Paris Area Sites to See
Ok, you’ve been wandering in Paris for a few days, but what’s outside the city limits to see? When you vacation in Paris, you want to make sure that you have at least one day reserved for outside the city limits.
- Palace of Versailles - The famous former palace of French kings. Recently it has unndergone a face lift and it’s a beautiful spot to spend a day. Wandering through the gardens for garden lovers is a great break.
- Château de Vincennes - A large medieval castle nearby the Bois de Vincennes. A definite great day trip!
- La Défense - The largest businessand economic district in Europe.
- Stade de France - The 80,000 seater stadium in which France best known for the win in the 1998 edition of the FIFA World Cup.
- Disneyland Resort Paris - The largest theme park in Europe and worth it for all Disney fans.
- Saint Denis Basilica - The burial site of the past French monarchs.
- Château de Fontainebleau - One of the largest of the French royal châteaux it was built by Francis I
- Château de Rambouillet - The summer residence of French presidents.
- Parc de Sceaux - A park located close to the 17th century Château de Sceaux
- Barbizon - a French village home to the Barbizon School of Painting
- Château Villette- Poplar with tourists, the château was built in the 18th century
If it’s a first time visit to Paris, I would recommend either the Palace of Versailees or the Château de Vincennes. If more time is available, then you might branch out to some of the other wonderful choices.
If you have any further suggestions, please send them to me or leave a comment and we’ll make sure that we add them to our lists here.
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Paris Travel
Anytime you take a Paris vacation, you forget just how large the city really is. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore that covering it in one visit is near impossible. So here’s a quick and dirty overview of some of the areas in Paris that you might be interested in and want to add to your Paris travels. In the upcoming posts we’ll give more information on each of them to help with making your Paris travels easier.
- Place de la Bastille located in the 4th, 11th and 12th arrondissements on the right bank, it is a district of great historical significance, not only for Paris, but for France, too.
- Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement, right bank is a seventeenth century garden-promenade-turned-avenue connecting the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the many tourist attractions and a major shopping street of Paris.
- Place de la Concorde at the bottom of the Champs-Élysées, built as the Place Louis XV site of the infamous guillotine. The Egyptian obelisk is Paris’ “oldest monument”. The Place Vendôme which is nearby is famous for its fashionable and deluxe hotels and its jewellers. Many famous fashion designers have had their salons in the square.
- Les Halles in the 1st arrondissement on the right bank was formerly Paris’ central meat and produce market, and, since the late 1970s, a major shopping centre around an important metro connection station. The original Les Halles was destroyed in 1971 and replaced by the Forum des Halles. The central market of Paris which is the biggest wholesale food market in the worldthen moved to Rungis, located in the suburbs.
- Le Marais in the 3rd and 4th arrondissement is a trendy Right Bank district. You can a little bit of everything going on here.
- Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement, is located next to the Champs-Élysées. The area is home to luxury labels well known world wide such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy
- Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement on the right bank is a historic area on the Butte, home to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. Montmartre has been well known as an area for artists and has many studios and cafés of many great artists in that area.
- Montparnasse in the 14th arrondissement is a historic Left Bank area. It is also famous for artists’ studios, music halls, and wonderful cafes.
- Avenue de l’Opéra in the 9th arrondissement on the right bank is located around the Opéra Garnier. It is the capital’s densest concentration of both department stores and offices. A few examples that are located in this area are the Printemps and Galeries Lafayette department stores, and the Paris headquarters of financial giants such as Crédit Lyonnais and American Express.
- Quartier Latin in the 5th and 6th arrondissements on the left bank is a twelfth-century scholastic center which used to stretch between the Left Bank’s Place Maubert and the Sorbonne campus. Various higher-education establishments, such as the École Normale Supérieure, ParisTech, and the Jussieu university campus, make it a major educational centre in Paris. A lively area with many dining options and night life.
- Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondissement on the right bank is premier high-fashion districts, home to labels such as Hermès and Christian Lacroix.
There are more highlights to note and we will explore them as well in upcoming posts. So, consider adding some of these to your Paris vacation to make it a really wonderful trip and experience.
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Paris Weather
When you are planning your Paris vacation, weather is one of the factors that you need to take into account. Depending upon where you are coming from Paris might seem to have perfect weather or be very cold or humid in other months.
Winter in Paris (December - March) ranges from an average of 45F - 48F. That’s much warmer than the northern states of the United States during those same months. I’ve been to Paris in February and it was in the mid-60’s the entire time that we were there. The huge plus of visiting during these months is that the number of tourists is remarkably small and you have easier and faster access to all the you want to see and do while you travel in Paris. In addition, hotels and airfares are cheaper and there are alot of specials as well.
Spring in Paris (April - May) ranges from an average of 60F - 68F. And without a doubt it is a lvely time of year when the profusion of flowers come in bloom and Lady Paris is at her prettiest. Considered a shoulder season, you can frequently still get some good deals.
