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.

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.

Le Buci is the name of the restaurant bar you can see in this picture which was taken from the hotel room in le Petit Trianon which is one of my favourite hotels for Paris breaks. The road streching into the distance leads to Pont Neuf and La Samaritaine while to the right is the rue St Andre Des Arts with leading to place St Michel.

So this is downtown Paris, the latin quarter, left bank, rive gauche.

It’s a lively area with plenty going on at night but not just for tourists. Lots of people actually live here. To the left there are some fabulous seafood stalls and restaurants. and to the far right, the famous pub St Germain and the main Boulevard St Germain with the cinemas and metro station at Odeon.

You can get here by RER metro from Gare du Nord in about twenty minutes so quite doable for overnight Paris breaks.