Paris: Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides and the Arc de Triomphe

The Eiffel Tower

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower, the quintessential symbol of Paris, was supposed to be built in Barcelona? It was rejected by the Spanish government because of the huge cost it would take to build it. Luckily the French saved the day and had the tower built at the Champs de Mars area. But even then during the tower's construction for the World's Fair in 1889, it was met with protests and was even called a "monstrosity" and a colossal waste of money and space. The tower was not even meant to be a permanent structure. 

And the rest as they say is history....

Eh, voila!

Gustave Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower was also involved in the steel structures of the Statue of Liberty and Manila's San Sebastian Church, the only all-steel church in Asia.  

A visit to Paris is not complete without seeing the stunning Eiffel Tower. The big K and I just have to see her every time we come for a visit to the City of Light. And yes, we always end up taking tons of pictures of the beautiful lady. Good thing we have digital cameras nowadays. Just imagine the small fortune we have to spend if we still had rolls of film instead of memory sticks.

The elevator ride to the top made my knees weak when I looked below. Definitely not for people afraid of heights.

View of the Trocadero from the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower. If you want to get those great iconic photos of the tower, head on to the Trocadero.

Champs de Mars at the back of the Eiffel Tower. The tall black building up ahead is the office skyscraper, Tour Montparnasse.

View of the Dome of Les Invalides where you find the the tomb of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Entrance to La Tour Eiffel is not included in the Paris Museum pass. To climb the towers there is a fee ranging from EUR5,00 to EUR14,50. This is a very popular landmark as you can imagine. It is not surprising to wait in line for 2 hours, sometimes more. If you have a definite time and date to visit the tower, you may want to buy your tickets online using their online reservation system. No guarantee though that you will be spending a shorter amount of time in the queue since you will still have to go through security.

If you want to totally skip the lines, although a more expensive option, is to book a table at the one-starred Michelin restaurant, The Jules Verne. Located at the tower’s second level, the restaurant has their own elevator access.

Nearest metro: Trocadero (6 and 9)
RER C: Champs de Mars Tour Eiffel 

Les Invalides 

If you’re interested in anything military then this is the place for you. Les Invalides is a complex of buildings housing monuments and museums dedicated to the French military. Open daily this museum is included in the museum pass. Entry fee without the pass is EUR9,50.

Entrance to the Musée de l'Armée at Les Invalides.

Inner courtyard of the Army Museum. 

Tomb of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte under the dome of Les Invalides.

Nearest metro: Invalides (8, 13); La Tour-Mauborg (8); Varenne (13)
RER C: Invalides  

Pont Alexandre III 


The most ornate bridge in Paris, it spans the river Seine and connects the Champs-Élysées area with that of Les Invalides and the Eiffel tower.

The bridge has Art Nouveau lamps and cherubs decorating it. Winged horses on pylons are placed on each end of the bridge.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

One of Paris' more famous streets, Avenue des Champs-Élysées is lined with luxury shops, cafés and restaurants. The car dealerships of Fiat, Peugeot, Renault and Mercedes-Benz are also located here.

Can you spell macarons? World famous macaron maker Ladurée has a shop  at the Champs-Élysées.

Need I say more? 

Arc du Triomphe

At the top of the Arc de Triomphe you get great views of the 12 avenues (including Champs-Élysées) built by Hausmann when he renovated the city of Paris.

The Eiffel tower as seen from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is included in the museum pass and has a special entryway for pass holders. Open daily. Entry without the pass is EUR8,00

Nearest metro: Charles de Gaulle Etoile (1, 2, 6)
RER A: Charles de Gaulle Etoile


Helpful links:

Eiffel Tower website 

Musée de l'Armée website

Arc de Triomphe

The Jules Verne restaurant website


Next post: Latin Quarter and the Saint-Germain areas

Paris: Beauborg and the Louvre areas

From the Île de la Cité, it is an easy walk to the Beauborg and Louvre areas. Or if you prefer to save your energy for more sight-seeing to come, hop on the nearest metro or bus. 

Centre Pompidou 

If you're into modern art, then this is the place for you. Conceptualized in the late 60s by then French President Georges Pompidou, the Centre Pompidou was built to house the National Museum of Modern Art. It also houses one of Paris' major public libraries. 

Entrance fee without the pass is EUR 13,00 or EUR 11,00 depending on the period.

Locally known simply as Beauborg because of its location, the Pompidou was opened to the public in 1977. 

The 16-foot statue of the infamous head-butting incident of Zinedine Zidane during the 2006 World Cup finals. Talk about immortalizing a defeat! 

Stravinsky Fountain or the Fontaine des automates at the Place Igor Stravinsky.

Kinetic art sculptures designed by husband and wife artists Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely.

