Paris

Arc De Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is a famous landmark, and a horror for foreign drivers trying to use the roundabout which has a star shaped configuration that radiates into avenues.

The triumphal arch honors those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. On the inside and the top of the arc there are all of the names of generals and wars fought. Underneath is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I, with an eternal flame that burns in memory of the dead who were never identified (in both World Wars).
(Arc De Triomphe Image: Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was built as an entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair, and is the tallest building in Paris. It is the most visited paid monument, and was named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel. Standing 324 metres (1,063 feet) tall, the structure is made of steel and weighs approx 10,000 tonnes.

The tower has three levels for visitors. Visitors can choose to ascend either on stairs or lifts to the first and second levels. Walking up to the first and second levels requires fitness as it takes over 300 steps per level. The third level is only accessible by lift.

In order to maintain a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground, three separate colors of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey.

Notre Dame de Paris

This Gothic masterpeice, built on an island on the River Seine, is the first building to have flying buttresses (arched exterior supports).

Notre Dame meaning Our Lady in French, has seen many interesting events over time, namely the petiton to the papal delegation to overturn Jeanne d'Arc’s conviction for heresy; her beatification and later her canonization; It also bore witness to the coronation ceremony of Napoléon I and his wife Joséphine, with Pope Pius VII officiating. It was Napoléon Bonaparte who who crowned himself emperor!

La Conciergerie

The Conciergerie is a former royal palace and prison, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, near Notre-Dame. It is part of the larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes.

Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were taken from La Conciergerie to be executed on the Guillotine at a number of locations around Paris, including Queen Marie Antoinette.

Basilica Sacré-Cœur

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a well known landmark in Paris, located at the summit of the butte of Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

The basilica is built of travertine stone, which excludes calcite, ensuring that the basilica remains white even with weathering and pollution.

Musée du Louvre

The Grand Louvre is the largest national museum in France, and houses nearly 380,000 objects ranging from prehistory to the 19th century. The Palais du Louvre is part of the Musuem, located next to the Tuileries Gardens.

The Louvre Palace is an almost rectangular structure, composed of the square Cour Carrée and two wings which wrap the Cour Napoléon to the north and south. In the heart of the complex is the Louvre Pyramid, above the visitor’s center. The museum is divided into three wings: the Sully Wing to the east, which contains the Cour Carrée and the oldest parts of the Louvre; the Richelieu Wing to the north; and the Denon Wing, which borders the Seine to the south.

Moulin Rouge

The Red Windmill which is what Moulin Rouge means in French, is a caberet built in 1889, located close to Montmartre, and is marked by the red windmill on its roof

The Moulin Rouge is best known for its can-can dance, which has evolved from the dance by courtesans to its modern musical dance entertainment which still attract tourists worldwide. Watch the Video Clip on this site, for a sneak of the Feerie Show!

Champs-Élysées

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue, with cinemas, cafes, luxury specialty shops and clipped chestnut trees. The avenue runs for 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) from Place de la Concorde in the east, to the Palace Charles de Gaulle in the west, location of the Arc de Arc de Triomphe.

Les Invalides

Les Invalides is a complex of buildings containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France. It is also has a hospital and retirement home for war veterans, which was the building’s original purpose.

Napoléon Bonaparte’s (Napoléon I) remains lie entombed in a porphyry sarcophagus in the crypt under the dome at Les Invalides.