One of the finest pavilions of the Place desVosgesto visit is the Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée which, since 1903, has housed a museum dedicated to Victor Hugo (1802 to 1885). In 1832, the romantic writer, in full glory, rented a large apartment on the second floor of this hotel where he lived until 1848.

Although the layout of the rooms has changed a bit, most of the furniture and objects that Victor Hugo possessed are there again, restoring the atmosphere in which he lived with his wife and children, and the decoration which he created to the smallest detail as his passion for decoration was great. In the antechamber, it is the memorabilia of his family which are exhibited. In the living room, from the windows of which you can admire the Place desVosges, the walls covered in red damask, the Venetian mirror, the bust of the writer sculpted by David d’Angers and the portrait of his wife Adele are “witnesses” to the time when the couple received Gautier, Musset, Vigny, Balzac, Lamartine, Sainte-Beuve, Berlioz, Liszt, etc…

In the amazing Chinese living room we discover panels he designed for the home of Juliette Drouet in Guernsey, and then in the dining room, living room and the bedroom where he died, the historic furniture that he brought with him upon his return from exile, reminds us of the passion of this literary giant for the Middle Ages. The Rodin bust evokes the power and tenderness of the poet at the end of his life. In the bedroom, the desk reminds us that he was often awake writing – “Les Contemplations” (Contemplations), “La Légende des siècles” (The Legend of centuries) or “L’Art d’être grand-père” (The art of being a grandfather).

Situation: 3rd District

Access: Metro Bastille. Maison de Victor Hugo.

Best time to visit: Closed on Mondays.

The top of its spire can be seen from the right or left banks of the Seine, but once in front of the Palais de Justice (courthouse) it seems to have disappeared as if by magic! Yet it is on this Ile de la Cité (CityIsland) thatSaint Louisbuilt,

in the heart of the royal residence, a chapel to house relics of the Passion of Christ, which he bought in 1239 from the Emperor Baldwin II ofByzantium. Although the relics disappeared during the Revolution, the building, several times restored, has kept most of its gorgeous original stained-glass windows.

Virtually invisible from the street, the Sainte-Chapelle can only be discovered once you are in one of the courtyards of the courthouse. You are first struck by the appearance of this 18^th century building enclosed by other buildings. It has two floors: a somber lower chapel, which was reserved for the inhabitants of the Palace, and an upper “ethereal” chapel of remarkable elegance and lightness, reserved for the royal family. It is finished off with the steeple, rebuilt in the 19^th century.

Upstairs, we discover the full architectural feat of this fine building. Walls disappear in favor of stained glass, each window of which is formed of a multitude of panels, illustrating the continuing history from Genesis to the Passion of Christ. The whole iconographic story ends with the Apocalypse shown in flamboyant pink. You ought to take the time to use binoculars and observe the details of the figures with refined gestures, sometimes touching, and true masterpieces of pictorial 13^th century.

Situation: 1^st District.

Access: Metro Cité.

Sainte-Chapelle: 6, Boulevard du Palais.

www.sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr

Best time to visit: Concerts are held in the evenings in summer.

It is one of the strongest symbols of the capital to be admired from the Quai de la Toumelle (Toumelle Quay), where the view of its chevet, with dramatic flying buttresses and grey-green copper spire, is beautiful. The Notre Dame Cathedral stands as an imposing silhouette at the eastern end of the Ile de la Cité (CityIsland).

On a site occupied since the Gallo-Roman era, the Gothic cathedral was quickly built between 1163 and 1245. Later, the openings were enlarged, the transept was extended and the flying buttresses of the apse replaced. In the 19^th century, the architect Viollet-le-Duc worked on its restoration. The façade is formal with vertical and horizontal divisions.

Below, the three portals are decorated with numerous sculptures representing notably a beautiful coronation of the Virgin Mary. Above, we see the statues of the kings of Judahand Israeland then the Rose which at the time was regarded as a bold achievement. Inside, Notre- Dame has a very simple plan: a vast nave lined with double aisles that extend around the choir by a double ambulatory. The side chapels are decorated with large paintings offered, in the 15^th century, by the Goldsmiths Guild.

It is possible to visit the east towers and admire the fanciful gargoyles and other sculptures designed by Viollet-le-Duc, as well as the Bourdon Emmanuel (Emmanuel Bell) in the south tower, which since 1685 has been sounded when major liturgical holidays and historical events, such as the liberation of Paris, have taken place.