Summer in Paris (June - August) is the hottest and most humid time of year. The temperatures range in the low to upper 70’s. I’ve seen it much hotter than that during that time of year as well. It is also the season when the most tourists arrive and Parisians disappear for the month of August and it seems as if almost everyone in Paris is a foreigner.
Fall in Paris (September - November) is also a shoulder season and frequently has better deals especially the later into the fall that you visit. Weather during that time ranges from 71F - 51F.
The bottom line of a Paris, France vacation is that you are unlikely to have to deal with freezing. frigid weather at any point in the year. So make your plans, pack accordingly and if the weather changes, it’s a perfect excuse to go and buy yourself some Parisian clothes to wear and then bring home.
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Cezanne's Water Lilies
When in Paris on vacation, a stop at the Musée d’Orsay is a definite must for those that want to add some history and culture to their visit. The museum is located on the left bank of the Seine and is located in a former rail station, the Gare d’Orsay. It was converted into a museum in 1986 and now houses an impressive collection of works of art. This stunning Beaux Art building is home to an incredible collection of paintings, sculpture, furniture and photos. What it is best known for is it’s wide collection of Impressionist works of art.
In one stop you can view Renoir, Cezanne, Degas and Monet and many others. There are even some American impressionist on display there as well. Even when traveling with kids, you are likely to be able to make it through these exhibits and this museum without much complaining. Show your children the Pissaro piece which they will easily relate to from their own art works in school.
Since your are in Paris, view the Paris collection as well. It will allow you to travel Paris through time and history. With various works of art you can see the changes in Paris through the centuries.
While you don’t have to spend your entire Paris vacation in museums, at least a stop at the Musée d’Orsay will give you some insight and flavor into the art of Paris and it’s history.
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Paris by Taxi
Taking a Paris vacation is an exciting and wonderful adventure! Sometimes getting everything into a trip is hard. One way that I’ve found to cover a lot of ground that isn’t wearyiing to either me or the kids is taking a night tour by taxi. Paris is the absolutely best city to take advantage of this experience. After the clamor of rush hours is done, and you’ve had some dinner you might want to consider taking a taxi and doing some evening exploring.
Whether you hire a taxi yourself or you have the Conierge at your hotel obtain one for you, make sure that you have a list of places to cover in advance. Also make sure that the driver is able to speak a lanaguage that you know or understand. It makes for a better time and you will learn more as you wander around. Asking the driver for something that he might receommend in the evening hours is also a way to see something that you either forgot or didn’t know about.
Make sure that you set the time limit that you wanted to spend and get an estimate of the cost in advance. Despite what they say, taxi drivers have the abiity to do things of this nature for a fixed fee. If they absolutely refuse you can either move on to another one or negotiate for at least some idea of what it will cost. They simply aren’t going to be as busy at night and your half hour or 1 hour tour is a great bonus on a day!
The sit back and enjoy the ride! With kids this is a wonderful way to begin to settle down from a hectic day of walking on little legs. If you’ve got questions, ask them! I’ve learned more from local drivers at times than any book or tour guide. You might find that this becomes one of your favorite experiences on your Paris travel adventure. I know that it was for me -
Without a doubt, wandering along the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Trionphe is one of my all time favorite ways to spend a few hours in Paris. Now I realize that I am unlikely to ever be able to afford any real estate on the most expensive street in Europe, but that is ok, I just want to walk along and savor something that is quintessential Paris. This broad avenue lined with beautiful trees and full of shops, cinemas, and the always present Parisian cafe. You will pay extra to enjoy the view of others walking along the Champs-Élysées while you sip and munch on the daily selections but a few extra Euros or francs is worth it for the experience.
Paris' Champs Elysee
In order to fully enjoy this Most Beautiful Avenue in the World as the Parisians call it, you need to put on your walking shoes. It runs about 1.25 miles from the Place de la Concorde through the 8th arrondissement to the Place de Charles de Gaulle with the Arc de Triomphe. As you stroll from one end to the other, take time to window shop and browse the shops. A few of my favorite Paris shops can be found in side streets off of the Champs-Élysées. You can easily find wonderful linens, clothing and a variety of other Parisian treats to bring home with you. One of Paris’ most known restaurants Foquet’s is located here. The street scene has changed in recent years with the arrival of some international chains. I remember being quite surprised to see Virgin Records and Abecrombie and Fitch on my last visit. However, you can easily overlook those and stick to more traditional Paris shops and boutiques.
Located along the avenue for those looking for a place to stay is the Marriott Champs-Élysées. While part of the US based chain, it isn’t your usual run of the mill Marriott. I stayed there for a few weeks one time and found it to be a great hotel with a wonderful air and impeccable service. I would highly recommend it as an option for those looking for traditional hotels.
Like many places in a Paris vacation during high season the avaenue can be quite crowded. So if you prefer less packed spaces time your arrival for early in the day or in the evening. For those that like to run or powerwalk, it’s a great place to include in a morning or evening exercise program.
So while you are on your best Paris vacation, take some time to relax and enjoy a slice of Parisian life and wander down the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
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