Nearest metro: Rambuteau (11)


Musée du Louvre

The Louvre is a huge museum, plan ahead to see what really interests you. You couldn't finish this in three days time even. The big K and I only wanted to see the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus De Milo and some Masters so we were out of there in less than 3 hours.

The museum is one of Paris' more popular attractions. Understandably the lines here are humongous so it is a good idea to have the Paris Museum Pass. You can enter through the Pyramid without falling in line. Entrance without the pass is EUR 11,00. Closed on Tuesdays.

The Glass Pyramid by American architect I.M. Pei was added in 1989 to serve as the museum's main entrance. 

The Louvre is divided into three wings: the Denon Wing (right of the picture) is the most popular wing of the museum since this is where you find the Mona Lisa. The Richelieu Wing (left of the picture) and the middle part is the Sully Wing. Here's an interactive map of the museum.

Nearest metro: Palais Royal Musée du Louvre (1 and 7); Louvre Rivoli (7) 

Jardin Des Tuileries

After the Louvre, why not have a picnic lunch at the Jardin des Tuileries located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.

The Luxor Obelisk at Place de la Concorde as seen from the Grand Basin of the Tuileries Garden. And yup, that's the Arc de Triomphe up ahead. 

Nearest metro: Tuileries (1) or Concorde (1, 8, 12)


Musée de l'Orangerie

Located at the west corner of the Tuileries garden, this museum does not get the big crowds like that of the Louvre or the Orsay. It is the home of Claude Monet's Water Lilies murals.

Entry fee without the pass is EUR7,50. Same as the Louvre, the Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays.

The Water Lilies paintings of French impressionist Claude Monet depicts his flower garden in Giverny.

Nearest metro: Concorde (1, 8, 12)


Musée d’Orsay

From the Musée de l'Orangerie you can easily get to the Musée d’Orsay by crossing the modern pedestrian bridge spanning the Seine and connecting the Tuileries and the Orsay. 

The Passerelle Leopold-Sedar-Senghor (quite a mouthful!). Formerly known as the Pont de Solferino it was built between 1997 to 1999. It is actually the third bridge to be built as the previous ones have been weakened over time after being repeatedly crashed into by barges. Talk about crazy French driving!  

Formerly a railway station that served the Paris-Orleans route, Gare d'Orsay was converted into a museum housing French art from 1848 to 1915.

You can still see the name of the cities served along the route of the trains  originating from the former train station.

The cavernous Musée d’Orsay was opened to the public in 1986. Entry without the pass is EUR9 or you can buy a combination ticket for the Orangerie and Orsay for EUR16.00. Closed on Mondays.

Nearest metro: Solferino (12) exit at Musée d’Orsay
                      Assemble Nationale (12) exit at Musée d’Orsay
RER C: Musée d’Orsay



Next stop: Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe 

Paris: Île de la Cité

The big K and I are the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) kind of travelers. We prefer to travel and visit places on our own pace. We plan, organize and arrange our own travels. Well okay, I plan and arrange, the big K tags along and most importantly pays for the trip. Always works for us!

As in any one of our travel planning, the biggest challenge for us is how best to see a place in a very limited time but still get to enjoy it as if we have the luxury of time. Got you confused, haven't I? Let's just say we would be the last team to step on the mat in the Amazing Race.

Before each trip we take, months are spent reading travel books and surfing the net to come up with an efficient itinerary to see a city. Take Paris for example, we grouped all the sights we wanted to see per area. In this way we didn't waste precious time zipping around the city getting from one place to another.  

Since we're on the subject of Paris, might as well write about the places we visited in our trips to La Ville-Lumière, the City of Light.

La Tour Eiffel, the quintessential symbol of Paris.

Paris 101

Just a quick geography lesson, Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements or districts. The river Seine divides the city into the right bank (La Rive Droite) on the north side and the left bank (La Rive Gauche) on the south side. The arrondissements are arranged in a spiral starting from the right bank moving clockwise. To get an idea on how the arrondissements are arranged, you can click on this link.

In case you’re wondering where your hotel, apartment or the attractions are located, check the last two digits of the address’ zip/area code. When you see 75001 or 75018, the former will be at the 1^st district or 1ere arrondissement while the latter would be at the 18^th district or 18eme arrondissement.  

The Islands of Paris

Yup! There is an island in Paris. Two, actually. The Île de la Cité and the much smaller Île Saint-Louis wherein the former is considered the center of Paris. Below are some of the landmarks you can find at the Île de la Cité. 

 

Cathedrale de Notre-Dame de Paris

Entrance to the church is free but if you want to climb the towers be ready for a workout. To get to the top you will have to climb an enclosed stairwell of 401 narrow stone steps. Not for the claustrophobic!

Halfway up the tower there is a gift shop where you can rest and catch your breath. And when you get to the top, voila!   

The climb was truly worth it!

The Pantheon as seen from the Notre Dame towers. 