Situation: 4^th District.

Access: Metro Cité, RER express train Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame.

Notre-Dame Cathedral : 6, Place du Parvis-de-Notre-Dame.

www.notredamedeparis.fr

Best time to visit: Early morning, before there are too many visitors, or the Sunday afternoon for the organ concert.

This island in the Seine, where fishermen fromGaulsettled from 200 BC has not just by chance become the place of attraction for tourists worldwide. The center of the ancient Lutèce (Lutetia), connected to the two riverbanks by eight bridges, offers tourists, in effect, a condensed portion of the capital’s treasures, starting with an impressive number of prestigious buildings including the two jewels of the religious heritage – the Sainte Chapelle and Notre- Dame.

It is enough to mention the Pont-Neuf (New Bridge), built in the 16^th century which is, despite its name, the oldest bridge in Paris, the Conciergerie, the grim prison where Marie Antoinette, Danton and Saint-Just passed their last days, the Palace of Justice (courthouse) which opens onto the famous Quai des Orfèvres (Goldsmith’s Quay), as far as the Mémorial de la Déportation (Deportation Memorial) to the extreme east, to convince you: the Ile de la Cité alone, sums up much of the history and atmosphere of Paris.

It is at its best from the Pont des Arts (Arts Footbridge), on the quays of the left bank. Then, from the western point and the Square du Vert-Galant, where you can settle down to watch the riverboats, the island increases your choices for promenades. You can stroll in the triangular PlaceDauphine, named in honor of the future King Louis XIII.

This square has retained some of its houses of brick, white stone and slate built in the 17^th century. The Ile de la Cité has a flower market that is also home to bird sellers on Sundays. Past the buildings of the Hôtel Dieu hospital, one comes to the winding streets of the Chapitre (Old Chapter Quarter), reaching the gardens that form a pleasant green setting at the chevet or eastern end of Notre-Dame, as well as the metal bridge that leads pedestrians to the Ile Saint-Louis (Saint Louis Island).

Situation: 1^st and 4^th Districts

Access: Metro Cité or RER train Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame.

The Seine beats like a heart withinParisand bathes its shores rich in stories and emotions. Classified by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the banks of the Seine from the Pont de Sully (SullyBridge) to the Quai Branly (Branly Quay), offer the most beautiful stroll that you can do inParis. On sunny days the Parisians rush down to the river seeking an ever-renewed delight at the beauty of the water, bridges and river life.

Without the Seineand its banks, the capital would have neither its elegance nor its respiration. To mooch about on the river banks in search of an elusive book in a second-hand bookshop, has an irresistible charm. The banks of theSeineare really worth a visit.

Before succumbing to their charm, an overall view is recommended. If you go to the terrace of  l’Institut du Monde Arabe (Institute of the Arab World), from there, the panoramic view is breathtaking: the Louis-Philippe, St. Louis andArchevêchéBridgeselegantly spanning theSeine, linking together the river banks of the capital, the Conciergerie, the Louvre, like sentinels in the distance…

After that, go down to the banks to wander along with delight past the two islands and the Square du Vert-Galant (Vert-Galant Square), before reaching the Pont-Neuf (New Bridge), the oldest and one of the most famous bridges in Paris. A very busy location, it rapidly became fashionable, even to the extent of being wrapped up in fabric by the American artist, Christo.

If you continue your walk along the Quai de Conti (Conti Quay), the Pont des Arts (ArtsBridge) footbridge lies before you, like an imposing fire dog with a magnificent view of the river banks. The other side of the river is sunnier for continuing your walk along the Seine to the Pont Alexandra III (AlexandraIIIBridge), created and launched in conjunction with the universal exhibition ofParis, 1900.

If you do not like walking, the Batobus with its eight stops is there to take you from one bank to the other and enjoy the charms of the river quays. Instead of a romantic stroll, you may prefer the sports weekends when the Voie Pompidou (Pompidou Way) is closed to motorists and rendered to cyclists, walkers and runners.

You begin to realize that whichever bank you are on, you can read, dream, and run, in a word, “live” on the banks of theSeine, which have themselves become sumptuous monuments.

Best time to visit: Early morning and the evening for the sunset and night-time lighting.

The main feeling you get from visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Paris) is “déjà vu”. Everyone who has been to Paris, feels obligated to get a picture with lancet arches, Gothic steeples, “rose” windows backgrounds or take a picture of himself at the background of H-shaped facade, where the author of the novel “Notre Dame” saw the first letter of his name – Hugo.

