The Savvy Traveler


Archive for the 'Paris' Category

Oct 23 2007

Paris - Champs-Elysées

Not merely a boulevard, the Champs-Elysées has justly earned its name. In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields was the resting place of heroes who dwelt in perfect happiness. Fortunately, visitors don’t have to die to reach it. Though you may think so after making your way through the French airports and into Paris.
This tree-lined avenue [...]

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Oct 23 2007

Paris - Arc de Triomphe

Though less artistic than its older cousin of Porte Saint-Denis, the Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile is the more famous and far larger. Set atop the hill of Chaillot it forms the center from which radiates a dozen busy Parisian avenues.
There are in fact several “Arc de Triomphe’s” in Paris. A large arch with two [...]

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Oct 23 2007

Paris - Versailles

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

As you approach the gates of Versailles you inescapably have the feeling of entering not a palace but an entire city. The impression is justified given the massive scale of the building and the even larger grounds.
Beginning as a modest château of stone and slate to serve as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII (13th), [...]

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Oct 22 2007

Paris - Pompidou Center

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

Known to Parisians simply as Beaubourg (after the neighborhood), The Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou is a museum of modern art rivaling the best in New York or London.
By design, so to speak, the architecture of the 1977 building is in sharp contrast to the traditional surrounding houses of Paris’ oldest district.
Looking like [...]

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Oct 20 2007

Disneyland Paris

Published by Jennifer under Disney, Hot Cities, Paris, Vacations

Affectionately known as DLP by Mouseketeers the world over, Disneyland Paris is a cornucopia of rides, restaurants, exhibits and all out fun for everyone. And in the last few years the fun has been doubled as Disney added the Walt Disney Studios park to an already jam packed adventure.
Many of the traditional rides from the [...]

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Oct 19 2007

Paris - The Seine River

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

Whether seen by a long, leisurely walk or from one of the many excellent tour boats, the view along the Seine in Paris is a delight.
The river flows nearly 800km (480mi) from Dijon through Paris and into the English Channel. But even the short section through the city provides enough sights to satisfy the most [...]

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Oct 15 2007

Paris - La Ville Lumière

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

Translated from the French, the title means ‘City of Lights’. By now a commonplace description, there’s nothing commonplace about the place. Paris, for those who love… well, anything, is stellar.
With over 2 million inhabitants, 11 million in the Ile-de-France region overall, Paris is a metropolis second to none. A center of world culture for centuries, [...]

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Oct 14 2007

Paris - Maison de Victor Hugo

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

‘Maison’ is French for ‘house’. In this case the word is slightly misleading. While no palace, though sited in the Place des Vosges - originally known as Place Royale - the site is no simple domicile. These sprawling apartments were the home of the famed writer between 1832 and 1848. Hugo fled from the revolution [...]

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Oct 13 2007

Paris - Notre Dame

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

Second only to the Eiffel Tower as the recognized symbol of France, the Cathédrale Notre Dame is both a tourist destination and a working church.
Built between 1163AD and 1345AD the Gothic masterpiece remains today one of the world’s great structures. The enormous interior can seat 6,000 at the base. But, for many, the major attraction [...]

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Oct 13 2007

Paris - Montmartre

Published by Jennifer under Hot Cities, Paris

Montmartre is a fascinating mixture of old and new, seedy and sacred, bizarre and blasé. Within this section of Paris, technically the 18th arrondissement, there is everything from Moulin Rouge and Musée d’Erotisme to the Sacré Coeur Basilica. There are several art shops, a Dali museum and even a winery.
(Note: An ‘arrondissement’ is a district, [...]

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