Paris Breaks

eurostar breaks to Paris

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Contents
St Germain Paris Breaks – 6th Arrondissement
La Tour D’Argent Restaurant in Paris
Ten unmissable sights for Paris breaks
Pont Neuf

St Germain Paris Breaks – 6th Arrondissement

June 28th, 2009 · No Comments · latin quarter, paris-breaks

Paris 6th Arrondissement – St-Germain, Luxembourg

The last few Paris breaks I’ve taken I’ve always stayed in the St Germain area, at least for part of the trip. I know my way around, it’s convenient and there’s always something to do nearby. The 6th is also the heartland of the Paris publishing industry and for me, the most colourful Left Bank quarter.  Waves of young artists still emerge from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, later making merry in one of the many lively side streets. The secret of the St Germain des Pres area is to explore the narrow streets, hidden squares, and lovely gardens. Everywhere you turn, there are historic and literary associations but it’s also an area for modern cuisine, night spots and shopping. My favourite Paris bridge the Pont Neuf can be glimpsed down one of the streets coming off the five way intersection at le Buci and the magnificent but unfortunately empty building of La Samaritaine beckons from across the Seine.

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La Tour D’Argent Restaurant in Paris

March 28th, 2009 · No Comments · restaurants

La Tour D’Argent is a fine restaurant in Paris.

PARIS restaurant Tour D'Argent - souvenier plate - travel on TwitPic

PARIS Tour D'Argent (restaurant) over 400 years old - signatu... on TwitPic

Tour D'Argent view from interior of Seine and Paris on TwitPic

The 1867 Universal Exposition brought to Paris some of the most celebrated and important people in the world – heads of state, artists and all kinds of French and foreign personalities. On June 7th, the Café Anglais hosted perhaps the most extraordinary dinner ever held, “The Dinner of the 3 Emperors”, which contributed so greatly to the restaurant’s success and renown.

The guests were Alexander II, Czar of All the Russias, his son and namesake the Tsarevitch, the King of Prussia, Wilhelm I and the Prince of Bismarck. Rarely has a restaurant seen so prestigious an assembly brought together around a single table, not for a state summit, but simply for their pleasure. A glance at the menu suggests that their pleasure might be seen today as a little over-the-top.

An interesting footnote: on leaving the restaurant, Czar Alexander II complained that he had not had the opportunity to taste foie gras, a typically French delicacy. Claudius Burdel, a loyal servant of gastronomy, explained: “Sire, it is not the custom of French gastronomy to serve foie gras in June. If you can wait until October, you will certainly not regret it.” Faithful to his word, Burdel sent a terrine of foie gras to each of the three emperors in the autumn. This specially prepared foie gras was later known as the “Foie Gras des Trois Empereurs”

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Ten unmissable sights for Paris breaks

March 8th, 2009 · No Comments · paris-breaks, sights

Choosing ten sights for Paris breaks

1. The Eiffel Tower – icon of Paris

When most people think of Paris thy think of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was originally built for the 1889 World Exposition. When the tower was first unveiled, Parisians thought it was a towering monstrosity, and it was nearly torn down. Since then, over 200 million people have visited the Eiffel Tower, and it has become a national icon for France as well as Paris. The tower is impressive to look at by day or by night when it’s lit up, and offers a spectacular view from above, or below.

2. Notre Dame de Paris – The Cathedral

The Notre Dame catholic cathedral took over a century to build, and was once the centre of medieval Paris. It is probably the most typical cathedral of Europe. Being situated on an island, there are great views of the flying buttresses from the river banks.

3. The Arc de Triomphe and The Champs Elysees

The great arch “Arc de Triomphe” was built by Emperor Napolean, and offers a fantastic view down the Champs Elysees and all around. No trip to Paris is complete without seeing the sculptures and reliefs that adorn the arch. The wide pavemented boulevard offers some spectacular shopping opportunities, as well as an assortment of cafes.

4. Versailles

Near enough to Paris to be included in any Paris Break itinery is the Palace of Versailles. Versailles was home to the King of France, as well as the seat of their government for more than 100 years. A walk through this remarkable palace, will ensure you feel like your walking in the footsteps of nobility. Inside you’ll find the Hall of Mirrors, which consists of 250ft of sheer glass.

5. The Louvre

The Louvre is the most famous museum or art gallery in the world, and quit rightly so as it’s home to some of the most famous works of art in the world.

6. Pere Lachaise Cemetery

On the outskirts of central Paris, The crypts at Pere Lachaise Cemetery are amazing to discover. There are some extremely famous people buried here, including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and Richard Wright of Pink Floyd fame.

7. Seine River Cruise

See the majesty of Paris glide by while riding in a glass boat on the beautiful river Seine. You’ll get to see the Eiffel Tower, old historic bridges and even the Notre Dame Cathedral.

8. The Musee d’Orsay

One of the most visited museums on the planet, the Musee d’Orsay has the largest collection of paintings and sculptures produced between 1848 and 1914. If you’re a lover of art, then this is a destination sight you won’t want to miss on even the shortest Paris trip.

9. The Sorbonne

Founded in 1257, the Sorbonne is one of the oldest universities in Europe, and many a great thinker has wandered its halls and enjoyed the surrounding Latin Quarter.

10. Sacre Coeur and Montmartre

The basilica of Sacre Coeur breaks the horizon from miles around, dominating the highest point of Paris. Consecrated in 1909, it boasts gold mosaic interiors, and offers a magnificent view of the city below.

So those are the ten chosen highlights for planning Paris breaks but you could probably add a dozen or so more just to make it completely impossible to cram everything essential into one visit to Paris.

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Pont Neuf

March 13th, 2008 · No Comments · bridges, paris, paris-breaks

936413211 edd4acc0ed m Pont Neuf


Pont Neuf

Originally uploaded by juliaclairejackson

The Pont Neuf is my favourite bridge in Paris for a number of reasons. It’s beautiful to look at from all vantage points, and there are great views of the Seine from on the bridge itself.

It’s located as an extension of the Rue Dauphine not far from the Hotels and cafes I like near the Odeon metro station and Boulevard St Germain, so that’s convenient for crossing the Seine from the Odeon direction or getting home early by hopping off the Metro at Pont Neuf and walking across the bridge instead of changing trains at the busy Chatelet intersection.

But the best reason is because you can go down the steps from the busy road above and enter a nice quiet spot to relax down by the river. On a sunny afternoon there will be a small crowd of people just sitting around enjoying the cool breeze, the view and the tranquility of the trees and small garden, away from the busy city above.

It’s also quite spectacular at night to see the buildings along the banks of the Seine all lit up as you cross the bridges on a warm evening. In the distance you will catch the lights at the top of the Eiffel tower as well, although they are a bit silly these days with colours and flashing.

Pont Neuf

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