Notre Dame de Paris – view from the Seine river

By the beginning of new millennium the Cathedral, blackened by urban smog, has been thoroughly cleaned, and the fronts still look unusually white. Despite of the crowds of tourists Notre Dame is a current cathedral, on Sundays masses take place (four in the morning and one in the evening), and sometimes magnificent wedding ceremonies are arranged here.

The great French novelist Victor Hugo was inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral

Yet in the middle of IVth century early basilica was situated here and later on a Romanesque church appeared. In 1163 Bishop Maurice de Sully founded a new cathedral on its place which construction took 182 years. Finally completed in 1345, Notre Dame could accommodate nine thousand people – thus it has always been the largest temple in Europe of early Gothic period.

The Cathedral has been constantly reinforced and rebuilt from the very beginning. And it suffered most during the revolution when the Jacobins decapitated 28 biblical kings on the front, taking them as the French kings by mistake. Gothic heads were discovered in 1977 during the excavations (they can be seen now at the National Museum of the Middle Ages (Musée du Moyen Âge)), and those statues that can bee seen in the west facade today is the result of the restoration of 1850s conducted by the famous architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, an outstanding visionary who made most French cathedrals and churches look more “medieval” than they actually did in the Middle Ages. In addition to the statues of the kings the Cathedral owes Viollet-le-Duc the Gothic spire and the gallery of chimeras (they can be seen better from the top of the narrow and steep stairs leading to the 69-meter-high tower of the Cathedral).

One of the most famous and photographed “rose” windows in Paris

The Cathedral necessarily needs to be entered. Remember Henri de Navarre who has been marrying Marguerite de Valois standing outside the door – as the Huguenots were not allowed to enter the Catholic Church – and who then said: “Paris is well worth a mass” (“Paris vaut bien une messe”). This is the traditional route of the inspection: enter from the right, leave to the left, put your first glance to the middle of the central nave, and then forward to the altar and round in a clockwise, looking in the chapel for anything interesting. Do not forget to look back at the glowing 10-meter-high Gothic rose at the altar – the stained glass you have noticed on the facade. You don’t have to buy a ticket to get to the treasury. You don’t need to waste your time exploring the stained glass as well – in half an hour you will see the stained glass windows of Sainte Chapelle.

Sainte-Chapelle outside…

… and inside. It’s worth visiting Sainte-Chapelle in a summer day! You’ll be impressed by stained-glass windows and play of light.

On the square in front of Notre Dame you can take a look at km 0 (“Kilometre Zero”), from which all distances in France are measured, and there you will find the entrance to La Crypte Archéologique – Archaeological Museum, which exhibition gives you an idea of what Île de la Cité looked like in a Gallo-Roman Era.

Kilometre Zero (‘lucky shot’ because anybody always stands on it)

This archaeological museum reserves the excavated ruins of the 2000 year old Roman town, Lutetia

Having circled the Cathedral along the embankment, you can see its side elevation, which is often considered to be more beautiful than even the portals of the main square. The Church parts face to the square – buttresses and flying buttresses are taken out to free the space under the arches in 130×48 meters, unavailable in a medieval town. Back then the side elevation could hardly be examined as well. Today the impression you get looking at all these great constructions is totally different: prefect Georges Eugène Haussmann demolished almost the entire medieval Île de la Cité and removed all the parks and squares. The only thing left was a quarter Ancien Cloître (quartier de l’Ancien Cloître) to the opposite side of the embankment of the Cathedral. In the XIIth century 40-year-old priest and philosopher Pierre Abélard, who fell in love with 17-year-old Héloïse, was a teacher here in school at Notre Dame. The love affair of Abélard and Héloïse – ended in the reunion of two lovers at Père Lachaise – is one of the most touching  French histories. The accepted view is that Héloïse’s relatives believed Abélard abandoned Héloïse, and, in their anger, wreaked vengeance upon Abélard by having him attacked while asleep and castrated.

During the Second Empire the square behind the apse of Notre-Dame near the pont Saint-Louis was one of the most fashionable places in Paris. Townspeople used to come to the local morgue to stare at the bodies of people slaughtered in the market of Les Halles and drowned in the Seine.

