The idealized notion of Paris — a city of
romance, towering landmarks, beautiful
architecture, fabulous artwork, and incredible
food and wine — isn't far off the mark. Paris has
certainly held up to my high expectations (except
for the romance part; unfortunately, I've only
traveled to Paris with my family).
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements
(districts) going outward from the center in a
clockwise spiral. While the numbering can be
confusing, it is easier to follow the simple
division made by the Seine River, halving Paris
into two sides: the intellectual, artsy left bank
and the more established, commercial right bank.
The entire city is steeped in an aura of great
culture, from the left bank's cafés, where great
writers and artists gathered, to the right bank's
famous museums and monuments.
You can soak up residual artistic genius left by
the great expatriate writers of the 20th Century —
Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein,
F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, etc. — and
French existentialists like JeanPaul Sartre and
Albert Camus by visiting the cafés that line the
streets of the left bank.
Not impressed by dead literati? Paris is still
the ultimate in café culture. No matter what the
time, the cafés are always crowded, and they
offer unobstructed views of the sidewalks so you
can indulge in people watching as you sip your
café créme (a.k.a. café au lait).
Two cafés in the St. Germain des Pres area are
infamous even among Parisians: Les Deux Magots
and Café de Flore. Located right around the
corner from each other, the two rival one another
for the most expensive café experience in Paris —
expect to shell out 5 bucks for coffee. The two
cafés also have excellent food at less outrageous
prices.
Just remember that you're paying for the
authentic Parisian atmosphere (you're certainly
not paying for the service, since café waiters
are rude even to the natives). However, it's
possible to get a similar café experience without
paying quite so much; just avoid the cafés
situated directly on the busy streets and find
smaller places on side streets or quiet plazas.
For a cheaper food experience nearby, visit the
Latin Quarter. The narrow streets are filled with
restaurant after restaurant, and waiters stand
outside trying to lure you in. The food isn't the
best, but the ambience is festive and fun. Plus,
if you are getting sick of heavy French food, the
Latin Quarter is your best bet for ethnic
alternatives.
The left bank also has its share of museums and
monuments. My favorites are the Musée d'Orsay (a
converted train station that has a nicely varied
collection of painting and sculpture), the
beautiful parks of the Jardin du Luxembourg, and
the Rodin Museum (Rodin's former house and garden
provide the perfect display for his famous
Thinker and The Gates of Hell).
The most prominent monument on the left bank is
the Eiffel Tower. Visit it if you must, but even
though the gridded structure has come to
symbolize Paris, I suggest avoiding spending too
much time there. Up close, the tower is more ugly
than awesome, and the only attraction is riding
up to the top. The lines are insanely long and it
is incredibly expensive.
If you want a good view of the city, go instead
across the river to the Arc de Triomphe and pay
the smaller fee to climb to the top. It's not as
high as the Eiffel Tower, but the view is good
enough. There's a map at the top to help you
identify the major landmarks.
From the Arc, stroll down the ChampsElysées, the
major boulevard of Paris. The ChampsElysées has
major retail stores, several movie theaters (with
most showing films in their original language
with French subtitles), and lots of restaurants.
It is the main street in Paris, so prices are
high and the commercialized atmosphere is less
charming than smaller streets.
In the center of Paris is the Île de la Cité, a
little island in the middle of the Seine
decorated by Notre Dame. Notre Dame is definitely
worth seeing — it's one of the most beautiful
European cathedrals (and there are a lot of
European cathedrals.)
No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to
the Louvre, next to the Seine on the right bank.
While the Eiffel Tower does not warrant closer
inspection, the Louvre certainly does. Not only
is the museum stunning on the outside — I. M.
Pei's intricate pyramid entrance is incredible —
but the extensive collection inside is awe
inspiring. It would take a solid week to see
everything in the Louvre properly, but don't feel
daunted. Instead, as you make your way to the
usual mustsees like the Mona Lisa, make sure to
glance around and look at the other displays and
don't get caught up in the mad rush of guided
tours.
That's a good rule of thumb to follow throughout
Paris: Take your time. Appreciate the beauty of a
stroll along the quais of the Seine, relax in the
gardens and watch people go by, sit in a café and
enjoy a café créme — you might even be inspired
to become part of the great artistic tradition of
Paris.
