What to see in Paris.
The arch stands in the centre of the worlds busiest traffic roundabout which no insurance company will touch. Napoleon commissioned it in 1806 to commemorate his, albeit brief, victories in battle. Possibly suffering from a touch of Emperor-envy for the arches in Rome he wanted this built to be just as impressive. Completed in 1836 it stands 49m high with a spectacular 360 degree view of the 12 roads feeding into it and out over Paris. The surfaces are engraved with the names of the generals and the battles. There is a relief panel depicting the departing of the volunteers by Francis Rude, as Napoleon marched his armies through the arch and down the Champs Elysee on his way to take over Europe. Below the centre of the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the eternal flame which is lit every evening at 6.30pm in remembrance of the 1,500,000 who were killed in WWI . The viewing platform is open every day until 10.30pm winter, 11pm summer. Museum room tours available.
This is the main shopping street in central Paris, stretching 2km from the Arc De Triomphe down to the golden Obelisk in the centre of Place de la Concorde. This street marks one side of the Golden Triangle, in the heart of the wealthy right bank. All the expensive names have their shops here like Chanel , Yves Sant Laurent , Hermés and Givency . Various other brand names have set up home here as well, including Ferrari, Disney and BMW. The Tour De France pays a visit with the final 2km sprint finish down to Place de la Concorde on Sunday July 23rd.
The most famous landmark in Paris was nearly torn down in 1909 as some opinions labelled it an eyesore. Arcitect Gustave Eiffel built it for the 1889 Expo held in Paris to show off the quality of French steel. 10,100 tonnes of iron went into the 324m structure. You can choose to climb the 1710 steps to the top (€3.80 to level 2) or if you arrive early before 9.00am to beat the hordes you can take the lift. Another alternative is to take a late evening cruise down the Seine to watch the light show. 20,000 flashes were installed for the Millennium celebrations and return occasionally adding to the city of lights reputation. Various lighting displays illuminate the sky every year. Prices depend on how high you want to go, €4.20 to the first level, €7.70 to the second and €11 to the top. Open every day, Jan 1-June 15 and Sep 3-Dec 31, 9.30am-11.45pm, June 16-Sep 2, 9am-12.45am .
One of the best and easily recognisable examples of Gothic architecture. Built between the 1163 and 1345 centuries this was an attempt by the church to fill the coffers as a larger structure meant more worshippers at donation time. It has been enlarged twice in its history. The magnificent stained glass rose windows were removed during WWII and cunningly hidden in sand to prevent them being destroyed or taken by the Nazis. The church also provided the setting for Victor Hugo's famous work The Hunchback of Notre Dame . No visits are allowed during religious services, but it is open every day. The garden behind provides a leafy spot to admire the flying buttresses built to support the immense walls.
This building has had quite a history having been a 12th century fortress, treasury, archives, royal residence, abandoned and almost demolished, to finally rise as a world class art museum . Various owners have added their touches over the years resulting in a succession of architectural styles and miles of corridors. Artworks covering 5 centuries fill the thousands of rooms. The geodesic pyramids were added in 1986 by Japanese architect I.M Pei to make an interesting entry feature. The most famous painting here is of course Da Vinci's Mona Lisa . The museum is so vast you should work out what you want to see first. Open every day except Tuesday, 9am-6pm, some opening times are free for students.
This area was so named due to the fact that until the French Revolution in 1789 all communication between students and their Professors was in Latin . The Paris University is home to over 20,000? students and dates back to 1253. There are several other landmarks such as the Pantheon , now a mausoleum for writers and philosophers, and the Palais de Lux, once home for the Italian born queen Maria de Medici and now for the French Senate. Also one of the best places to find authentic French cuisine at affordable prices.