The underground Memorial to victims of deportation (Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation) was laid here in Charles de Gaulle times: to 200 thousand Frenchmen, issued to Germans by the Vichy government. This monument like most memorials of that time is has the spirit of the intolerable hypocrisy. Much more touching are the boards you can see on the buildings: “Among 500 children captured by the Germans in this area the majority was from this school”.

Holocaust Memorial in Paris. It’s dedicated to “French citizens” deported by the Nazis during World War II and who never returned back.

The oldest hospital in Paris Hotel-Dieu – which is situated diagonally across Notre-Dame – was last rebuilt is Ossmanne times. From the reception through the glass wall you will see a monumental courtyard stretching down to the very Seine. This magnificent spectacle has little interest for patients awaiting for a doctor here, but will definitely give you pleasure.

To the right of the Hotel-Dieu you will find an old flower market standing there for nearly a century. Pass Commissariat de police by and go forward to Boulevard du Palais or the Palace. Behind the numerous gates of Commissariat during the dinner time young officers of both sexes are swarming like students during the school break. From the waterfront side there is a memorial plaque with the words of a Paris liberation hero Charles Victor Emmanuel Leclerc written on it: “Hold on, here we go” addressed to the Paris police. The letter was dropped from the aircraft, and the policemen defending the Commissioner from the Germans of Dietrich von Choltitz for three days, were cheered up. No one blamed them for not becoming partisans: the occupation was important, but the thief still has to be in a prison.

Palais de Jusice is built on the site of the former royal palace of Saint Louis, of which the Sainte Chapelle remains

Palace of Justice (Palais de Justice) was built in XIXth century on the place of the old royal palace. The only part of the old palace, which ottoman planners saved and incorporated into the complex of the Palace of Justice – is the Holy Chapel (Sainte-Chapelle) – a Flamboyant Gothic masterpiece. It was built in 1241-1248 to house precious relics of Christ that had been in the possession of Louis IX  (Saint Louis). When you see this narrow and humble two-story church it’s hard to imagine how magnificent the inside can be. It’s not that easy to get in: before you enter the courthouse you have to walk through a frame and turn your pockets out. This is the first queue. Then following the signs across the yard you’ll find the booking office and the second queue too. On the ground floor there is a beautiful chapel of the Virgin Mary, but long staying here doesn’t worth it. You’d better climb up the steep spiral staircase to the personal chapel of the king. It’s a tall vaulted hall consisting, as it seems, of nothing but red, blue and yellow stained glass windows (two-thirds of which are original). It would be a big fault to ignore this sight, as to come here on a cloudy day. It’s crowded in the Holy Chapel, but you can always find a place on the bench by the wall to watch the stained glass more careful, especially if you bring lorgnette with you.

The walls of the oldest prison in Paris – La Conciergerie – adjoin the Palace of Justice from the north. On one of its towers you can find the first clocks in the city (over six hundred years old) still working though. Here you should definitely visit a magnificent Gothic hall (one of the columns has a watermark of 1910), kitchen striking with its size, and cells – poor and rich, with and without the conveniences. La Conciergerie is famous for its “guests”: in the cell, where Marie Antoinette spent 76 days awaiting for execution, the installation in the spirit of a wax museum is arranged. The room of a hateful Austrian is divided on two parts with a curtain, behind which the jailers are on duty day and night. “And nearby were Danton and Robespierre!” – a guard will say with his pleasure: the judges laid down under the knife after there victims.

To say the truth, there’s nothing special inside the jail, but the outside view is impressive and a little bit sinister

A poet Andre Chenier, Charlotte Corday stabbed Marat, the chemist Lavoisier, anarchist Ravachol, “Jacks the Ripper” of all stripes and Napoleonic sergeant Corsican Giuseppe Feshi who wanted to kill Louis Philippe, all of them were waiting for the guillotine in La Conciergerie. There is known a Corsican who prepared a rough wooden bench in his room on the Boulevard du Temple, on which he fixed 24 barrel, each charged with 6 bullets and sat by the window waiting for the king. July 28, 1835 his primitive machine gun killed 19 people on the spot and injured dozens of people in the royal cortege, but Louis Philippe was not injured. Feshi visited the “dressing-room”, reproduced in the prison museum, where Monsieur de Paris, the city’s famous executioner Sanson, ripped the shirt of a sentenced prisoner and shaved his hair on the head, so the guillotine had not met the slightest resistance.

