Paris at Its Most Parisian
Nov. 8, 2004 — -- There's a finesse to life in Paris -- a comfortable, time-tested rhythm of kisses on the cheek, shopping at neighborhood market streets, and seeing familiar faces at the corner café. When you're in Paris, take time to savor Parisian life, stopping to order a crêpe and strong coffee (two of the city's many small pleasures) on your way to the next world-class sight.
The massive Notre-Dame Cathedral is a pinch-me-I'm-in-Paris experience. If it's raining, rush here to see the gargoyle drain-pipes spout out water. Notre-Dame means "Our Lady," and every bell tower, gargoyle, and stained-glass window here is dedicated to Mary. France's most famous church has a picture-perfect location on the Seine, an historic interior (where Napoleon was crowned), and lively action on the cathedral square.
Just a short, scenic bridge away is the neighboring island of Ile St. Louis. This elegant island in the center of the Seine has high-rent apartments, fancy boutiques, and characteristic restaurants. What was once swampy marshland is now the best address in town. Window-shop along the island's main street for a range of dinner possibilities, from cozy creperies to brasseries to rollicking all-you-can-eat places. After dinner, seek out the island's popular Berthillon ice cream shop and enjoy a stroll, licking the best ice cream in Paris while gazing on an illuminated Notre-Dame.
It's easy to be entranced by the City of Light -- many of its most famous residents were. Impressionists such as Manet, Monet, Degas, and Renoir created paintings that captured a local ballet dance class, an outdoor picnic, and the café culture of the common people. For fans of this school of art, there's no better place than the Orsay Museum. You'll see how Impressionist painters woke up the sleepy art world by moving art out of stodgy studios into the shimmering light of the sun.
Many artists have struggled to make it big in Paris, living in the once-seedy hilltop district of Montmartre because of its cheap rent, untaxed booze, rustic landscapes, and cabaret nightlife. Today the neighborhood is a top tourist attraction, overpriced and tacky. But strolling the quiet back streets while glimpsing views of Paris, you can sense the magic of Montmartre -- no absinthe required.
At the Carnavalet Museum, located in the heart of the Marais district, French history unfolds in a series of stills like a Ken Burns documentary. Although the focus is on the French Revolution, you'll get a good overview of hundreds of years of French history, from pre-Revolution times to the Napoleonic Era to the "belle epoque," the beautiful age of the late 1800s.
It always seems to be the beautiful age in Paris, given the stately architecture, glorious sights, and lovingly-performed daily rituals of life. Become a temporary Parisian -- it's not hard to do. Rent a toy sailboat at Luxembourg Garden. People-watch while nurturing a tiny espresso at a sidewalk café. Take a cruise along the river and see the City of Light at night. You can admire the light-dappled art in the Orsay Museum -- or see it live, sparkling on the Seine.
La Tour Eiffel
There's just something about the French and their metal monuments. While we Americans may be partial to another French creation, the Statue of Liberty, Parisians have grown to love their own steel behemoth. Originally, the verdict was mixed. The writer Guy de Maupassant routinely ate lunch in the Tower -- just so he wouldn't have to look at it. While it's crowded and expensive, this 1,000-foot-tall ornament is worth the trouble. There are three observation platforms, at 200, 400, and 900 feet; the higher you go, and the more you pay (up to $13). On top, all of Paris lies before you.