The chances are that nearly all first time Paris breaks cover the 7th arrondissement, largely because of the iconic Eiffel Tower which dominates both Paris itself and the idea of Paris so it’s an aspiration which simply has to be fullfiled. Whether you actually go up the tower, and how far is another question. Many people such as myself have never bothered to do it, put off the queues, the crowds, the cliche, the costs but no doubt the view from high up is breathtaking, and the experienc of riding those 19th century lifts or else walking up a ridiculous number of steps.
Paris 7th Arrondissement – Eiffel Tower and also the Musée D’Orsay
Apart from the greatest tourist attraction of all, the 7th arrondissement on the Left Bank dis largely a district of smart residences and dull offices. The Eiffel Tower of course is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world, but many Parisians especially in the immediate neighbourhood hated it when it was unveiled in 1889 as a temporary exhibition for the World Fair. There are many other Parisian monuments in the 7th too, such as the Hôtel des Invalides, which contains Napoleon’s Tomb, the Musée de l’Armée, and the fantastic Musée d’Orsay, the world’s premier showcase of 19th-century French art and culture, housed in the old station termial building – the Gare d’Orsay. There’s much hidden charm here in the 7th as well, such as the Rue du Bac, which was once home to the real Three Musketeers and to James McNeill Whistler, who moved to no. 110 after selling Mother. Auguste Rodin the father of modern sculpture lived at what’s now the Musée Rodin, 77 rue de Varenne, until his death in 1917.
Both the Rodin museum and the Musee d’Orsay are essential visits for art lovers on Paris Breaks in the 7th arrondissement, and did you know you can also walk all the back to the latin quarter just by following the Boulevard St Germain which starts in the 7th, or take the batobus which stops just outside the Musee d’Orsay.