Behind the Palace of Justice there is a small square – The Place Dauphine – actually triangular in shape, but is the most harmonious in the city. Not all the houses, which were built here in XVIIth century, destroyed by prefect Ossman. Particularly, two pavilions in its narrowest part have left safe. In one of them an actress Simone Signoret lived, and Simenon’s hero Jules Maigret (titled Commissaire) who worked on 36 Quai des Orfèvres liked to sit in local restaurants.

The Place Dauphine is situated behind the Palace of Justice. Look at its triangular shape

The Pont Neuf, recently renovated, which is situated behind the square was built four hundred years ago in Henry IV times. Today it is the oldest bridge in Paris, and back then it was the first bridge without shops and houses on it. The Pont Neuf connects the western arrow of Cité with two banks of the Seine and is considered to be one of the symbols of the city. It’s treasured a lot: the artist Christo was once allowed to wrap this bridge, but Leos Carax couldn’t get from City Council the authorization for filming “The Lovers on the Bridge” (“Les Amants du Pont-Neuf”) here,so the director had to create his own the Pont Neuf far away, in the south of France.

The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge of Paris. Its novelty is concluded in fact that it was the first bridge without houses built on the borders.

The statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf is a copy of the  original (1818), like many other statues of kings adorned the Paris area, was melted during the revolution. A small staircase behind it leads to the Square du Vert-Galant.

Square du Vert-Galant

The epithet in the title “gallant” refers to Henry known for his amorous adventures. In summer Parisians in a good shape sunbathe here, in the evening loving couples are coming down to the Square, during the day Japanese tourists are waiting for water taxi.

If you want to visit Paris and see all these beautiful sight with your own proper eyes, we strongly recommend you to bustle about Paris accommodation in advance.  Our professional team speaks several languages and it’ll help you to choose and book the best variant from our list of  short term Paris apartments for rent.

In the very heart of Paris one can find two small natural islands in the Seine River – Île de la Cité where Notre Dame de Paris is situated, and Île Saint-Louis (named by Saint Louis). They can be easily found both from the Left Bank and the Right Bank. You can come here any time of the day or night when you first get to Paris. Though you will still have to get back in the morning – because of the Conciergerie (La Conciergerie), the Sainte-Chapelle or “The Holy Chapel” (La Sainte-Chapelle) and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité – a bird’s-eye view

Both islands are connected with the Right and the Left Banks by numerous bridges between them and they are connected to each other by the pont Saint-Louis (Le pont Saint-Louis). Île de la Cité has more architectural monuments than even residential buildings, and the population is mostly made up of tourists, lawyers and policemen. This is where Paris begins from. The second island, Île Saint-Louis, is a quiet and calm place which nowadays is admired by the richest people of Paris. There are people who have never visited Île Saint-Louis though they have been to Paris once or twice – and that is the saddest thing of all! Tourists just pass it by hurrying up to
Notre Dame and then forget to return. Though it would be even better to explore islands from Île Saint-Louis: you need to go there with you mind clear and your eyes wide open.

If you’re going to Paris, we’re glad to offer you a wide range of rental Paris apartments: for a long and short term stays.

Many people from all over the world love Paris and often visit this amazing city. It is popular by lots of historical and tourist attractions. But only few of us really know some corners that hidden from tourists’ eyes and unusual places of this ancient town. We won’t tell you about Louvre, the main tour or French Disneyland. We will open a mystery world of unknown Paris.

1. Everybody knows that France is a country of wine and cheese, but almost nobody knows anything about the Waters’ St. (Rue des Eaux), which is a little wine world. The Passy abbey on this street is rather popular by it’s thermal springs, but favorite Louis XIII’s wine cellars were found here only few years ago by one of the restaurant hosts. He transformed them into a wine museum where tourists could find ancient bottles and wineglasses, wax figures of monks and their tools and taste rare kinds of wine and cheese, as well.

Rue des Eaux & Musee du Vin

2. Then we advise you to visit one pretty restaurant which name is “La Mère Catherine”. It is the world’s first bistro that had this name from russian cossacks who had shouted “bistro” (that means quickly) demanding food in 1814. Today their service is as slow as it was century ago, so be patient. It is a typically french restaurant with traditional cuisine: salad with hot cracklings, chicken cocotte, lamb-chop in garlic batter with parsley. Average price without drinks per person is 30 Euro.

La Mère Catherine Restaurant

3. St. Chateau-D’Eau is known by it’s 39th house that is the narrowest one in Paris. It is 5 meters in height and only 1.20 in width. It consists of one door, one window and one room. This incredible house was built just to fill the space between two streets.

