can see the avenues - many named after illustrious generals - radiating toward every part of Paris.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world, the Notre-Dame is on the Ile de la Cité in the Seine River, and is one of the iconic examples of architecture in France. One of the first Gothic cathedrals ever built, construction of the cathedral took almost 200 years - almost as long as the entire gothic period.

Seine River

The River Seine is an excellent place to start any day. Running right through the heart of the city, it offers tourists the chance to take a stroll along a predetermined route whilst allowing them to branch off and explore the surrounding attractions that take their fancy.

You can find romantic Paris cruise here. You can board the cruises at several points, including right in front of the Eiffel Tower. Boats depart approximately every 30 minutes. A great romantic passage through Paris on a glass boat. You’ll pass landmarks, monuments, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower, and centuries old bridges where people just linger and watch you sail by. Unlike other huge cities, Paris is illuminated at night in a more discreet way, which just adds to the ambience! 

Champs-Elysees  Av des Champs-Élysées, whose name refers to the 'Elysian Fields' where happy souls dwelt after death according to Greek mythology, links Place de la Concorde with the Arc de Triomphe. The avenue has symbolised the style and joie de vivre of Paris since the mid-19th century and remains a popular tourist destination.

Centre Pompidou
This great art-place was the brainchild of President Georges Pompidou who wanted to create an original cultural institution in the heart of Paris focused on modern and contemporary art.

Sacre-Coeur

When we arrived to Sacre-Coeur we were surprized to recognize the Byzantine style in the architecture of the basilica. We weren't quite expecting it, after days of seeing only Gothic architecture in most of the city's churches. That made me very curious about Sacre-Coeur's past. The French government decided to erect the basilica after France's defeat by the Prusians in 1870 to symbolize the end of the misfortunes and the return to strength of the 19th century France. The construction was started in 1875 to Paul Abadie's design. Like many other buildings in Paris, this one was controversial with people loving it and hating it with the same passion. The basilica was finally consecrated in 1919. Because of the location and size its effect is grand. The inside has beautiful mosaics.

Moulin Rouge

Ever since it opened in 1889 as a 'temple of music and dance', Moulin Rouge has set the standard as the world's most famous cabaret. Today its show attracts visitors from across the world.

Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde is another magnificent square calle Place de la Concorde for all to enjoy.  It's located at the eastern end of the Champs-Elysees and sits in between the that avenue and the Tuileires Gardens. The name has changed through the times of revolution

Musee d'Orsay

Musee d'Orsay opened in 1986 in a beautiful building which served as a train station until 1960's. The museum is devoted to the period dating from 1848 to 1914 providing a bridge between the classical Louvre and the modern Centre Pompidou. The main attraction of the museum are the Impressionists with numerous paintings by Renoir, Monet, Manet (which is considered a class of its own), Pissarro, Sisley. Included here are also the post-Impressionist Cezanne, Degas and Vincent Van Gogh. I enjoyed a lot my visit here; the collection of Impressionist art is truly impressive and Musee d'Orsay is one attraction of Paris that is well worth a visit. Address: 1 Rue de Bellechase.   

Disney land
There is a whole range of attractions in Disneyland, Paris, making one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. On entering the park, the Disneyland Railroad Station offers a round trip of the park.

Les Catacombs
If you’re looking forward to visiting a unique and mystical place, drop by the Les Catacombs. It offers you a glimpse into the miles and miles of illuminated dirt tunnels filled with skulls and human bones.  It’s definitely one creepy yet unique experience that you will not soon forget.

Hôtel de Ville
The Hôtel de Ville - City Hall - is a beautiful 19th century building in Renaissance style, modeled after the original 16th century building. It is located at the Place de Grève, near the Seine river.

 

 

 

 

Other Paris highlights You would like are:

• Pere Lachaise cemetery, with the graves of many, many important people - from Honoré de Balzac to Oscar Wilde, and Edith Piaf to Jim Morrison.


• The Eglise de la Madeleine and the Paris Opera


• The hilltop Montmartre district, and the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur


• The Saint-Denis Basilica, to the north of Paris


• Moving forward to 20th century Paris, there are some stunning modern buildings. Apart from the Louvre pyramid, a couple of the most notable highlights include La Défense and the Le Monde HQ, both designed by architect de Portzampark.

 Paris Romantic Hotels & Restaurants

Getting to and getting around Paris is easy, accommodation is plentiful and prices manageable. The dining can be out-of-this-world delicious even on a budget, and the culture, history and attractions are almost overwhelming..
Some of the Best hotels

1. Jays Paris


2. Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris


3. Hotel Luxembourg Parc


4. Hotel Ares Eiffel


5. Hotel le Petit Paris


6. Hotel des Grands Hommes


7. Hotel Residence Foch


8. Hotel de l'Abbaye Saint-Germain


9. Hotel Keppler

Some of the Best restaurants

·         Guy Savoy

·         Taillevent

·         Le Florimond

·         Le Petit Bordelais 

·         La Cordonnerie  

·         Pierre Herme

·         Le relais de l'isle

·         Le Cinq 

·         L'Atelier du Parc

·         sushi gourmet 

·         Les Fetes Galantes  

·         Le Bristol  Apicius

·         Le Meurice

Travel Tips:
For your Paris Vacation, bring along good, comfortable shoes. You will do lots of walking, but you probably won’t notice it at first as the sights and the atmosphere of the city will have you mesmerized!
You will definitely feel as if your touring time is not enough – and keep coming back to see what other wonders the city has to offer…!RELAX and have fun because you are on holiday after all…

                     Bon Voyage….!!!!