The off-white tower on the upper right is the Saint-Jacques Tower and the little speck beyond that is the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur perched on top of the Montmartre hill.

The Rose Windows of Notre Dame

North Rose Window

South Rose Window

The Notre Dame is a very popular site. Understandably there is always a long wait in line to climb the towers or to enter the church (unless you'll be there first thing in the morning!). To climb the towers when facing the cathedral, the line will be along the the left side of the church. The towers are included in the Paris Museum Pass. If you didn't get the pass there is an entrance fee of EUR8,50.

Notre Dame was among one of the first buildings in the world to use flying buttresses.

Point Zero

If you see people taking pictures of their feet at the square right in front of the church that would be Point Zero or kilometer zero of all French national highways. The marker is considered the official center of the city of Paris.

Palais de Justice

Sainte-Chapelle

Located inside the Justice compound, you'll have to join the queue outside to go through security. Once inside the compound, if you have the Paris Museum Pass you can bypass the long line of ticket-buying visitors. Just show your pass at the entrance booth to go inside the chapel. Entry fee without the pass is EUR8,50

The big K and I liked this church better because of the tall, stained glass windows circling the upper chapel. Better to go in the afternoon when sunlight is streaming in through the stained glass windows. Magical!

Conciergerie

Located within the same compound as the Palais de Justice. Entrance without the pass is EUR8,50. A former royal palace and prison. Marie Antoinette was imprisoned here before she was led to the guillotines. Her former cell is now a chapel dedicated in her memory.

And after enjoying all these sites, you may want to head off to Île Saint-Louis for a scoop or two of ice cream at Berthillon, one of the oldest ice cream makers in Paris. 

How to get here:

Nearest Metro: Cité (4) , 
RER B: St. Michel Notre-Dame 

Next stop: Beauborg and the Louvre areas

Paris: Cheap Eats

Knowing my love for Paris and France in general (I guess I can thank my Mother for naming me after one infamous French queen who was actually Austrian that somehow influenced my love for anything French), I have often been asked for tips on the best way to see the city, where to eat, what transportation to take, etc. 

So, I thought I might as well make a series of blog posts on some of the tips I dispense to my loyal subjects, I mean, my family and friends. I already have an earlier post on how to get around Paris that you may want to check out. 

Cheap Eats:

  

If you’re staying in a hotel, forget about the breakfast they serve (unless it is included with your room rate then you have no choice). More often than not it will be expensive and the selection won’t be that good (unless you are staying at a 5-star hotel serving buffet breakfast).

You’re better off having breakfast at the neighborhood café. Ambience included! Or, the cheapest option the big K and I have tried is the breakfast at McDonalds. For around EUR6 you get a coffee, pancakes, egg Mcmuffin, orange juice and a yoghurt. More than enough to start the day. 

If you’re staying at an apartment like what we normally do, good for you! You get to experience living like a local even if only for a short while. Buy your bread from the local bakery (la boulangerie et patisserie). Freshly baked baguettes can be had for only EUR0.80 to 0.85 per piece. It’s good enough for two with leftovers for a lunch sandwich. For your dairy needs, the best option would be to buy your supplies at the local cremerie.

If you’re a coffee-person like me, you can get your coffee supply from the local grocery (Monoprix or Franprix). There is always one just around the corner. Or get your caffeine fix from the neighborhood café, sit at a table outside and people-watch the morning away.

By the way, most groceries/supermarkets/bakeries are closed on Sundays or open very late. So get your supplies the day before. Or visit one of several open-air fresh markets  you can find around the city.

For lunch and dinner on the go, there are a lot of Doner Kebab shops. These are the shops that sell mostly sandwiches, kebabs, shawarmas. The “Super Ass” short for “super assiettes” , which means “big plate”. You get a big helping of thin cut beef or roast chicken, fries, salad, rice or flat bread. This is a big meal, good after a long afternoon’s walk. Between EUR7 and EUR8, and another EUR2 for a drink. Good eats, and cheap! 

 

If you want to experience more authentic dining in a restaurant, café or bistro without the tourists prices, look for dining places that have more locals than tourists. These places are usually a block or two away from the nearest tourist attractions. Another tip, check the menu displayed outside, if the menu is translated in different languages you know they cater to tourists. 

  

Crepes, well, they’re not really cheap especially if you buy at the touristy areas but you’ve got to at least try one. Nutella with banana of course! The French are big with Nutella. If you want to be more adventurous, go for the Grand Marnier crepes.

The big K and I just had to have a Nutella crepe. You can find people cooking these on practically every street corner. No surprises here, we knew exactly what the thing would taste like (it's a crepe with Nutella on it, for heaven's sake!). But since everybody has it for a walking snack, might as well right? It was yummy, 'nuff said.


Next post: Paris: Ile de la Cite.