The narrowest house in Paris

4. Charming “La Villet” is a place that, unfortunately, less visited by tourists. And it’s a big mistake. Former slaughterhouse was rebuilt into a great museum of science, engineering and industry, including park, music town and different amusement for adults and children. This place takes you to the future and you become an element in the space. Incredible atmosphere is made of metal roads and bridges, strange sculptures and constructions, unusual fountains and buildings. Focus place of “La Villet” is a huge sphere 36 meters in diameter which, at the same time, is the biggest cinema. It looks like a bubble from outside, but coming inside, you can see a half-spheric screen having of 1000 sq. m. placing you in the center of acting. By the way, this place is in permanent reconstruction, that’s why each visit you would mention here something new.

La Géode in La Villet

5. Special theme about Paris is it’s underground. It is like some reflection of social life in the town. May be it couldn’t be compared with English one, but Louvre-Rivoli station is exactly gorgeous. Take a look at it’s entrance and you will see a beautiful arch with many colorful balls. It wouldn’t be anything shocking if it was usual glass. But it is the real Italian blown glass performed a work of art.

Louvre-Rivoli Metro Station (Details)

6. Undoubtedly, one of the worth visit place in Paris is a Ferris wheel, built in 2000 on Elysees Fields. It has a very hard destiny and scandal reputation. But 60 meters over the land and 50 000 light bulbs attract tourist annually and let them see may be the most beautiful and romantic panorama in the world.

Big Ferris Wheel in Jardin des Tuileries

7. There is one legend in Paris. Once upon a time a certain Marie-Etienne Nitot saved Napoleon’s life and once became a popular court jeweller and a founder of Chaumet house. Many years passed, but Chaumet jewellery is available nowadays. Most people can only watch at it, only the richest one can buy it. The house 12 at Vendôme Square is playing a big role in present Chaumet’s life. It remembers Russian ambassadors and their famous guests, Shopen’s music and his death, Napoleon III and his future wife’s meeting. And now, it saves thousands of ancient photos, negatives and drafts of precious jewellery. You can find here original diadems, copies of all exclusive and serial models: 1500 items, which was made over the last 200 years. Also you can know the price of jewellery in gold ancient franc, clients’ names and look through the old account books.

12 Place Vendome: the Heart and Soul of Chaumet

8. Recently, Field of Mars has started to attract people’s attention again. This interest has appeared due to The Wall of Peace. It’s an unusual 9 meters in height pavilion made of glass, metal and wood. There are 32 steel columns around. The word “peace” is written in different languages on the wall and on each of these columns. People can leave their message in special niches. Those who live far from France also can leave their letters through the Internet and their thoughts will appear on one of the 30 screens on Paris Wall. This place reminds us that the main responsibility in the world is providing peace.

The Wall of Peace (Le mur de la paix), in front of the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars.

9. Père Lachaise is the most popular cemetery in the world. It is the biggest green oasis in Paris and also the greatest museum of the graveside sculpture. The latter will be discussed. We won’t enumerate all famous person and their monuments. We’ll pay attention to the one, the Victor Noir’s grave. He isn’t as popular as the whole cemetery is. But thousand of men and women come to him believing to be treated form infertility and impotence. It is enough to touch his groin that shines better than other parts of body.

A bronze sculpture at Pere-Lachaise cemetery

10. Hundreds of kilometers of mystery gallery, which are known as Paris catacombs, may be the most enigmatic place in this romantic city. At first, it was ancient stone quarry, then this quarry was turned into enormous cemetery. There are bones of more than 6 million different people that accurately stacked into walls in specific décor. In this terrific museum you can see many monuments, ancient altar and well, crypt, tunnel. You’ll have a great opportunity to descend on 20 meters below ground and to know a new Paris with it’s hidden life.

Mysterious world of hidden Paris – catacombs!

To get to know more about The Catacombs of Paris (Catacombes de Paris), read Paris from the inside.

This report has shown you only a part of possible places to visit. The main advise is not to use trite routes and try to explore new places that aren’t mentioned in your guide-book. Remember, Paris is too big and too ancient to be enough for one trip. It keeps lots of secrets and surprises. You should surely come back to know them better.

Ask 100 different people what reminds them of Paris and you will most likely hear – Eiffel Tower. We all know that this “Iron Lady” has always been the symbol of Paris. We also know why – this huge 1,063 ft high tower (which is equal to an 81-story building) can be seen from almost any point in the city. And from the top of the Eiffel Tower, the entire city of Paris and beyond can be seen. More than 200,000,000 people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. On March 31st this year this incredible structure has turned 122 years old.

But ask yourself what interesting facts you know about Eiffel Tower and you may draw a blank.

To begin with this tower should not have even been there back in 1889. When French engineer Gustave Eiffel first decided to raise this structure in 1887 he met with much criticism from the public. Most famous cultural workers of that time even signed the document which said: “And during next years we shall see, stretching over the entire city, still thrilling with the genius of so many centuries, we shall see stretching out like a black blot the odious shadow of the odious column built up of riveted iron plates.”

One of the biggest Eiffel Tower “haters”, novelist Guy de Maupassant, even used to have lunch in the Tower’s restaurant – that was the only place in Paris where he couldn’t see this “disgusting” structure, he explained.

But time passed and the Eiffel Tower, instead of being the object of irritation, soon became an object of admiration.

Later on during the Second World War, just before Hitler came to Paris in 1940, Frenchmen disabled the lift drive which couldn’t be fixed because of the war. So Nazi soldiers were not able to climb to the top of the tower and raise their banner there. From that moment people began to say that Hitler conquered France but didn’t manage to conquer the Eiffel Tower.

The “Iron Lady” can also count about a dozen of interesting and unbelievable facts in its history.

Thus on February 4th 1912 an Austrian tailor named Franz Reichelt jumped from the first level of Eiffel Tower having self-made wings on his back and died of a sudden heart attack on his way down.

In 1925 a conman named Victor Lustig managed to “sell” the great tower for scrap metal twice. He persuaded two different powerful men to take part in financial support of the structure which was supposedly exposed to danger from the government.

From 1925 to 1935 illuminated signs of Citroën decorated three of the tower’s four sides. That became the highest advertising space in the word at that time.

In January of 1956 a sudden fire destroyed the top of the structure which was later reconstructed.

On July22, 2003 the top of the tower was on fire again. The fire could be put down only by night.

In winter of 2004 the first floor of the “Iron Lady” was reconfigured into an ice skating rink. This was some sort of an advertising of Paris as a 2012 winter Olympic candidate.

Until now, the Eiffel Tower has remained the same as it was 120 years ago due to 57 tons of paint used every 7 years to protect it from rust.

This huge tower doesn’t suffer from the wind too much. Even the strongest storm can give it only a 3.5 inch sway. And the sun can make the top of the tower shift away up to 7 inches.

The last suicide was committed from the tower in April 2008.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is used for TV and radio transmission, and cellular communication. It is not only the symbol of Paris now, but really its heart and fountain of life. Life full of opportunities and wonderful adventures. And a lot of people all over the world dream of coming to Paris just to see this wondrous creation.

How do you think, where the most attended place in Paris is? Doubtless, it is the 1st district where the gorgeous Louvre Museum stretches out its ancient estate. This is the biggest treasure house of art with permanent giant crowd in front of one of the most famous woman of the past the Mona Lisa.

Besides Louvre 1st district is popular by the Tuileries Gardens. It is one of the most romantic green corners of the whole Paris. 63 acres of verdure, pretty benches, fairy ponds, relaxing people, park amusement and, of course, two cozy galleries Jeu de Paume (contemporary art) and L’Orangerie. The latter one is an exhibition of art works of 1870-1930 that also has two of Monet’s Waterlilies paintings which maestro presented to the museum himself. Moreover, from this garden you can have a way to the river Seine and Place de la Concorde.

By the way, about Place de la Concorde. This square is very popular between both native Parisian and foreigners due to its dark past, Egyptian obelisk, marble statues of French towns, Ferris wheel and beautiful fountains.

In the heart of Paris you can also visit Palais Royal that stays royal residence, theater and a training ground for extreme sportsmen at the same time.

Living in 1st district you have a great opportunity to walk across two main bridges Pont Neuf and Pont des Arts. And if the first one is the most ancient, the second is known as romantic place where you can spend lovely dinner, enjoying music, boats, the Seine and passengers.
Another worth visiting place is Place Vendôme that is the concentration of the luxury and jewellery world in Paris with Forum des Halles and lots of boutiques and unusual design shops, as instant, the stamp collectors market on Avenue de Marigny.